If you’ve received an email about your domain being migrated from Google Domains to Squarespace, you’re not alone. It is very likely a legitimate transition affecting millions of domain owners worldwide, and not likely to be a phishing attempt. Although there are bad actors out there who may use this situation to their advantage, fortunately there are things you can do to ensure your account and domain remain safe and under your control. Let’s explore what happened, what it means for you, and how to verify everything is in order.
Did you get a message like this?
We recently migrated your domains to Squarespace.
To activate your account, choose the Google log in option using ******@***.***, to log in to Squarespace.
Once your account is activated, you can update your billing and privacy settings, manage domain records, add email and domain forwarding rules, and more. Learn more in our help center. Manage your domain ******.*** →
Manage this domain, and all other Squarespace managed domains, by logging in. We’re glad to have you at Squarespace Domains, and our award-winning Customer Support team is available 24/7 to help with any questions.
We’re contacting you at the email address associated with your domain registration. As a reminder, Squarespace’s Terms of Service apply to your domains, and your data is governed by Squarespace’s Privacy Policy.
You have received this mandatory email service announcement to update you about important changes to Squarespace.
The Timeline: How We Got Here
In June 2023, Google announced their decision to sell Google Domains to Squarespace. The acquisition officially closed on September 7, 2023, at which point all Google Domains users technically became Squarespace customers, though the actual migration of domains happened gradually.
Between September 2023 and July 2024, Squarespace worked on migrating domains in batches from Google’s systems to their own. According to Google’s official support documentation, this migration process was completed on July 10, 2024, with all domains now fully transferred to Squarespace’s management system.
What Does This Mean For Domain Owners?
If you previously registered or managed domains through Google Domains, here’s what you need to know:
- Your domain is still active: The migration doesn’t affect your domain’s registration status or expiration date. All the time remaining on your registration has been preserved.
- Account access has changed: You’ll now manage your domain through Squarespace Domains rather than Google Domains. When your domain migrated, you should have received a notification email.
- DNS configuration remains intact: Your website, email, and other services connected to your domain should continue working as before. Squarespace maintains the same DNS infrastructure (powered by Google Cloud DNS) to ensure continuity.
- Pricing commitment: Squarespace initially committed to honoring Google Domains pricing for at least 12 months after the acquisition closed (until September 7, 2024). After this period, domains renew at Squarespace’s standard rates.
- No website requirement: You do not need to create or maintain a Squarespace website to keep your domain registration. Squarespace Domains functions as an independent domain registrar service.
How to Verify Your Migration is Legitimate
If you receive an email claiming your domain has migrated from Google to Squarespace, here’s how to safely verify its legitimacy:
- Don’t click email links directly: Instead, visit domains.squarespace.com/google-domains manually in your browser.
- Check the official Google Domains site: Visit domains.google.com. If your domain has been migrated, you’ll see a message indicating it was moved to Squarespace with the migration date.
- Log in with your Google credentials only when you have verified you are on an official page: Squarespace created accounts using the same email associated with your Google Domains account. You can use this email to access your domains at account.squarespace.com/domains.
What To Do Now
- Access your Squarespace Domains account: Log in using the email address previously associated with your Google Domains account. If you already had a Squarespace account with that email, your domains will appear in your domains dashboard.
- Update payment information if needed: Ensure your billing information is current in your Squarespace account to prevent renewal issues.
- Check domain settings: While DNS configurations should have transferred intact, it’s wise to verify that everything is working properly, especially if you use email forwarding or other special configurations.
- Note the new pricing: Check Squarespace’s domain pricing for future renewals, as rates may differ from what you paid at Google Domains.
Need Help?
If you encounter issues with your migrated domain, Squarespace is now your point of contact for support. You can access their help resources at support.squarespace.com or through your Squarespace Domains account.
While any large-scale transition like this can cause temporary confusion or technical hiccups, most domain owners should experience minimal disruption from this change. By understanding what’s happened and verifying your account access, you can ensure your online presence remains secure and uninterrupted.
