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How to transfer DNS management for your domain to Cloudflare

Changing DNS for the Cloudflare is done by changing the nameservers of the domain at the registrar. In this guide, you learn how to add the domain, review DNS records and change DNS servers on Registro.br without taking down the website or email.

Published in Matheus Henrique12 min read

Quick Summary

What changes when using Cloudflare DNS

The domain remains registered with your registrar, as Registro.br. What changes is the management of the DNS zone: domain records are now handled by Cloudflare nameservers. This allows you to use proxy, cache, security, rules and DNS management features from the Cloudflare dashboard.

Where does the zone create
Cloudflare
Where to change DNS
Registro.br
Ordinary time
Up to 24 hours

Before you start

Before changing nameservers, do a quick check. This avoids the two most common problems: website down and email stopping receiving messages.

  • Get access to the Cloudflare dashboard and the domain registrar's dashboard.
  • List current domain registrations: A, YYYY, CNAME, MX e TXT.
  • Check email records such as MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
  • If DNSSEC is active, plan the switch carefully to avoid DNS resolution failure.

Step by step

  1. 01

    Create or access your Cloudflare account

    Access the Cloudflare dashboard at dash.cloudflare.com/sign-up if you don't already have an account. If you already have it, log in normally.

  2. 02

    Add the domain to Cloudflare

    From the dashboard, choose the option to add a website or domain. Enter the main domain, such asmeusite.com.br, choose the plan you want and continue.

    Cloudflare will attempt to import existing DNS records. This scan helps, but does not replace your manual checking.

  3. 03

    Review the imported DNS records

    Before clicking continue without checking, validate that all important records are in the Cloudflare zone:

    • A/YYYY: IP of the website or server.
    • CNAME: aliases like www.
    • MX: email servers.
    • TXT: SPF, DKIM, DMARC and checks.
  4. 04

    Copy the nameservers from Cloudflare

    At the end of registration, Cloudflare will display two exclusive nameservers. They usually have a format similar to:

    lucy.ns.cloudflare.com
mark.ns.cloudflare.com

    Use exactly the nameservers displayed on your dashboard. Do not copy examples from other domains.

  5. 05

    Change DNS servers on Registro.br

    Access Registro.br, log in to the domain's owner or administrative account, select the domain and look for the option to change DNS servers. Enter the two nameservers provided by Cloudflare and save.

  6. 06

    Wait for activation and propagation

    Propagation can take up to 24 hours, although many changes begin to respond before then. Cloudflare will also indicate when it detects that the nameservers have been updated.

Pay attention to DNSSEC

If DNSSEC is active on the old DNS or Registro.br, make the switch carefully. An old DS pointing to keys that no longer exist may cause the domain to stop resolving for some users. In simple migrations, a safe practice is to disable DNSSEC before changing nameservers and reactivate it later on Cloudflare with the correct data.

How to validate nameservers

After saving the change at the registrar, you can check which nameservers are responding for the domain.

With dig

dig NS meusite.com.br +short

With nslookup

nslookup -type=ns meusite.com.br

Good practices to avoid breaking the domain

  • Compare records before switching: don't just rely on automatic import.
  • Take care of email: MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC must be correct in Cloudflare.
  • Review Orange Proxy: Not every record should go through the Cloudflare proxy, especially services that are not HTTP/HTTPS.
  • Make the exchange at a calm time: If something is missing, it is easier to correct without a major impact.

Common mistakes when switching to Cloudflare

  • Copy example nameservers: Use only the nameservers shown for your domain.
  • Forget email records: the website may open but the email stops if MX/TXT is missing.
  • Bypass DNSSEC: old DNSSEC configuration may cause resolution failure.
  • Exchange and not validate: Follow the Cloudflare panel and check the nameservers after saving.

FAQ

Does transferring DNS to Cloudflare transfer domain ownership?

No. You still own the domain at the registrar, such as Registro.br. What changes is who is responsible for the authoritative DNS zone of the domain.

Can my website go down when changing nameservers?

It may, if the DNS records are not reviewed before the switch. Check A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, and TXT records in Cloudflare before changing nameservers at the registrar.

How long does Cloudflare take to spread?

The change can take up to 24 hours to fully propagate, but it often starts working within hours. The time depends on DNS cache and registrar update.

Do I need to change DNSSEC before switching?

If DNSSEC is active at the registrar or previous DNS, review the configuration. In many scenarios, it is better to disable DNSSEC before the switch and re-enable it later on the Cloudflare with the correct data.

Conclusion

Transferring DNS management to the Cloudflare is simple, but requires verification. Add the domain, review records, copy the correct nameservers, change in Registro.br and validate the propagation.

By reviewing before switching, you greatly reduce the risk of leaving your website, panel, store or emails down.

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