Domain privacy,
keep your info safe online

Private domain registration is a service that hides your personal contact details from the WHOIS directory when you register a domain. Instead of showing your real name, email, phone and address, it shows details from a privacy or proxy provider to remove public WHOIS exposure.

With Wix, when you register a private domain, it belongs entirely to you. The domain registrar keeps your real info on file, but the public record shows fabricated contact details so your real personal data stays off of the open internet.

You can protect most domain registration information, but not every domain extension supports privacy. Many popular gTLDs like .com, .net and .org allow proxy domain registration, while some TLDs and ccTLDs have stricter rules.

TLD eligibility for privacy depends on the specific country. Some countries require the registrant’s info to be made public, making private domain registration unlikely possible.

For existing domains, domain privacy protection isn’t something you can switch on mid-subscription. But when you renew, you can add private domain registration to your cart. And if you’re buying a new domain, just select it as part of the purchasing flow. Once it’s active, the WHOIS record is updated so your details are no longer shown publicly.
See here for more info on activating private registration for a domain with Wix.

Domain privacy protects your personal data by keeping it out of public WHOIS records. Instead of publicly exposing your real contact details — like your name, address, email and phone — domain privacy replaces them with the information of a proxy privacy provider,  enabling anonymous domain registration.

By masking this data, you significantly reduce the risk of spam, unsolicited marketing outreach and phishing attempts. It also helps guard against identity theft, since cybercriminals won’t easily be able to harvest your personal info from the WHOIS directory. On top of that, domain privacy can provide a buffer against harassment. Your real-world contact points are hidden, making it harder for malicious actors to reach you.

In short, investing in WHOIS privacy is a simple way to protect your identity, reduce noise and operate your website with more confidence and peace of mind.

Private domain registration works by replacing your real contact information with details from a privacy or proxy service. Your registrar still keeps your actual info on file so that you remain the legal (and rightful) owner, but the public WHOIS record only shows the proxy’s information. This ensures your personal details are hidden from anyone looking them up.

Private domain registration isn’t required for every website, but it’s highly recommended if you want to hide domain owner details from public WHOIS lookups. Many individuals and businesses use it as a standard layer of their privacy.

Some regions and rules, such as GDPR in the EU and CCPA in California, already limit how much personal data appears in public WHOIS records. Still, domain privacy gives you more consistent control over what’s shown online, regardless of where visitors or lookup services are based.

No, using private registration doesn’t change who owns your domain and doesn’t harm SEO. Your registrar still records you as the legal owner, even if a proxy or WHOIS privacy service appears in the public WHOIS record.

Search engines don’t penalize sites for using domain privacy or similar services. What matters for SEO is the quality of your content, your site’s performance and security signals like HTTPS, whether or not your contact details are public is not taken into account.

In most cases, domain privacy activates within a few minutes after you complete your purchase or turn it on in your domain settings. The ICANN‑accredited registrar updates the WHOIS record, then those changes appear across lookup tools.

Some WHOIS services cache data, so you might still see your old details for a short time period. If WHOIS privacy protection doesn’t appear after a reasonable period, you can check your Wix dashboard to confirm whether or not it’s enabled and contact customer support if you need any help.

If you don’t enable private domain registration, your name, email, phone and address will likely appear in public WHOIS records, depending on your TLD and local regulations. That can make it easier for spammers, telemarketers and scammers to connect with you or even impersonate you. To learn more about domain privacy check out this support article.

If you’re located in the EU, GDPR (also known as General Data Protection Regulation) helps hide some of your personal info, but keep in mind that it doesn’t cover everything everywhere. Meaning, your privacy isn’t guaranteed across all WHOIS searches and regions. Domain privacy, on the other hand, keeps your info protected no matter where someone looks—so you’re covered globally, not just in Europe.