How to Get Ready for the .web Launch

I have been around domains long enough to remember when .web was supposed to be the next big thing. Then it got stuck. For almost ten years it sat in disputes while the rest of the new domain endings launched around it.

That wait is over. On November 11, 2026, Verisign announced the .web launch dates after ICANN approved its launch plan. Verisign is the same company that runs .com and .net, and it calls .web part of "the .com and .net family." Domain Name Wire noted that the launch follows nearly a decade of fighting over the domain, which was settled earlier this year.

At one point I owned more than 1,600 domains, a story I tell in How I Got Into Domains. The part of this launch that matters most to regular business owners is not the hype. It is one simple rule: if you own a .com, you get a window to grab the matching .web before the public can. But only if your account is in order and you know where your .com lives.

This post walks through the dates, what each phase means for you, and a short checklist to run now so you are not scrambling in January.

The three .web launch phases and dates

Verisign laid out three main phases. Here they are in plain English.

You can also see the official dates on ICANN's .web launch page, which lists the Sunrise Period and the Priority Access Period.

A couple of smaller programs sit around these. ICANN's page lists a Qualified Launch Program from Nov. 20, 2026 to Jan. 11, 2027, which lets the registry set aside a limited set of names. Domain Name Wire also reported a separate "China Exact Match Opportunity" that starts after general availability, and Verisign told them that delay comes from the time needed to get the license to operate .web in China. Most small businesses will never touch either one, so I will stick to the three phases that matter.

Sunrise is for trademark holders

Sunrise runs from December 10, 2026 through January 11, 2027. It is the first shot at .web names, and it is only for brands that have a trademark recorded in the ICANN Trademark Clearinghouse (TMCH).

According to Verisign, Sunrise registrations are for verified trademark holders with Signed Mark Data files in the Clearinghouse, and they can secure exact match .web names on a first-come, first-served basis.

What that means for you:

• If you have a registered trademark and it is already in the Clearinghouse, talk to whoever manages your trademark or your domains about Sunrise. This is your earliest chance.
• If you have a trademark that is not in the Clearinghouse, recording it takes time and paperwork. Ask your trademark attorney whether it is worth it for your brand before December.
• If you do not have a trademark, Sunrise is not for you, and that is fine. Most small businesses fall here. Your window is the next one.

One thing to keep in mind: a name claimed in Sunrise is gone before Priority Access starts. If a big brand shares your name and has a trademark, they may get the .web first.

Priority Access is the .com owner's window

This is the phase I care about most for small businesses.

From January 12 through April 5, 2027, Verisign says most existing .com registrants can register the matching .web name with their current registrar. If you own yourbusiness.com, you get a shot at yourbusiness.web before the public does.

The details matter here. Based on Verisign's registry policy and the coverage so far:

• It has to be the exact match. yourbusiness.com lines up with yourbusiness.web. Not a variation.
• You have to already own the .com. It needs to be registered before the Priority Access window starts, and held past the short grace period right after a new registration. A .com bought after Priority Access starts, or so close to January 12 that it is still in the add grace period, will not qualify.
• You have to go through the same registrar that holds your .com. This is the big one. If your .com is at one company, you cannot claim the .web at a different one.
• The .web has to still be available. If a trademark holder took it in Sunrise, it is off the table.

The price for Priority Access has not been made public. Domain Name Wire said the fee had not been disclosed, so I am not going to guess at numbers here. When your registrar posts its pricing, you will know.

Owning the .com also does not hand you the .web automatically. You still have to actually register it during the window. If you do nothing, it opens to everyone on April 6.

General Registration opens to everyone

Starting April 6, 2027, anyone can register any available .web name through ICANN-accredited registrars, first come, first served.

If you skipped Sunrise and Priority Access, this is your last easy chance. But by then, any .com owner who wanted their matching .web has had nearly three months to grab it. The good, short, obvious names will likely be picked over.

If you are starting a new project and the .com is already taken, General Registration is when you can see what is left in .web. I would still read how to pick a domain name for a new business before you buy anything new.

Should you get the .web for your .com?

Here is how I think about it.

For most businesses, a matching .web is a defensive move, not a rebrand. Your customers already know your .com. Your email runs on it. Your business cards, your Google listing and your links all point to it. A new ending does not change any of that.

So the question is not "should I switch to .web?" It is "do I want someone else to own the .web version of my name?"

A few situations where I would lean toward grabbing it:

• Your name is short, common or easy to guess. Those are the names people will go after first in general registration.
• Your brand matters a lot to your business. If confusion with a lookalike site would cost you customers, a small yearly fee is cheap protection.
• You have had trouble with lookalike domains before. If someone has already copied you once, assume they will try again.

And a few where I might skip it:

• Your name is long or very specific. Fewer people will want it.
• You are already carrying a lot of domains. Every name you add is another renewal. I wrote about that in The Real Cost of Owning Too Many Domains.
• The fee is more than the name is worth to you. Wait to see your registrar's price, then decide.

There is no single right answer. Just make the call on purpose instead of finding out in May that someone else made it for you.

How to get ready before January

You do not need to do anything for .web today. But there are a few things that are much easier to sort out now than during a launch window.

1. Find out exactly where your .com is registered

Because Priority Access only works through the registrar that holds your .com, you need to know which company that is. Do not guess.

Look up your domain on ICANN Lookup. It shows the registrar of record. If you bought your domain through a web host or a website builder, the registrar listed may be a different company than the one you pay. That is normal, but it is worth knowing before January.

2. Decide if your .com should stay where it is

If you were already thinking about moving your .com to a different registrar, now is a good time to decide. Moving it in the middle of the Priority Access window adds a step you do not need.

If you do want to move it, my guide on how to transfer a domain name covers the steps. Give yourself time. Transfers are not instant, and there are lock periods after some changes.

3. Make sure you can actually log in

This sounds obvious, but it is the one that trips people up. Plenty of business owners have a .com sitting in an account somebody else set up years ago, under an old email, or with a password nobody remembers.

Before January:

• Confirm you can log in to the registrar account.
• Check that the email on file is one you read every day.
• Turn on two-factor authentication.
• Make sure the account is in your name or your company's name, not a former employee or an old web designer.

I wrote a full checklist on how to secure your domain name account. If you do nothing else from this post, do that.

4. Keep your .com renewed

Your eligibility depends on owning the .com. If it lapses, you lose your spot in line. Turn on auto-renew and make sure the card on file is current.

5. Watch for your registrar's announcement

Registrars that support .web will post their own pages, pricing and instructions as the dates get closer. Keep an eye on email from your registrar, but be careful with any message that asks you to log in through a link. Go to the registrar's site directly. Launches like this are a favorite excuse for phishing emails.

6. Check for trademark claims notices

Reporting on Verisign's launch policy says Priority Access registrations are subject to trademark claims notices. That is a warning that pops up when the name you want matches a trademark in the Clearinghouse. It does not always block you, but it is a signal to stop and think before you register.

What this means if you buy and sell domains

If you invest in domains or own a portfolio, the Priority Access rule changes the math a little. Each matching .web goes first to the person who owns the .com. That means the best .web names will mostly end up with existing .com owners who want them, and the rest open up in April.

If you are thinking about the value of any name, the basics I covered in how to value a domain name still apply. Length, clarity, and whether a real business would want it matter more than the ending. If you are selling, the same goes for how to sell a domain name.

Final thoughts

.web has been "coming soon" for so long that a lot of people stopped paying attention. Now there are real dates.

For most small business owners, the play is simple. Know where your .com lives. Make sure you can log in and that it is secure and renewed. Then, when Priority Access opens on January 12, 2027, decide on purpose whether you want the matching .web.

If you want help sorting out your domains, or you are looking for a name for your next project, you can see the names I have available on my domain portfolio page.

FAQ

When does .web launch?

Sunrise for trademark holders runs Dec. 10, 2026 to Jan. 11, 2027. Priority Access for existing .com owners runs Jan. 12 to April 5, 2027. General Registration opens to everyone on April 6, 2027.

Do .com owners get the matching .web?

Most existing .com owners get the first chance to register the exact matching .web during Priority Access, from Jan. 12 to April 5, 2027. It is not automatic. You have to register it, it has to still be available, and you have to use the same registrar that holds your .com.

Can I get my .web at a different registrar than my .com?

Not during Priority Access. The matching .web must be registered through the registrar of record for your .com. If you want to use a different registrar, move your .com there first, ideally well before January.

How much will a .web domain cost?

Prices have not been made public yet. Domain Name Wire reported that the Priority Access fee had not been disclosed. Check your registrar's .web page once it posts pricing.

What is the Trademark Clearinghouse?

It is ICANN's central database of verified trademarks. Brands recorded there can register matching names during a new domain ending's Sunrise period and get notified when someone tries to register a matching name.

Do I need a .web domain if I already have a .com?

Not necessarily. For most businesses, the .com stays the main address. A matching .web is mostly a defensive buy to keep someone else from owning your name in a new ending. Decide based on how common your name is and how much your brand matters to your business.