Cloudflare Dynamically update DNS records: A Guide for Website Owners
Learn how Cloudflare DNS owners can keep records aligned with changing IP addresses using the Cloudflare API or the third-party ddclient client.
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If your internet service or hosting provider changes your IP address, your DNS record can continue pointing to the previous address. For a domain managed with Cloudflare DNS, Cloudflare documents two ways to automate the correction: a script that monitors IP changes and updates the record through the Cloudflare API, or ddclient, a third-party Perl client that updates dynamic DNS entries.
Why dynamic updates are needed#
DNS records are entries that make resources available on a domain and help configure services such as email. When the IP address associated with a website changes, a record containing the old address becomes outdated. An automated updater keeps the record aligned with the current address instead of requiring a manual change after every update.
Options documented by Cloudflare#
| Option | How it works | Important detail |
|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare API | Create a script that monitors for IP-address changes and sends updates to the Cloudflare API. | You manage the monitoring and update logic in the script. |
| ddclient | Use the ddclient Perl client to update dynamic DNS entries. | Cloudflare describes ddclient as a third-party client. It supports accounts with various DNS providers and is not Cloudflare-built software. |
Choose the Cloudflare API approach if you want to maintain your own monitoring script and update process. Choose ddclient if an existing client better fits how you manage the system. In either case, the updater should target the DNS record that needs to reflect the changing address.
A practical setup outline#
- Confirm that your internet service or hosting provider assigns an address that can change.
- Identify the Cloudflare DNS record that must stay aligned with that address.
- Select either the Cloudflare API workflow or ddclient.
- Configure the chosen method to detect an address change and update the relevant record.
- Check the record after an update to confirm that it contains the current address.
Use Cloudflare’s dynamic DNS guide for the documented configuration details. Cloudflare’s DNS documentation provides the broader explanation of DNS records and the services they help configure.
Sources
- Cloudflare: Dynamically update DNS records Checked 2026-10-07
- Cloudflare DNS documentation Checked 2026-10-07