How to Connect Your .ph Domain to WordPress

Last updated on May 7th, 2026 at 02:10 pm

You have your .ph domain registered. You have a WordPress site ready. The only thing left is how to connect your .ph domain to WordPress.

I have been helping hundreds of website owners through this process. The biggest cause of confusion is always the same thing:

There are two versions of WordPress, and the steps are completely different for each one. 

Get that part right first, and the rest takes less than ten minutes.

Which WordPress Are You Using?

Before you touch any settings, confirm which version of WordPress your site is on. The two are completely different platforms.

WordPress.com	WordPress.org (Self-Hosted)
Hosted and managed by WordPress	You install it on your own hosting
Your site address ends in .wordpress.com	Hosted via providers like Truehost, Bluehost, SiteGround
Requires a paid plan to connect a custom domain	Custom domain connection included with hosting

Most businesses and freelancers in the Philippines use self-hosted WordPress. We shall discuss how to use that in Method 2. 

WordPress.com is more common for personal blogs and hobby sites.

If your site URL looks like yoursite.wordpress.com, you are on WordPress.com.

But if you logged into a hosting account to install WordPress, you are self-hosted.

Method 1: Connecting to WordPress.com

Connecting a custom domain on WordPress.com requires a paid plan. The free plan does not support custom domain connections.

Step 1: Add your domain to WordPress.com

• Log in to your WordPress.com account

• Go to your site dashboard and click Upgrades, then Domains

• Click the arrow next to Add new domain and select Use a domain I own

• Type your .ph domain name and click Continue

• WordPress.com will show you the nameservers you need to add

Step 2: Update your nameservers at Truehost

• Log in to your Truehost PH account and go to your domain dashboard

• Find your .ph domain and click Manage or DNS Settings

• Look for the Nameservers section

• Delete the existing nameservers and replace them with these three: ns1.wordpress.com   ns2.wordpress.com   ns3.wordpress.com

• Save the changes

Remove your old nameservers completely before saving. Your nameservers should only contain the three WordPress.com values above, nothing else.

Method 2: Connecting to Self-Hosted WordPress

With self-hosted WordPress, your hosting provider holds your website files.

Connecting your .ph domain means pointing it to your hosting account’s nameservers instead of WordPress.com’s.

Step 1: Get your nameservers from your hosting provider

• Log in to your hosting account. For example, your Truehost’s cPanel or dashboard

• Look for nameserver information. It is usually shown on the account welcome email or under account details.

• Truehost nameservers typically look like: ns1.truehost.ph and ns2.truehost.ph, but confirm this in your dashboard, as they can vary by account.

Step 2: Update nameservers at your domain registrar

• Log in to Truehost PH, where your .ph domain is registered

• Go to your domain management area and find the Nameservers section

• Replace the existing nameservers with the ones from your hosting provider

• Save the changes

If your domain and hosting are both at Truehost, your nameservers may already be pointed correctly. 

Check your domain DNS settings first before making any changes.

How Do You Link Your Domain Name to Your Website?

Linking your domain to your website is exactly what updating the nameservers does.

You are telling the internet: when someone types this domain, send them to this hosting account.

Once you save the nameserver change, the update starts spreading across DNS servers worldwide. 

This is called DNS propagation. It usually takes between 30 minutes and 48 hours to complete. 

During that time, some visitors may see your old site, and others may see your new one. 

It depends on which DNS server their device has cached.

You do not need to do anything else while waiting. The process runs automatically.

How to Confirm It Is Working

For WordPress.com, check your domain status inside the dashboard:

• Go to Upgrades, then Domains

• Look at the Status column next to your domain. Verifying means it is still processing. Active means it is connected and working

• Once Active, try opening your domain in a new browser tab to confirm the site loads

For self-hosted WordPress, open your .ph domain in a browser. If your WordPress site appears, the connection works.

If it does not load after 48 hours, double-check that you entered the nameservers correctly and that you removed the old ones before saving.

What If Your Email Stops Working After the Switch?

This is the most common issue people run into after changing nameservers. 

If you have a business email address tied to your domain like, for example, [email protected], changing nameservers can disrupt it.

When you update nameservers, DNS control moves to your new provider. 

Any MX records like email routing records that were set up at your old provider do not carry over automatically.

Before you change nameservers, do the following:

• Write down your current MX records from your old DNS provider

• After updating nameservers, log in to your new DNS dashboard and add those MX records back manually

• If you are on WordPress.com, add the MX records under Upgrades, then Domains, then DNS Records

If you are not sure how to do this, our Truehost support team  can help you add the records correctly before you make the switch.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can I use my domain name with WordPress?

Yes. Both WordPress.com and self-hosted WordPress support custom domain connections. On WordPress.com, you need a paid plan. On self-hosted WordPress, a custom domain is included with any hosting plan.

2. Does connecting a domain affect my website content?

Connecting a domain does not change your website content, design, or settings. It only changes the web address people use to find your site. Everything inside your WordPress dashboard stays the same.

3. My domain says Verifying for more than 48 hours. What should I do?

Check that you removed your old nameservers before saving the new ones. Having both old and new nameservers active at the same time causes the verification to stall. Also, confirm there are no typos in the nameserver values. If the issue continues, contact Truehost support.

4. Can I connect my .ph domain to WordPress for free?

For self-hosted WordPress, yes. You only pay for your hosting plan and your domain registration. For WordPress.com, a paid plan is required to connect a custom domain.

Get Your .ph Domain Today.

You came here because your domain and your WordPress site were not talking to each other yet. 

Follow the method that matches your setup, and the connection will be live within the day.
Register or manage your .ph domain at Truehost truehost.ph/ph-domain and get local support every step of the way.