## **Overview**

Custom domains allow you to serve your Trust Center from your own domain (e.g., `trust.yourcompany.com` or `compliance.yourcompany.com`) at the root level instead of the default subdomain path (`yourcompany.humadroid.io/trust`).

**Key Difference:** Custom domains serve the Trust Center at the root path (`https://trust.yourcompany.com/`) rather than requiring a `/trust` path. This provides cleaner, more professional URLs.

**Benefits:**

* ✅ Professional branding with your own domain

* ✅ Improved trust and credibility with customers

* ✅ SEO benefits (links point to your domain)

* ✅ Automatic SSL certificate provisioning

* ✅ Automatic redirect from default URL to custom domain

---

## **Prerequisites**

Before setting up a custom domain, ensure you have:

1. **Access to your DNS provider** (where your domain is registered)

2. **Enabled Trust Center** with at least one visible compliance project

3. **Account owner or admin privileges** in Humadroid

---

## **Step-by-Step Setup**

### Step 1: Choose Your Domain

Decide which (sub)domain you want to use for your Trust Center:

**Recommended formats:**

* `trust.yourcompany.com`

* `compliance.yourcompany.com`

* `security.yourcompany.com`

* `privacy.yourcompany.com`

**Note:** You cannot use:

* Your root domain (`yourcompany.com`)

* Any subdomain of `humadroid.io`

### Step 2: Add Custom Domain in Humadroid

1. Navigate to **Account Settings** → **Trust Center** → **General Settings**

2. Scroll to the **Custom Domain** section

3. Enter your desired domain (e.g., `trust.yourcompany.com`)

4. Click **Save Domain**

5. The status will show as **Pending**

### Step 3: Configure DNS CNAME Record

You'll see DNS configuration instructions in the UI. Add the following CNAME record to your DNS provider:

TYPE: CNAME   
NAME: `trust.yourcompany.com `  
VALUE: `humadroid-trust-center.humadroid.io `

**Important notes:**

* Replace `trust.yourcompany.com` with your chosen domain

* Some DNS providers require you to enter just the subdomain part (e.g., `trust` instead of `trust.yourcompany.com`)

* **Remove any existing A or AAAA records** for this subdomain

**Example configurations by DNS provider:**

#### **Cloudflare**

1. Log in to Cloudflare dashboard

2. Select your domain

3. Go to **DNS** → **Records**

4. Click **Add record**

5. Settings:

   * **Type:** CNAME

   * **Name:** `trust` (or your chosen subdomain)

   * **Target:** `humadroid-trust-center.humadroid.io`

   * **Proxy status:** Proxied (orange cloud) ✅ Recommended

   * **TTL:** Auto

6. Click **Save**

**SSL/TLS Configuration:**

* Go to **SSL/TLS** tab

* Set SSL/TLS encryption mode to **Full** (not "Flexible")

#### **AWS Route 53**

1. Open Route 53 console

2. Select your hosted zone

3. Click **Create record**

4. Settings:

   * **Record name:** `trust`

   * **Record type:** CNAME

   * **Value:** `humadroid-trust-center.humadroid.io`

   * **TTL:** 300 (or your preference)

   * **Routing policy:** Simple routing

5. Click **Create records**

#### **GoDaddy**

1. Log in to GoDaddy account

2. Go to **DNS Management**

3. Click **Add** under Records

4. Settings:

   * **Type:** CNAME

   * **Host:** `trust`

   * **Points to:** `humadroid-trust-center.humadroid.io`

   * **TTL:** 1 Hour (default)

5. Click **Save**

#### **Namecheap**

1. Log in to Namecheap

2. Go to **Domain List** → Manage your domain

3. Click **Advanced DNS** tab

4. Click **Add New Record**

5. Settings:

   * **Type:** CNAME Record

   * **Host:** `trust`

   * **Target:** `humadroid-trust-center.humadroid.io`

   * **TTL:** Automatic

6. Click the green checkmark to save

### Step 4: Wait for DNS Propagation

DNS changes can take anywhere from **5 minutes to 48 hours** to propagate globally, though it's usually much faster (15-60 minutes).

**Check propagation status:**

```
# Using dig (Mac/Linux)
dig trust.yourcompany.com CNAME
​
# Using nslookup (Windows)
nslookup -type=CNAME trust.yourcompany.com
```

Look for a line showing your CNAME pointing to `humadroid-trust-center.humadroid.io`.

### Step 5: Automatic Verification

After saving your custom domain, the system automatically attempts verification in the background:

* **First attempt:** After 1 minute

* **Subsequent attempts:** 5min, 15min, 30min, 1hr, 6hr, 24hr (exponential backoff)

* **Stops when:** Domain is verified OR max attempts reached

**Manual verification:**

You can also manually trigger verification at any time:

1. Go to **Trust Center** → **General Settings** → **Custom Domain**

2. Click **Verify Domain**

3. If successful, status will change to **Verified** ✅

4. If failed, see Troubleshooting below

### Step 6: Wait for Verification

The system will automatically verify your domain in the background. You'll see the status change from **Pending** → **Verified** once DNS propagation completes and verification succeeds.

**Typical timeline:**

* Fast DNS providers: 5-15 minutes

* Slow DNS providers: 30 minutes - 2 hours

* Maximum wait: 24 hours

### Step 7: Test Your Custom Domain

1. Open a new browser tab (incognito mode recommended)

2. Visit `https://trust.yourcompany.com/` (note: no /trust path needed)

3. Your Trust Center should load with a valid SSL certificate

4. Try visiting the old URL (`https://yourcompany.humadroid.io/trust`)

   * You should be automatically redirected to your custom domain at the root path

---

## **SSL Certificate Provisioning**

SSL certificates are handled automatically.

**Certificate provisioning timeline:**

* Initial certificate: 1-5 minutes after verification

* Renewal: Automatic (60 days before expiration)

---

## **Redirects**

Once your custom domain is verified:

* ✅ `https://trust.yourcompany.com/` → Works (Trust Center at root level)

* ❌ `https://trust.yourcompany.com/trust` → Redirects to root (301)

* ❌ `https://trust.yourcompany.com/users` → Redirects to root (301, blocks non-trust routes)

* ↪️ `https://yourcompany.humadroid.io/trust` → 301 Redirect to `https://trust.yourcompany.com/`

* ✅ Both HTTP and HTTPS work (HTTP redirects to HTTPS)

**Important:** Custom domains serve the Trust Center at the root path only. All other routes are blocked and redirect to root. This ensures:

* Clean, professional URLs with your branded domain

* Security: only Trust Center content is accessible on custom domains

* All traffic goes through your branded domain

* Search engines index your custom domain

* No duplicate content issues

---

## **Troubleshooting**

### Verification Fails: "CNAME not found"

**Cause:** DNS record not configured or not propagated yet

**Solutions:**

1. Verify CNAME record exists in your DNS provider

2. Wait 15-30 more minutes for DNS propagation

3. Use online tools to check: [DNS Checker](https://dnschecker.org/)

4. Ensure you're using CNAME (not A record)

5. Remove any conflicting A/AAAA records

### Verification Fails: "CNAME points to wrong target"

**Cause:** CNAME is pointing to the wrong destination

**Solutions:**

1. Double-check the CNAME value matches exactly: `humadroid-trust-center.humadroid.io`

2. Ensure no typos in subdomain name

3. Some DNS providers add a trailing dot automatically (this is fine)

### SSL Certificate Error: "Not Secure"

**Cause:** Certificate not yet provisioned or Cloudflare SSL misconfigured

**Solutions:**

**If using Cloudflare:**

1. Go to **SSL/TLS** settings

2. Change encryption mode to **Full**

3. Wait 2-3 minutes and try again

**If direct connection:**

1. Verify domain is marked as "Verified" in Humadroid

2. Wait 5 minutes for certificate provisioning

3. Check Caddy/Traefik logs for errors

4. Ensure port 443 is accessible

### Domain Verified but Site Not Loading

**Cause:** Browser cache or DNS cache

**Solutions:**

1. Clear browser cache and cookies

2. Try incognito/private browsing mode

3. Flush DNS cache:

   ```
   # Mac
   sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder
   ​
   # Windows
   ipconfig /flushdns
   ​
   # Linux
   sudo systemd-resolve --flush-caches
   ```

4. Try a different browser or device

### Redirect Loop

**Cause:** Cloudflare SSL settings misconfigured

**Solutions:**

1. Go to Cloudflare **SSL/TLS** → **Overview**

2. Set encryption mode to **Full** (not "Flexible" or "Strict")

3. Clear browser cache and try again

---

## **FAQ**

### Can I use my root domain ([example.com](http://example.com))?

No, you must use a subdomain (e.g., `trust.example.com`). This is a DNS limitation with CNAME records.

### Can I use multiple custom domains?

Currently, only one custom domain is supported per account.

### What happens to the old URL?

The default subdomain (`yourcompany.humadroid.io/trust`) continues to work but automatically redirects to your custom domain with a 301 Permanent Redirect.

### Can I change my custom domain later?

Yes! Simply update the domain in settings, configure the new DNS record, and verify. The old custom domain will stop working immediately after you save the new one.

### Is there a cost for custom domains?

No, custom domains are included at no additional cost. You only pay for your domain registration with your DNS provider.

### How long do SSL certificates last?

Certificates are valid for 90 days and automatically renewed 30 days before expiration.

### Can I use an apex domain with CNAME flattening?

Some DNS providers (Cloudflare, CloudFlare) support CNAME flattening for apex domains, but we recommend using a subdomain for maximum compatibility.

### What if I delete my custom domain?

1. Your Trust Center will revert to the default subdomain

2. The custom domain will no longer work

3. SSL certificate will be automatically cleaned up

4. You can add a different custom domain anytime

---

## **Verification Re-checks**

The system automatically re-verifies your custom domain every **24 hours** to ensure:

* CNAME record is still correctly configured

* Domain is still pointing to your account

* SSL certificate is valid

If verification fails:

* Status will change to "Failed"

* You'll receive an email notification (if configured)

* Trust Center will revert to default subdomain

* You can re-verify anytime by clicking "Verify Domain"

---

## **Support**

If you encounter issues not covered in this guide:

1. Check our [main documentation](https://help.humadroid.io)

2. Contact support at [support@humadroid.io](mailto:support@humadroid.io)

3. Include:

   * Your custom domain

   * DNS provider name

   * Screenshot of DNS settings

   * Error message if any

---

## **Security Considerations**

* ✅ All traffic is encrypted with TLS 1.2+

* ✅ Certificates are automatically renewed

* ✅ HSTS headers are set for enhanced security

* ✅ Custom domains are uniquely assigned (no sharing between accounts)

* ✅ DNS verification prevents domain hijacking

* ✅ Automatic fallback to default subdomain if verification fails

---

**Last Updated:** November 3, 2025