DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN on Shopify

Shopify requires an A record on the apex pointing at its IP and a CNAME on www pointing at shops.myshopify.com; a missing www CNAME produces NXDOMAIN on the www hostname only.

Why it happens on Shopify

Shopify requires an A record on the apex pointing at its IP and a CNAME on www pointing at shops.myshopify.com; a missing www CNAME produces NXDOMAIN on the www hostname only.

The fix on Shopify

Add the www CNAME to shops.myshopify.com, then use Shopify's domain connection checker to verify. Do not CNAME the apex — most registrars cannot, which is why the A record is required there.

If that didn't fix it

Shopify has its own failure mode, but DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN has a wider set of causes. The most common one overall is: The A or CNAME record for the hostname does not exist.

Add the missing record at the DNS provider. Remember that the apex and www are separate records.

Check your own domain

The DNS lookup queries public resolvers directly and shows the A, AAAA, CNAME and NS records that actually exist — which instantly separates 'record missing' from 'my resolver is stale'.

Frequently asked questions

Why does DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN happen on Shopify?

Shopify requires an A record on the apex pointing at its IP and a CNAME on www pointing at shops.myshopify.com; a missing www CNAME produces NXDOMAIN on the www hostname only.

How do I fix DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN on Shopify?

Add the www CNAME to shops.myshopify.com, then use Shopify's domain connection checker to verify. Do not CNAME the apex — most registrars cannot, which is why the A record is required there.

What does DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN mean?

The DNS lookup completed and the authoritative answer was 'this name does not exist'. Either the record is genuinely missing, the domain lapsed, or a recent DNS change has not propagated to the resolver you are using.