Getting started with Clonable

Summary

This guide explains how to set up Clonable using the generic method. It is the right option if your platform is not listed in our specific setup guides (WordPress, Magento, Shopware) or if you use a custom-built website. You will learn how to connect your domain, adjust DNS settings, and activate your Clone so it works correctly.

FAQ

Will setting up a Clone affect my original website?

No. Your original website remains unchanged.

Do I need technical knowledge?

Basic knowledge of DNS and domain management is helpful, other than that technical knowledge is not needed.

⏱️ Reading time: 5–7 minutes

Table of contents

• Create your clone
• Update your DNS settings
• Activate and test your clone

Create your Clone

Start by creating a new Clone in your Clonable dashboard.

1. Go to your dashboard.
2. If it is your first Clone you use the "Create your first Clone" button, if you already have a cloned site, click Add clone.
3. Enter your original website URL.
4. Select the language of the original site, the platform of your original site and wether your site uses www or not.
5. Add a short description of the site.
6. Select the target language, the and the location of the Clone (subfolder, subdomain or custom domain)
7. Start cloning.

Update your DNS settings

When you use a subdomain or other domain for your clone, it is necessary that you set the DNS records for that (sub)domain correctly. DNS records ensure that the domain you use for your clone is linked to Clonable. If you have created a clone on a subfolder, you do not need to make any DNS changes for this.

In your clone's settings, under the Setup information tab, you can see which DNS records still need to be set. You can also manually recheck there when you have set up the DNS records and want to check them. The DNS records are also automatically checked periodically.

Below is an example of what the DNS data table would look like if you cloned the website clonable-example.co.uk to clonable-example.de. As you can see, you need to create both A- and AAAA-type DNS records for the domain with www. and without www.

Please note that many providers do not require the entire domain to be entered when creating the records, but only the part for the main domain. In many (but not all!) cases, the main domain uses an @ and your entry will need to look something like this:

Verify ownership

Verifying domain ownership proves that you actually control the website you want to clone or manage. It is a security step that protects both you and everyone else from accidental or malicious misuse. There are three ways to verify ownership:

• Email: fill in an emailadress connected to the same domain name you used for the original site and verify using the link sent to that email.
• HTML tag: add the tag to the header of the original site
• DNS record: add the record to the DNS settings of the domain.

Activate and test your clone

Once the Clone has been created, the DNS is configured and the domain name is verified:

1. Return to your Clonable dashboard.
2. Open the Clone preview and check how it looks.
3. Verify that pages are being translated.
4. Manually make the adjustments that you want.

If the website does not load:

• Double-check your DNS configuration.
• Make sure you used the correct record type.
• Confirm there are no conflicting DNS entries.

Common issues

The clone shows a DNS error

This usually means the CNAME record is incorrect or not yet propagated.

The website loads but is not translated

Check if:

• The clone is active.
• The correct source URL was entered.
• There are no blocking settings in your original website.

Tags

custom website setup, manual configuration, cname record, domain linking, multilingual website, international expansion

Updated on: 22/02/2026