Getting Started

Domain Watch helps you track domain expiry dates and get renewal alerts before deadlines. This guide walks you through first-time setup and what to expect next.

Step 1 — Add your first domain

• Go to Domains and choose Add Domain.
• Enter the bare domain only (for example: example.com).
• Do not include www or https://.
• You can leave expiry date empty and let WHOIS discover it.

Screenshot placeholder: /img/docs/add-domain.png

Step 1b — Import in bulk (optional)

• Already tracking many domains? Use Domains import to upload CSV or JSON.
• Use export at any time to download your current list as CSV or JSON.
• Use search, filters, and sorting in Domains to quickly review larger inventories.

Step 2 — Wait for first check (or refresh manually)

• Scheduled checks run daily (default 02:00 UTC, configurable by admin).
• To check immediately: Domains, then Edit, then Refresh WHOIS.
• Need status definitions? See status values in Help.

Step 3 — Configure your notification email

• Open Profile.
• Confirm the email address is where you want alerts.
• Update and save if needed.

Step 4 — Set notification timing

• In Profile, select one or more timing intervals: 60, 30, 14, 7, and 1 days before expiry.
• Recommended minimum: 30 and 7 days for useful lead time.

Step 5 — Verify email delivery

• Use the Send test notification button in Profile.
• If the message does not arrive, check spam/junk first.
• If delivery still fails, contact your instance administrator.

Step 6 — Configure webhook delivery (optional)

• In Profile, enable webhook delivery and set your endpoint URL.
• Add a secret to sign payloads and validate authenticity on your receiving service.
• Choose the events you want and send a test webhook before going live.

Step 7 — Review DNS/TLS signals

• Open a domain and view the DNS/TLS monitoring summary in the edit screen.
• Watch for signal changes that can indicate nameserver drift or certificate issues.
• Use this alongside expiry alerts for more complete domain risk monitoring.

What to expect next

• You receive email alerts as renewal deadlines approach.
• The dashboard summarizes upcoming renewals and risk.
• Unknown status can be normal for privacy-protected or unsupported WHOIS data.
• Visit Changelog to track versioned feature updates.