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A WordPress move can break images, links, or page routes because a working site is more than its visible content: it depends on both files and a database, plus URL settings and server rewrite rules. To reduce problems, back up both parts, move them together, update URLs with a serialization-aware method, and test the destination before retiring the old site.
Why moving a WordPress site can break things
The files and database are separate parts of the site
A typical WordPress installation needs both its files and its database to be restored. The database holds posts and other site data; files include WordPress core, themes, plugins, uploads, configuration, and, where used, server-related files. A directory download alone usually does not include the separate database. If either part is missing, the destination may lack content or the files needed for expected styling, plugins, and media. WordPress’s backup handbook describes the two parts as “Database and Files.”
A domain or directory change leaves old URLs behind
The WordPress Address and Site Address are not interchangeable. WordPress Address identifies where the core files are installed; Site Address is the public address visitors use. They can differ when WordPress is installed in its own directory. Changing a domain or path can also leave old URLs in database content or manually written theme files, which may break links or affect how a theme displays. WordPress’s migration guide explains these settings and the need to account for old references.
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Blunt URL replacement can corrupt stored settings
Some themes and widgets store values as PHP serialized data, where a string’s length is recorded. Replacing a URL with one of a different length without updating that stored length can break the value. WordPress warns that a whole-database search and replace can cause serialization problems. Use a tool that understands serialized data rather than assuming a plain text or SQL replacement is safe.
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Pretty permalinks depend on the destination server
Readable post and page URLs rely on rewrite behavior configured for the server. A move to a different host or directory can change what rewrite rules are needed. Importing the database does not by itself ensure those routes work; WordPress’s migration guidance calls for reconfiguring rewrite rules when a site using permalinks goes live in a new environment. WordPress’s permalink documentation also notes the server-configuration requirement.
Identify what is changing before you move
Write down whether the move changes the domain, installation directory, server, database name or user, or whether the site belongs to a Multisite network. These details determine which settings and references need attention. Moving servers while keeping the same URLs is not the same task as changing the public domain, and WordPress cautions that its single-install URL instructions do not apply to Multisite as written.
Back up a complete, matching set
Before making changes, export the database and download the relevant WordPress directory. Keep the export together with the files from the same point in time so they form one recoverable backup set. Include wp-content, wp-config.php, and .htaccess if the installation uses it. Keep the old site intact until you have verified the destination. WordPress provides backup guidance at its backup handbook.
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Move the files and database, then align the settings
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Copy the backed-up WordPress files to the destination and import the matching database export into the destination database.
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Update the database connection details in
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Set the WordPress Address and Site Address to the intended locations. Confirm the core-file location separately from the public visitor-facing address, especially if WordPress is installed in a subdirectory.
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WordPress documents migration scenarios and URL settings in its migration guide. The right values depend on the destination layout; do not make both addresses identical automatically if the installation deliberately uses a separate core directory.
Update old URLs safely
When the domain or path changes, update references left in the database using a serialization-aware method. WP-CLI’s wp search-replace handles PHP serialized data and offers --dry-run to preview changes without saving them. Review which site the command will affect: on Multisite it defaults to the current site unless you explicitly request network scope with --network. The command also supports writing transformed data to an SQL export. See the WP-CLI command documentation for options and scope.
For example, a cautious preview for a single site can be run as:
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wp search-replace 'https://old.example' 'https://new.example' --dry-runReplace the example addresses with the actual old and new URLs, and review the preview before running a saving command. If the move is Multisite, confirm whether the intended change is limited to one site or applies to the network. Avoid a blind whole-database replacement: incorrect scope or mishandled serialized values can create new problems.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Check the destination before switching over
After the move and URL update, check a representative set of destinations rather than just the homepage:
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Open the homepage and several posts and pages, including older content.
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Load images and other media from the uploads directory; check for broken image links.
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Test post, page, category, and tag URLs that use pretty permalinks.
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Sign in to the administration area and confirm it loads correctly.
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Check redirects and any theme or menu links that were entered manually.
If page content appears but images or styling do not, check whether the files and old URL references were moved or updated. If the homepage works but individual routes return 404 errors, inspect the permalink structure and destination server rewrite configuration. Keep the old installation available until these checks pass.
Handle Multisite as a separate migration
Do not apply single-install URL instructions to a WordPress Multisite network without adapting them. Network scope affects which database references a replacement touches, and WP-CLI’s search-replace command targets the current site by default unless --network is specified. Confirm the intended network and URL changes before updating data. WordPress’s migration documentation marks Multisite as a different case.
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