Moving your WordPress website from one host to another can seem like a big job, but it doesn’t have to be confusing. Think of your website as a house. Your host is like the land your house sits on. Sometimes you want a better piece of land that’s bigger, faster, or safer. To move, you need to take everything in your house with you and put it in the new place, so everything still works the same. That’s what this guide will help you do.
Why You Might Want to Move Your WordPress Site
There are several good reasons to change hosts. Some hosts are slow, others cost too much, and some don’t offer helpful support when you need it. A new host might make your site load faster, keep it safer, and give you better tools to grow. Whatever the reason, moving can be worth it when it helps your visitors have a better experience.
Understanding What Site Migration Means
When you move a WordPress site to a new host, you are copying everything on your site — the pages you wrote, pictures you uploaded, settings you chose, themes, and plugins — and putting all of it on the new host’s servers. It also means making sure that when someone types your website address, they are taken to the new host instead of the old one.
Before You Start: What to Prepare
Before you begin the move, it helps to check a few things:
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Make a full backup of your site. Think of a backup like a safety photo of your whole site. If anything goes wrong, you can put it back the way it was.
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Update WordPress, themes, and plugins so everything is up to date before the move. This can help avoid problems after the copy.
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Decide how you will move the site — with a plugin or by hand.
You can use a tool to help you move it easily, or you can move it yourself piece by piece. Both ways work, but some people find plugins easier.
Easy Way: Use a Migration Plugin
If this is your first time moving a website, using a migration plugin makes things easier. Plugins are like helpers that do many of the steps for you.
One of the most common helpers is the All-in-One WP Migration plugin. It lets you export your entire site into a single file, and then you upload that file on the new host and import it. You don’t need to touch the server files or the database by hand.
Here’s how it usually works:
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Install the plugin on your current WordPress site.
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Export your site to one file.
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Go to your new host and install a fresh copy of WordPress.
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Install the same plugin on the new site and upload the file you exported.
This takes the pictures, posts, settings, and everything else from the old site and puts them on the new host. It’s like packing up all your things in one box and opening the box again at the new place.
Another Easy Tool: Duplicator Plugin
Another helpful tool is the Duplicator plugin. This plugin creates two files: one with all your site’s content and one installer file. You download both and upload them to the new host. Then you run the installer, and it rebuilds your site there. This method is a bit more hands-on but still friendly to beginners.
Manual Method: Moving Files and Database
If you want to learn more about what happens behind the scenes, you can move your site manually. This means downloading all your site files with a tool like FTP (a file transfer tool) and exporting your database, which stores all your posts and settings. You then upload all that to the new host and connect it there.
Even though this method is more detailed, it gives you full control and helps you understand how WordPress works on a deeper level.
What Happens Next
Once you have your files and database ready on the new host, you will also need to tell the world that your site has moved. This is done by updating your domain’s DNS settings so that your website address points to the new host’s servers instead of the old one. That step is usually done through your domain registrar — the company where you bought your website address.
Point Your Domain to the New Host (Update DNS)
Once your site is copied to the new hosting account and ready to go, you need to tell the world where to find it. Your domain — the website name people type — still “points” to the old host until you update it. To change this, you log into the place where you bought your domain name and find the DNS settings. Here, you replace the old host information with the new host’s information.
After you save these changes, it doesn’t switch instantly. The internet needs time to spread the new address everywhere. This can take up to 1–2 days. While this happens, some people might still see the old site and others see the new one. That’s normal.
What to Do After the Move
Check Every Page and Link
When the DNS change finishes, walk through your website like a visitor. Click on different pages, open images, try forms, and make sure buttons work. Look at your site on phones and tablets too. If something looks odd, it’s best to fix it right away.
Fix Broken Links and Missing Images
Sometimes a link on your site might still point to the old host or to a spot that no longer exists. These are called broken links. They can confuse visitors and hurt your search engine rank if left alone. Use a simple plugin or tool to spot and correct these links so everything works smoothly.
Keep Both Hosting Accounts for a While
Even after the new site loads for most users, some people might still reach the old host until the internet fully updates everywhere. For this reason, it’s smart to wait a few days before cancelling your old hosting plan. This gives you a safety net in case anything still points to the old place.
Help Search Engines Find Your New Site
Moving to a new host can sometimes change things behind the scenes. After the move, you want search engines like Google to understand your site just as well as before.
One useful step is to submit a fresh sitemap to Google Search Console after migration. A sitemap is like a map of all the pages on your site. Sending this to Google helps it find and index everything fast. Also, double-check that search engines still see all of your important pages and that nothing is accidentally hidden.
You can also make sure that your meta titles, descriptions, and important page text remain the same as before. These are elements search engines use to understand your pages and show them correctly in results.
Common Problems People Run Into After Moving
Even when you follow every step, a few things can still go wrong. Here are the most common issues people see and how to understand them gently:
1. Some Pages Don’t Open Right
This could mean the link still points to the old host, or the file didn’t move correctly.
2. Images or Pictures Appear Broken
This happens when the path to those images wasn’t updated during the move. You may need to correct that inside the site settings.
3. Forms and Login Pages Act Strange
These kinds of problems usually show up because of old settings left behind or caching issues.
When something feels off, the first thing you can try is clearing your browser cache or refreshing the site. If that doesn’t help, you might need to fix the link or upload the missing piece again. Testing carefully after the move helps catch these problems early.
Final Cleanup and Ready to Grow
Once your new host is fully working and all pages look right, you can breathe a little easier. Still keep a backup copy of your website for a while, just in case something unexpected happens later.
If you use a SEO plugin like Yoast or Rank Math, make sure it is still working on the new host. If you changed SSL settings (the lock symbol in the address bar), verify that secure connection is still active — this keeps your site safe and trusted.
When everything is set, you can let your old hosting plan expire or cancel it. But only do this once you are sure the new site works perfectly for everyone.
Your Site Is Now on a New Home!
Moving your WordPress site to a new host doesn’t have to be hard. When you plan carefully, check every step, and test after the move, it becomes a smooth journey. You’ve now learned how to point your domain, make sure search engines still see your site, and solve common problems if they show up.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. Can I move my WordPress site to a new host without losing data?
Yes, you can. As long as you create a full backup before starting, your pages, images, and settings stay safe. Backups act like a safety copy, so even if something goes wrong, nothing is truly lost.
2. Will my website go offline during the move?
Most of the time, no. If you move the site first and change the domain settings later, visitors won’t notice anything. Keeping the old host active until the move is complete helps avoid downtime.
3. How long does it take to move a WordPress site to a new host?
The move itself can take anywhere from 30 minutes to a few hours. However, domain changes can take up to 24–48 hours to fully update across the internet. During that time, everything usually still works fine.
4. Is using a migration plugin safe?
Yes, migration plugins are safe when used properly. Many beginners use them because they copy everything in one go. Just make sure the plugin comes from a trusted source and your site is backed up first.
5. Do I need technical skills to move my WordPress site?
Not at all. If you use a plugin, you only need basic WordPress knowledge. Manual migration takes more steps, but even that can be done by following clear instructions slowly and carefully.
6. Will moving my site affect SEO rankings?
Changing hosts alone does not hurt SEO. Problems only happen if pages break or links stop working. After the move, checking links and submitting your sitemap helps search engines understand your site clearly.
7. Should I delete my old hosting account right away?
No. It’s better to wait a few days. This gives you time to test everything on the new host and make sure all visitors are seeing the correct version of your site.
8. What should I check first after moving my WordPress site?
Start by opening your homepage, then click through important pages. Check images, menus, and contact forms. If something looks broken, fixing it early saves time later.
9. Can I move my WordPress site myself, or should I hire help?
You can absolutely do it yourself, especially with a plugin. If your site is large or very important for business, professional help can give peace of mind and save time.
10. What is the most important step before migration?
Making a full backup. No matter how you move your site, a backup is your safety net. Never skip this step.