Setting up a custom domain for your galleries

On the Pro plan, every gallery link you send can live on your own domain — clients.yourstudio.com instead of galleries.shootcal.com. It takes one DNS record, and HTTPS switches on by itself. Here is the whole process, start to finish.

1. Pick a subdomain

You need a subdomain of a domain you already own — not the bare domain. Good choices: clients.yourstudio.com, gallery.yourstudio.com, or photos.yourstudio.com. Your main website stays exactly where it is; only this one subdomain points at ShootCal.

Why a subdomain? The connection works through a CNAME record, and DNS doesn't allow a CNAME on a bare domain (yourstudio.com) without breaking your email and website records.

2. Add one CNAME record at your registrar

Sign in wherever your domain's DNS lives and add a record with these values:

• Type: CNAME
• Name / Host: the subdomain part only — e.g. clients
• Value / Target / Points to: cname.shootcal.com
• TTL: the default is fine

Where that screen lives at the common registrars:

• GoDaddy — My Products → your domain → DNS → Add New Record.
• Cloudflare — your site → DNS → Records → Add record. Set the cloud icon to "DNS only" (grey), not proxied — a proxied (orange) record hides the target and HTTPS can't be issued.
• Namecheap — Domain List → Manage → Advanced DNS → Add New Record.
• Squarespace Domains — Domains → your domain → DNS Settings → Add Record.

3. Save the domain in ShootCal Galleries

In your galleries Settings, type the full subdomain (e.g. clients.yourstudio.com) into Custom domain and save. The status under the field shows Waiting for DNS… while your record propagates — we re-check every minute, and as soon as the CNAME is visible we issue the HTTPS certificate automatically. Most domains go Active within a few minutes; DNS can occasionally take up to an hour.

4. That's it — every link updates

Once the status reads Active, every gallery share link, delivery email, and download link you send uses your domain. Clients never see shootcal.com. Links you sent before the domain was set keep working too.

Troubleshooting

• Stuck on "Waiting for DNS"? Double-check the record type is CNAME (not A), the host is just the subdomain part, and the value is exactly cname.shootcal.com. On Cloudflare, make sure the record is DNS only, not proxied.
• "Use a subdomain" error when saving? You entered a bare domain. Add a prefix: clients.yourstudio.com.
• Changed your mind? Clear the field and save — links fall back to galleries.shootcal.com instantly, nothing breaks.

Still stuck? Contact support with your domain name and a screenshot of the DNS record — this is usually a one-line fix.