How to Renew Your Domain Name: A Complete Guide Published: 06 Jun, 2023
Your domain name is your online identity. It's how people find your website, email, and social media accounts. It's also a valuable asset for your brand, reputation, and SEO.
But what happens if you forget to renew your domain name? You could lose your website, email, and online presence. You could also lose your domain names to someone else who registers it after it expires.
That's why you need to know how to renew your domain name and avoid expiration. In this article, we'll guide you through the process of renewing your domain name and avoiding common pitfalls. We'll also show you how to transfer your domain name to another registrar if you want to switch providers.
What is Domain Renewal?
Domain renewal is the process of extending the domain name registration for another term (usually one year). Domain renewal is not automatic and you need to take action before your domain expires.
The cost and availability of renew a domain depend on several factors, such as:
- The domain registrar: This is the company that you registered your domain name with. Different registrars may charge different prices and offer different services for domain renewal.
- The domain extension: This is the part of your domain name that comes after the dot, such as .com, .net, or .org. Different extensions may have different rules and prices for domain renewal.
- The renewal grace period: This is the timeframe after your domain expires when you can still renew it at the regular price. The length of the renewal grace period varies depending on the registrar and the extension, but it's usually 30 days.
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How to Check Your Domain Expiration Date
To renew your domain name, you need to know when it will expire. There are several ways to find out your domain expiration date, such as:
- Checking your domain registrar's account or dashboard: This is where you can manage your domain name and see its details, including its expiration date. You can also set up reminders and notifications for the domain you wish to renew.
- Using a WHOIS lookup tool: This is a service that lets you search for information about any domain name, including its expiration date. You can use our free WHOIS lookup tool.
- Looking at the expiration date in your domain's DNS records: This is where you can see the technical settings of your domain name, such as its IP address and nameservers. You can use our free DNS lookup tool like.
It's important to keep track of your domain expiration date and set reminders to avoid missing the deadline. If you let your domain expire, you risk losing your website, email, and online reputation.
How to Renew Your Domain Name Before It Expires
The best way to renew domain name is to do it before it expires. This way, you can avoid any downtime or disruption to your website, email, and online presence.
The steps to renew your domain name before it expires depend on your domain registrar, but they are usually similar to these:
- Log in to your domain registrar's account or dashboard
- Select your domain name you want to renew
- Choose the renewal option and duration
- Confirm your payment method and complete the transaction
- Verify that your domain name has been renewed successfully
Here are some tips and best practices for renewing a domain before it expires:
- Renew your domain name for multiple years: This can save you money and hassle in the long run. Some registrars offer discounts for longer-term renewals. You also don't have to worry about renewing your domain every year.
- Enable auto-renewal: This can save you time and effort in remembering and renewing your domain. Auto-renewal automatically renew your domain names each year using your payment method on file. You can turn on auto-renewal in your registrar's account or dashboard.
- Update your contact information and payment method: This can ensure smooth communication and transaction with your registrar. Make sure that your email address, phone number, and billing details are up to date and valid. You don't want to miss any important notices or payments for your domain renewal.
How to Renew Your Domain Name After It Expires
If you forget or fail to renew your domain name before it expires, don't panic. You may still be able to renew it after it expires, but it may cost you more and take more steps.
When your domain name expires, it goes through different stages of expiration and how they impact your ability to renew your domain name, such as:
- Renewal grace period: You can still renew your domain name at the regular price within a certain timeframe (usually 30 days) after it expires. Your website, email, and online presence may be temporarily suspended or redirected during this period.
- Redemption period: You can still recover your domain name but you have to pay an additional fee (usually $100 or more) within a certain timeframe (usually 30 days) after the renewal grace period ends. Your website, email, and online presence may be permanently deleted or replaced during this period.
- Pending delete period: You cannot renew or recover your domain name and it will be deleted from the registry within a certain timeframe (usually 5 days) after the redemption period ends. Your website, email, and online presence may be unavailable or inaccessible during this period.
- Deletion: Your domain name becomes available for anyone to register again. You lose your website, email, and online reputation.
The steps to renew the domain name after it expires depend on the stage of expiration and your domain registrar, but they are usually similar to these:
- Log in to your domain registrar's account or dashboard
- Select the expired domain name you want to renew
- Choose the renewal option and duration
- Pay the regular price plus any additional fees
- Verify that your domain name has been renewed successfully
How to Transfer Your Domain Name to Another Registrar
If you are not happy with your current domain registrar, you may want to transfer your domain name to another registrar. This can give you a better price or service, consolidate your domains under one account, or switch to a more reliable or reputable registrar.
The steps to transfer your domain name to another registrar depend on your current and new registrar, but they are usually similar to these:
- Log in to your current registrar's account or dashboard
- Unlock your domain name and get the authorization code
- Log in to your new registrar's account or dashboard
- Initiate the transfer request and enter the authorization code
- Confirm the transfer via email and wait for it to complete (usually within 5 days)
- Verify that your domain name has been transferred successfully
FAQs Related to Renew Your Domain
Here are some frequently asked questions about renewing your domain name, based on the people also ask section for the main keyword.
How do I renew my domain name for free?
You cannot renew your domain name for free, unless you have a special offer or coupon from your registrar. You have to pay the renewal fee every year to keep your domain name active and registered.
How do I renew my domain name with GoDaddy?
To renew your domain name with GoDaddy, you need to log in to your GoDaddy account, select the domain name you want to renew, choose the renewal option and duration, confirm your payment method and complete the transaction. You can also enable auto-renewal or renew multiple domains at once.
How do I renew my domain name with Google?
To renew your domain name with Google, you need to log in to your Google Domains account, select the domain name you want to renew, turn on auto-renewal or choose the renewal option and duration, confirm your purchase and verify that your domain name has been renewed successfully.
How do I renew my domain name with Namecheap?
To renew your domain name with Namecheap, you need to log in to your Namecheap account, go to the Domain List section, select the domain name you want to renew, click on the Renew button next to it, choose the renewal option and duration, confirm your payment method and complete the transaction.
How do I renew my domain name with WordPress?
To renew your domain name with WordPress, you need to log in to your WordPress.com account, go to My Site > Manage > Domains, select the domain name you want to renew, click on Renew Now or turn on auto-renewal, confirm your payment method and complete the transaction.
How do I renew my domain name with Wix?
To renew your domain name with Wix, you need to log in to your Wix account, go to Subscriptions > Domains > Advanced Settings > Renew Now or turn on auto-renewal, confirm your payment method and complete the transaction.
How do I renew my domain name with Squarespace?
To renew your domain name with Squarespace, you need to log in to your Squarespace account, go to Settings > Domains > Billing & Renewal > Renew Now or turn on auto-renewal, confirm your payment method and complete the transaction.
How do I renew my domain name with Shopify?
To renew your domain name with Shopify, you need to log in to your Shopify account, go to Online Store > Domains > Manage > Renew Now or turn on auto-renewal, confirm your payment method and complete the transaction.
Conclusion
Renewing your domain name is a crucial step to maintain your online presence and avoid losing your website, email, and online reputation. You need to know how to renew your domain name before and after it expires, and how to transfer your domain name to another registrar if you want to switch providers.
We hope this article has helped you understand how to renew your domain name and avoid common pitfalls. If you have any questions or need any assistance with your domain name, feel free to contact us. We are here to help you with your domain name and online marketing needs.