Make Primary

This page explains the Make Primary feature in GoAdmio. It converts an addon domain into the account's primary domain — swapping the domain that identifies the account and serves as its main website.

Location: Admin Panel → Domains → Make Primary
Location (User Panel): Domains → Make Primary

Overview

Every hosting account has one primary domain — the domain that identifies the account, appears in List Accounts, and is the default domain for the account's website, email, and SSL. All other domains attached to the account are either addon domains, subdomains, or aliases.

Make Primary lets you promote an addon domain to be the account's primary domain. This is useful when:

• A customer has outgrown their original domain and wants a newer or better domain to be the main one
• A brand change means a different domain should be the account's identity
• An addon domain has become the main site and the old primary is now secondary
• You want to swap two domains so that the addon becomes primary and the old primary becomes an addon

When to Use Make Primary vs. Change Primary Domain

| Scenario | Use |
|---|---|
| The domain is already an addon domain on this account, and you want it to be primary | Make Primary |
| The domain is not yet on the account, and you want it to be the primary | Change Primary Domain (or add it as an addon first, then Make Primary) |
| You want to swap two domains (primary ↔ addon) | Make Primary on the addon, then add the old primary as an addon if needed |
| You want to change the username (not the domain) | Username Modification |

Prerequisites

Before promoting an addon domain to primary:

1. The target domain is already an addon domain on the account. Check Addon Domains.
2. DNS for the addon domain points to the server — an A record for the domain and www. See DNS Manager.
3. SSL for the addon domain is either already installed, or you are prepared to re-issue it after the swap. See Install Free SSL Certificate.
4. The account is not suspended (see Suspend Account).
5. You have a current backup of the account. See Backup Wizard.
6. The customer has been notified, since the account identity will change.

How to Make an Addon Domain Primary

Via the Admin Panel

1. Log in to the GoAdmio Admin Panel.
2. Navigate to Domains → Make Primary.
3. Select the account whose primary domain you want to change.
4. Choose the addon domain you want to promote to primary.
5. Review the summary of what will change.
6. Confirm.

Via the User Panel

If enabled for the account:

1. Log in to the User Panel.
2. Navigate to Domains → Make Primary.
3. Select the addon domain.
4. Confirm.

What Changes

| Item | Changes? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Primary domain | ✅ Yes | Replaced with the addon domain |
| Old primary domain | ⚠️ Depends | May become an addon domain, or be removed — check the operation result |
| Document root | ⚠️ Depends | The new primary typically keeps its own document root; verify via Change Document Root |
| DNS zones | ⚠️ Depends | Both domains typically retain their DNS zones |
| Email accounts | ❌ No | Email accounts tied to the old domain remain under the old domain |
| System username | ❌ No | Unchanged — see Username Modification |
| Home directory path | ❌ No | Path remains /home/<username> |
| SSL certificates | ⚠️ Depends | Re-issue for the new primary domain if the old certificate only covered the old domain |

> Warning: If the old primary domain is removed rather than converted to an addon, any websites or email still using it will stop working. Confirm the operation result and re-add the old domain as an addon if needed.

After Making an Addon Domain Primary

| Task | Why |
|---|---|
| Verify DNS for the new primary domain | Ensure A/AAAA records point to the server; see DNS Manager |
| Re-issue SSL for the new primary | The certificate may not cover the new domain; see Install Free SSL Certificate |
| Check email accounts | Email for the old domain is unchanged; create email for the new domain if needed; see Email Accounts |
| Update document root if needed | See Change Document Root |
| Update the customer's login URL | The User Panel may now be reachable via the new domain |
| Update monitoring and alerts | Any external monitoring pointing at the old domain should be updated |
| Test the website and email | Confirm both work end-to-end |
| Run Fix Permissions | Repair any ownership issues caused by the swap |

Related Pages

• Addon Domains — manage additional domains on the account
• Change Primary Domain — change the primary domain to a new one
• Domain Aliases — point alias domains to the primary domain
• Change Document Root — change where the primary site is served from
• Create Subdomain — create a subdomain
• DNS Manager — manage DNS records for both domains
• Install Free SSL Certificate — re-issue SSL for the new primary
• Modify Account — change account settings
• List Accounts — verify the primary domain change

Troubleshooting

| Problem | Likely cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| The domain is not listed in Make Primary | It is not an addon domain on the account | Add it as an addon first via Addon Domains, then Make Primary |
| "Domain already exists" | Another account owns the domain | Remove it from the other account or choose a different domain |
| Old primary domain disappeared after swap | The operation removed it instead of converting it | Re-add the old domain as an addon via Addon Domains |
| New primary does not load | DNS not pointing to the server, or document root mismatch | Verify A records in DNS Manager; check Change Document Root |
| SSL error on new primary | Certificate still covers only the old domain | Re-issue via Install Free SSL Certificate |
| Email stopped working | Mail exchanger settings, or email accounts not created on new domain | Check mail routing in Modify Account; create email on the new domain |
| Cannot log in to the User Panel | Login URL still tied to the old domain | Log in via the new domain, or via the server hostname |
| Change reverted after a while | Synchronization conflict | Re-apply the change; verify no external automation is reverting it |