How to fix DNSSEC (DS records) at Namecheap

The DS record at your registrar tells the world your zone is DNSSEC-signed, and by which key. When it goes stale — classically after switching DNS providers — validating resolvers (Google 8.8.8.8, Cloudflare 1.1.1.1, most ISPs) return SERVFAIL and your site goes dark for those users while everything looks fine on your end.

⚠ Switching DNS providers on a DNSSEC-signed domain? Remove the DS record (or disable DNSSEC) at the registrar FIRST, and keep the old zone signed until the DS TTL has fully expired — changing nameservers while the old DS is cached makes validating resolvers return SERVFAIL (per Cloudflare's DNSSEC documentation).

Turning DNSSEC on (managed)

On Namecheap BasicDNS/PremiumDNS: Domain List → Manage → Advanced DNS → DNSSEC toggle — everything is automatic, no manual DS possible.

Managing DS records manually (external DNS)

1. With custom/external nameservers: Advanced DNS → enable the DNSSEC toggle → add the DS record (Key Tag, Algorithm, Digest Type, Digest) → save with the checkmark.

Fixing a broken (bogus) chain

1. Confirm the break: our DNSSEC checker (or DNSViz) shows whether the DS at the registry matches the keys your DNS provider is actually signing with.
2. If you recently changed DNS providers: either publish the NEW provider's DS record here (get the values from their dashboard), or remove the DS entirely to unsign the domain — resolvers recover as caches expire.
3. If the DS is right but signatures expired, the fix is at your DNS provider (re-signing), not the registrar.

Namecheap supports removing the DS record while keeping the domain.

⚠ Namecheap says to allow ~60 minutes for DNSSEC settings to take effect.

⚠ To unsign: switch the same DNSSEC toggle off.

Steps verified against Namecheap: registrar lock and related Namecheap docs on 2026-07-14.