Connecting NameCheap Domain To Vercel

For the longest time, my project lived at one of those super long, hard-to-remember URLs like my-app-name.vercel.app. It worked, sure—but it wasn’t the polished, professional feel I wanted. So, I finally took the leap and bought a custom domain from Namecheap and linked it to my Vercel project. Here's a step-by-step breakdown of how I did it—and how you can too!

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🛒 Step 1: Buying My Domain on Namecheap

I started my domain journey on Namecheap, which I chose because it's affordable, beginner-friendly, and has a solid reputation.

1. Searched for a domain: I wanted something memorable and clean. After a few failed searches (everything cool is taken!), I landed on mrphilip.cv

2. Added to cart: Simple enough. Namecheap also tried to upsell me on a bunch of extras, but I skipped most of them. I just wanted the domain.

3. Created an account & checked out: The checkout process was smooth. Within minutes, I got a confirmation email and the domain was mine!

💡 Pro Tip: Namecheap includes free WHOIS privacy protection, which hides your personal info from domain lookups. Sweet!

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🌐 Step 2: Setting Up the Domain on Vercel

With my shiny new domain in hand, I hopped over to Vercel to connect it to my project.

1. Opened my Vercel dashboard
   I selected my project and clicked on the Settings tab.

2. Navigated to the Domains section
   Under "Settings > Domains", I hit the “Add” button.

3. Entered my domain:
   I typed in mycoolproject.cv and hit Add.

4. Verification time
   Vercel now needed to verify I owned the domain. It gave me a CNAME and A record to add to my Namecheap DNS settings.

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🧩 Step 3: Updating DNS Settings on Namecheap

This part was slightly intimidating, but honestly, Namecheap makes it pretty easy.

1. Went to Namecheap Dashboard > Domain List
   Found my domain and clicked the “Manage” button next to it.

2. Switched to “Advanced DNS” tab
   Here, I saw options to add or edit records.

3. Added a CNAME record:

   • Type: CNAME

   • Host: www

   • Value: The alias Vercel gave me (something like cname.vercel-dns.com)

   • TTL: Leave it as Automatic

4. (Optional but Recommended) Added a Redirect from root domain to www:

   • In Namecheap, root domains (like mycoolproject.xyz) need to be pointed using a URL redirect.

   • I set up a URL Redirect record:

     • Type: A Record

     • Host: @

     • Value: IP address given by vercel

     • TTL: Automatic

5. Waited a few minutes
   DNS propagation usually takes a bit, but in my case, it was almost instant, may take up to 24 hours so if you see invalid configuration error from the vercel dahsboard give it a few minutes.

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🔍 Step 4: Verification Success & HTTPS Setup

Back on Vercel, I hit the "Verify" button and held my breath.

✔️ Success!

My domain was verified after a few hours, and Vercel  issued an SSL certificate. That means my site was now live at https://www.mrphilip.cv, fully encrypted and looking slick.

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🧪 Step 5: Testing Everything

I typed in the URL in a fresh browser tab… and boom—it loaded perfectly.

✅ HTTPS? Check.
✅ Fast load times? Check.
✅ Feels like a “real” website now? 100% check.

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🚀 Final Thoughts

Linking a custom domain to my Vercel project made my side project feel official. It was surprisingly easy, thanks to how streamlined both Namecheap and Vercel make the process. If you’re building something and want that extra level of professionalism (or just want a URL you can actually say out loud), go get yourself a domain!

You won’t regret it. 😉

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💬 Have any questions or got stuck on any of the steps? Drop a comment or reach out I’d be happy to help!