Published: 17.10.2026
The .mw extension is the country-code domain of Malawi, a landlocked country in south-eastern Africa with its capital in Lilongwe. Malawian businesses, farmers' cooperatives, schools and tourism operators use a .mw name to show their local identity and to reach customers across the country. Use the availability form just below this text to see whether your name in .mw is still available.
Check if a .mw domain is available .mw Check
A short history
Malawi received its national code in the early years of the internet, when the network was used mostly by universities, research bodies and government offices. As businesses, news sites and public services began to publish online, the zone grew into a regular part of the country's web presence. Today a .mw address is common among local firms, churches, schools and development projects that want a clear national identity.
Who runs it
Names in the zone are handled by a national registry, which maintains the list of registered names and sets the conditions for holders. Customers order through registrars, who pass each request on to the registry. Because those conditions come from the national level, the current terms for holders, contact details and renewal should be checked before you place an order.
Rules in practice
- Holder conditions: the registry may set rules on who can hold a .mw name, so check your eligibility before you pay.
- Contact details: the holder information must be accurate, and it may be verified.
- Characters: names use Latin letters, digits and hyphens, and the general DNS rules on label length also apply.
- Renewal: keep the expiry date in view and enable auto-renewal, because a lapsed name may be taken by another applicant.
Who uses .mw
- Shops, agricultural traders and service providers in Lilongwe, Blantyre and other towns.
- Schools, colleges and training centres that serve students across the country.
- Churches, community groups and development projects with a Malawian audience.
- Tourism operators that present Lake Malawi, the national parks and the wildlife reserves.
Strengths
- The ending shows at once that a business or project is linked to Malawi, which helps local users recognise it.
- Search engines can treat a country-code ending as one hint about the intended audience, so local content on a .mw address may match local searches more easily.
- English is an official language, and Chichewa is widely spoken, so a site can be written in either language or in both.
Things to keep in mind
- An organisation with supporters abroad may find a generic address more useful alongside a .mw name.
- Many people reach websites on mobile phones, so keep pages light and check how they load on slower connections.
- Short names may already be registered, so consider adding a town name or an activity.
- The conditions may change over time, so review them again before each renewal.
Tips before you register
- Look for the same name in .com before deciding whether you need both addresses.
- Enter the official name of your business or organisation exactly as it appears in your papers.
- Publish the site in English, Chichewa or both, with a clear contact page and a privacy notice.
- Add SPF, DKIM and DMARC records before the domain sends any mail, including invoices.
- Switch on auto-renewal and let two trusted people manage the registrar account.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to live in Malawi to register a .mw name? The registry's conditions decide this, so check the current terms at the time of the order.
Does a .mw address help a site rank in local search results? It is one geographic signal. Relevant content, quick pages and genuine references usually count for more.
Is a .mw name a good fit for a project with partners in several countries? It can be, for work centred on Malawi. A wider project may find that a generic name serves its audience better, and a .mw name can sit alongside it.
