Dynadot Help

Domain Lock

• How do I unlock my domain?

  To unlock your domain, please follow these steps: Sign in to your Dynadot account. Select "My Domains" from the left-side menu bar and click "Manage Domains" in the drop-down. Check the box next to the domain name(s) you want to unlock. Select "Unlock Domains" from the "Action" drop-down menu. If your account is locked, you will be prompted to unlock your account before proceeding. Unlocking your account will require you to enter your "Security PIN" (as well as a Token Code if you have set up Google Authenticator and/or an SMS Code if you have SMS set up). After entering the necessary information to unlock your account, click the "Unlock Account" button. This will take you back to the "Manage Domains" page where you can make your domain selection(s) again. Click the "Unlock Domains" button to unlock your domain(s). Please submit a "Forgot Security PIN" request if you do not remember your "Security PIN."Please submit a "Lost Cellphone" request if you have lost your cellphone or cannot access it for Google Authenticator and/or SMS.

• How do I know if my domain is locked?

  To check the status of your domain lock, please follow these steps: Sign in to your Dynadot account. Select "My Domains" from the left-side menu bar and click "Manage Domains" in the drop-down. Find the domain name(s) from your domain list and look for the "Lock" icon. If you hover over the icon, it will say "Locked" or "Unlocked". You can also see if a domain is locked by clicking on the domain from the "Manage Domains" page and scrolling down to the "Transfer Locked" section.We recommend keeping your domains locked unless you are in the process of a transfer. This helps ensure their security. If you do leave a domain unlocked, our system will relock it after 14 days, however, this can vary based on other factors, such as upcoming expiry.Learn how to unlock your domain.

• What is domain hijacking?

  Domain hijacking is when someone takes your domain away from you. Usually, it is accomplished by falsifying a domain transfer authorization.The best way to prevent your domain from being hijacked is to keep it locked. You can lock all your domains from your Dynadot control panel for free, and in fact, we make this the default setting when you register or transfer a domain to us to ensure domain security. When a domain is locked, a domain transfer cannot even be started by another Registrar.To read about the most famous domain hijacking case, read the Wikipedia entry for Sex.com.

• What is the "Domain Lock" feature?

  The "Domain Lock" feature is similar to our "Account Lock" feature, but it applies a lock to each individual domain, as opposed to your entire account. Having each individual domain locked as well as your account locked, helps insure that your account stays secure and no domains are hijacked.Before you unlock your domain or domains, you will need to unlock your account. We recommend setting up 2 step verification with your account to add an additional layer of security.Having your domain locked is the default setting. Find out how to know if your domain is locked.

• What is a Registry lock?

  We're thrilled to introduce the registry lock feature, designed to enhance the security of your domain names and prevent hijacking. This additional security measure complements our existing safeguards and is highly recommended for protecting your most valuable domain names. By implementing registry lock, you can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorized changes, terminations, or transfers. Registry lock operates at the registry level and strengthens the authentication process between the registry and the domain name registrar. Enabling or disabling registry lock necessitates additional authentication steps involving the user, registrar, and registry. To add registry lock for domains in your Dynadot account, please follow these steps: Sign in to your Dynadot account. Select "My Domains" from the left-side menu bar and click "Manage Domains" in the drop-down. In the "Domains" column, click on the link of the domain name you want to apply registry lock to. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and find the "Registry Lock" section. If your account is locked, click on the "Unlock Account" button to unlock your account first. Once your account is unlocked, click the "Upgrade" button. Click on your shopping cart and follow the "Checkout" buttons to submit your order. You can also add/renew registry lock for your domain in your shopping cart if there's a renewal item for the same domain. Once the process is completed, the 'Registry Lock' section will update accordingly, allowing you to enable or disable the lock from that location. NOTE: Registry lock is currently available for the following domains: .com, .net, and .cc. We plan to extend this service to other TLDs in the future. The processing time for enabling or disabling registry lock is typically 3-5 business days. If you choose to add or renew registry lock for your domain, it must be ordered for the entire duration of the domain's lifecycle. For example, if your domain is registered for three years, the registry lock should also be purchased for three years. Here is an example of the Whois results for a registry-level-locked domain name, with the key statuses highlighted: