How to Change WHOIS Contact Information for Your Domain

WHOIS is the public database that stores ownership and contact information for every registered domain. Keeping your WHOIS details accurate is important for domain security, legal compliance, and ensuring you receive critical notifications about your domain.

What Is WHOIS?

Every domain registration requires four sets of contact information:

In most cases, all four contacts are the same person or organisation. You can set them independently if needed.

When to Update WHOIS

• Business name change — Your company has rebranded or changed its legal name
• Change of ownership — Selling or transferring the domain to another person/organisation
• Updated email address — Your contact email has changed
• Address or phone change — You've moved to a new location
• Preparing for transfer — The admin email must be accessible to approve domain transfers
• ICANN compliance — ICANN requires accurate WHOIS data; incorrect information can lead to domain suspension

Steps for Domains Registered with Cynet

Step 1: Log in to the Cynet Client Area

Go to manage.cynet.com.my and log in.

Step 2: Navigate to Your Domain

Go to Domains → My Domains and click on the domain you want to update.

Step 3: Open Contact Information

Click the Contact Information tab (may also be labelled "WHOIS Info" or "Registrant Details").

Step 4: Update the Details

You'll see four sections — Registrant, Admin, Technical, and Billing. Update the fields you need to change:

• First Name / Last Name
• Organisation (company name, if applicable)
• Email Address
• Phone Number (international format, e.g., +60.123456789)
• Address (street, city, state, postcode, country)

Step 5: Save Changes

Click Save Changes to submit the update.

Note for gTLDs (.com, .net, .org): Changing the registrant name or email may trigger ICANN's 60-day transfer lock and a verification email. You must click the verification link to confirm the change.

Steps for Domains at Other Registrars

GoDaddy

1. Log in → My Products → Domains
2. Click on the domain → Contact Information
3. Click Edit next to the contact you want to change
4. Update the details → Save

Namecheap

1. Log in → Domain List → Manage
2. Scroll to WHOIS Contact Information
3. Click Edit for the relevant contact type
4. Update and save

General Process

1. Log in to your registrar
2. Find the domain management page
3. Look for WHOIS, Contact Information, Registrant Details, or Domain Contacts
4. Edit the relevant fields
5. Save and confirm any verification emails

WHOIS Privacy / ID Protection

By default, WHOIS information is publicly visible to anyone who performs a WHOIS lookup. To protect your personal details:

What WHOIS Privacy Does

• Replaces your personal name, address, email, and phone with proxy information
• Prevents spam, unsolicited calls, and identity theft
• Your real details remain on file with the registrar but are hidden from public view

Enable WHOIS Privacy at Cynet

1. Go to the Cynet client area → Domains → My Domains
2. Click on your domain
3. Look for ID Protection or WHOIS Privacy
4. Enable it (may be a free or paid add-on depending on the domain extension)

Note: Some domain extensions (e.g., .my, .com.my) do not support WHOIS privacy due to registry requirements.

Important Considerations

ICANN Registrant Change Policy

For gTLD domains (.com, .net, .org, .info, etc.), changing the registrant name or registrant email triggers:

1. A verification email sent to both the old and new email addresses
2. Both parties must confirm the change within 14 days
3. A 60-day transfer lock is applied to the domain (you cannot transfer it to another registrar during this period)

Malaysian Domains (.my)

For .my, .com.my, .net.my, .org.my domains:

• WHOIS changes are managed through MYNIC's system
• Some changes (especially registrant/organisation changes) may require supporting documents (e.g., SSM certificate, IC copy)
• Contact Cynet support for assistance with .my WHOIS changes

Keep Your Email Current

Your WHOIS email is used for:

• Domain transfer approvals
• ICANN verification notices
• Renewal reminders (from some registrars)
• Security and abuse notifications

Critical: If your WHOIS email is outdated and you lose access to it, you may not be able to transfer or recover your domain. Always keep it up to date.

Troubleshooting

Changes not reflecting in WHOIS lookup

• WHOIS databases cache results — wait 24–48 hours for changes to propagate
• Some WHOIS lookup tools cache aggressively — try whois.domaintools.com or lookup.icann.org for the most current data

Verification email not received

• Check your spam/junk folder
• Verify the email address is correct in the WHOIS update form
• Request the registrar to resend the verification email
• If using a custom domain email, make sure that domain's email is working

"Domain locked" after registrant change

This is the ICANN 60-day transfer lock — it's normal and automatic. The lock only prevents transfers to another registrar; it does not affect your website or email.

Registrar won't update WHOIS

• Ensure you are logged in as the account owner
• Some registrars require identity verification for WHOIS changes — check for pending verification requests
• For .my domains, contact Cynet support or MYNIC directly