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Before moving a website to a new hosting provider, inventory everything the site depends on, make and verify a backup of its files and database, confirm the new environment and credentials, and test the copied site before sending visitors to it. Keep the old installation available until the new one works. Treat domain registration, DNS, and email as separate workstreams: changing hosts does not automatically require transferring your domain, and DNS or mail steps depend on the providers that manage them.
1. Define what is moving
Start by listing the components that make the site work, not just the pages visitors can see. A move may involve site files, a database, the content management system (CMS) and its version, custom configuration, integrations, and scheduled jobs. Some services may be managed separately from the website, including domain registration, DNS, email, and TLS certificates.
Record which provider or person controls each service and who can access the accounts. This helps reveal dependencies that a simple file copy would miss—for example, a site that relies on a separate email provider or a scheduled task configured outside the CMS. Make a note of where the current site files and database are held, who can retrieve them, and which accounts or credentials will be needed at the destination. This inventory is a practical planning aid, not a universal form supplied by the technical sources.
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Clarify whether the domain or URLs will change
Moving a site to another server while keeping the same domain is not the same as changing the domain or moving WordPress to a different URL. A URL change can leave old addresses stored in the database, affecting links or theme display. WordPress’s Migrating WordPress guide covers these cases separately.
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Write down whether the domain, URL structure, or both will change. That decision affects the migration work and the checks you need to perform afterward. It also determines whether you need to address stored URL references and redirects, rather than only copying files and connecting the database. Avoid treating a domain registration transfer as part of the hosting move unless you have deliberately included it.
2. Make a backup you can restore
For a WordPress site, back up both the WordPress directory—including images, plugins, and other files—and the database before the move. WordPress.org’s migration guidance names both as parts of the backup. Files alone do not capture the database, and a database alone does not include the site’s uploaded media, plugins, and other directory contents.
- Keep a copy somewhere separate from the destination host so a problem with the new account does not leave you without a backup.
- Check that the backup contains the site files and database, and confirm you can access both before relying on it.
- Retain the backup through the move so it is available if you need to restore the old site.
An external hard drive is one optional place to store a downloaded backup. The important point is that the backup covers both files and database; the drive itself does not establish that either copy is complete or usable. The cited WordPress guidance calls for backing up both components but does not prescribe a particular storage device or product.
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3. Confirm the destination environment and access
Before copying anything, obtain the destination database details and check the environment requirements for your CMS and site configuration. Confirm that you can access the destination account and the information needed to configure the copied site. Compatibility should be considered against your actual CMS, database setup, and configuration rather than assumed from the fact that a provider offers hosting.
For WordPress, the database connection settings may need to change if the database is on a different server, has a new name, or uses a different username. WordPress’s handbook notes that a move does not necessarily mean reinstalling WordPress: “Whether you are moving WordPress from one server to another or to a different location on your server, you don’t need to reinstall.” This is from the WordPress.org Developer Resources, Advanced Administration Handbook, “Migrating WordPress.”
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Check WordPress database settings
WordPress’s migration guide specifically calls out the database host entry in wp-config.php. Compare the destination’s database host, name, and username with the values configured for the copied site, and update the configuration as needed. Incorrect connection details can prevent WordPress from connecting to its database. Treat these as destination-specific values: do not assume the old host’s details will work unchanged on the new one.
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Confirm the site addresses
After the move, check the WordPress Address and Site Address. These settings should reflect the intended location of the site. The correct test and update method depends on whether the domain or URL is changing and on how the destination host lets you preview the copied site.
Handle URL changes carefully
If the domain or URL changes, do not run a blind replacement of every matching string in the database. WordPress warns that indiscriminate replacement can damage serialized data and says not to change GUID values. Use a search-and-replace method compatible with WordPress’s stored data, then test links and redirects. This warning matters when updating old URLs: a broad text replacement is not automatically safe just because it appears to find every occurrence.
Also preserve any custom rewrite and redirect rules in .htaccess and test them after the move. These rules can affect permalinks and other URL behavior. Keep a copy of the existing rules as part of the migration material, and check whether permalink or rewrite configuration needs attention once the site is live.
4. Test the copy before public cutover
Test the copied site before directing public traffic to it. The WordPress handbook notes that a pre-switch test may require temporarily changing the siteurl and home settings. The appropriate preview method varies by host and CMS, so use a method supported by the destination rather than changing live settings without a plan. Confirm how the preview works before relying on it, especially if changing a setting could affect the currently public site.
When the site goes live, permalink or rewrite configuration may need to be reconfigured. Include that in the launch checks, especially if URLs or hosting paths have changed. A successful file copy is not by itself evidence that the application, links, or connected services are working in their new location.
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Check the functions visitors rely on
Build a test list based on the site’s actual features. Useful checks include:
- Key pages, images, and other media load correctly.
- Forms submit and any checkout flow works, if applicable.
- Integrations and scheduled jobs run as expected.
- Analytics and search-engine settings still behave as intended.
- Redirects, permalinks, and HTTPS/certificate behavior are correct.
These are practical quality checks, not a universal official sequence or guarantee. The certificate, DNS, application, and analytics setups differ by site, so consult the documentation for the platforms and providers involved. Focus the test on functions the site actually uses; a brochure site may not have checkout, while a site with forms or integrations should verify those paths rather than assume they survived the move.
5. Keep a rollback path
Do not remove the old installation as soon as the files have been copied. Keep the old site and database available until the destination has been checked and the services attached to the site have been verified. WordPress advises backing up the database and documents restoring the old files and database if necessary.
Before cutover, know what you would restore and how you would access it. Avoid canceling the old hosting service while it is still your practical fallback. The length of time to retain it depends on your verification needs and provider arrangements; no universal retention period is established here. Similarly, WordPress.org’s migration guidance does not provide a universal downtime or success-rate figure, so do not plan around an unsupported promise that every move will be instantaneous or risk-free.
6. Treat the domain registrar separately
Changing hosting does not, by itself, require moving the domain registration. A registrar manages the domain registration; a hosting provider runs the website environment. You can change where the site is hosted while leaving the domain at its current registrar.
If you also want to move the domain to another registrar, handle that as a separate task. ICANN’s Transfer Policy describes the standardized process for domain holders transferring names between ICANN-accredited registrars. Follow the current instructions from the registrars involved; this policy is about registrar transfers, not the website hosting move or DNS cutover. Keeping those workstreams distinct helps avoid assuming that a registrar transfer is necessary just because the website is moving to a new server.
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7. Coordinate DNS, email, and certificates
Before cutover, identify which provider manages DNS and whether email relies on records in that DNS zone. Confirm the necessary records and change plan with the DNS and email providers. Do not assume that replacing nameservers or an entire DNS zone is harmless to email or other services tied to the domain. A website move can involve multiple services, and the provider running the site may not be the provider that manages mail or DNS.
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There is no provider-independent DNS record checklist, universal email migration procedure, or reliable propagation timetable that applies to every setup. The right steps depend on your current records, services, and providers. Ask those providers how to make the change for your configuration and how to verify it. In particular, clarify which party will make the DNS changes and how email-related services will be checked rather than guessing at records or timing.
After the move, check that HTTPS and certificate behavior are correct. Certificate issuance and configuration depend on the host and the services handling the domain, so use their current documentation rather than assuming that copying website files also transfers certificate setup. Check the actual site over HTTPS as part of the post-cutover review.
8. If someone else handles the migration, define the scope
When considering a hosting provider migration service or other help, ask what the migration includes and what remains your responsibility. In particular, clarify:
- Whether the work covers files and database, and whether it includes email or DNS.
- How the destination can be tested before public cutover.
- What access and credentials are required.
- How rollback is handled if errors appear.
- Whether the destination environment is compatible with your CMS and database setup.
Do not assume that the word “migration” includes mail, DNS, testing, or rollback. Confirm each item explicitly before the work begins. Compare providers or migration help by scope, compatibility, access requirements, pre-cutover testing, and what happens if errors appear. The available WordPress migration guidance does not establish a provider ranking, current price, migration guarantee, or particular offer, so ask for those details directly rather than relying on generic claims.
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- Inventory site files, database, CMS and version, configuration, integrations, scheduled jobs, and separately managed services.
- Decide whether the domain or URLs will change, and note who controls hosting, DNS, registration, email, and certificates.
- Back up the WordPress directory and database; keep a separate copy and check that both are accessible.
- Confirm destination environment requirements and database host, name, username, and access.
- Copy the site and test it using a preview method supported by the host and CMS.
- Check WordPress Address and Site Address, URL replacements, GUID preservation, custom rewrite rules, and redirects where applicable.
- Coordinate DNS and email changes with their providers, then verify HTTPS and site functions after cutover.
- Keep the old installation and database available until the new site and attached services are verified.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to transfer my domain when I change website hosts?
No. Changing hosting does not by itself require moving domain registration. A registrar transfer is a separate process; ICANN’s Transfer Policy addresses transfers between ICANN-accredited registrars, not the hosting move.
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What should I back up before moving a WordPress site?
Back up both the WordPress directory, including images, plugins, and other files, and the database. Keep a separate copy and check that you can access both before relying on them.
Can I replace the old domain everywhere in the WordPress database?
Do not use a blind blanket replacement. WordPress warns that it can damage serialized data and says not to change GUID values. Use a compatible search-and-replace method and test links and redirects.
Will changing hosting affect email or DNS?
It can, depending on how your services are configured. Find out which provider manages DNS and whether email relies on records in that zone. Confirm the change plan and verification steps with the DNS and email providers; there is no universal provider-independent procedure.
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Keep the old installation and database available until the new site and attached services have been checked. WordPress.org’s migration guidance does not establish a universal retention period, so base it on your verification needs and provider arrangements.
The Bottom Line
Before you move, know what the site depends on, back up both its files and database, confirm the destination’s database settings, and test the copy before public cutover. Keep the old installation available until the new site, DNS, email, certificates, and site functions that apply to your setup have been verified. Treat registrar transfer and provider-specific DNS or email work as separate tasks.
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