How to Move a WordPress Site to a New Host Without Downtime

Moving a WordPress site is routine once you know the order of operations. The key to avoiding downtime is simple: build the complete copy on the new host first, test it, and only then switch your domain over. This guide covers each step.

Step 1: Prepare the new hosting account

1. Sign up and confirm the plan meets your site’s needs for storage, PHP version, and database support.
2. Do not cancel the old host yet. Both will run in parallel for a while.

Step 2: Take a full backup and check it

1. Back up all site files and the database. A backup plugin or your current host’s backup tool both work.
2. Download a copy to your own computer, so you do not depend on the old host.
3. Note which services are tied to the old host, such as business email, cron jobs, or custom server settings.

Step 3: Lower your DNS TTL

A day or two before the move, lower the TTL (time to live) on your domain’s DNS records to a short value such as 300 seconds. This helps the final switch take effect faster for visitors.

Step 4: Copy the site to the new host

Choose one method:

• Host migration tool or service. The easiest option when available.
• Migration plugin. Plugins such as Duplicator or All-in-One WP Migration package the site and restore it on the new host.
• Manual transfer. Copy files by SFTP, export the database from the old host and import it into a new database, then update the database details in wp-config.php.

Step 5: Preview the new site before switching DNS

Test the copy while visitors still reach the old site. Many hosts give you a temporary URL, or you can edit your computer’s hosts file to point your domain at the new server for testing only. Check that:

• Pages, images, menus, and permalinks all load correctly.
• Forms send and arrive where expected.
• Logging in to the dashboard works, and plugins show no errors.
• If you run a store, test a checkout in test mode.

Step 6: Freeze changes, then do a final sync

If your site takes orders, comments, or sign-ups, pause changes briefly before the switch. Take a fresh backup and restore it to the new host so nothing submitted during testing is lost.

Step 7: Switch DNS

1. At your domain registrar, point the domain to the new host. Depending on your setup, this means changing nameservers or editing the A record.
2. Confirm your SSL certificate is active on the new host so visitors do not see security warnings.
3. Expect the change to spread over minutes to hours. Because both servers hold identical sites, visitors see a working site throughout.

Step 8: Check email, SSL, and search

• Email. If your business email was hosted with your old provider, set it up first or keep that service running. Cancelling hosting can silently kill email.
• SSL and redirects. Confirm HTTPS works across the site and that the www and non-www versions redirect consistently.
• Search Console and analytics. Check for new crawl errors in the days after the move.
• Caching. Clear plugin and CDN caches so visitors see current pages.

Step 9: Wait, then cancel the old host

Keep the old hosting for roughly a week after the switch, in case you find something that was missed. When everything has been stable, take a final backup and then cancel.

Common migration mistakes

• Cancelling the old host before DNS has fully changed or before moving email.
• Forgetting that the old host ran scheduled tasks the new one does not.
• Leaving old URLs hard-coded in content, which breaks images or links after a domain change.
• Skipping a tested backup, so there is no way back if something goes wrong.

Choosing the new host

If you are still comparing options, start with our guide to web hosting for small businesses, our hosting and platform comparisons, and the reviews of SiteGround and Hostinger.