{"id":2732,"date":"2022-04-12T13:55:20","date_gmt":"2022-04-12T13:55:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/?p=2732"},"modified":"2024-05-03T14:25:17","modified_gmt":"2024-05-03T08:55:17","slug":"how-to-migrate-wordpress-site-from-one-host-to-another","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/how-to-migrate-wordpress-site-from-one-host-to-another\/","title":{"rendered":"Migrate WordPress Website From One Server to Another"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Looking to Migrate your WordPress website to another host?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<p>You might think that it\u2019s too late to change your hosting provider once your WordPress website is all set up.<\/p>\n<p>The good news is you can still change your mind anytime you want. Instead of stewing in your regret, learn how to migrate a website from one server to another without losing all your hard work in the process.<\/p>\n<p>Moving to a new host or server seems like a daunting and stressful task. Fortunately, it doesn\u2019t have to be. The process is simpler and easier than you think. It can even take a few hours at most as long as you follow the important steps.<\/p>\n<p>Nonetheless, this is still a huge step for your website. So before you proceed with the migration, determine first if there really is a need for <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">you to move your WordPress website to a new host.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_Do_You_Need_to_Migrate_Your_Website\"><\/span><b>When Do You Need to Migrate Your Website?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There can be many reasons why you need to change your hosting providers. In fact, these can be issues that you are currently facing with your website.<\/p>\n<p>Once these issues become persistent to the point of becoming detrimental, then it might be the hosting provider\u2019s problem and not yours.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Performance\"><\/span>1.\u00a0<b>Performance<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Your web host plays a critical role in your website performance. Many organizations tend to overlook this, so they become careless when choosing a hosting provider for their website. One of the aspects most affected by this is your website\u2019s load speed.<\/p>\n<p>For example, having a shared hosting plan can result in more downtimes and slower loading times compared to a dedicated one. With the former, you have to share the resources with other websites. So when one or two websites start to hog more resources, you would suffer as a result.<\/p>\n<p>If your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/why-does-my-website-load-slowly\/\"><b>website still loads slowly<\/b><\/a> despite the changes you\u2019ve made on its UX and UI, your web host might be the problem. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go opt for a better hosting plan such as a cloud server, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/servers\/dedicated-servers\"><b>dedicated server<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, or managed hosting.<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><b>Also Read: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/website-optimization-tips-to-increase-website-performance\/\"><b>Website Optimization Tips To Increase Website Performance<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Cost\"><\/span>2.\u00a0<b>Cost<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The past few years took a huge toll on many businesses and individuals. As a result, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www2.deloitte.com\/us\/en\/pages\/operations\/articles\/global-cost-management-survey.html\">66% of companies<\/a><\/strong> plan to pursue cost reduction strategies over the next months.<\/p>\n<p>Hence, more businesses are looking for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/cheapest-way-to-start-a-website\/\"><b>cost-effective ways to start and manage their websites<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span>So if you\u2019re looking for ways to save up on cost, you can consider migrating to a lower hosting plan for your website.<\/p>\n<p>Performance and cost are the top factors you need to consider before pushing through with your decision. Do you need to change hosting plans because of your website performance? Or do you need to cut down costs?<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you have your answer, it\u2019s time you learn how to migrate the WordPress site to new server.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Migrate_WordPress_Website_From_One_Host_to_Another\"><\/span><b>How to Migrate WordPress Website From One Host to Another<br \/><\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>To learn how to migrate a website to another hosting company manually, follow these 5 steps:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Backup all Your Files<\/li>\n<li>Create a New Database<\/li>\n<li>Edit the wp-config.php file<\/li>\n<li>Upload files to new host<\/li>\n<li>Configure DNS settings<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<hr>\n<p><b>Also Read: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/do-you-need-web-hosting-with-wordpress\/\"><b>Do You Need Web Hosting With WordPress?<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Migrate_WordPress_Website_From_One_Host_to_Another-2\"><\/span><b>How to Migrate WordPress Website From One Host to Another?<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Before moving your website to another host, you must first decide where you will migrate it to. More than that, you must make sure that this move is beneficial to you. Otherwise, you might end up going through all these steps for nothing.<\/p>\n<p>Once you\u2019ve settled on your new web host, you now have two options. You can either migrate WordPress site without plugin or with a plugin. Around <a href=\"https:\/\/w3techs.com\/technologies\/overview\/content_management\"><b>43% of all the websites<\/b><\/a> on the internet use WordPress. Hence, there are countless excellent migration plugins available for your picking.<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All of them offer tools to make the process seamless and convenient. Likewise, it provides you with an insurance policy, so you won\u2019t have to worry about losing anything during the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/how-to-migrate-a-website-from-one-server-to-another\/\"><b>migration of the website to another server<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>However, there are times when plugins aren\u2019t as reliable as you\u2019d think. This is especially true with large websites where using migration plugins is more prone to errors. In those cases, manual migration is a better approach.<\/p>\n<p>With that, here\u2019s how you can manually migrate your WordPress website from one host to another.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Backup_all_Your_Files\"><\/span>1.\u00a0<b>Backup all Your Files<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first step is to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/top-5-reasons-business-owners-need-website-backup\/\"><b>backup all your website files<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span>This is a crucial step in the process so you don\u2019t lose any of your hard work. Usually, WordPress migration plugin can automate this process for you. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But when you can manually <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/ways-to-backup-a-wordpress-website-without-a-plugin\/\"><b>backup your website without a plugin<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, what you\u2019ll need is a file transfer or FTP tool.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>An FTP tool connects you with your current hosting server where you can download all your website files. This will then save a copy of your entire website on your local drive that you can easily access later.<\/p>\n<p>Likewise, export your WordPress database. You can do this by logging in to your current hosting account to download your database. If you see multiple databases available for download, reach out to your hosting provider to find out which one you should download.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Create_a_New_Database\"><\/span>2.\u00a0<b>Create a New Database<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Once you have all your website\u2019s files and your WordPress database, it\u2019s time you prepare your new host for the migration. The next step is to create space for a new database in your new host server. This will allow you to import your WordPress database into it.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Login to your new web host and connect to the cPanel software.<\/li>\n<li>From there, go to the \u201cDatabases\u201d section and choose the \u201cMySQL Databases\u201d option.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2734\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image2.png\" alt=\"Databases\" width=\"1020\" height=\"503\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image2.png 1020w, https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image2-300x148.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image2-768x379.png 768w, https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image2-670x330.png 670w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Create a new database<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2735\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image7.png\" alt=\"Create a new database\" width=\"831\" height=\"224\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image7.png 831w, https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image7-300x81.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image7-768x207.png 768w, https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image7-670x181.png 670w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 831px) 100vw, 831px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Add a user.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2736\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image4.png\" alt=\"Add a user.\" width=\"891\" height=\"438\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image4.png 891w, https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image4-300x147.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image4-768x378.png 768w, https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image4-670x329.png 670w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 891px) 100vw, 891px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Access the new database using phpMyAdmin. Finally, go to the \u201cImport\u201d tab within the new database and upload your WordPress database that you\u2019ve downloaded earlier.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2737\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image1.png\" alt=\"Import\" width=\"755\" height=\"106\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image1.png 755w, https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image1-300x42.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image1-670x94.png 670w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 755px) 100vw, 755px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Edit_the_wp-configphp_file\"><\/span>3.\u00a0<b>Edit the wp-config.php file<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>After importing your WordPress database to your new database, remember to edit your wp-config.php file on your local computer first.<\/p>\n<p>This file is responsible for the connection between your WordPress website to its database. Hence, it would contain old information about your previous host. You need to update this information so that it would match your new web host.<\/p>\n<p><b>Simply go to wp-config.php file and replace the following credentials:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Database name<\/li>\n<li>Database username<\/li>\n<li>Database password<\/li>\n<li>Database host<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-2738\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image5.png\" alt=\"wp-config.php\" width=\"687\" height=\"272\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image5.png 687w, https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image5-300x119.png 300w, https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/image5-670x265.png 670w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 687px) 100vw, 687px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>You can find this information after creating the database in your new host server.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Upload_files_to_new_host\"><\/span>4.\u00a0<b>Upload files to new host<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Now that you have everything from your website (files and database), the next step is to upload all of them into your new web host. You will do this via FTP.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-5938\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/upload-files-to-new-host.jpg\" alt=\"upload-files-to-new-host\" width=\"870\" height=\"580\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/upload-files-to-new-host.jpg 870w, https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/upload-files-to-new-host-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/upload-files-to-new-host-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/04\/upload-files-to-new-host-670x447.jpg 670w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 870px) 100vw, 870px\" \/><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>So first, log into your new server<\/li>\n<li>Go to your root folder.<\/li>\n<li>Click on \u201cupload\u201d and select the folder containing all the files you\u2019ve downloaded in the previous step.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>All you need to do now is to wait. This process can take a while, depending on how many files you need to upload. So if you\u2019re a huge website, this can take hours. It is also important that you make sure <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/best-practices-to-secure-your-website\/\"><b>your new website is secure<\/b><\/a>.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p><b>Also Read: <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/a-guide-to-secure-wordpress-website-a-complete-checklist\/\"><b>A Guide To Secure WordPress Website \u2013 A Complete Checklist<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<hr>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Configure_DNS_settings\"><\/span>5.\u00a0<b>Configure DNS settings<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>After uploading everything into your new host, you are now down to the final touches. That means reconfiguring your domain\u2019s Doman Name System (DNS) settings so that it will point to your new server IP address. Otherwise, your DNS setting will still contain your previous host\u2019s IP address.<\/p>\n<p>You need two things to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/how-do-you-transfer-a-domain-name\/\"><b>transfer your domain name<\/b><\/a> to a new host. First is information from your new host, and the second is access to the registrar where you <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/domain-registration\"><b>purchased your domain name<\/b><\/a>. You can get these details in your Host IT Smart User Portal by clicking on \u201cDomains.\u201d From there, choose \u201cDNS Details\u201d where you\u2019ll find both a CNAME record and an A NAME for your website.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Moving_on_to_the_next\"><\/span><b>Moving on to the next<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s never too late to change your web host, especially if you think it\u2019s not meeting your expectations. Migrating your WordPress website is easier than it looks.\u00a0This is made more convenient by the various migration plugins available. These plugins can help you backup your website files, import your WordPress Database into your new server, and integrate your new website with your <a href=\"https:\/\/financesonline.com\/e-commerce-software-analysis-features-benefits-pricing\/\"><b>business applications like eCommerce software<\/b><\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>So if you think your current web host isn\u2019t cutting it anymore, go ahead and find a new one.<\/p>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_Asked_Questions_Relating_to_WordPress_Migration\"><\/span><strong>Frequently Asked Questions Relating to WordPress Migration<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1714726201335\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\"><strong>\u27a2<\/strong> <strong>Is it necessary to have the technical knowledge to migrate WordPress to another host?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">No, Your technical knowledge is not necessary, but it\u2019s important to have some understanding of WordPress and concepts of hosting to make things simple during the migration process.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1714726238211\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">\u27a2 <strong>Are there any risks involved in migrating my WordPress site to a new host?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, there is the involvement of various risks in migrating a WordPress website to a new host, like downtime, potential data loss, or compatibility issues.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1714726239722\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">\u27a2 <strong>How long does it take to migrate a WordPress website to a different host?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">The duration of migration of a WordPress website to a new host depends on factors such as website size, complexity, and the migration process efficiency.<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1714726241182\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">\u27a2 <strong>What should I do if I encounter any issues during the migration process?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">In case you encounter issues during the migration process, Look no further and seek technical assistance from your hosting provider.\u00a0<\/p> <\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1714726288936\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">\u27a2 <strong>Are there any plugins or tools available to assist with WordPress migration?<\/strong><\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, Several plugins and tools are available, like All-in-One WP Migration, Duplicator, and UpdraftPlus, for WordPress migration assistance.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Looking to Migrate your WordPress website to another host? You might think that it\u2019s too late to change your hosting [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":6904,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2732","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wordpress"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2732","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2732"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2732\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6912,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2732\/revisions\/6912"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6904"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2732"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2732"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hostitsmart.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2732"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}