What happens when you move WordPress to a new host

Moving a WordPress site means copying your entire site — all your posts, pages, images, settings, and the code that runs it — from one hosting company's servers to another company's servers. The site itself stays the same from a visitor's perspective, but it now lives on different computers in a different data center.

The process has two main parts: getting your site files and database off the old host, and putting them on the new host. Most of the work is technical, but you do not need to be a programmer. The steps are repetitive, and if something goes wrong, you can usually undo it and try again.

Key Takeaways

  • You need three things to move WordPress: your site files (the code and images), your database (where posts and settings live), and your domain name pointing to the new host.
  • Most hosting companies offer a migration tool that copies everything for you, which is faster and safer than doing it manually.
  • Before you move, back up your entire site on your current host so you have a copy if something breaks.
  • After the move is complete, test your site thoroughly on the new host before pointing your domain name there permanently.
  • The whole process usually takes a few hours to a full day, depending on your site size and whether you do it yourself or use your host's tool.

What you need before you start moving

Gather these four things before you touch anything on either host. First, you need login credentials for your current host — usually a username and password that gets you into a control panel like cPanel or Plesk. Second, you need login credentials for your new host, which they send you when you sign up. Third, you need access to your domain registrar — the company that owns your domain name (often GoDaddy, Namecheap, or your hosting company itself). Fourth, you should have a backup of your entire site stored somewhere safe, like your computer or cloud storage.

If you do not have a recent backup, create one now before you do anything else. Log into your current host's control panel and look for a backup tool. Most hosts have one built in. read the backup file to your computer — it will be a large file, often several gigabytes.

Using your new host's migration tool

Most hosting companies offer a free migration service for customers moving from another host. This is the easiest route. Log into your new host's control panel and look for a button or link labeled "Migrate Site", "Import Site", "Site Migration", or "WordPress Migration". The exact name varies by host.

When you click it, the host will ask for your old host's login credentials and your WordPress admin username and password. You give them that information, and their tool connects to your old host, copies your site files and database, and installs everything on the new host's servers. This usually takes 30 minutes to a few hours depending on your site size.

While the migration runs, do not make any changes to your site on the old host. If someone publishes a new post or changes a setting while the copy is happening, that change might not make it to the new host. Tell anyone with access to your site that you are migrating and to stay out of the WordPress dashboard for a few hours.

Moving your site manually if your host does not offer migration

If your new host does not have a migration tool, you can move the site yourself using FTP and a database tool. This takes longer but is still straightforward.

First, read your site files. Log into your current host's control panel and open the file manager or FTP tool. Navigate to the folder where WordPress lives — usually called "public_html" or "www". Select all the files and folders inside it and read them to your computer. This creates a folder on your computer containing your entire WordPress installation.

Second, export your database. In your current host's control panel, find the database tool — usually called phpMyAdmin or MySQL. Open it, select your WordPress database, and click "Export". Choose the format "SQL" and read the file. This file contains all your posts, pages, comments, and settings.

Third, upload everything to the new host. Log into your new host's control panel, open the file manager, and navigate to the public_html folder. Upload the WordPress files you downloaded from your computer. Then create a new database on the new host using the database tool, and import the SQL file you exported. The new host's control panel will walk you through this — it usually involves clicking "Import" and selecting your SQL file.

Testing your site on the new host before going live

After the migration finishes — whether you used the host's tool or did it manually — your site now lives on the new host's servers. But your domain name still points to the old host. You need to test that everything works on the new host before you change where your domain points.

Your new host gives you a temporary URL to view your site — something like "yoursite.newhost.com" or an IP address. Visit that URL in your browser and check that your site loads. Click around: visit a few posts, check that images load, try logging into the WordPress dashboard. If something is broken, you still have time to fix it before anyone else sees it.

Common problems at this stage are broken image links (images show as broken icons) and database connection errors (a white screen or error message). Broken images usually mean the file paths changed during migration — your new host's tool should fix this automatically, but if it did not, you may need to use a find-and-replace tool in WordPress to update the image URLs. Database errors usually mean the database login information in your WordPress configuration file does not match the new database you created — check the file called "wp-config.php" and make sure the database name, username, and password match what you set up on the new host.

Pointing your domain name to the new host

Once you have tested your site and everything works, you need to tell the internet that your domain name now points to the new host instead of the old one. You do this by changing your nameservers — the servers that translate your domain name into an IP address.

Log into your domain registrar (the company that owns your domain name). Find the DNS settings or nameserver settings. Your new host will give you two or four nameserver addresses to use — they look like "ns1.newhost.com" and "ns2.newhost.com". Delete the old nameservers and enter the new ones. Save the changes.

The change takes time to spread across the internet — usually between 2 and 48 hours, though often much faster. During this time, some visitors might see the old site and some might see the new one, depending on where they are in the world. This is normal. After the change completes, everyone sees your site on the new host.

Cleaning up after the move

Once your domain name points to the new host and everything is working, you can cancel your old hosting account. But do not do it when ready. Wait a week or two to make sure nothing breaks and no one reports problems. If something does go wrong, you can point your domain back to the old host while you fix it.

Before you cancel, read one final backup from the new host. This is your safety copy in case something happens later. Then log into your old host's control panel and look for a button to cancel your account. The host may ask why you are leaving — you can ignore that or tell them you moved. They will ask if you want to keep your email accounts or other services — decide that before you cancel.

After you cancel, the old host will delete your site files and database after a grace period, usually 30 to 90 days. You cannot recover them after that, which is why the backup matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my site go down during the move?

Not if you do it right. While the migration is happening, your old site stays live because your domain still points there. After the migration finishes but before you change your nameservers, your new site is ready but hidden. You only point your domain to the new host after you have tested everything, so there is no downtime. The nameserver change itself takes a few hours to spread, during which some visitors might see the old site and some the new one, but both are online.

What if I mess up and need to go back to the old host?

You can undo the move by changing your nameservers back to the old host's nameservers. This takes a few hours to spread, but then your domain points back to the old site. This is why you should not cancel your old hosting account when ready — keep it running for at least a week after the move so you have a way to go back if needed.

Do I need to update anything in WordPress after the move?

Usually no — the migration tool or manual process copies everything including your settings. But check a few things: log into the WordPress dashboard and go to Settings > General to make sure your site URL is correct. If you changed hosts, you might need to update any hardcoded URLs in your theme or plugins, though most migration tools handle this automatically.

Can I move my site while people are using it?

Yes, but tell them not to make changes during the migration. If someone publishes a post or changes a setting while the copy is happening, that change might not move to the new host. The safest approach is to do the migration during a time when your site gets the least traffic — usually late at night or early morning.

How much does it cost to move a WordPress site?

Most hosting companies offer free migration as part of their service. Some charge a small fee — usually $50 to $150 — if you want them to do it for you. Moving it yourself costs nothing except your time. The cost depends on your new host's policy, not on the size of your site.