Help & FAQ
Quick answers for setup, status interpretation, notifications, and account management.
General
What is Domain Watch?
Domain Watch is a self-hosted web app for monitoring domain expiration dates and sending renewal alerts.
Is Domain Watch free?
Yes. Domain Watch is open-source and self-hosted.
Who runs this instance?
The person or team that deployed this instance. Contact your instance administrator for local policy questions.
Domains
Why does my domain show Unknown status?
Unknown usually means WHOIS did not return an expiry date. This can happen for privacy-protected registrations or unsupported TLDs.
How often are domains checked?
Checks run daily (commonly around 02:00 UTC), but the exact schedule is instance-specific.
Can I trigger an immediate check?
Yes. Open Domains, click Edit on a domain, then click Refresh WHOIS.
What domain format is accepted?
Enter bare domain format only, such as example.com, without www or https://.
How many domains can I add?
Your maximum is set by instance admin settings and appears in your dashboard usage indicator.
Can I search, filter, and sort my domains?
Yes. The Domains page supports search, status filters, expiry window filters, and sorting options to quickly find what you need.
Can I import or export domains in bulk?
Yes. Use the bulk actions on the Domains page to import CSV/JSON files and export your current domain list as CSV or JSON.
What are DNS and TLS signals?
Domain detail pages show DNS and TLS monitoring signals (for example nameserver changes or certificate validity) to help identify configuration drift and risk.
Status values
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Active | Domain found and expiry date is more than 30 days away. |
| Expiring Soon | Expiry is within 30 days. |
| Expired | The WHOIS expiry date has passed. |
| Unknown | No WHOIS expiry date was returned, which can be normal for privacy-protected or unsupported registrations. |
Notifications
When will I receive email alerts?
Alerts are sent at the timing intervals you select in Profile: 60, 30, 14, 7, and 1 days before expiry.
I am not receiving alerts. What should I check?
Confirm your Profile email, ensure at least one timing option is selected, check spam/junk, send a test notification, and then contact your admin if needed.
Can I choose which domains trigger alerts?
Not currently. Alert timing applies to all tracked domains.
Can I send alerts to webhooks?
Yes. In Profile, you can enable webhook delivery, set a destination URL, configure a signing secret, choose events, and send a test payload.
Account
How do I change my email address?
Go to Profile, update your email, and save changes.
How do I reset my password?
Use the Change Password section in Profile. If you are locked out, contact your administrator.
How do I delete my account?
Account deletion is managed by the instance administrator.
Where can I see product changes by release?
Open Changelog from the main navigation to review versioned updates and feature additions over time.