SiteFreeHow to Transfer a Wix Domain to Cloudflare
You do not have to transfer to use Cloudflare. You have two choices. You can point your domain at Cloudflare and leave it registered at Wix, which Wix's own help center says is allowed. Or you can transfer the registration to Cloudflare, which needs the nameserver change first (the setting that tells the internet which company runs your domain's DNS records), a code from Wix, a domain more than 60 days past purchase and past any change to its contact details, and then a transfer that Wix says usually takes up to 7 days. Cloudflare puts the whole process at up to 10 days, depending on your registrar. Either way, your website does not move with the domain, and your business email can stop unless you copy its settings first. Details for each step are below, as of November 2026.
Two terms first. The registrar is the company where the domain is registered and renewed (here, Wix). Nameservers are the addresses that tell the internet where your domain's settings live: where the website is and where email goes. Those settings are called DNS records, and one kind of record, an MX record, sends your email to the right place.
Before you start
- Have the new site ready first. Wix says that if you transfer your domain away, your Wix site is disconnected. For a nameserver change, Wix says your domain stays connected to a Wix site only if your new DNS provider has records that point to Wix.
- Copy down your email records first. The steps are in the email section below.
- DNSSEC is an optional security feature for a domain's DNS records. Cloudflare says to check your domain settings for DNSSEC or DS records, and that if there are none, DNSSEC is not active. If it is on, Cloudflare says to disable it at your current registrar and wait at least 24 hours before changing nameservers. Changing nameservers is part of both paths.
Pointing the domain at Cloudflare (keeping it at Wix)
Wix's help page says: "You can use custom nameservers from another DNS provider and keep your domain registered at Wix." It names Cloudflare as an example, and answers the transfer question directly: no transfer is needed to use another DNS provider. See Wix: changing nameservers for a Wix domain.
The steps, from Wix and Cloudflare:
- In Cloudflare, add your domain and review the DNS records it finds. Cloudflare says its automatic scan "is not guaranteed" to find all of them.
- Cloudflare then gives you the nameservers to use, from your Cloudflare account. See Cloudflare: update nameservers.
- In your Wix account, go to Domains, click the Domain Actions icon next to the domain, choose Manage DNS records, and scroll to the Nameservers section.
- Unassign the domain from your Wix site. Wix requires this before the change, so do this step only once the new site is ready.
- Click Use custom nameservers and enter both nameservers from your DNS provider. Wix requires both.
- Wait. Wix says the change can take up to 48 hours to show everywhere.
Two warnings from Wix. After the switch, Wix stops managing your DNS, your SSL (the padlock) and your email routing. And Wix mailboxes and email routing stop working unless the new DNS provider has the correct MX records.
The change can be undone: Wix says you can reset your nameservers to the default Wix values at any time.
Wix's menus change, so check these steps against your own Wix domain settings before you start.
Transferring the domain to Cloudflare
A transfer moves the registration itself. Cloudflare says: "Transferring a domain moves your registration from your current registrar to Cloudflare." Cloudflare also says its domains are at-cost with no markup fees. Check the price for your extension in your Cloudflare dashboard.
Order matters. Cloudflare says you cannot enter an authorization code until your domain is active on Cloudflare, and that a domain registered with Cloudflare cannot use another DNS provider. So the nameserver step above comes first, even if your goal is a full transfer.
| Step | What Wix or Cloudflare says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Do the nameserver steps above | Cloudflare says a domain must be active on Cloudflare (its status has changed from Pending to Active) before you can enter the code. Switch DNSSEC off first, as in Before you start. | Cloudflare |
| Check the age of the domain | You cannot transfer within 60 days of purchase. Changing your registrant contact information locks the domain from transfer for 60 days. | Wix |
| Unlock the domain | Wix says the domain must be unlocked before you begin. | Wix |
| Turn off Private Registration | Wix recommends disabling it before you start. | Wix |
| Get the code | Wix emails a transfer authorization code (an EPP code) to the registrant contact email address (the person or business the domain is registered to). | Wix |
| Start the transfer at Cloudflare | Enter the code once the domain is active on Cloudflare. | Cloudflare |
| Wait | Wix says a transfer usually takes up to 7 days. | Wix |
| Re-add email records | Wix says you need to add the MX records again after the transfer for business email to work. | Wix |
What that means for your website is the next section.
What happens to your website
The domain and the website are separate things. Wix says a Wix site "needs to be hosted and operated on Wix's servers", and that you can connect a domain to a Wix site while buying and managing the domain with another provider. So the Wix site cannot be moved to another host as-is. If you want the site on a new host, it has to be rebuilt there, and what Wix lets you take with you is limited.
Switch the domain only when the new site is ready, as in Before you start.
Email, before you touch anything
Wix says its mailboxes and email routing stop working unless the new DNS provider has the correct MX records.
- Open your current DNS records in Wix and copy down every MX record, plus any other records that mention email.
- Before you change the nameservers or start a transfer, check that the same records exist in Cloudflare. Cloudflare says its automatic scan is not guaranteed to find all of them, and a domain activated without the right records can send visitors errors.
- Change the nameservers only after that check.
- Send yourself a test message from another address once the change shows up.
Domains ending in .ca
Cloudflare's registrar list includes .ca. Canada's registry, CIRA, publishes registration rules; the version I checked is dated February 2019, and it includes a rule that bars a change of registrar within 60 days of the registration date or a previous registrar change, with a narrow exception set out in the rules. The same rules require the old registrar to supply the authorization code within five calendar days, and a .ca transfer adds one year to the registration. Read CIRA's registration rules for the current text.
Cloudflare adds one more thing: after a .ca transfer you may get a separate email asking you to verify your contact details, and missing it can suspend the domain. It can come from noreply@emailverification.info rather than Cloudflare, so check your spam folder. See Cloudflare's transfer page and troubleshooting page.
Google rankings and old links
What matters is that the site your domain points to answers at the same addresses as before. If you move the website to a different platform, every old address needs a redirect to its new page. That is a question for the site move. Nobody can promise how Google treats a move.
Editing afterwards
How you edit a site after moving off Wix is covered in how to move your website off Wix.
If you want someone to move the website
SiteFree is a Canadian (Montreal) migration service with prices in CAD. It does the website move: it rebuilds your Wix, Squarespace, Webflow (in beta) or WordPress site to match the design closely, hosts it free in your own Cloudflare account, and keeps the files in your own GitHub account. The site is served from Cloudflare's global network, from the Cloudflare location nearest each visitor.
Every old address is redirected to its new page. You get a private preview within two business days of payment (three to four for WordPress), and nothing switches over until you approve. The domain stays with you, and your email settings are checked before anything switches. You pay once, with no monthly fee: Small (up to 5 pages plus one blog or other section) is $99 for the first 20 sites, then $360. Large (up to 100 pages) is $199 for the first 20 sites, then $720. You can check your site to see your price. A full refund is available any time before you approve.
Questions and answers
- Do I have to transfer my domain away from Wix to use Cloudflare?
- No. Wix's help center says you can use another provider's nameservers and keep the domain registered at Wix, and it names Cloudflare as an example. A full transfer is a separate, optional step.
- How long does a Wix domain transfer take?
- Wix says the transfer itself usually takes up to 7 days. It comes after the nameserver change, which Wix says can take up to 48 hours to show everywhere, and after a 24-hour wait if you had to switch DNSSEC off first. Cloudflare puts the total at up to 10 days, depending on your registrar, so plan for more than 7 days.
- Why can't I transfer a domain I just bought?
- Wix says you cannot transfer a domain within 60 days of purchase, and changing the registrant contact details starts a new 60-day lock. Cloudflare applies the same 60-day rule on its side.
- Will my business email stop working?
- It can. Wix says its mailboxes and email routing stop working unless the new DNS provider has the correct MX records, and after a transfer you need to add the MX records again. Write down your current email records before you change anything.
- Does moving the domain move my website too?
- No. Wix says a Wix site has to be hosted and run on Wix's servers, and a transfer disconnects the Wix site from the domain. The website needs a new home before you switch the domain, or it goes offline.