Help & Troubleshooting
WHOIS / Registration
What this is
Domain registration data (served via RDAP, the modern WHOIS) records who a domain is registered with, its creation and expiry dates, status locks, and delegated nameservers — the administrative layer beneath DNS.
How to read your result
The two things always worth reading: the expiry date, and the nameservers (which must match the DNS provider you believe you use). Status flags like clientTransferProhibited are normal protective locks.
Common problems and how to fix them
Domain close to expiry (or expired)
How it shows up: Approaching expiry: renewal notices. After expiry: the site and mail go down; after the grace period the domain can be auctioned to strangers.
How to fix it: Renew now, enable auto-renew with a payment method that will not silently expire, and keep the registrant email address current — it receives the warnings.
Nameservers in WHOIS are not your DNS provider
How it shows up: DNS changes never apply (you edit the wrong provider), or worse — the domain silently serves someone else's zone.
How to fix it: Update the nameservers at the registrar to your intended DNS provider. If you did not make the change yourself, treat it as a possible account compromise: rotate registrar credentials and review account access.
Registrant contact out of date
How it shows up: Expiry and transfer-approval emails go to a dead mailbox; a lapsed domain becomes unrecoverable in time.
How to fix it: Update contacts at the registrar. ICANN verification emails must be acted on — ignoring them can suspend the domain.