Moving a WordPress website to a new host sounds daunting, but with a bit of planning it is a very manageable job. This guide walks through the process step by step, and explains how we can help if you would rather not do it yourself.

Before you start

Make a list of what you are moving. That usually means your WordPress files, your database, and any email accounts or DNS records linked to your domain. Note where your domain is registered and where its DNS is managed, as these are not always the same place as your hosting.

Check which PHP version your site runs on and which plugins it uses. It also helps to choose a quiet time for the move, such as an evening or weekend when you expect fewer visitors.

Step 1: Take a full backup

Before you change anything, take a complete backup of your current site: every file and a full export of the database. Download a copy to your own computer as well, so you have something to fall back on whatever happens.

Step 2: Set up your new hosting

Order your new hosting and add your domain to the account. Create an empty database and a database user, and make a note of the database name, username and password. You will need them shortly.

Step 3: Copy your files

Copy your WordPress files from the old host to the new one. You can do this by downloading them via SFTP or your control panel’s file manager and uploading them again, or by using a compressed archive to keep it quicker. Make sure hidden files such as .htaccess come across too.

Step 4: Move the database

Export the database from your old host, often using phpMyAdmin, and import it into the new database you created. Then edit the wp-config.php file on the new host so the database name, username, password and host match the new details.

Migration plugins can bundle the files and database together and handle much of this for you. They work well for many sites, though very large sites can be better suited to a manual move.

Step 5: Test before you switch

Before pointing your domain at the new host, check that the site works there. Many control panels offer a temporary preview address, or you can edit the hosts file on your own computer so your domain loads from the new server just for you.

Click around the site. Log in to the dashboard, submit a test form, check a few pages and, if you run a shop, try the basket. It is much easier to fix problems now than after the switch.

Step 6: Switch your DNS

When you are happy, update your domain’s DNS so it points to the new hosting. DNS changes can take a while to spread across the internet, so for a period some visitors may still reach the old host. Leave the old hosting running until the change has settled, and avoid making content changes in the meantime.

If you use email on your domain, make sure the email records are set up correctly before you switch, so messages keep arriving.

Step 7: Tidy up

Once traffic has moved, issue your SSL certificate on the new host if it has not been done automatically, clear any caches and check your site over HTTPS. Re-check forms and scheduled tasks. Only cancel your old hosting once you are confident everything is working.

Prefer us to do it?

Free migration help is included with RapidLayer shared hosting. Tell us about your website, we will plan the move with you and handle the technical steps. Find out more on our migrations page or get in touch.