Base44 custom domain or SSL stuck pending

What it means in plain English

You connected a domain in Base44 and the Domains page still says Pending verification or Connecting, or the browser shows ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR. The app on something.base44.app can keep working while the custom domain does not.

Custom domains are on the Starter plan and higher. You either buy one inside Base44 (Buy Domain on the Domains page) or connect one you already own. Base44 issues and renews the SSL certificate automatically once the domain is connected, verified, and DNS resolves. Allow up to 48 hours for DNS changes at an external provider.

A domain bought from September 9, 2026 comes from Wix, unless the Base44 plan is billed through the Apple App Store. Older domains may be registered with GoDaddy, or with IONOS if they were bought before August 14, 2026.

Likely causes

• The DNS records do not match what Base44 shows. The recommended manual records are an ANAME or ALIAS on @ to base44.onrender.com, and a CNAME on www to base44.onrender.com. If the host has no ANAME or ALIAS, the A record on @ is 216.24.57.1, with the same www CNAME. That A record should be the only A record on the root.
• An AAAA record is still on a hostname you use with Base44. Base44 says AAAA records can block the connection and SSL.
• A CAA record blocks the certificate authorities Base44 uses.
• You added the records by hand and have not clicked Verify, or DNS has not finished propagating. Base44 says that can take up to 48 hours. whatsmydns.net is the checker they name.
• The Domains page was not refreshed. Base44 says a finished domain can still show Pending verification until you re-check, and the setup message can stay after the domain is live. If the app loads in a browser, it is connected.
• The status has been Connecting, or Pending after you added records, for longer than about 30 minutes. Base44's troubleshooting page says to unlink and add the domain again.
• Cloudflare is proxying the records (orange cloud). Base44 says to set them to DNS only (grey cloud). Proxied records can also 404 new pages on the custom domain while they work on .base44.app. Cloudflare Workers do not run in front of a Base44 domain. Grey cloud does not turn off SSL in Base44.
• The domain ends in uk.com, gb.com, eu.com, us.com, uk.net, gb.net, or a similar ending. Base44 says www is not set up automatically and www returns an SSL error permanently. Share the root. Ordinary names such as example.com, example.co.uk, and example.com.au are not in that list.
• You bought the domain in Base44 and have not confirmed the registrar contact email within 15 days. Wix domains bought from September 9, 2026 have a Resend Verification Email button on the Domains page.
• Domain forwarding, URL redirect, or parking at the registrar is publishing an extra A record that you do not see in the DNS zone. Base44 says that can block the connection and SSL.
• Wildcard subdomains are not supported. Each subdomain needs its own record and its own certificate.

Login failures on a domain that already loads are a different page: Base44 login not working. A link that opens for you and not for other people is Base44 app works for me but not for other users.

How to fix it, step by step

1. Click Dashboard, then Domains. Refresh the page. Open the domain in a browser. If the app loads, Base44 says it is connected even when the badge still says Pending verification.
2. While the badge says Pending verification, hover it and click Set up DNS for me, or open the (•••) menu and click DNS instructions. Connect existing domain, then Add, then Continue with [your provider] is the default path: you sign in and approve. Base44 says the app is usually live and secured within 30 minutes. Base44 replaces records only for the names you connect (root, www, or the subdomain). It does not change MX or TXT records.
3. If you add records yourself, use the recommended pair: ANAME or ALIAS, name @, value base44.onrender.com, and CNAME, name www, value base44.onrender.com. With no ANAME or ALIAS: A, name @, value 216.24.57.1, and the same www CNAME. Remove other A records on @, including parking records. Remove AAAA records on those hostnames. Remove or update CAA records that could block Base44's certificate authorities.
4. Click Verify next to the domain. Allow up to 48 hours. Check progress at whatsmydns.net for the A or CNAME record. If verification still fails after propagation, Base44 says to run a WHOIS lookup and look for clientHold or serverHold, then contact the registrar.
5. If the domain stays Connecting for longer than 30 minutes, Dashboard, Domains, unlink it, then link it again. Troubleshooting also says to unlink and re-add when Pending remains after about 30 minutes and the records were added by hand.
6. For ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR, match the DNS to the dashboard, remove AAAA records, check for typos, point both www and the root at the Base44 target above, confirm the registration is active, and allow up to 48 hours. On Cloudflare, edit the records there and set them to DNS only (grey cloud), not proxied.
7. For a domain bought in Base44, confirm the contact email within 15 days. Search inbox and spam for Wix, GoDaddy, and IONOS. From September 9, 2026 the email comes from Wix and the Domains page can resend it. Earlier purchases are GoDaddy, or IONOS before August 14, 2026. After you confirm, unlink and connect the domain again if it still will not connect.
8. If public DNS shows an A record that is missing from your zone, turn off domain forwarding, URL redirect, and parking at the registrar, then wait for DNS again.
9. A subdomain is a CNAME to base44.onrender.com on that name, with no A or AAAA on the same hostname. The www version of a subdomain also has to be on the app's custom domain list, which Base44 says only their support team can add. Wildcard names are not supported.
10. Base44 has no setting to stop or reverse the redirect from www to the root. A CNAME for www to base44.onrender.com is what they document so www loads the app.
11. A 429 while reconnecting is a temporary limit on Base44's side. Wait a few minutes, then try again.
12. Paste this to the Base44 chat:

The custom domain stays Pending verification or the browser shows ERR_SSL_PROTOCOL_ERROR. Do not change the app code. I will set @ to ANAME or ALIAS base44.onrender.com, or to A 216.24.57.1 if the DNS host has no ANAME, and www to CNAME base44.onrender.com. I will remove other A records, AAAA records, and CAA records that block the certificate, and set Cloudflare to DNS only.

How to check it worked

• The domain opens the app in a browser over HTTPS.
• whatsmydns.net shows @ as base44.onrender.com or 216.24.57.1, and www as base44.onrender.com.
• The Domains page is no longer stuck on Connecting after a refresh. A badge that still says Pending while the site loads is the case Base44 describes as already connected.

Taking the project off Base44 hosting is a separate export. See Base44 code export or moving to Vercel.

Sources

• https://docs.base44.com/Setting-up-your-app/Setting-up-your-custom-domain (opens in a new tab)
• https://docs.base44.com/Setting-up-your-app/Connecting-an-external-domain (opens in a new tab)
• https://docs.base44.com/Community-and-support/Troubleshooting (opens in a new tab)