How to migrate a WordPress site to a new host (without downtime)

Learning how to migrate a WordPress site is mostly about order and patience. The copy itself is simple. Most failed migrations happen because DNS was switched too early, a URL was replaced incorrectly inside the database, or the old hosting was cancelled before every visitor had reached the new server.

This guide covers three ways to move WordPress to a new host (a migration plugin, a manual transfer, and a free migration done by us) and gives you a checklist that works whichever method you choose.

Before you start: a pre-migration checklist

1. Make a full copy of the site, files and database, and download it to your computer or cloud storage. This is your safety net if anything goes wrong.
2. Write down your versions: PHP version, WordPress version and any special PHP extensions. In WordPress, see Tools → Site Health → Info.
3. List your email setup. If your email accounts are hosted with your current provider, you will need to recreate them on the new host and move messages over IMAP.
4. Find where DNS is managed: at your domain registrar, your old host, or a service such as Cloudflare. You will change a record there at the end.
5. Lower the TTL (time to live) of your domain's A record to 300 seconds about 24 hours before the move. This makes the final switch reach visitors much faster.
6. Plan a quiet moment for the final switch. For a shop, pick a low-traffic hour and consider pausing orders for a few minutes.

Method 1: migrate WordPress with a plugin

For most small and medium sites, a migration plugin is the easiest route. Popular options such as All-in-One WP Migration, Duplicator or Migrate Guru package your files and database into one archive and restore it on the new server.

1. Install WordPress on the new host. Create a clean installation with your new host's installer or ask their support team to do it. On Getradi WordPress and WooCommerce plans, WordPress is already installed when we hand over your account.
2. Install the same migration plugin on both the old site and the new installation.
3. Export the old site to a single archive file.
4. Import the archive on the new installation. The plugin replaces the clean install with your site and updates internal links.
5. Log in again with your old username and password, then go to Settings → Permalinks and click Save to refresh the rewrite rules.

Watch for upload size limits: some plugins limit free imports to a certain archive size. On larger sites, the manual method below is more reliable.

Method 2: migrate WordPress manually

The manual method gives you full control and works for sites of any size. You need file access (SFTP or a file manager) and database access (for example phpMyAdmin) on both hosts.

Step 1: export the database

In the old host's cPanel, open phpMyAdmin, select the WordPress database and use Export → Quick → SQL. If you have SSH access, WP-CLI is faster:

wp db export site.sql

Step 2: copy the files

Download the whole WordPress folder, usually public_html, via cPanel's File Manager (compress it into a zip first) or with an SFTP client. The parts that matter most are wp-content (themes, plugins and uploads) and wp-config.php.

Step 3: create the database on the new host

On the new host, create a database and a user (in cPanel this is MySQL Databases; if you're moving to Getradi, our support team creates the database for you, or simply use our free migration), and add the user to the database with all privileges. Note the three values: database name, username and password.

Step 4: upload and import

Upload and extract the files into the new public_html. Then import site.sql in phpMyAdmin, or with SSH:

wp db import site.sql

Step 5: update wp-config.php

Edit wp-config.php with the new database details:

define( 'DB_NAME', 'newcpaneluser_wp' );
define( 'DB_USER', 'newcpaneluser_wpuser' );
define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'a-long-unique-password' );
define( 'DB_HOST', 'localhost' );

Step 6: replace URLs if the address changes

If the domain or protocol changes (for example from http:// to https://), replace the old URL across the database. WordPress stores some data in serialised form, so a plain text find-and-replace in the SQL file breaks widgets and settings. Use WP-CLI, which handles serialised data safely, and run a dry run first:

wp search-replace 'http://old-domain.co.uk' 'https://new-domain.co.uk' --all-tables --dry-run
wp search-replace 'http://old-domain.co.uk' 'https://new-domain.co.uk' --all-tables
wp cache flush

If you don't have command-line access on the new host, as on Getradi plans, use a serialisation-aware plugin such as Better Search Replace instead, or ask our support team to run the replacement for you. If the domain stays the same, skip this step. More options are documented in the WP-CLI search-replace reference.

Test the new copy before switching DNS

This step is what makes a migration downtime-free. Your domain still points to the old host, so you need a way to view the new copy privately.

• Edit your hosts file. Add a line with the new server's IP address and your domain, for example 203.0.113.10 www.example.co.uk. On Windows the file is in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts; on macOS and Linux it is /etc/hosts. Your computer now loads the new copy while everyone else still sees the old one.
• Use a temporary URL if your new host provides one.

Then check:

1. The home page, a few posts and pages, and images load correctly.
2. You can log in to /wp-admin and save a post.
3. Contact forms send email.
4. For shops: products, cart and a test checkout with your payment gateway's test mode.
5. Tools → Site Health shows no critical issues.

Remove the hosts file line when you have finished testing.

Switch DNS and understand propagation

When the new copy works, point the domain to the new server. You can either:

• Change the nameservers at your registrar to the new host's nameservers. The new host then manages all DNS records, including email. Recreate any custom records first.
• Change only the A record (and the www record) to the new server's IP address, keeping DNS where it is. This is usually quicker and leaves email records untouched.

DNS propagation is the time it takes for resolvers around the world to stop using the cached old address. With a low TTL set the day before, most visitors move within minutes. With the default TTL, some visitors may see the old host for up to 48 hours. During this window both copies receive traffic, which is why:

• You avoid publishing content or changing settings until propagation finishes.
• For shops, you either pause orders briefly or check the old site for any late orders and add them manually.
• You keep the old hosting account active for at least 48–72 hours.

After the migration

1. Issue the SSL certificate on the new host as soon as DNS points there, then confirm the padlock shows on every page.
2. Check email: MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records must match wherever your mailboxes now live.
3. Set up a real cron job if you use one (on Getradi, ask our support team), and re-enable caching (LiteSpeed Cache on LiteSpeed servers).
4. Submit your sitemap in Google Search Console and watch the Pages report for new errors over the next few days.
5. Raise the TTL back to a normal value, such as 3600 seconds.
6. Cancel the old hosting only after you have confirmed that traffic, email and orders all go to the new server, and you hold your own copy of the old site.

Common migration problems and how to fix them

Let us migrate your site for free

If you would rather not do it yourself, every Getradi plan includes free website migration. You email us the access details in a support ticket, our team copies your site to the new server, tests it and tells you exactly which DNS change to make and when. We schedule shop migrations at quiet hours to avoid lost orders.

Choose WordPress hosting for blogs and business sites, WooCommerce hosting for online shops, or SSD hosting for sites built with other tools. Every plan includes NVMe SSD storage, OpenLiteSpeed with HTTP/3, a free SSL certificate, 24/7 ticket support and a 15-day money-back guarantee, from €15.90/month billed yearly (+VAT).

Frequently asked questions