# Custom domains

> Serve your site from a domain you own, on the Pro plan.

A custom domain serves the same site as your `your-address.aula.sferarc.com` address, and students sign in there. Only the owner of the site can manage it, from the **Site** page, and it needs the Pro plan.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add the domain">
    Type a domain you own, such as `www.anateaches.com`, without `https://` or a path. A `www` name is easiest with most DNS providers. Choose **Add domain**.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Create the DNS records">
    Aula shows the records to create at your DNS provider, with their type, name and value. A subdomain uses a CNAME record; a bare domain uses an A record. A TXT record named `_aula-challenge` proves the domain is yours; its value is only for this domain, and adding the domain again gives a new one. [DNS records for your domain](/docs/teacher/dns-records) shows where each common provider keeps these settings.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Wait for verification">
    Changes can take a few hours. Aula checks every few minutes, and **Check now** checks straight away, once every 30 seconds per domain. The state changes from "Waiting for DNS" to "Live".
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Things to know [#things-to-know]

- One domain per site: one for your main site, and one for each extra site you run. An extra site's domain is added under its name in the same section, needs its own DNS records and shows only that site. **Remove domain** first to use another one.
- A domain still waiting after 14 days is taken off Aula. Remove it and add it again once the records are in place.
- Names under `sferarc.com` and other domains Aula already uses are refused, and a domain used by another site is refused too.
- Removing a domain stops the site answering there straight away.
- Keep the A or CNAME record and the `_aula-challenge` TXT record after the domain is live; do not delete the TXT record once the domain is verified. Aula re-checks a live domain every hour. If the records are missing or changed at two checks in a row, the state shows "Not answering": your site stops answering on the domain and links use your `your-address.aula.sferarc.com` address. Put the records back, then choose **Check now** or wait for the next hourly check, and the domain is "Live" again.
- Where your site offers **Continue with Google** or **Continue with Apple**, they work on your domain too. The sign in passes through your `your-address.aula.sferarc.com` address, which asks the student to continue to your domain before signing them in there.
- If your plan stops including custom domains, the domain is removed.
- On installations without the feature set up, the section says custom domains are not available yet.