Enable DNS on your name
Your .box name works as an ENS name from the moment you register it. Enabling DNS is an optional additional step that also makes your name resolve as a traditional website. Once DNS is active, anyone can reach yourname.box from any browser, without a wallet or ENS-aware client.
ENS vs DNS. Every .box name is an ENS name from day one, usable in wallets, ENS-aware apps, and any service that resolves ENS. DNS is an optional service layer that adds traditional web resolution: after you enable it, your name works in browsers, email clients, and anywhere else that speaks DNS. Enabling DNS never affects your ENS ownership.
Enabling DNS is a one-time activation per name, gated by a short contact-details form. Your contact information stays private, encrypted by the registry, and is not published publicly.
Before you start
Your name must be active (not expired or in grace period). If your status shows anything else, renew your name first.
Have your legal contact details ready. You'll enter four contact roles (registrant, admin, technical, billing) required by the domain registry. Most owners use the same person for all four.
No new account is needed. You'll authorize the activation through your connected wallet.
Start activation
Go to My Account → Names and open the name you want to activate.
On the name detail page, choose Enable DNS. This opens the activation flow.
Step 1: Review what DNS activation includes
The first screen summarizes what happens:
Your name will resolve as a website in addition to working as an ENS name.
The registry needs your contact information (encrypted, not public).
No password or separate login is required.
There's also a short About DNS dispute policies section you can expand. DNS-enabled names are subject to standard dispute policies. In the rare event of a dispute, DNS resolution may be temporarily suspended while it's resolved. Your ENS ownership remains in your wallet regardless. When you're ready, choose Continue.
Step 2: Choose which names to activate
If you own more than one .box name, you'll see a list here and can enable DNS on several names at once. Check the names you want, then choose Continue. For a single name, this step is just confirmation.
Step 3: Fill in contact information
Enter the contact details the registry requires. You can use one contact for all four roles (the default) or set them separately.
Contact roles
Registrant: the person or organization that legally owns the DNS registration.
Admin: the primary point of contact for administrative matters.
Technical: the contact for technical questions (nameservers, DNS records, etc.).
Billing: the contact for billing and renewal matters.
The checkbox Use the same contact for Admin, Tech, and Billing records is selected by default, so your registrant details apply to the other three roles too. Uncheck it if you need a different contact per role. You can change these later either way.
Fields per contact
Required unless noted:
First name
Last name
Organization (optional)
Email
Phone
Street address
City
State or province
Postal code
Country
If you've enabled DNS on another name before, saved contacts appear as a picker at the top of each role. Pick one to prefill the fields. When every required role is complete, choose Continue.
Step 4: Review and confirm
The review screen shows every contact you entered, grouped by role. Roles marked Same as Registrant reuse the registrant's details.
To change a role, choose Edit next to Contact information and return to Step 3.
When everything looks right, choose Submit and Enable DNS.
Confirming triggers the activation. You'll see a short loading screen while my.box submits your information to the registry.
Step 5: Wait for the registry
You'll see Activating DNS... with the message "We're submitting your information to the registry. This usually takes just a moment." The process is usually done in seconds but can take longer if the registry is under load.
Do not close the tab. If activation takes longer than a couple of minutes, my.box will surface a timeout message and let you retry.
Step 6: Confirmation
When the registry finishes, you'll see DNS is now active! Your name now resolves from any browser. From this screen you can:
Manage your names: return to the account view and open your name's full detail.
Enable DNS on more names: start the flow again for another name.
Search for more names: go back to the search page.
What changes after activation
Two new tabs become available on your name's detail page:
Web: nameservers, DNS records, and domain forwarding. Point your name at a website, hosting provider, or another domain. See Add and edit DNS records and Set nameservers.
Email: connect an email provider (Google Workspace, iCloud+, Fastmail, and others). See Connect an email provider.
Your identity settings (ENS profile, avatar, addresses, socials) are unchanged. They work with or without DNS.
Common errors
"DNS activation failed". Something went wrong on the registry side. The most common causes are a missing or invalid contact field, or a temporary registry issue. Choose Try again. If it fails a second time, contact support with the domain name.
"DNS activation timed out". The registry didn't respond in time. This is usually transient. Choose Try again after a minute or two.
Ongoing responsibilities
Once DNS is active, you take on a few ongoing responsibilities:
Keep contact information current. Every 12 months you may be asked to confirm your contact details. See ICANN WHOIS review.
Keep DNS renewed along with your name. DNS has its own expiration, kept aligned with your name. When you renew, choose to include DNS or it will lapse. See Renew your DNS activation.
Your name remains yours even if DNS lapses. If DNS expires but you still own the ENS name, the Web and Email tabs disappear, but your identity settings and ENS ownership are unaffected.