{"id":22771,"date":"2026-08-29T06:28:17","date_gmt":"2026-08-29T04:28:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.curiaweb.ch\/?post_type=docs&p=22771"},"modified":"2026-08-29T06:28:17","modified_gmt":"2026-08-29T04:28:17","password":"","slug":"rename-domain","status":"publish","type":"docs","link":"https:\/\/www.curiaweb.ch\/en\/hilfe\/domains-dns\/domain-umbenennen\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I rename an existing domain?"},"content":{"rendered":"

An already registered domain cannot simply be renamed. For example, if you from alte-domain.ch<\/code> on new-domain.ch<\/code> you want to switch, it is technically two different domain names.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The new desired domain must therefore be registered separately. Afterwards, the website, email addresses, and other services can be switched to the new domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

Briefly explained:<\/strong> A registered domain cannot be edited like a file name. For a new domain name, you register a new domain and then switch the associated services over in a controlled manner.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Why can't a domain simply be renamed?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A domain name is a uniquely registered name within a specific top-level domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The domains<\/p>\n\n\n\n

old-domain.ch\nnew-domain.ch<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
are therefore two independent domain registrations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even a small change like an additional word or a different letter creates a different domain name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The same applies to a different domain extension:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
meinefirma.ch\nmeinefirma.com<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Although the actual name looks identical, they are two separate domains due to the different top-level domains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We explain what a top-level domain is at What is a top-level domain (TLD)?<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do I have to register the new domain first?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before you switch your website, email, or other services to a new domain name, the desired new domain must be available and registered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Check availability as early as possible. As long as a domain has not been registered for you, there is no guarantee that it will still be available later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Practical Tip:<\/strong> Do not give up the previous domain just because the new domain has been registered. For a controlled domain migration, the old and new domains should initially remain active in parallel.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
What is happening to my website?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The existing website does not necessarily have to be recreated. In many cases, the same website can be operated under the new domain in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, this requires that the hosting, domain mapping, DNS, and, if applicable, the content management system used are correctly configured for the new domain name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, on a WordPress website, internal settings, absolute URLs, media paths, or database entries may contain the previous domain name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Simply registering the new domain does not automatically change these details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can I just point both domains to the same website?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Technically, multiple domains can be connected to the same website. For a permanent domain change, however, it should be determined which domain will be the primary address of the website in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The old domain can then direct visitors to the corresponding URLs of the new domain via permanent redirects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, this turns:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
https:\/\/alte-domain.ch\/produkte\/\nhttps:\/\/neue-domain.ch\/produkte\/<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
The redirection should be as direct as possible from the old page to the corresponding new page in terms of content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Important:<\/strong> For a larger website, not all old URLs should be redirected to the new homepage across the board. Old pages should ideally point to their respective matching new URL.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
What does a domain change mean for SEO?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
From a search engine's perspective, a domain change alters your website's URLs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, if a previously indexed page, under<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nhttps:\/\/alte-domain.ch\/kontakt\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
was accessible and in the future under<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nhttps:\/\/neue-domain.ch\/kontakt\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
is, the search engine must be able to recognize that the new URL replaces the previous one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For this purpose, permanent redirects from the old to the corresponding new URLs are particularly important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Which redirect should I use?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
For a permanent domain change, permanent server-side redirects are used, for example HTTP status 301<\/code> or 308<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The crucial factor here is not just the redirection of the homepage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ideally, every relevant old URL gets a matching new destination address:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
old-domain.ch\/              \u2192 new-domain.ch\/\nold-domain.ch\/ueber-uns\/    \u2192 new-domain.ch\/ueber-uns\/\nold-domain.ch\/produkte\/     \u2192 new-domain.ch\/produkte\/\nold-domain.ch\/kontakt\/      \u2192 new-domain.ch\/kontakt\/<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
If the site structure is also changing, it should be determined before the transition which old URL points to which new URL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Should I redesign the entire website at the same time as changing the domain?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If it is not necessary, better not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A domain change alone alters all URLs of the website. If the CMS, page structure, large parts of the content, and the design are changed at the same time, the migration becomes more complex, and potential errors are harder to trace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Practical Tip:<\/strong> For an important website, a controlled domain migration is usually easier if multiple fundamental technical changes are not made at the same time.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
What do I need to consider with canonical URLs?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If your website uses canonical tags, these should point to the URLs of the new domain after the domain change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A new page under<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nhttps:\/\/neue-domain.ch\/produkte\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
should not the old domain still be specified as the preferred URL after a successful migration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Internal links, XML sitemaps, and other URL references should also be updated to the new domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What do I need to do in the Google Search Console?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
If an existing website is permanently moved to another domain, the Google Search Console should also be taken into consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Google provides the function for a domain or host change Change of address<\/strong> available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Beforehand, the old and new websites or the required properties should be correctly verified and the redirects should be working.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Additionally, the XML sitemap with the new URLs should be provided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Will I lose my Google rankings if I change my domain?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A domain change can cause temporary fluctuations in crawling, indexing, and rankings. A carefully planned migration helps search engines map the previous URLs to their new addresses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, guaranteeing that rankings will remain completely unchanged during a domain migration would be unserious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Missing or incorrect redirects, unreachable pages, contradictory canonical tags, and simultaneously drastically changed content or URL structures are particularly problematic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Important:<\/strong> An established domain should not be changed spontaneously purely for aesthetic reasons. For a website with existing rankings, backlinks, and regular visitors, a domain change is a technical migration that should be planned.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
What will happen to my email addresses?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Email addresses contain the domain name and therefore do not change automatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If, for example, previously<\/p>\n\n\n\n
info@alte-domain.ch<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n
was used and in the future<\/p>\n\n\n\n
info@neue-domain.ch<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n
must be used, the new email address or the corresponding mailbox must be set up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The existing address under the old domain should still be taken into account during a transition phase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Should the old email address continue to work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
In many cases, yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Customers, suppliers, business partners, newsletter services, or online accounts may still have the previous address saved for a long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A sensible transition strategy can therefore be to continue accepting emails sent to the old address or to forward them to the new address.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We explain how to set up email forwarding in CURIAWEB hosting under Set up email forwarding<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What happens to SPF, DKIM, and DMARC?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Email authentication must also be set up correctly for the new domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records of the old domain do not automatically apply to a newly registered domain name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If emails are to be sent via the new domain, the required DNS records for this domain must be present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We explain the basics at SPF, DKIM, and DMARC in Hosting<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What happens to subdomains?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Subdomains of the previous domain are also not automatically transferred to the new domain name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Out<\/p>\n\n\n\n
shop.alte-domain.ch<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n
will not automatically<\/p>\n\n\n\n
shop.neue-domain.ch<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n
The required subdomains must be set up accordingly for the new domain. Afterwards, appropriate redirects may also be necessary for old subdomains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do DNS records need to be transferred?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The new domain has its own DNS zone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Therefore, required entries for the website, email, subdomains, external services, and verifications must be correctly set up for the new domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It does not make sense to blindly copy all entries from the old domain. First, it should be checked which services will actually continue to be used under the new domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We explain the most important record types under DNS Records Explained: A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, and CAA<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What happens to SSL certificates?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
An SSL\/TLS certificate is only valid for the domain names contained within it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A certificate for<\/p>\n\n\n\n
alte-domain.ch<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n
is therefore not automatically a valid certificate for<\/p>\n\n\n\n
new-domain.ch<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For the new domain, a suitable certificate must be set up or issued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The old domain should also remain accessible via HTTPS during the redirection phase. Otherwise, even the encrypted access to the old URL can fail before the redirection to the new domain takes place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What happens to external services?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A domain name is often used in more places than just website and email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When making a switch, you should therefore check, among other things, whether the old domain is registered with payment providers, newsletter systems, analysis tools, social media profiles, APIs, webhooks, external logins, or verification services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Printed documents, QR codes, business cards, and email signatures can also still point to the previous domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What happens to backlinks to the old domain?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
External websites may still link to URLs of the old domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clean permanent redirects ensure that visitors to these links land on the corresponding new page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For particularly important backlinks, it can additionally be useful to ask the operator of the linking website to update to the new URL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How long should I keep the old domain?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
An established old domain should not be abandoned immediately after a migration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is still needed for redirects and may still be used via old links, saved bookmarks, email addresses, or printed materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For a business-critical domain, it can make sense to keep it registered long-term\u2014especially if it continues to receive visitors or emails, or if third-party registration would be problematic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Attention:<\/strong> If you let the old domain expire after the migration, other people can in principle register the domain once the respective deletion and protection periods have ended. This can pose a significant risk, particularly in the case of former company or brand domains.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
We explain what happens after a domain expires at Domain expired: Redemption Period, Pending Delete and Restoration Explained<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Can I just correct the spelling of my domain?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Even a supposedly small change to the registered name is fundamentally a different domain name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Out<\/p>\n\n\n\n
meine-firma.ch<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n
is not affected by processing<\/p>\n\n\n\n
meinefirma.ch<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The second domain must be available and registered separately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is a change of domain owner the same as a renaming?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
No.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The domain name and the stored owner or registration data are different things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If, for example, the company name or the responsible person changes, an update of the registration data or the domain owner may be possible, depending on the domain extension and registrar. The registered domain name itself remains unchanged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For domains covered by the ICANN Transfer Policy, specific rules apply to a change of registrant. Therefore, a change of registrant is not the same as a change of domain name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is a domain transfer the same as a renaming?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
No.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
During a domain transfer, the domain name remains unchanged. Only the management of the existing domain moves to another registrar or domain provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, remains<\/p>\n\n\n\n
meinefirma.ch<\/code><\/p>\n\n\n\n
even after a transfer<\/p>\n\n\n\n
meinefirma.ch<\/code>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We explain how a transfer to CURIAWEB works at Domain transfer to CURIAWEB: How the transfer works<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is a logical order for a domain change?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
First, register the new domain and set it up on the intended hosting environment. Afterward, the website, DNS, SSL, and\u2014if needed\u2014email for the new domain should be prepared and tested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Subsequently, internal URLs, canonical tags, the sitemap, and other domain-dependent settings are adjusted. Only when the new website is functioning correctly are the permanent redirects from the old to the new domain activated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Afterwards, both domains should be technically monitored and the changes taken into account in the search engine and analysis systems used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The old domain will remain registered for the redirects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
An existing domain cannot simply be renamed. If you want to use a different domain name, you must register the new domain separately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For a website with existing content, the switch must then be treated like a migration. Website, DNS, SSL, email addresses, internal links, and external services must be adjusted to the new domain name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For an existing website, permanent redirects from the old URLs to the corresponding new URLs are particularly important. Canonical tags, sitemaps, and search engine configuration should also be updated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a successful migration, the previous domain should not be abandoned prematurely. It may still be needed for redirects, old email addresses, and existing links.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A domain cannot be renamed, but a website can be migrated in a controlled manner from an old to a newly registered domain.<\/strong><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Eine bereits registrierte Domain kann nicht einfach umbenannt werden. Wenn du beispielsweise von alte-domain.ch auf neue-domain.ch wechseln m\u00f6chtest, handelt es sich technisch um zwei unterschiedliche Domainnamen. Die neue Wunschdomain muss deshalb separat registriert werden. Anschliessend k\u00f6nnen Website, E-Mail-Adressen und weitere Dienste auf die neue Domain umgestellt werden. Kurz erkl\u00e4rt: Eine registrierte Domain l\u00e4sst sich nicht […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"doc_category":[82],"doc_tag":[],"class_list":["post-22771","docs","type-docs","status-publish","hentry","doc_category-domains-dns"],"year_month":"2026-09","word_count":2007,"total_views":"3","reactions":{"happy":"0","normal":"0","sad":"0"},"author_info":{"name":"Silvio Mazenauer","author_nicename":"admin-curia","author_url":"https:\/\/www.curiaweb.ch\/en\/author\/admin-curia\/"},"doc_category_info":[{"term_name":"Domains & DNS","term_url":"https:\/\/www.curiaweb.ch\/en\/hilfe-kategorie\/domains-dns\/"}],"doc_tag_info":[],"knowledge_base_info":[],"knowledge_base_slug":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curiaweb.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/docs\/22771","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curiaweb.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/docs"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curiaweb.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/docs"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curiaweb.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curiaweb.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22771"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.curiaweb.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/docs\/22771\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22773,"href":"https:\/\/www.curiaweb.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/docs\/22771\/revisions\/22773"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.curiaweb.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22771"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"doc_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curiaweb.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/doc_category?post=22771"},{"taxonomy":"doc_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.curiaweb.ch\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/doc_tag?post=22771"}],"curies":[{"name":"WP","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}