To connect a custom domain to Medium, you must have an active Medium membership. Go to your profile or publication settings, enter your domain name, and Medium will generate two A Records pointing to Medium's servers. Copy these values into your domain registrar's DNS settings to map your traffic to Medium's infrastructure.
How Medium Maps Custom Domains
Medium hosts every story and profile on its own centralized infrastructure. When you connect a custom domain, you're not moving your content anywhere; you're simply changing which URL points to Medium's servers to display it.
- Root domain: yourdomain.com
- Subdomain: blog.yourdomain.com
Not supported: A subdirectory path like yourdomain.com/blog. Medium requires the full domain or subdomain to be dedicated to your profile or publication.
Both individual writer profiles and publications support custom domains through their respective settings pages, each connecting the same way.
Why It Matters: Owning Your Audience
Every story you publish under medium.com/@yourname builds SEO equity for Medium's domain, not yours. If you ever migrate off the platform, that accumulated authority doesn't transfer with you.
Connecting a custom domain routes that same content through your own URL instead. Search rankings, backlinks, and brand recognition accumulate under your name while you keep Medium's clean writing and reading experience.
Decision Framework: Root Domain vs Subdomain
| | |
| | A dedicated Medium-only site |
| | A blog alongside an existing main site |
Root domain works well if the Medium profile or publication is your entire web presence.
Subdomain is the better choice if you already have a primary website and want the Medium content to live alongside it without conflicting DNS records on your root domain.
Implementation Steps: Connect the Domain
Step 1: Confirm Medium membership A custom domain requires an active paid Medium subscription. Free accounts cannot use this feature.
Step 2: Start setup in Medium
For a profile: click your profile picture → Settings → Custom domain → Get started.
For a publication: go to the publication homepage → publication avatar → Settings → Custom domain → Get started.
Step 3: Enter your domain Type your domain exactly (e.g., yourdomain.com) and proceed to the DNS step.
Step 4: Add A records at NameSilo Log into NameSilo, go to Domain Manager, and click the blue globe icon next to your domain to open DNS Manager. Click "Add New DNS Record" and add both:
Step 5: Disable any proxy service Medium requires DNS-only resolution; proxying (such as Cloudflare's orange cloud) must be turned off for verification to succeed.
Step 6: Confirm in Medium Return to Medium and click Continue, then Done. Verification can take up to three days.
Common Mistakes
Leaving a proxy service active: Medium explicitly disallows proxies on the connected domain. If Cloudflare's proxy is enabled, verification will fail. Set the record to DNS-only.
CAA records blocking certificate issuance: If your domain has existing CAA records, Medium's SSL certificate may fail to issue. Add pki.goog and letsencrypt.org as permitted issuers, or remove CAA records entirely.
Trying to connect a subdirectory: yourdomain.com/blog is not supported. Use a subdomain like blog.yourdomain.com instead if you want to keep Medium separate from your main site.
What This Means for You
Set up your DNS through NameSilo's DNS Manager in minutes once you have Medium's records. Compare domain pricing if you're securing a new name for your publication. Frequently Asked Questions
Does Medium charge for a custom domain?
Custom domains require an active paid Medium membership subscription.
What are the A records for Medium?
162.159.153.4 and 162.159.152.4, both on host @.
How long does Medium DNS take to update?
Verification can take up to three days after adding the records.
Why is my Medium custom domain not working?
Check for an active proxy, incorrect A records, or blocking CAA records.
Can I use a subdomain with Medium?
Yes. Subdomains like blog.yourdomain.com are fully supported.
How do I create a Medium publication?
From your Medium homepage, select "New publication" under your profile menu.
Will moving to a custom domain break my old Medium links?
No. Old medium.com URLs automatically redirect to your new domain.
Does NameSilo integrate with Medium?
NameSilo's DNS Manager supports the A records Medium requires directly.
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