Address Maps
The address map is a data structure enabling customers with BYOIP prefixes or account-level static IPs to specify which IP addresses should be mapped to DNS records when they are proxied through Cloudflare.
When DNS records are proxied, Cloudflare authoritative DNS will respond with the address(es) on the address map.
Address maps do not change how Cloudflare reaches the configured origin. The IP addresses defined on the DNS > Records under your zone continue to instruct Cloudflare how to reach the origin.
Creating an address map does not automatically change DNS configuration. DNS responses only begin to change when a zone or account is added to a map. Additionally, address maps that are not yet enabled will not take effect in DNS responses.
If you do not have BYOIP or static IPs and you want to use Address Maps, contact your account manager to purchase static IPs or bring your own IP addresses to Cloudflare.
For zones using Cloudflare authoritative DNS, Cloudflare typically responds to DNS queries for proxied hostnames with anycast IPs. If you customize the IPs Cloudflare uses - by leasing static Cloudflare IPs or bringing your own IPs (BYOIP) - use Address Maps to specify which IPs to return for proxied hostnames.
Depending on whether you use Static IPs or BYOIP, the process to create an address map is different.
Leased static IPs allow you to use a set of specifically assigned Cloudflare IPs to ensure they do not change. Cloudflare creates an address map with your static IPs that you may edit. You cannot create another map using your static IPs.
With BYOIP, you use your IPs by bringing an address space that you lease or own and creating an address map.
To avoid any errors if you have static IPs, Cloudflare creates an address map during the static IP onboarding process where you can instead add or edit your zones. You cannot create a new address map with your static IPs, you may only edit the Cloudflare-created map.
Refer to Static IPs for more information.
- Log in to the Cloudflare dashboard ↗ and select your account.
- Go to IP Addresses > Address Maps.
- Select Create an address map.
- Choose the scope of the address map.
- Add the zones and IP addresses that you want to map.
- Name your address map.
- Review the information and select Save and Deploy.
- Log in to the Cloudflare dashboard ↗ and select your account.
- Go to IP Addresses > Address Maps.
- Go to your address map and select Review.
- Edit your address map.
- Review the information and select Save.
Some customers may only proxy zones through BYOIP addresses, and are prohibited from using Cloudflare IP addresses for proxied DNS names. In this case, Cloudflare will create an immutable, account-wide address map to ensure all zones in your account receive BYOIP addresses as a fallback. These address maps cannot be deleted.
It is still possible to create more specific zone-level address maps with specific BYOIPs, but DNS will fall back to the account-wide address map without one.
To specify different addresses for certain zones, create a new address map.
Static IPs are allocated to the account, but can be assigned to a single zone. This means that you can place multiple zones on the same static IPs. You can also specify which zones are mapped to your static IPs and control when the IPs for your zones change.
If you need to allowlist your IPs or to communicate your IPs to third parties, allocating static IPs to your account allows you to know them ahead of time.
Cloudflare will not change static IP addresses without notifying you, and will typically only do so at your request.
If you have a static IP, Cloudflare creates an address map which you can edit and add zones to. You cannot create a new address map using the static IP assigned to your account.
Static IPs are available as an add-on purchase for Enterprise plans.