Blogger domain not working after transfer: key DNS checks to fix it

Part of our guide on step-by-step blog setup

Why Blogger domain stops working after transfer

The most common cause of a Blogger domain failing after transfer is incorrect or missing DNS records. Transferring a domain often resets DNS settings to defaults at the new registrar.

Propagation delay plays a key role. Even with correct records, DNS servers worldwide can take 24 to 48 hours to update, during which the domain might not resolve.

Redirects and registrar-specific settings may also interfere. If your old registrar had URL forwarding or special DNS templates, these often do not carry over automatically.

Email stops working typically because MX records were lost or incorrectly configured during the transfer. This is separate from your website DNS but equally critical. The other half of this decision is how to fix my email issues.

• DNS reset: transfer may clear Blogger-specific entries
• Propagation delay: worldwide DNS caches update slowly
• Redirect rules: URL forwarding may be missing post-transfer
• MX records: email routing requires correct MX entries

How to confirm DNS records for Blogger after transfer

Blogger requires specific DNS records to connect your custom domain properly. The critical records are two CNAME entries and four A records.

The first CNAME maps 'www' to 'ghs.google.com'. The second CNAME is unique per domain and provided by Blogger in your dashboard—it verifies you own the domain.

The A records point your root domain (example.com) to Google's IP addresses: 216.239.32.21, 216.239.34.21, 216.239.36.21, and 216.239.38.21. Before you commit to anything, it is worth looking at android data transfer methods.

You can verify these records using your registrar's DNS management panel or via online tools like 'dig' or DNS lookup websites.

It is also important to verify the TTL (Time to Live) values for each DNS record, as these values determine how long DNS resolvers cache the information before requesting an update. For Blogger domains, setting TTL to a low value such as 300 seconds (5 minutes) during setup can help speed up propagation after changes.

An example check: if your domain is example.com, running 'dig www.example.com CNAME' should return 'ghs.google.com' as the canonical name, and 'dig example.com A' should return the four Google IP addresses listed. If these do not match, the domain will not resolve properly. We cover related admin and publishing issues in its own article.

1. Log in to your domain registrar’s DNS settings panel.
2. Locate and verify the CNAME record for 'www' pointing to 'ghs.google.com'.
3. Check the unique CNAME record provided by Blogger for domain ownership verification.
4. Ensure the four A records for the root domain match Google's IP addresses.
5. Save changes and wait for propagation.

Why email might stop working post-transfer and how to fix it

Email failures after transferring a domain usually occur because MX records were lost or incorrectly set during the DNS reset.

MX records designate mail servers responsible for your domain’s email. Without the right MX entries, emails won’t route properly and may bounce or never arrive.

If you used Google Workspace or another email hosting provider, you must manually add their MX records back into your DNS after transfer. The other half of this decision is how to fix websites loading slow.

Confirm MX records in your registrar’s DNS panel and test email delivery after changes propagate, which also takes 24-48 hours.

• MX records often reset on domain transfer
• Must add back provider-specific MX entries manually
• Propagation of MX changes takes up to 48 hours
• Check via online MX lookup tools to confirm correctness

How long DNS propagation typically takes after domain transfer

DNS propagation globally can take anywhere from 24 to 48 hours, depending on the TTL values set on previous records and how quickly ISPs update their caches.

During propagation, some users will reach your site correctly, while others may see errors or old content. For the detail, see our notes on making money blogging.

If you've just updated DNS settings post-transfer, expect intermittent connectivity within this window and avoid making repeated changes.

Tools like 'whatsmydns.net' let you track DNS propagation progress worldwide by querying multiple servers.

Propagation can sometimes take longer than 48 hours if the previous DNS records had very high TTL values, such as 86400 seconds (24 hours) or more. In such cases, some DNS servers may continue serving old data until their cache expires.

To check propagation status in detail, you can perform queries from different geographic locations using tools like 'whatsmydns.net'. If most servers show the updated records but a few do not, waiting a few more hours usually resolves the inconsistency.

If propagation exceeds 72 hours with no resolution, confirm that no conflicting DNS records exist at the new registrar, and verify that the domain is not locked or on hold status which can block DNS updates.

• Usual propagation: 24-48 hours for global DNS update
• TTL values affect cache expiry time
• Propagation delays can cause intermittent site access
• Check propagation status using online DNS checkers

How to connect a Hostinger domain to Blogger correctly

Hostinger requires custom DNS record configuration to connect a domain to Blogger, as automatic setups don’t exist.

You must enter the two required CNAME records and the four A records manually into Hostinger's DNS zone editor.

Additionally, ensure no conflicting redirects or A records are present that might override Blogger’s setup.

Save changes and allow up to 48 hours for propagation before testing the domain connection on Blogger.

If you are using Hostinger's Premium or Business shared hosting plans, you might also need to check for DNSSEC settings. Sometimes DNSSEC enabled on a domain without proper configuration causes resolution failures. Disabling DNSSEC temporarily can help determine if it is causing the Blogger domain to not work.

When entering records in Hostinger's DNS Zone Editor, be sure to set the record types exactly: CNAME for the 'www' and verification entries, and A records for the root domain without conflicting entries like AAAA or TXT records that can override resolution.

After setting records, test connectivity not only by visiting the domain but also by using 'ping' and 'traceroute' commands to confirm the domain resolves to the correct Google IP addresses, which confirms the DNS is correctly configured and propagated.

1. Log into your Hostinger dashboard and go to DNS Zone Editor.
2. Add CNAME 'www' pointing to 'ghs.google.com'.
3. Add the unique Blogger verification CNAME provided in Blogger’s settings.
4. Set A records for root domain to Google's IPs: 216.239.32.21, 216.239.34.21, 216.239.36.21, 216.239.38.21.
5. Remove any conflicting DNS entries that might cause issues.
6. Save and wait for DNS to propagate.

How to prevent Blogger domain problems after future transfers

Before transferring, export and save a copy of your DNS records, especially CNAME, A, and MX entries, to reapply promptly after transfer.

Keep propagation delays in mind and communicate expected downtime to visitors or clients to avoid surprise disruptions.

Avoid using registrar URL forwarding or proprietary DNS templates that can get lost or misapplied on transfer.

Regularly back up DNS settings and check DNS records after any transfer or major DNS change to catch errors early.

• Backup all DNS records pre-transfer
• Prepare to re-enter Blogger-specific DNS entries immediately after transfer
• Expect 24-48 hours propagation downtime
• Avoid registrar URL forwarding, prefer DNS records for redirects

Questions people still ask

Having transferred several domains to Blogger myself, verifying DNS records immediately after transfer saves hours of downtime and confusion.