Moving a WordPress website from an old host to a new one can sound scary if you haven’t done it before. But with a calm plan and careful steps, anyone can do it without losing content or breaking the site. This guide will walk you through what you need to know, in an easy way that doesn’t require being a tech expert.
Whether you’re switching hosts because you want faster speed, better support, or lower cost, this article will give you clear directions from start to testing your site at the end.
1. What It Means to Migrate Your WordPress Site
When you migrate a WordPress site to a new host, you are moving all parts of your website — files, pictures, settings, and your content — from one company that stores your site to another. Think of it like picking up a house and moving every room into a new place. Everything must stay in its correct spot so your visitors see the same site they always did.
2. Getting Ready: What You Must Do First
Before you start moving anything, doing a few quick steps will make sure you don’t lose your hard work.
Back Up Your Website
Imagine you are making a copy of your whole site — files and database — and saving it safely on your computer. If something goes wrong later, this backup becomes your safety net. Tools inside your hosting panel or plugins inside WordPress can help you do this.
A backup includes:
- All your WordPress files (themes, pictures, plugins)
- Your database (this holds your pages, comments, and settings)
You can use an FTP program like FileZilla to download everything, or you can use plugins that make a backup file for you.
3. Choosing How You’ll Move Your Site
There are a few ways to move your WordPress site, and each has good points depending on your comfort level.
Using a Migration Plugin
This is the easiest way for beginners. Plugins like All-in-One WP Migration or Duplicator create a package of your site and allow you to send it to the new host. These tools keep your files and database together so nothing gets left behind.
Manual Migration
This method takes a little more care. You download the files yourself, move them to the new host, and import your database manually. This is a good option when you want full control over each step.
Migration by Your New Host
Some hosting companies offer to move your site for you for free or for a small fee. If you’re unsure of doing the move yourself, letting them help is a safe choice.
4. Step-By-Step: Move Your Site to a New Host
Here is a simple, human-friendly set of steps you can follow to move your WordPress site:
Step 1: Download Your Files
You need a copy of all your website files. These live in the main folder where WordPress is installed. Using an FTP tool or the file manager in your hosting panel, select everything and save it to your computer.
Step 2: Save Your Database
Your database is like the brain of your site. To save it, log into your hosting control panel and open phpMyAdmin. From there, choose your database and choose Export. This will give you a file that holds all your posts, pages, and settings.
Step 3: Set Up Your New Hosting
Before you upload anything, sign up with your new host and create a fresh WordPress installation or a new database. Usually, your hosting panel has a section called “MySQL Databases” where you can create a new one. Make sure you keep the database name, user name, and password safe — you’ll need them in the next step.
Step 4: Upload Your Files
Once your new host is ready, connect to it with FTP or the file manager. Upload all the files you backed up so they go into the right folder (often named public_html). This places your WordPress files in the new storage space for your site.
Step 5: Import Your Database
Go back into phpMyAdmin on the new host. Find your fresh database and choose Import. Select the database file you saved earlier and upload it. This brings all your content over into the new home for your site.
5. After Moving: Check and Fix Your Site
Once you have uploaded your site and pointed your domain to the new home, you must make sure everything still works correctly.
Test All Pages and Links
First, open your website in a web browser and click around like a visitor would. Check each page to be sure it loads. Try posting images, clicking links, and using menus. Sometimes simple things like pictures or button links break after the move because they still point to your old host or old web addresses. If you see words like 404 or an image is missing, these need fixing. Plugins like “Better Search Replace” can help find and fix old links inside your site’s content.
Refresh Your Permalinks
Permalinks are the web addresses for your posts and pages. After migrating, they can get mixed up. To fix this, log into your WordPress dashboard, go to Settings > Permalinks, and simply click Save Changes. This action makes the link system recreate its settings so everything points the right way again.
6. Common Problems You Might See — And How to Fix Them
Even when you follow all steps carefully, a few unexpected issues might pop up. These are common and can be solved:
Site Looks Weird or Missing Colors
Sometimes, parts of your site might not look right, like missing colors (styles) or layouts. This often happens if some files did not move or were not linked correctly. Double‑check your theme and style files in WordPress to be sure they are there.
Database Connection Errors
If your site says it can’t connect to the database, it usually means the settings in your wp‑config.php file have incorrect details. Reopen that file and make sure the database name, username, and password exactly match what you created on the new host.
Broken Internal Links
Sometimes old web addresses still show up in links or pictures. This happens when the site still thinks it lives on the old host. To fix this, you can use a plugin that looks through your content and changes all those old web addresses to the new ones you now use.
7. Why SEO Still Matters After You Move
You might wonder why search engines care about a move from one host to another. Search engines like Google send visitors to your site based on how easy it is to use and how well links work.
If your links break or pages disappear, search engines see that as a bad experience — and that can make your site slip down in search results. To protect your rankings and keep visitors coming, make sure:
- All old links point to the new pages.
- You set up redirects for any links that changed.
- Your files load fast and securely.
These steps help search engines understand your site hasn’t disappeared, it’s just on a new host.
If you’ve written about boosting WordPress SEO after technical changes before, you could link to that post here to show readers how to check rankings and redirects on their site.
8. Keep Your Old Hosting Active for a Bit
Even after pointing your domain to the new host, some parts of the world will still see the old site for a short time because of something called DNS propagation. This means the internet needs a little while to learn your website lives in a new place. Sometimes this takes a few hours or a day or two. During that time, visitors might still go to your old host, so don’t cancel the old account too soon — just in case something needs to be retrieved.
9. When to Ask for a Little Help
If your site has a lot of pages, heavy traffic, or special features like a shop or membership area, moving it can be more complicated. In that case, it’s perfectly okay to let someone experienced help you. Many hosts offer free migration services or have experts who will move your WordPress site for you without risk. This approach saves time and worry.
10. Wrapping Up: Your Site Is Now on a New Home
Moving your WordPress site to a new host doesn’t have to be scary. Once you’ve backed up your site, moved your files and database, updated the name settings (DNS), and checked that everything works, most of the heavy lifting is done. Keep an eye on your site for a day or two, fix any broken links or missing pictures, and make sure search engines still find you.
For ongoing success with your WordPress site, you might also explore articles you’ve published on maintaining WordPress performance or backup routines so your site stays healthy after a big change like this.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. What does it mean to migrate a WordPress site to a new host?
Migrating a WordPress site means moving all your website’s files, images, settings, and database from your current hosting provider to a new one. It’s like picking up your house and safely moving it to a new location without losing anything.
2. Do I need technical knowledge to move my WordPress site?
Not always. Using migration plugins or letting your new host handle the move makes it easy for beginners. If you choose manual migration, basic knowledge of FTP, databases, and WordPress files helps. Our step-by-step guide makes the process simple to follow even for non-technical users.
3. How long does it take to migrate a WordPress site?
It depends on the size of your website. Small sites may take under an hour, while larger sites with lots of images and plugins might take a few hours. DNS propagation can add 24–48 hours before your site fully shows on the new host.
4. Will my site go down during migration?
No, if done carefully. By backing up your site and moving files in order, you can avoid downtime. Using a plugin or professional service can make it nearly seamless, so visitors may not even notice the switch.
5. Do I need to update anything after moving my site?
Yes, after migration:
- Check all pages, links, and images.
- Resave permalinks in WordPress settings.
- Update any links or URLs still pointing to your old host.
- Make sure SEO settings like 301 redirects are intact if you changed domains.
6. Can I migrate a WordPress site with an online store?
Yes, but it’s a bit more delicate. For WooCommerce or other eCommerce setups, make sure all database tables and product data move correctly. Often, using a migration plugin or professional help is safest to avoid losing orders or customer info.
7. Should I keep my old hosting account after migration?
Yes, at least for a few days. Some visitors or search engines may still see your old site while DNS changes propagate. Keeping the old hosting active ensures you can retrieve anything missed during the migration.
8. What if something breaks after migration?
Common problems include missing images, broken links, or database errors. These can be fixed by:
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Double-checking your wp-config.php database settings.
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Using search-replace tools to update old URLs.
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Re-uploading missing files.
If needed, your new host or a WordPress professional can assist.