Domain name auto renewal from GoDaddy: what is it and how does it work?

Your business’s name is an important asset and you must protect it by enabling the ” domain name auto renewal” option.

By now, we all know this: the journey into building a website starts with a domain name. Especially if you’re a business, you’ll want to get a mybusinessname.com type of domain. In addition, if you don’t want businesses with a similar name building online identities in your business’s name, we always suggest you also get variations of the domain as well i.e. mybusinessname.net and mybusinessname.co. Here is another thing you need to remember: the amount of time you can sit back and say, “yay; I got the domain I wanted” depends on how long you’ve paid to register it for. How, you ask?

Related: what is a domain name? Everything you need to know about domain names.

Beware of the registration period while purchasing a domain name

Persons and companies usually go for a one or two-year registration while registering their domain. Of course, this is your choice to make; however, you should also keep in mind that if you forget to renew your domain before it expires, someone else can purchase it and create a completely different website.

You’re probably using auto-renewal for your phone and electric bills already. This way, your bills are always paid on time and you don’t have to deal with shortages. Your domain name and website are among your business’s valuable assets, and running into shortages might affect your business flow. This is why many service providers, including GoDaddy, give you the domain auto-renewal option. But how does it work exactly? Let’s have a look…

Product renewal settings in the GoDaddy panel

First of all, you decide the registration period while you’re purchasing your domain, and it can be anywhere between one to ten years. If you’ve purchased a domain from GoDaddy, you get two choices for product renewals: 1) Automatic renewal and 2) Manual renewal. When you do make a purchase from GoDaddy, the domain name auto renewal option is automatically selected.

How do I stop the domain name auto renewal?

If you want to make changes, first log into your GoDaddy account:

You will see a list of products you have on your GoDaddy account. Click the green arrow on the top left of the “Domains” tab, which will let you view all your domains.

Choose the domain name you want to make changes to and click “Manage.”

At the next step, you’ll be able to view the necessary information in relation to your domain name:

If you want to select the automatic renewal option, you don’t have to do anything after this step. However, if you want to switch to manual renewal, go to “My Renewals” on the top right, from the drop-down menu under the name that shows up on your account.

Select the domain name or other products that you want to make changes to. And then by using the buttons on the top right, make your changes.

And you’re all done!

Here’s a video tutorial for managing the domain name auto renewal name using GoDaddy’s control panel:

Is domain name auto renewal enough?

Due to the reasons we’ve mentioned above, many users prefer auto domain renewals. It’s also important to keep in mind that opting for auto renewal for your domain isn’t enough by itself when it comes to protecting it. Before we end our article, let us make a few reminders:

We do notify you by email when the time for auto renewal is getting close. And we also contact you via email when there’s a problem with the payment method we have on file. Having said that, here is another reminder:

Conclusion

At GoDaddy, we don’t charge our customers without their approval. If it looks like “you’ve been charged without notice,” this might be because you have auto renewals on. Don’t forget; auto renewal isn’t available only for domains, but for our other products as well. If you’ve selected auto renewal, your payment is processed and your products are updated automatically before their expiration date.

Easiest way to stop your domain and other products from expiring so you don’t lose your domain or have to face outages related to your website is to opt-in for auto renewals.

The choice is yours to make. If manual renewals are a better choice for you, you can change your settings accordingly by taking the steps we’ve explained above.

Domain name auto renewal Frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Some answers to your frequently asked questions:

Do I have to renew my domain name every year?

Absolutely, in order to keep your domain operational, you must renew it annually. Purchasing a domain name is similar to renting a spot online for your website. You must renew your domain name registration to keep your website online, just as you must renew your lease each year to remain utilizing your office space.

Most domain names have an expiration date, which is typically one year from the date of first registration or most recent renewal. To prevent losing your website, it’s critical to maintain track of your domain’s expiration date and renew it in a timely manner.

How do I know if my domain is Autorenewed?

To know if your domain name is set to autorenew, you’ll want to log in to your domain registrar or web hosting account and check your control panel. This is where you can manage your domain name and check its status, renewal date, and DNS settings.

If your domain name is set to autorenew, you’ll see a setting for that in your control panel. Autorenewal means your domain name will renew automatically on its expiration date, without you having to do anything. You’ll also be charged the renewal fee, which is usually based on the pricing set by your domain registrar or reseller

It’s important to note that even if you have autorenewal set up, you should still keep an eye on your renewal date and make sure your payment method, such as your credit card information, is up to date. If your payment method is expired or declined, your domain name may not renew, even if you have autorenewal set up

If you don’t know if your domain name is is set to autorenew, you can also check your email for a renewal reminder from GoDaddy or web hosting provider. They may also offer tutorials or special offers on their knowledge base, apps, and social media accounts to help make the process easier.

If you do miss your renewal date, don’t worry! Most domain registrars offer a grace period and a redemption period during which you can still recover your expired domain name. However, you’ll usually need to pay an additional fee to get it back. So it’s best to keep track of your renewal date and avoid the hassle!