Migration · Glossary
DNS cutover
Last updated June 29, 2026 · by Tal Gerafi
DNS cutover is the moment you change a domain's DNS records to point traffic from an old server to a new one. It's the final switch that makes a migration go live.
DNS cutover is the step where your new build actually takes over the live domain. Up to this point the new site sits on a separate host or preview URL. At cutover, you edit the DNS records so the world starts loading the new server instead of the old one.
How does a DNS cutover work?
A domain's DNS records tell browsers which server to talk to. To go live, you update those records — usually the A record, AAAA record, or CNAME — so they resolve to the new host.
The catch is TTL (time to live): the number of seconds each record is allowed to be cached. If your TTL is 24 hours, some visitors keep hitting the old server for up to a day after you change it. So the safe pattern is: lower the TTL a few days before, confirm the new site fully works on its own URL, then flip the records. For a while, both servers receive traffic, so the old one must keep answering until every cache expires.
Why does DNS cutover matter for B2B sites?
For a marketing site that earns leads and search rankings, a clumsy cutover shows up fast — broken pages, mixed old-and-new content, or a drop in Google traffic. Cutover is the riskiest moment in a WordPress-to-Next.js migration, so it should be the last thing you do, after the new site is proven.
Two pieces have to be ready before you flip. First, your 301 redirects must be live on the new server, mapped from every old URL in your redirect map, so link equity and bookmarks survive. Second, the new site has to pass on its own — content, forms, and SEO tags — not just look right in preview.
In our experience the smoothest cutovers are boring: TTL lowered ahead of time, redirects tested, a quick rollback ready, and someone watching traffic for the first hour. Our full WordPress-to-Next.js migration guide walks through the order step by step.
FAQ
How long does a DNS cutover take to fully propagate?
Propagation is governed by your TTL, not by a single fixed number. If you lower the TTL to a few minutes a day or two before the switch, most resolvers pick up the new records within minutes; until any old, longer-cached records expire, a fraction of traffic can still reach the old server, so keep it running until those caches clear.
Does a DNS cutover cause downtime?
It doesn't have to. Because both the old and new servers can answer during propagation, a well-prepared cutover is effectively zero-downtime: the new site is fully working on its own URL before you flip, and the old one keeps serving until every cache expires. Downtime usually comes from cutting over before the new site is proven, not from DNS itself.
Can you roll back a DNS cutover?
Yes. Since a cutover is just a DNS record change, you can point the records back to the old host. A low TTL makes rollback faster because the reverted records propagate sooner, which is why lowering the TTL ahead of time is part of a safe plan.