If a domain name expires, your website may become inaccessible, email services can be disrupted, and you risk permanently losing your brand reputation and business interests if someone else registers the domain name. This topic describes how to keep your domain name active through auto-renewal and manual renewal, and explains the strategies for each stage after a domain name expires.
Domain name lifecycle and renewal strategies
A domain name goes through several stages from registration to deletion. Each stage has a different time window and associated costs. As a best practice, renew your domain name before it expires.
|
Stage |
Time window |
Domain status |
Action and cost |
|
Active period |
Within the validity period |
Resolves normally |
Configure auto-renewal or perform a manual renewal at the standard renewal price. |
|
Renewal grace period |
About 0–30 days after expiration Note
The renewal grace period for |
Resolution may be suspended. |
You can still renew at the standard price. |
|
Redemption grace period |
Typically 31–60 days after expiration Note
The redemption period for CNNIC domain names (such as |
Resolution suspended |
Requires a redemption fee, which is significantly higher than the standard renewal price. |
|
Pending deletion period |
After the redemption grace period ends |
Pending deletion |
The domain name will be deleted by the registry and made available for public registration. The original registrant cannot recover it. |
Refer to the console for the definitive status and renewal deadline of your domain name.
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Domain names that have not completed real-name verification cannot be renewed. If your domain name requires real-name verification, complete the process before you renew it. For detailed instructions, see Domain name real-name verification process.
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If you transfer a domain name away from Alibaba Cloud within 45 days of a successful renewal or redemption, the renewed term will be invalidated and the fee will not be refunded. If you plan to transfer your domain name, schedule your renewal and transfer operations accordingly. For more information, see Transfer a domain name from Alibaba Cloud.
Enable auto-renewal (recommended)
Enabling auto-renewal is the best practice to prevent your domain name from expiring accidentally.
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Log on to the Domain Name List page, select the domain names, and click at the bottom of the page.
Make sure you log on with the Alibaba Cloud account that owns the domain name or a RAM user with domain name management permissions.
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Confirm the domain names you want to auto-renew and click Submit.
Billing rules:
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Billing time: Starting 15 days before the expiration date, the system attempts to deduct payment once a day until the payment is successful or the domain name expires.
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Payment method: Payment is deducted from your account balance or credit limit. You cannot use both methods at the same time.
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Ensure that your Alibaba Cloud account has a sufficient account balance or credit limit. Configure balance alerts to avoid auto-renewal failures.
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If auto-renewal fails due to an insufficient account balance or credit limit before the domain name expires, you must renew it manually.
Manual renewal
This section explains how to manually renew one or more domain names.
Renew on PC
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Log on to the Domain Name List page with your Alibaba Cloud account.
Make sure you log on with the Alibaba Cloud account that owns the domain name or a RAM user with domain name management permissions.
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To renew a single domain name: Find the domain name and click Renew in the Actions column.
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To renew multiple domain names: Select the domain names you want to renew and click the Renew button at the bottom of the list.
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On the order confirmation page, select a renewal term for each domain name and click Buy Now.
Renew on app
This section explains how to renew domain names on a mobile device.
On the Domain Registration page, tap Renew/Redeem.
In the Domain List, select the domain names you want to renew and tap Batch Renew/Redeem.
Confirm the renewal order.
On the Confirm Order tab, select a Renewal Duration and tap Confirm Order.
Optional: Enter a promotional code.
Above the order confirmation section, tap the promotional code field to enter it. For details on how to get a promotional code, see How do I get a promotional code for a domain name?.
After the payment is complete, tap the Renew/Redeem button on the Domain Registration page to open the Domain List. Check the Expiration Date of the domain name to confirm that the renewal was successful.
DNS resolution recovery time
After you renew a domain name during its renewal grace period, the DNS resolution recovery time depends on DNS cache refresh cycles.
|
DNS provider |
Estimated recovery time |
|
Alibaba Cloud DNS |
Typically within 10 minutes, up to 24 hours |
|
Other DNS providers |
24–48 hours |
Invoice management
After payment is complete, you can request an invoice. For more information, see How to apply for an invoice.
Troubleshoot renewal failures
|
Problem type |
Possible cause |
Solution |
|
Payment issue |
Insufficient account balance |
Top up your account and try again. |
|
The linked payment method (such as a credit card) is invalid. |
Update to a valid payment method. |
|
|
There are outstanding overdue payments. |
Clear the overdue payments before you renew. |
|
|
Domain status issue |
The domain name is in an abnormal state (for example, |
Contact your registrar to identify the cause and remove the restriction. For more information about domain name status codes, see Remove a domain name lock. |
|
The domain name failed real-name verification (for TLDs like |
Complete the domain name real-name verification process first. |
FAQ
Q: What renewal notifications will I receive before my domain name expires?
A: Alibaba Cloud will send you renewal reminders by email, SMS, and internal message before your domain name expires. The notification schedule is as follows: by email 60, 45, 30, 15, and 10 days before expiration, and on the first Monday after expiration; by SMS 10 and 5 days before expiration, and 1 day after expiration; and by internal message 10 and 5 days before expiration, and 1 day after expiration. The renewal notification rules for customers of Alibaba Cloud partners are the same as for regular accounts.
Q: What should I do if the auto-renewal payment fails?
A: Check if your account balance or credit limit is sufficient. If not, top up your account and then renew the domain name manually before it expires. The system attempts to deduct payment once a day, so you can also wait for the system to retry automatically after you top up.
Q: What should I do if I see a message like "Failed to retrieve product" or "Unpaid order exists" during renewal?
A: Go to order management to check for unpaid orders. Pay for or cancel the unpaid orders and try again. Alternatively, you can empty your shopping cart and add the domain name for renewal again.