How to Unpublish a GoDaddy Website

How to Unpublish a GoDaddy Website

Unpublishing your website on GoDaddy is an essential step if you want to protect your personal or business information from unauthorized access. This process involves removing the site’s content and making it inaccessible through various methods such as updating DNS records or using specific tools provided by GoDaddy itself. Here’s how you can effectively unpublish a GoDaddy website:

Step 1: Log In to Your Account

Firstly, log in to your GoDaddy account via the web interface or any application that allows you to manage your domain. Ensure you have administrative privileges for the domain you wish to unpublish.

Step 2: Access the Domain Management Tools

Navigate to the domain management section of your account where you will find options related to managing your website. Select “Manage Website” or “Website Control Panel.”

Step 3: Update DNS Records

GoDaddy offers several ways to update DNS settings to make your website invisible to the internet. Follow these steps to remove the public IP address associated with your domain:

Option A: Using GoDaddy’s Custom DNS Tool

  1. Click on “Custom DNS.”
  2. Enter your domain name (e.g., example.com) in the search bar.
  3. Look for the IP address assigned to your website and delete it.

Option B: Manually Changing DNS Settings

If GoDaddy doesn’t provide a direct tool, manually edit the DNS records:

  1. Find the TXT record for your domain.
  2. Delete the existing entry.
  3. Create a new TXT record with a random string of characters (typically around 256 bits).

Step 4: Disable SSL Certificates

Disabling SSL certificates ensures no one can view your site over HTTPS. To do this:

  1. Navigate to the SSL/TLS certificate management page within your GoDaddy account.
  2. Locate your SSL certificate(s).
  3. Click on “Edit” next to each certificate.
  4. Set the expiration date to before the current date.
  5. Remove the private key file.
  6. Save changes.

Step 5: Remove Site Files

To prevent users from accessing your files directly, remove them from your server:

  1. SSH into your hosting provider’s control panel.
  2. Navigate to the directory containing your website files (usually located at /var/www/html or similar).
  3. Delete all files except for index.html, robots.txt, and other necessary configuration files.
  4. Restart your web server to apply the changes.

Step 6: Use Third-party Tools

Consider using third-party services like NoScript or uBlock Origin to block access to your website temporarily or permanently.

Step 7: Notify Users

Inform your visitors about the removal of their site, explaining why it was done and providing alternative means to reach out to you if they need assistance.

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can successfully unpublish your GoDaddy website, protecting both your privacy and security online. Remember, maintaining strong cybersecurity practices is crucial for safeguarding sensitive information.

Related Questions:

  1. Why should I unpublish my website?

    • Protecting user data and preventing unauthorized access.

  2. What tools does GoDaddy offer for un-publishing websites?

    • GoDaddy provides custom DNS tools and manual editing capabilities to change DNS records.

  3. Is there anything else I should consider when un-publishing a website?

    • Removing SSL certificates, disabling caching mechanisms, and notifying users about the change.