Edit a site address

Your WordPress.com site comes with a free address like yourgroovysite.wordpress.com. You can change the first part (yourgroovysite) to make it more memorable and match your brand. In this guide, you will learn how to change your site address and understand your options.

You have two main ways to customize your website’s address. Choose the option that best fits your needs:

Before changing your site address, understand these key points:

You cannot reuse old addresses

WordPress.com addresses that have been used before cannot be claimed again, even if the original site no longer exists. This protects content ownership and prevents impersonation.

Plugin-enabled sites work differently

If your site uses plugins, your address ends in .wpcomstaging.com instead of .wordpress.com. You cannot change the first part of a wpcomstaging address – you’ll need to add a domain name instead.

You can change the first part (e.g: yourgroovysite.wordpress.com) of your WordPress.com site address by following these steps:

1. Visit your site’s dashboard.
2. On the left side, navigate to Upgrades → Domains (or Hosting → Domains if using WP Admin).
3. Click the three dots to the far right of your WordPress.com site address, and select “Change site address“.
   

4. In the “New site address” field, type your desired address. 
   

5. If the new address is available, click the Next button.
6. Review the new address and warning on the confirmation page.

7. Check the box next to “I understand that I won’t be able to undo this change” and click the Confirm button to complete the site address change.

Once you’ve completed the steps above, your site will immediately use the new WordPress.com address and stop using the old one.

Adding a domain name gives you a professional web address like yourgroovysite.com and keeps your current address working. This is often the better choice for established sites.

To add a domain name, you can register a new domain name or connect a domain name you already own. Then, set your domain name as your primary address.

If your site address ends in .wpcomstaging.com, you have a plugin-enabled site. A wpcomstaging address does not mean you have a staging site (a staging site is used for testing purposes). It is the temporary address for your plugin-enabled website until you add your own domain name.

Example: yourgroovysite.wpcomstaging.com becomes yourgroovysite.com when you add a domain name.

You cannot change the first part of a wpcomstaging address. Instead, you can register, connect, or transfer a domain name to use with your site.

After adding a domain name, set it as your primary address so visitors see your domain name instead of the wpcomstaging address.

Note: You cannot change from .wpcomstaging.com back to .wordpress.com without downgrading your plan. However, anyone who used the old .wordpress.com version of your address can still access your site.

You can move a domain name between sites. Learn how to move a domain name from one site to another.

You cannot move a site address from one site to another, but you can move your content to the site that has the address you want.

If you want to move your content to the site that has the address you want to use, follow these steps:

1. Export the content from your current site.
2. Import the content into the site with your preferred address.
3. Optionally, redirect visitors from your old site to the new one.

Note: This moves your content, not the address itself. The original address will remain with the site where it was created.

No, WordPress.com addresses cannot be reused once they’ve been claimed, even if the original site is no longer active. This protects content ownership.

If someone else is using an address you want, you can ask them to transfer the site to you. Contact them through a comment on their site or their contact form if available. WordPress.com cannot contact site owners for you or provide their contact information.

Since there are unlimited available addresses, consider these alternatives:

• Try a variation of your desired name (add numbers, hyphens, or different words)
• Register a custom domain name like yourgroovysite.com instead