Prerequisites
Before adding a custom domain to your status page, ensure you have:✅ Active Watchman Tower Account
✅ Active Watchman Tower Account
You must have an active account with Team or Stack plan. Custom domains are not available on Free or Solo plans.
✅ Domain Name Ownership
✅ Domain Name Ownership
You must own or control the domain name you want to use. You’ll need access to your domain’s DNS settings.
✅ DNS Management Access
✅ DNS Management Access
Ability to create CNAME records in your domain’s DNS configuration. This is typically done through your domain registrar or DNS provider.
✅ Valid Subdomain
✅ Valid Subdomain
You must use a subdomain (e.g.,
status.mycompany.com), not a root domain (e.g., mycompany.com). This is a technical requirement of the CNAME setup.Supported DNS Providers
Watchman Tower’s custom domain feature works with all major DNS providers:Cloudflare
Fully supported
Amazon Route 53
Fully supported
Google Cloud DNS
Fully supported
Namecheap
Fully supported
GoDaddy
Fully supported
DNSimple
Fully supported
Any DNS provider that supports CNAME records will work. If you’re using Cloudflare as your DNS provider, make sure the proxy is set to DNS only (gray cloud), not proxied (orange cloud).
Technical Requirements
Domain Format
Your custom domain must follow these rules:- Must be a subdomain:
status.mycompany.com✅ - Cannot be root domain:
mycompany.com❌ - Valid characters: Letters, numbers, hyphens
- Maximum length: 253 characters total
- No special characters: Only alphanumeric and hyphens
Common Subdomain Choices
- Recommended
- Also Valid
SSL Certificate
SSL certificates are automatically provisioned and managed by Cloudflare. You don’t need to:- Purchase SSL certificates
- Upload certificate files
- Renew certificates manually
- Configure HTTPS settings
- Initial issuance (typically 1-5 minutes)
- Automatic renewal (happens before expiration)
- HTTP to HTTPS redirect
- TLS 1.2+ enforcement
DNS Access Methods
You’ll need one of the following to create DNS records:1
Registrar Control Panel
Most domain registrars (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.) provide a DNS management interface where you can add CNAME records.
2
DNS Provider Dashboard
If you use a separate DNS provider (Cloudflare, Route 53, etc.), access their dashboard to manage records.
3
Domain Admin Access
If you don’t manage DNS directly, you’ll need to contact your IT team or domain administrator to create the CNAME record.
Permissions Required
Make sure your Watchman Tower account has:- Team or Stack plan active and paid
- Status page enabled for your workspace
- Custom domain quota not exceeded (1 for Team, 5 for Stack)
What You’ll Need During Setup
Have these ready before starting:Domain Name
The subdomain you want to use (e.g.,
status.mycompany.com)DNS Access
Login credentials for your DNS provider or registrar
5-10 Minutes
Time for DNS propagation and SSL validation
Email Notifications
Optional: Enable notifications for domain status updates
Limitations
Be aware of these constraints:- One active domain per status page - You cannot have multiple domains pointing to the same status page simultaneously
- Subdomain only - Root domains (apex/naked domains) are not supported due to CNAME requirements
- No wildcard domains - Each domain must be explicitly configured
- DNS TTL - Changes may take up to your DNS TTL to propagate (typically 5-60 minutes)
Plan Limits
| Plan | Custom Domains |
|---|---|
| Free | Not available |
| Solo | Not available |
| Team | 1 domain |
| Stack | Up to 5 domains |
Need more custom domains? Contact sales to discuss Stack plan options or enterprise solutions.
Ready to Start?
Once you have everything ready, proceed to the setup guide.Continue to Setup Guide
Follow step-by-step instructions to configure your custom domain
Questions?
Can I use a root domain like mycompany.com?
Can I use a root domain like mycompany.com?
No. Custom domains must be subdomains (e.g., status.mycompany.com) due to CNAME technical requirements. Root domains cannot have CNAME records.
Do I need to buy an SSL certificate?
Do I need to buy an SSL certificate?
No. SSL certificates are automatically provisioned and renewed by Cloudflare at no additional cost.
Can I use Cloudflare proxy (orange cloud)?
Can I use Cloudflare proxy (orange cloud)?
No. If you’re using Cloudflare as your DNS provider, the CNAME record must be set to DNS only (gray cloud). The orange cloud proxy will prevent the custom domain from working.
How long does setup take?
How long does setup take?
DNS propagation typically takes 5-10 minutes, and SSL validation takes 1-5 minutes. Total setup time is usually under 15 minutes.