Set up a branded short domain in minutes. Follow our step-by-step guide to enhance your link branding with Short Menu on iPhone, iPad, Mac and your Browser.
Before You Start
Ensure you have the following ready:
- Short Menu Account: Make sure you're logged in on your browser, iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
- Custom Domain: If you don't have one yet, you can get one from GoDaddy or NameCheap.
- Domain Provider Login Credentials: Ensure you can log in to your domain provider's website.
1. Open Custom Domain Settings
- On Mac: Click the menu bar icon, then the three dots next to the domain input field. Select 'Settings' from the context menu.
- On iOS: Tap the gear icon in the top right corner to open the settings.
- On Web: Click on your profile icon in the top right corner and select 'Settings'.
2. Enter Your Custom Domain
- In the settings, go to the 'Custom Domains' tab and select 'Add Custom Domain'.
- Enter your domain name. This should be something like yourdomain.com, without www or https://.
- Indicate whether your domain is already used for your website or if it is unused.
3. If Your Domain Is Already Used for a Website
You need to add a subdomain. The subdomain is the text before .yourdomain.com. For example, if your domain is yourdomain.com, you can use:
- go.yourdomain.com
- link.yourdomain.com
- l.yourdomain.com
- short.yourdomain.com
Enter only the subdomain part (e.g. go), not the entire domain name.
Edit your DNS Records
When setting up your domain with Short Menu, it's important to know whether you're using a root domain (yourdomain.com, also called an apex domain) or a subdomain (go.yourdomain.com).
Setting Up a Root Domain
For a root domain, you'll need to add 2 A Records:
Record 1:
- Host: @ (you can also use . or leave it empty)
- Value: 99.83.186.151
- TTL: 86400 (or the smallest possible value)
Record 2:
- Host: @ (you can also use . or leave it empty)
- Value: 75.2.96.173
- TTL: 86400 (or the smallest possible value)
Make sure there are no other A Records configured for your root domain. If your domain provider has configured default records (e.g. pointing to a parking page), you need to delete them.
Setting Up a Subdomain
For a subdomain, you'll need to add a CNAME record and a TXT record:
CNAME Record:
- Host: your subdomain, e.g. go
- Value: link.shortmenu.com
- TTL: 86400 (or the smallest possible value)
TXT Record:
- Host: _acme-challenge. + your subdomain, e.g. _acme-challenge.go
- Value: unique id for your domain, visible in Short Menu
- TTL: 86400 (or the smallest possible value)
Your domain provider probably has more detailed guides on where you can find your DNS settings.
Here are some examples from GoDaddy and Namecheap:
GoDaddy
Namecheap
Special Note for Cloudflare Users
If your DNS is managed by Cloudflare, ensure that the "Proxy Status" for Short Menu's records is set to "DNS only".
If you encounter any issues or need further assistance, email us at [email protected].
Note: Domain configuration may take anywhere from 1 to 24 hours to take effect.