--- title: "Importing an external DNS zone to OVHcloud" description: "Find out how to prepare and recreate your domain name's DNS zone at OVHcloud before an incoming transfer, to avoid losing any DNS configuration" url: https://docs.ovhcloud.com/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/dns-zone-import lang: en lastUpdated: 2026-07-30 --- # Importing an external DNS zone to OVHcloud ## Objective When you transfer a domain name to OVHcloud (_incoming transfer_), only the registrar managing the domain name changes. The **DNS zone** — the set of _DNS records_ linking your domain name to your services (website, emails, etc.) — is **not** transferred automatically with the domain name. Some providers delete the DNS zone hosted on their side as soon as the domain name transfer is complete. If you have not recreated it beforehand at OVHcloud, your services may become unavailable until you manually reconfigure the DNS zone. **This guide explains how to retrieve your current DNS zone and recreate an identical copy at OVHcloud, before starting the incoming transfer of your domain name.** :::warning Do not confuse **DNS servers** and the **DNS zone**: - **DNS servers** (_nameservers_) indicate _where_ your domain name's DNS configuration is hosted. - the **DNS zone** contains the configuration itself (the _records_: A, AAAA, MX, CNAME, TXT, etc.). This guide covers the **DNS zone and its DNS records**. If you keep your current external DNS servers at the time of the incoming transfer of the domain name, enter them directly when placing the transfer order (see Step 3 of the [Transferring a domain name to OVHcloud](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/transfer-incoming-generic-domain.md#step3) guide): the DNS zone hosted at OVHcloud will then not be used until you change the DNS servers. ::: ## Requirements - Access to the DNS management interface of your current provider/registrar, to retrieve your DNS records. - An [OVHcloud account](/en/guides/account-and-service-management/account-information/ovhcloud-account-creation.md). - The domain name concerned must not already have an active DNS zone at OVHcloud. - Plan this operation **before** starting the incoming transfer of the domain name. ## Introduction When you place the transfer order, two scenarios are possible: - you enter the **external DNS servers** that the domain name already uses: the DNS configuration remains unchanged at your current provider and no interruption occurs at the time of transfer, provided it does not delete your DNS zone once the transfer is complete. - you enter nothing: the domain name is provided with a **new, empty DNS zone** on the OVHcloud DNS servers, and you must then recreate your DNS records yourself. In both cases, if you plan to eventually host your DNS zone at OVHcloud, we recommend recreating it at OVHcloud **before** transferring your domain name. You can then check its configuration and switch over with no service interruption, regardless of the DNS zone at your former provider (which may be deleted). ## Instructions ### 1 - Retrieve your current DNS zone from your external provider First, note down all the DNS records currently in effect for your domain name at your current provider/registrar. Most providers offer one of the following methods: - a **text-format export of the zone** (often called a "zone file"). - a **list of the records** displayed in their interface, which you can copy. Pay particular attention to the records linked to your essential services: - **A** and **AAAA** records (IPv4/IPv6 addresses of your website). - **MX** records (the email servers to which your emails are redirected). - **CNAME** records (an alias pointing to another domain name). - email security and authentication records (**SPF**, **DKIM**, **DMARC**), usually stored as **TXT** records. :::tip To better understand the different record types before copying them, read our guide on [Everything you need to know about DNS records](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/dns-zone-records.md). ::: :::warning Do **not** copy the **NS** records of your former provider or its **SOA** record: these values are specific to the DNS host and will be managed automatically for the new zone hosted at OVHcloud. ::: ### 2 - Create the DNS zone at OVHcloud Next, create an OVHcloud DNS zone for your domain name. This zone will hold the DNS records you noted down in part 1. To do this, follow our guide on [Creating an OVHcloud DNS zone for a domain name](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/dns-zone-create.md). :::tip When creating it, choose the **minimal records** option if you plan to fully customise the zone yourself. This avoids OVHcloud preconfiguring records that you would then have to delete. ::: ### 3 - Recreate your records at OVHcloud Once the OVHcloud DNS zone is created, transfer the DNS records retrieved in part 1 into it. Two approaches are possible. **Text mode (recommended for an import)** **Text mode** lets you edit the DNS zone directly as text. This is the fastest method when you already have a DNS zone export (in text format): you can paste all your DNS records at once. To do this, refer to the "Manually edit the zone in text mode" section of our guide on [Editing an OVHcloud DNS zone](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/dns-zone-edit.md#txtmod). :::warning This method is for advanced users only. Be very careful with the syntax. Do not change the **NS** records of the DNS zone in favour of DNS servers external to OVHcloud: this DNS zone works **only** with OVHcloud DNS servers. ::: **Adding DNS records one by one** If you do not have a DNS zone export, add each DNS record individually using OVHcloud's configuration assistants. To do this, follow our guide on [Editing an OVHcloud DNS zone](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/dns-zone-edit.md), which describes how to add, modify and delete a DNS record. Dedicated guides also exist for the most common DNS record types: - [Add an A record](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/dns-zone-a-record-creation.md) - [Add a CNAME record](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/dns-zone-cname-record-creation.md) - [Configure an MX record](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/dns-zone-mx.md) - [Add a TXT record](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/dns-zone-txt-record-creation.md) ### 4 - Check the recreated DNS zone Before starting the incoming transfer of your domain name, check that the DNS zone you recreated at OVHcloud is complete and matches your original configuration. - Compare the OVHcloud zone's DNS records one by one with the list you noted down in part 1. - Make sure all your essential services (website, emails) are covered. You can also analyse the configuration using the Zonemaster tool. Read our guide on [Using Zonemaster](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/dns-zonemaster.md). :::warning At this stage, your OVHcloud DNS zone is ready but **not yet active**: as long as your domain name uses the DNS servers of your former provider, the old configuration applies. The switch will take place at the time of the incoming transfer or when you change the DNS servers. ::: ### 5 - Start the incoming transfer of the domain name Now that your DNS zone is recreated and checked at OVHcloud, you can start the incoming transfer safely. Follow the procedure described in our guide on [Transferring a domain name to OVHcloud](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/transfer-incoming-generic-domain.md). Specific guides exist depending on your current registrar or your domain name's extension: - [Transferring a domain name from Gandi](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/transfer-incoming-gandi.md) - [Transferring a domain name from GoDaddy](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/transfer-incoming-godaddy.md) - [Transferring a domain name from Ionos](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/transfer-incoming-ionos.md) - [Transferring a domain name from Hostinger](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/transfer-incoming-hostinger.md) - [Transferring a domain name from Wix](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/transfer-incoming-wix.md) - [Transferring a .uk domain name](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/transfer-incoming-couk.md) :::info For your OVHcloud DNS zone to become active, your domain name must point to the OVHcloud DNS servers. If you have not already done so when initiating the incoming transfer, declare these DNS servers once the incoming transfer is complete. This procedure is described in the [Creating an OVHcloud DNS zone for a domain name](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/dns-zone-create.md) guide (section "Modify the domain name’s DNS servers"). ::: ## Go further [Transferring a domain name to OVHcloud](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/transfer-incoming-generic-domain.md) [Creating an OVHcloud DNS zone for a domain name](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/dns-zone-create.md) [Editing an OVHcloud DNS zone](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/dns-zone-edit.md) [Everything you need to know about DNS zone](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/dns-zone-general-information.md) [Everything you need to know about DNS records](/en/guides/web-cloud/domains/dns-zone-records.md) [Migrating your website and associated services to OVHcloud](/en/guides/web-cloud/web-hosting/hosting-migrating-to-ovh.md) For specialised services (SEO, development, etc.), contact [OVHcloud partners](https://partner.ovhcloud.com/en-gb/directory/). If you would like assistance using and configuring your OVHcloud solutions, please refer to our [support offers](https://www.ovhcloud.com/en-gb/support-levels/). Join our [community of users](https://community.ovhcloud.com/).