Last Updated on November 13, 2025
How to migrate WordPress site to new host: If you run a WordPress website, chances are that at some point you will need to move it from one hosting provider to another. This process, known as WordPress migration, may sound technical, but it is often necessary to ensure your website’s long-term success. There are several reasons why website owners decide to change their host. Some find that their existing hosting package is too slow or unreliable, others outgrow the limited resources of a budget host, while many simply look for better customer support and security. Whatever the reason, migrating your site properly is critical for maintaining performance, SEO rankings, and visitor trust.
A website is more than just a collection of files—it’s an ecosystem that includes your theme, plugins, content, and database. When you move to a new host, every part of this ecosystem must be transferred carefully. If the migration is handled incorrectly, you may face serious problems such as:
- Website downtime that causes visitors to leave and reduces trust.
- Data loss if your database or files are not backed up and restored properly.
- Broken links and missing images, which hurt user experience.
- SEO damage, since downtime and errors can negatively affect your search engine ranking.
For these reasons, learning how to migrate WordPress site to new host properly is not just a technical skill—it’s an investment in your website’s future.
Preparing for Migration – The Pre-Move Checklist
Before you begin the technical process of moving your WordPress site, preparation is essential. Think of it like moving to a new house—you would never start shifting furniture without first checking the new location, packing carefully, and making sure utilities are ready. Similarly, with website migration, good preparation reduces risks and ensures a seamless transfer.
The first step is evaluating your new hosting provider. Not all hosts are the same, and choosing the right one can save you headaches in the long run. Look for servers that offer solid uptime guarantees, modern PHP and MySQL support, free SSL certificates, and fast loading times. Many site owners also prefer hosts that include a free migration service, as this can save both time and effort.
Next, consider your domain and email setup. If you are using professional email accounts linked to your domain, you need to know how these accounts will be handled during the move. Some providers include free email hosting, while others require additional configuration. Checking this beforehand prevents you from missing important business emails during migration.
You also need to ensure that your WordPress installation, plugins, and themes are fully updated. Running outdated versions can cause compatibility issues once the files and database are moved. A plugin that works fine on your current server might create errors on a new one if it is not updated.
One of the most important tasks before migration is creating a full backup of your site. This backup must include both your WordPress files and your database. Without it, a single mistake could mean losing months or even years of hard work.
It’s smart to schedule the migration during low-traffic hours. Every website has peak times when users are most active, and moving your site during those hours can lead to downtime that frustrates visitors. By scheduling carefully, you reduce the chance of losing traffic and damaging user trust.
To summarize, preparation for migration involves five key actions:
- Choosing a reliable hosting provider
- Checking domain and email requirements
- Updating WordPress, themes, and plugins
- Backing up your entire website
- Scheduling the migration during low-traffic hours
By completing this checklist, you give yourself the confidence to move forward. Once these steps are done, you’ll be ready to handle the actual transfer of files and database with far less stress.
Backing Up and Transferring Your WordPress Files
Once your preparations are complete, the next step in how to migrate WordPress site to new host is to secure and transfer your website’s core components. A WordPress site is built on two main pillars: the files and the database. The files include your theme, plugins, and media uploads, while the database contains all posts, pages, comments, settings, and user information. Both need to be moved correctly to ensure your site works seamlessly on the new host.
Backing Up WordPress Files
The safest way to begin is by creating a full backup of your WordPress files. There are two approaches: manual backup and plugin-based backup.
If you prefer manual control, you can use FTP (File Transfer Protocol) or your hosting panel’s File Manager to download all files from the root directory, usually called public_html or www. This method gives you complete authority over the files, but it requires patience, especially for large websites.
Alternatively, backup plugins like UpdraftPlus, Duplicator, or All-in-One WP Migration make the process easier. These tools allow you to generate a complete copy of your site and save it directly to cloud storage such as Google Drive or Dropbox. Plugins are beginner-friendly and save time, but it’s always wise to verify the backup file before proceeding.
Exporting the Database
Your next step is to export the WordPress database. Without it, your site will lose its content and structure. To do this, log in to phpMyAdmin through your hosting control panel. Select the database connected to your site, click on the Export option, and download it as an SQL file. This file is small compared to your media files but is the most critical part of the migration because it stores your entire website’s content.
Uploading Files to the New Host
With your files and database secured, it’s time to transfer them to the new host. Connect to your new hosting account via FTP or File Manager and upload all the WordPress files into the root directory of your domain. Depending on the size of your site, this process may take some time, but accuracy is crucial—every file must be placed in the correct directory.
At this stage, you should now have:
- A copy of all WordPress files uploaded to the new server
- A database export file ready to be imported
Creating and Importing the Database on the New Host
Now that your WordPress files are uploaded to the new server, let’s continue learning how to migrate WordPress site to new host by setting up and importing your database. This step is essential because your site’s content, users, and settings are all stored in the database. Without it, your website will appear blank even if the files are present.
Step 1: Create a New Database
On your new hosting account, log in to the cPanel (or equivalent control panel provided by the host). Open the MySQL Databases option and create a new database. After creating the database, add a new user and assign it a strong password. Finally, link this user to the database and make sure it has all privileges so that WordPress can read and write data freely. Keep a record of the following details:
- Database name
- Database username
- Database password
These credentials will soon be used to connect your WordPress installation to the database.
Step 2: Import the Old Database
With the new database ready, the next task is to import your old data. Open phpMyAdmin from the control panel of your new host, select the database you just created, and click the Import tab. Choose the SQL file you exported earlier from your old host and start the import process.
For small websites, the upload completes in seconds. Larger sites may take longer, but once finished, your old content is successfully placed inside the new hosting environment.
Step 3: Update the wp-config.php File
The wp-config.php file acts like a bridge between your WordPress files and the database. If it still contains the old database credentials, your site won’t load properly. To fix this, locate the wp-config.php file in your root directory and edit the following lines with your new database details:
Most hosts use localhost as the DB host, but some may provide a different value, so confirm with your hosting provider if necessary. After saving the file, upload it back if you edited it locally.
Step 4: Verify the Connection
Once the database is imported and the configuration updated, visit your site using the temporary URL provided by your host or by adjusting your local hosts file. If the connection is successful, you should see your site loading normally, though some images or links may need adjustments.
At this stage, you now have both the files and the database working together on the new server. The foundation of your WordPress migration is complete, and the next step will be updating your domain settings so that visitors are redirected to the new host.
Updating DNS and Testing the Website
After moving your files and database to the new host, you’re almost done mastering how to migrate WordPress site to new host — the next step is making your website accessible through your domain name. At this stage, your site exists on the new server, but until your domain points to it, visitors will still land on the old host. This is where updating DNS settings comes in.
Step 1: Update DNS Records
Log into your domain registrar’s account (such as Namecheap, GoDaddy, or Google Domains). Locate the DNS or Nameserver settings for your domain. Replace the old nameservers with the ones provided by your new host. These nameservers act like the address book of the internet, directing browsers to the correct server.
DNS changes don’t take effect instantly. The process, known as DNS propagation, can take anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours globally. During this time, some visitors may still see the old version of your site while others see the new one. This is normal and resolves automatically once propagation is complete.
Step 2: Test the Site Before Propagation Completes
You don’t have to wait two days to check if your site works on the new host. By editing your local hosts file on your computer, you can force your system to resolve your domain to the new server’s IP address. This allows you to test the website as if the DNS change has already propagated.
While testing, pay close attention to:
- Page load speed and responsiveness
- Functionality of forms, plugins, and widgets
- Proper display of images and media files
- Navigation menus and permalinks
Step 3: Refresh Permalinks and Clear Cache
Once the site is loading correctly on the new host, log into your WordPress dashboard. Go to Settings → Permalinks and simply click Save Changes without editing anything. This refreshes the permalink structure and prevents “404 Not Found” errors on pages.
You should also clear your website cache and CDN (if you’re using one such as Cloudflare). This ensures that visitors always see the updated version of your site instead of cached pages from the old host.
Step 4: Monitor for Errors
As soon as the DNS propagation finishes, test your website from different devices and locations if possible. Check for broken links, missing content, or plugin issues. A simple tool like Broken Link Checker or Screaming Frog SEO Spider can help identify issues quickly.
Final Checklist After Migration
The first thing to do after migration is to double-check that everything works exactly as intended. Start by reviewing your homepage, blog posts, contact forms, and shop pages if you run an e-commerce site. Pay attention to visual elements like images, embedded videos, and custom scripts, since these are most likely to break during a move.
Some essential post-migration actions include:
- Install or reissue your SSL certificate: Without HTTPS, your site may show a “Not Secure” warning in browsers, which drives visitors away. Most hosts provide free SSL certificates through Let’s Encrypt or similar services.
- Check loading speed: Run speed tests using GTmetrix, Pingdom, or Google PageSpeed Insights to compare performance before and after migration.
- Reconnect Google services: Log into Google Search Console and resubmit your sitemap to help search engines recognize the new server location. Also verify that Google Analytics is still tracking visitors correctly.
- Review email setup: If your email accounts were linked to your old host, configure them on the new one to avoid missing business communications.
Common Problems and Their Fixes
Even with a careful migration, small issues can sometimes appear. The good news is that most of them are easy to fix once identified.
Error establishing database connection
Cause: Incorrect details in the
wp-config.phpfile.Fix: Recheck database name, username, password, and host.
White Screen of Death
Cause: Plugin or theme conflicts.
Fix: Disable plugins via FTP or File Manager and reactivate them one by one to find the faulty one.
Broken links or missing images
Cause: Old URLs stored in the database.
Fix: Use a search-and-replace plugin or tool like Better Search Replace to update old URLs to the new domain or server path.
Alternative Migration Methods
Not everyone is comfortable handling migration manually — that’s why many guides on how to migrate WordPress site to new host also recommend using plugins or managed services. If you feel the process is too technical, there are alternatives. Many hosting providers offer free managed migration services where their team transfers your site for you. Another option is to use migration plugins like Duplicator, WP Migrate, or All-in-One WP Migration, which automate most of the steps. These are particularly useful for beginners or for those managing multiple websites.
Final Thoughts
How to migrate WordPress site to new host may sound complex, but with this guide, it becomes an achievable and rewarding process. With proper planning, careful execution, and post-migration checks, you can move your website smoothly with minimal downtime. A successful migration means faster load times, better performance, and peace of mind knowing your site is in a more reliable environment.
By completing all six stages of this guide—from preparation and backup to DNS updates and troubleshooting—you have taken control of one of the most important technical aspects of running a website. Now, your WordPress site is ready to perform better on its new host and continue supporting your business or personal goals.
