Transferring your domain name to Google Domains from your current registrar is an easy, straightforward process.
Important Note:
Many domain name registrars lock domains by default to make it harder to transfer your domain name to a new registrar. The process of unlocking your domain will vary depending on who your original registrar is. If you have difficulty unlocking your domain name, your best option is to reach out to technical support for the registrar you are transferring the domain away from for assistance with this process.
Why Google Domains
There are a variety of reasons why we recommend Google Domains for your domain registration needs, some of the most important ones are as follows:
- Clear transparent pricing ($12/year per domain)
- Free domain privacy protection (additional cost at most registrars)
- Free DNS management and domain forwarding (additional cost at most registrars)
Starting the Domain Transfer Progress
Google Domains utilizes a Gmail account as the login credentials for your Google Domains account. If you do not have a Gmail account, you will need to create one to start this process.
Once you have a Gmail account in place, you are ready to begin the transfer process.
- Log into your Gmail account and visit domains.google.com
- On the left sidebar click “transfer domain”
- Enter the domain name that you want to transfer
- If the result of your search shows the domain is locked or that the owner’s email is a private registrant email, make sure you unlock the domain with your current registrar, and then click Refresh.
- In the “Prepare domain” section, enter the authorization code that you collected when you prepared the domain for transfer.
- Under “Import web settings,” choose if Google Domains should detect and import your current web settings.
- Important note: We recommend letting Google detect and import your domain settings here. Whether your DNS records are managed at your old registar or your site utilizes customer name servers, allowing Google to import your settings will ensure that your current web setup is maintained during the transfer process.
- Click Proceed to checkout.
- No matter how much time you have left on your domain registration, Google requires you to buy an additional year of registration ($12/year) to complete the transfer process.
For more information, please visit Google’s Transfer Process Directions
Feeling overwhelmed?
For non-technical users, the process of transferring a domain name to a new registrar can feel overwhelming. If you need help with this process we would be happy to provide a cost-effective quote to complete this process on your behalf.
