How to Change Your Domain on Hostinger 2026

Need to change the primary domain on your Hostinger account? This guide walks you through exactly how to do it. Whether you’re moving a site to a different domain, updating your primary domain after buying a better one, or changing the domain attached to your hosting plan, the process is straightforward but has specific steps you need to follow.

This guide covers getting the authorization code (EPP code) from your current registrar if needed, releasing the old domain, and assigning a new one inside hPanel. You’ll also learn how to handle common snags that trip people up. The whole process takes about 10 minutes of active work, plus a waiting period if you’re transferring a domain between registrars.

Before you start

These are things you need to have ready before you begin. Missing one of these can stop the process cold.

• Access to your Hostinger account. You need to log in to hPanel. That’s the control panel where you manage everything. If you’ve forgotten your password, reset it before starting.
• The new domain must be registered. You cannot change to a domain that hasn’t been registered yet. If you haven’t bought the domain, you’ll need to register it first through Hostinger or another registrar.
• If the domain is registered elsewhere, you need the EPP code. This is also called the authorization code or auth code. You get this from your current domain registrar. Without it, Hostinger cannot transfer the domain to their management.
• Check that the domain isn’t locked. Domains have a registrar lock to prevent unauthorized transfers. You need to disable this lock in your current registrar’s control panel before starting the transfer. Most registrars call this “unlock domain” or “disable transfer lock.”
• The domain must be at least 60 days old. ICANN rules prevent domain transfers within the first 60 days after initial registration or after a previous transfer. If your domain is newer than that, you’ll need to wait.
• Make sure your hosting plan supports domain changes. Some of the cheaper Hostinger plans have limitations on how many domains you can use. Verify your plan allows you to change the primary domain. Check your plan details in hPanel under your account settings.

How to change domain Hostinger, step by step

Follow these steps in order. Skipping ahead or missing a step can cause delays or errors.

Step 1: Log in to your Hostinger hPanel

Open your browser and go to hostinger.com. Click “Sign In” in the top right corner. Enter your email address and password.

After logging in, you land on the hPanel dashboard automatically. This is your main control panel where all domain and hosting settings live.

Step 2: Find your current domains

Look at the left sidebar in hPanel. You’ll see a menu with several options. Click “Domains.” This opens the domain management section.

Here you see all domains currently associated with your Hostinger account.

Note: If you don’t see “Domains” in the sidebar, your account might not have any domains yet. You’ll need to add one first.

Step 3: Decide which action you’re taking

There are two different scenarios here. Which one applies to you determines the rest of the steps.

Scenario A: You want to change the domain that your hosting plan uses, but the domain itself is already registered somewhere else (or through Hostinger). You are essentially pointing a different domain to your hosting.

Scenario B: You want to transfer a domain from another registrar to Hostinger, and then make it the primary domain.

Most people reading this guide will be in Scenario A. But we cover both.

Step 4: If you’re changing the primary domain on your hosting plan (Scenario A)

Go to the “Domains” section in hPanel. Find the domain that is currently set as your primary domain. Click on the three dots icon (more options) next to that domain.

Look for an option that says “Change primary domain” or “Assign to hosting.” Click it.

A window or form appears. Here you can enter the new domain name you want to use. Type it exactly, including the TLD (.com.net.org).

Click “Save” or “Submit.”

Important: Changing the primary domain does NOT automatically transfer the domain to Hostinger’s management. It only changes which domain name your hosting plan responds to. The domain itself stays at whatever registrar it was registered with.

You’ll need to update your DNS records at that registrar to point to Hostinger’s nameservers. If you don’t do this, the domain won’t show your website.

Step 5: If you’re transferring a domain to Hostinger first (Scenario B)

This is for domains registered at GoDaddy, Namecheap, Google Domains, or any other registrar. You want to bring the domain under Hostinger’s management AND make it your primary domain.

Step 5a: Get the EPP code from your current registrar

Log in to your current domain registrar’s control panel. Find the domain you want to transfer. Look for “Auth code,” “EPP code,” “Transfer code,” or “Authorization code.” This is usually in the domain settings or security section.

Copy this code exactly. It’s case-sensitive.

Step 5b: Unlock the domain

In the same registrar’s control panel, find the “Registrar lock” or “Transfer lock” setting. Turn it off. This allows the domain to be transferred.

Some registrars require you to confirm this change via email, so check your inbox.

Wait time: After unlocking the domain, wait about 5-10 minutes before proceeding. Some registrars propagate this change slowly.

Step 6: Start the transfer in Hostinger

Back in hPanel, go to “Domains” in the left sidebar. Click the “Transfer” button or tab. Enter the domain name you want to transfer.

Click “Check availability” or “Verify.” Hostinger will check if the domain is eligible for transfer.

If everything looks good, you’ll see a page asking for the EPP code. Enter the code you copied from your current registrar. Click “Add to cart” or “Continue.”

Step 7: Complete the payment

Hostinger charges a fee for domain transfers. This fee covers the renewal of your domain for one year. The price varies by TLD.

Complete the checkout process. Enter your payment details if needed.

Important: Make sure you use any hostingoer domain coupon code for first time user here if you’re a new customer. This can save you money on the transfer fee and initial domain registration.

Step 8: Confirm the transfer via email

After paying, Hostinger sends a confirmation email to the domain’s registrant email address. This is the email on file at your current registrar. You must click the confirmation link in this email within 5 days.

If you don’t, the transfer request expires.

Note: Check your spam folder if you don’t see the email within 15 minutes.

Step 9: Wait for the transfer to complete

Transferring a domain between registrars takes time. The standard wait is 5-7 days. During this time, the domain remains functional.

Your website and email continue working as normal. The transfer process is handled by ICANN and the registries, not by Hostinger or your old registrar. They follow a standard procedure that includes a waiting period to prevent fraud.

Wait time: 5-7 days is typical. Some TLDs transfer faster (.com often takes 5 days). Others can take up to 10 days in rare cases.

Step 10: Set the transferred domain as primary

Once the transfer completes, the domain appears in your Hostinger hPanel under “Domains.” Now it’s managed by Hostinger. To make it your primary domain, follow the same process from Step 4: click the three dots next to the domain, select “Change primary domain” or “Assign to hosting,” and confirm.

Step 11: Update your nameservers (if the domain stayed at another registrar)

If you chose Scenario A and didn’t transfer the domain to Hostinger, you need to point the domain’s DNS to Hostinger. Log in to your current registrar’s control panel. Find the DNS or nameserver settings.

Change the nameservers to Hostinger’s:

• ns1.dns-parking.com
• ns2.dns-parking.com

Save the changes. DNS propagation takes 24-48 hours. During this time, some visitors might see your old site and others might see the new one.

This is normal.

Important: Do not change the nameservers before you’ve set up the domain in Hostinger. Doing so can break your website and email temporarily.

Step 12: Verify everything works

After 24-48 hours, test your domain in a browser. Clear your browser cache or use a private browsing window. Your website should load.

Test your email if you use custom email addresses. Everything should function as expected.

What to do if something goes wrong

Problems happen. Here are the most common issues and how to fix them.

Problem: The transfer fails because the domain is still locked

Some registrars automatically re-lock domains after you unlock them. This is a security feature. Go back to your current registrar’s control panel.

Check the transfer lock setting again. Make sure it’s disabled. Restart the transfer process from Hostinger.

Problem: You didn’t receive the confirmation email

First, check your spam folder. If it’s not there, check the email address on file at your current registrar. This is the registrant email.

You might need to update it if it’s an old address. You can usually change this in your current registrar’s domain settings. After updating, request a new confirmation email from either your current registrar or Hostinger, depending on where the request originated.

Problem: The domain is within the 60-day transfer lock

ICANN rules are strict about this. There is no workaround. You must wait until the 60th day after the domain was first registered or last transferred.

Check the domain’s creation date in your current registrar’s control panel. Mark your calendar for when the lock expires.

Problem: You get an error saying “domain already exists in your account”

This happens if the domain is already associated with a different hosting plan in your Hostinger account. Go to your hPanel and check all your active services and domains. The domain might be attached to a different plan that you forgot about.

You may need to cancel that plan or remove the domain from it first.

Problem: The domain shows as “pending” for more than 10 days

Contact your current registrar first. Ask them if they have received the transfer request and if there’s a hold on it. Sometimes registrars have additional verification steps.

If they confirm no issues, contact Hostinger support. They can investigate on their end and potentially force the transfer through.

What happens next

After changing your domain successfully, several things happen automatically.

Your new primary domain is now attached to your hosting plan. If you transferred the domain to Hostinger, it will auto-renew annually unless you disable that setting. You can manage renewals in the “Domains” section of hPanel.

If you kept the domain at another registrar, you need to manage renewals there.

Your old primary domain is released. In Scenario A, the old domain remains registered but is no longer tied to your hosting plan. You can assign it to a different plan or let it sit unused.

In Scenario B, the old domain is no longer your primary. You can still manage it through Hostinger as a secondary domain.

Email addresses tied to the old domain will stop working if you don’t update them. If you used email addresses at your old domain, you’ll need to create new ones at the new domain. Hostinger’s business email service can help set this up.

Their business email features include professional addresses at your new domain.

If you run a blog on Hostinger, you might need to update the site URL in your CMS settings. If you’re using WordPress, go to Settings > General and update the WordPress Address and Site Address to the new domain. This ensures all links and resources load correctly.

If you previously set up Hostinger’s free domain coupon or used a coupon for your original domain, those benefits don’t transfer. You’re starting fresh with the new domain. That’s normal.

Frequently asked questions

Can I change my Hostinger primary domain without transferring the domain?

Yes. You can change which domain your hosting plan uses without transferring the domain’s registration. You just need to update the nameservers at your current registrar to point to Hostinger.

The domain itself stays registered at the other company.

How long does a domain transfer to Hostinger take?

Transferring a domain to Hostinger typically takes 5-7 days. The exact time depends on the TLD (.com.net, etc.) and how quickly your current registrar processes the release. Some transfers complete in as little as 3 days.

Others can take up to 10 days.

Will my website go down during the domain change?

Your old domain will continue working while the change or transfer is in progress. Once the new nameservers propagate (24-48 hours), the old domain gradually stops pointing to your site. During those 24-48 hours, some visitors might see the site on the old domain and others on the new one.

This is normal DNS propagation.

Can I change the domain on my free Hostinger plan?

Hostinger’s free plan has limitations on domain management. If you’re on a free plan, you likely cannot change the primary domain. You would need to upgrade to a paid plan first.

Check your plan details in hPanel under your account settings to confirm what’s included.

Does changing the domain affect my email accounts?

Yes. If you use email addresses at your old domain, they will stop working once the domain is no longer the primary domain. Create new email accounts at your new domain before making the change.

You can then forward old messages or migrate them manually.

What happens to my old domain after I change to a new one?

If you transferred the domain to Hostinger, it remains in your Hostinger account as a secondary domain. You can use it as an add-on domain or park it. If you didn’t transfer it, the old domain stays at its current registrar.

It just isn’t connected to your Hostinger hosting anymore.

How do I change the domain on Hostinger without losing SEO?

To protect your SEO, set up 301 redirects from the old domain to the new one. In Hostinger, you can do this through the hPanel redirects tool. Also update your site’s internal links and notify search engines via Google Search Console.

This helps preserve your search rankings during the transition.

Can I use a domain from another registrar with Hostinger hosting?

Yes. You don’t need to transfer the domain registration. You can point any domain to Hostinger by updating the nameservers at your current registrar.

This is often called “using Hostinger nameservers.” The domain stays registered at the other company, but the hosting is at Hostinger.

What’s the difference between transferring a domain and changing nameservers?

Transferring a domain moves the registration from one company to another. You pay a fee and the domain becomes managed by the new registrar. Changing nameservers only changes where the domain points.

The registration stays with the original company. If you want full control of your domain under Hostinger, you need to transfer it.

Is there a fee to change my primary domain on Hostinger?

If you’re just changing which domain is assigned to your hosting plan (Scenario A), there is no fee. If you’re transferring a domain to Hostinger (Scenario B), there’s a standard transfer fee. This fee includes an additional year of registration for the domain.

The cost varies by TLD.

Now that your domain is sorted, you might want to explore what Hostinger’s hosting plans can do for your site. The Hostinger Coupon Code page has current discounts on hosting plans that work well with your new domain. For longer commitments, the Hostinger 1 Year Plan Coupon Code gives you the best rate for an annual plan.

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