Cloudflare Create subdomain records: A Guide for Website Owners

To create a subdomain record in Cloudflare, first confirm that your hosting provider can serve the hostname you want. In the Cloudflare dashboard, open your domain and go to DNS Records → Add record. Choose A for an IPv4 address, AAAA for an IPv6 address, or CNAME when the subdomain should point to another fully qualified domain name. Enter the subdomain label, set the proxy status and TTL as appropriate, then select Save.

What a subdomain record does#

A subdomain is a separate address under your main domain. For example, blog.example.com, support.example.com, and store.example.com use the labels blog, support, and store under example.com.

DNS directs visitors to a website or application. It does not by itself provide an encrypted connection. The subdomain also needs appropriate SSL/TLS certificate coverage.

Choose the DNS record type#

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Use the type that matches the destination supplied by your hosting or application setup. A record type does not replace the need for the destination service to recognize and serve the hostname.

Create the record in Cloudflare#

1. In the Cloudflare dashboard, select the domain where you want to add the subdomain.
2. Go to DNS Records → Add record.
3. Select A, AAAA, or CNAME based on the destination.
4. Enter the subdomain label in the Name field. For blog.example.com, enter blog.
5. Provide the destination: an IPv4 address for A, an IPv6 address for AAAA, or a fully qualified domain name for CNAME.
6. Set Cloudflare’s proxy status and TTL according to your setup.
7. Select Save.

Check hosting and SSL/TLS coverage#

Creating the DNS record does not guarantee that the website or application will respond. Cloudflare advises confirming first that the hosting provider can serve the chosen hostname. If the provider has a separate domain or hostname configuration, add the subdomain there as well according to that provider’s instructions.

Cloudflare states that its Universal SSL certificate covers first-level subdomains when the main domain uses Universal SSL. Confirm that the certificate covering your particular hostname is appropriate before directing visitors to it.

These steps describe Cloudflare’s dashboard and features. Other DNS providers may use different menus, field names, proxy settings, or certificate arrangements.