To migrate a WordPress site to a new host, you copy the site’s files and database to the new server, test the copy there before anyone else can see it, then change your domain’s DNS so traffic goes to the new server, and only cancel the old host once everything checks out. Because the domain and URLs stay the same, visitors and search engines should not notice the move at all if the switch is handled in the right order.
If you searched for “how to migrate WordPress site to new host” instructions, this guide focuses on that order, from choosing a method to the DNS cutover and the checks afterward.
How to migrate WordPress site to new host: the overall plan
Every successful host move follows the same five stages:
- Prepare. Audit the old host, take backups and lower your DNS TTL.
- Copy. Move files and database to the new server using a plugin, the host’s tool or a manual method.
- Test privately. Load the site from the new server on your own computer before DNS changes.
- Cut over. Freeze changes, do a final sync, switch DNS and set up SSL.
- Verify and clean up. Check everything on the live domain, then decommission the old host later.
The rest of this guide takes each stage in turn.
Stage 1: Prepare the old site and your DNS
Preparation is cheap and prevents most problems.
Audit what the old host is doing for you
Hosts often do more than serve the site, and those jobs disappear when you leave. List:
- Where your DNS is managed (registrar, host, or a service like Cloudflare).
- Whether email for your domain runs through the old host.
- Server-level redirects, caching or security rules outside WordPress.
- Scheduled tasks (real cron jobs) the host runs for WordPress.
- The PHP version and extensions in use, so the new server matches or is compatible. Check WordPress’s current requirements on wordpress.org before choosing.
- Any SFTP, SSH or database credentials other tools rely on.
Take a full backup
Back up the files and the database, and store the copy somewhere other than either host. If anything goes wrong mid-move, this is your way back.
Lower the DNS TTL
TTL (time to live) controls how long resolvers cache your DNS records. If your A record has a long TTL, some visitors will keep reaching the old server for that long after you switch. Lower the TTL on the records you will change well before the move, at least as far ahead as the current TTL value, so the lower value has spread by the time you cut over.
Stage 2: Choose how to copy the site
There are three common ways to copy WordPress to the new server. Choose based on site size, your comfort level and what the new host offers.
| Method | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Migration plugin | Small to medium sites, non-technical owners | Upload and timeout limits on large sites, plugin conflicts |
| New host’s migration tool | Hosts that offer assisted or automated moves | What it does and does not copy (email, cron, server rules) |
| Manual (files plus database) | Large sites, full control, custom servers | Needs SFTP or SSH and database access |
Whichever you choose, the new copy should keep the same domain in the database. You are not changing URLs, so there is no need for a search and replace, which removes a whole category of risk.
If you want to do it by hand, our step-by-step guide on migrating a WordPress site manually covers the file transfer, database export and import, and wp-config.php changes in detail.
Stage 3: Test the new server before switching DNS
This is the step that separates calm migrations from stressful ones. You want to see the site running on the new server, at its real domain, before the public does.
The cleanest way is to edit the hosts file on your own computer so that, for you alone, your domain points to the new server’s IP address. On macOS and Linux the file is /etc/hosts; on Windows it is C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts. You add a line like this, using your new server’s IP:
203.0.113.10 example.com www.example.comNow your browser loads the site from the new server while everyone else still sees the old one. Because WordPress sees its normal domain, you avoid temporary URL hacks that can confuse links and caches. If the new server needs SSL to work, the host may be able to issue a certificate in advance, or you can test over HTTP and accept a browser warning for the test.
Work through this test list:
- Home page, key landing pages, blog posts and archives load correctly.
- You can log in to wp-admin and edit a post.
- Images and media load, and there are no missing files.
- Forms submit and the notification emails arrive.
- WooCommerce or other checkout flows work in test mode.
- Permalinks work (click through to several posts and pages).
- Caching, if configured, is not serving stale or broken pages.
When you are finished, remove the line from your hosts file so you see the real DNS again.
Stage 4: The DNS cutover
Once the copy passes testing, plan the switch for a quiet period.
- Freeze changes on the old site. Tell editors not to publish. For stores, membership sites or busy comment sections, consider a short maintenance window so no orders or sign-ups land on the old server during the switch.
- Do a final sync. If content changed since your first copy, re-copy the database (and any new uploads) so the new server is current.
- Update DNS. Change the A record (and AAAA if you use IPv6) for the root domain and www to the new server. If you are also moving nameservers, recreate every existing record first, not just the website ones.
- Keep email records intact. MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records must carry over exactly, or email will stop arriving or start landing in spam.
- Set up SSL on the new server as soon as the domain resolves there, and confirm HTTPS works with a valid certificate.
- Watch both servers. For a while some visitors may still reach the old one. Leave the old site running, unchanged, until traffic there dies down.
Stage 5: Verify, then decommission the old host
After the switch, run through the live site on a normal connection, not the hosts file:
- Check the site loads over HTTPS without mixed-content warnings.
- Re-test forms, checkout and logins.
- Confirm WordPress cron jobs are running: scheduled posts publish, backups run and emails send.
- Set up or confirm backups on the new host, ideally off-site.
- Check Google Search Console for crawl errors over the next days. With the same URLs, you should not see a wave of 404s; if you do, something did not copy.
- Re-check page speed. A move is a good moment to make sure page caching and object caching are in place.
Only cancel the old hosting once you are confident nothing on it is still needed. Download a final backup from it first.
Mistakes that cause downtime
- Switching DNS before testing the new server.
- Forgetting email records when moving nameservers.
- Leaving a high TTL in place, so the switch drags on.
- Letting the old site take orders or comments after the final sync.
- Cancelling the old host too early, before confirming every file moved.
- Assuming the new server has the same PHP settings, memory limits and upload sizes.
If you also need a copy of the site to keep experimenting on after the move, see our guide on cloning a WordPress site for staging.
When to get help
A brochure site with a contact form is a reasonable weekend project. A store, a membership site, a site with heavy traffic, or one where downtime costs real money deserves more caution. Our WordPress migration service moves sites onto tuned Nginx servers with page caching, Redis object cache, SSL, Cloudflare and off-site backups, including the testing and DNS cutover. You can reach us at support@growthscribe.com.
FAQ
Can I move WordPress to a new host without downtime?
Usually, yes. Copy the site to the new server, test it through your hosts file, lower your DNS TTL in advance and switch DNS once everything works. Keep the old server running until traffic has moved, and freeze content changes during the final sync so nothing is lost.
Do I need to change URLs when I move to a new host?
No. If the domain stays the same, the URLs stay the same and you do not need a database search and replace. You only need to update URLs when the domain or folder changes, such as moving from a temporary address to the live domain.
Will moving hosts affect my SEO?
A host move with the same domain and URLs should not affect rankings on its own, because nothing changes from a search engine’s point of view. Problems come from downtime, missing files, slower hosting or settings like noindex being copied over by mistake.
What happens to my email when I change WordPress hosts?
If email runs through your old host or your DNS moves, it can break. Before switching, note your MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records and make sure they exist unchanged in the new DNS setup. If email was hosted by the old provider, arrange a new email host first.
