Easy Way to Migrate WordPress Website

Ideally, you’ll pick a hosting provider that’s so good you won’t ever need to move your website. However, not all hosting providers offer the same level of quality of service. If you choose the wrong one, you may have to move your WordPress site at some point.

Fortunately, migrating your site isn’t as complex as you might imagine. It can take a few hours, but the process is relatively straightforward, Plus, if you choose a?web host?that offers?better performance?and more features, the effort will be well worth it.

This article will teach you the best way to migrate a WordPress website, step by step. Then will introduce you to some WordPress migration tools you can use to simplify the process. Let’s get moving!

Should Migrate WordPress Site Manually or Automatically?

Migrating a WordPress website isn’t hard. However, if you want to do so manually, you’ll need to be comfortable using?File Transfer Protocol (FTP), accessing databases, and modifying files on your site’s back end.

Those processes sound complex, but they’re simple enough if you follow a clear tutorial. However, if you’d rather try a simpler approach, you can always use a WordPress migration tool or plugin. There are several options, and we’ll introduce you to some of our top picks later on.

Keep in mind that large websites can be more prone to errors when using migration plugins. In those cases, manual migration is the better approach. If you follow the instructions carefully, you shouldn’t run into any problems.

Finally, it’s worth noting that some web hosts offer?free migration services?to new subscribers. You can also hire a third-party service to help you move your site, although that can be a pricey solution (and you’d need to make sure you choose a company with a sterling reputation).

How to Migrate WordPress Site Manually

Even if you’re not afraid to roll up your sleeves and migrate your site by hand, you’ll probably want a little help getting started. Let’s walk through the process, one step at a time.

Step 1: Choose a New WordPress Host

If you’re researching how to migrate your website, there’s likely a reason you’re leaving your current host. You’ll want to keep any problems you’ve experienced in mind as you shop for a new home for your WordPress website.

For example, if your site suffered a breach, you’ll want to look for a new provider that offers top-notch security features. It’s also important to understand the different?kinds of hosting?that are available to choose from. These include:?

• Shared:?This is when one server houses many websites that all share resources, and is typically the most budget-friendly option.
• Virtual Private Server (VPS):??A VPS involves virtual partitions within a shared server, so your site has dedicated resources available to it.
• Dedicated:?With this type of plan, you get a physical server that houses and supports only your website.
• Managed:?Any type of hosting plan can be managed if the hosting provider?is managing technical tasks?such as backups and updates for you.?

In order to choose the best option for your website, you’ll want to assess what your main priorities are. Key considerations include security, data storage, speed, and customer support. For example, if you have a large eCommerce operation, security may be higher on the list than other items.?

Step 2: Back-Up Site’s Files

The first thing you need to do is make a copy of all your website’s files. To do this, you’ll want to use an FTP tool. If you don’t already have one,?FileZilla is an excellent?(and free) option.

After you connect to your site’s server via FTP, you’ll need to navigate to your WordPress?root?folder, which contains all the files on your site. It’s usually called either?public_html?or?www, or is named after your site:

Now, right-click on your?root?folder and choose the?Download?option:

This will download a copy of your entire?root?directory to your computer. The process can take a while, but when it’s done you’ll be ready to move on.

Step 3: Back-Up WordPress Database

At this point, you already have a copy of your website’s files. Now you need to back up its database. This is where all the information about your site’s content, users, and lots more is contained.

To do this, you’ll need to access your database. Most web hosts enable you to do this through your control panel. For example,?if you’re using cPanel, you’ll find a section called?Databases. In that section, you’ll want to click on the?phpMyAdmin?option:

Step 4: Export Your WordPress Database

Once you’re in, choose your site’s database from the list on the left, and navigate to the?Export?tab using the top menu. Select the?Quick?option under?Export Method, and hit?Go:

This will download a copy of your site’s database in .sql?format.

Step 5: Create a New SQL Database and Import the Contents of Old One

Next, you have to create a new database on the web host you’re moving to. Then you’ll import the file from your old database, which will override the contents of the new one.

If your new WordPress host also uses cPanel, here’s what you’ll need to do:

1. Go to the?Databases?section in cPanel, and choose the?MySQL Databases?option.
2. Create a new database and add a user to it from this same tab (and take note of the names you use for later).
3. Access the new database using?phpMyAdmin, as you did during the previous step.
4. Go to the?Import?tab within the new database, and upload the .sql?file you generated earlier.

That’s it! Now your old database is located on your new web host. However, you still need to re-upload the rest of your site’s files.

Step 6: Upload Your Site’s Files to the New Web Host

root folderFor this step, you’ll need to first log into your new server via FTP. Then, navigate to its?.

Right-click anywhere within that folder, and select the?Upload?option. Locate the folder you downloaded during the first step, open it, and select all the files and directories within.

The upload process can take a while since we’re talking about hundreds of files. If you’re patient, however, you’ll soon find yourself almost at the end of the journey.

Step 7: Edit Your Site’s?wp-config.php?File

Once all your files are up on the new server, you’ll need to access your WordPress one more time. If you try to actually visit your website now, it won’t work, because you need to?update WordPress’?wp-config.php?file?so that it points towards your new database.

To do this, locate the?wp-config.php?file within your new?root?folder, right-click on it, and select the?View/Edit?option:

This will open the file using your local text editor, enabling you to make changes. Here are the three lines you’ll need to update:

define('DB_NAME, 'db_name');

define('DB_USER, 'db_user');

define('DB_PASSWORD, 'db_pass');

Currently, all three lines will include values that point toward your old database. Go ahead and replace the lowercase variables with the credentials for your new database, which you created during Step 3.

Then, save the changes to the file and close it. You should now be able to access your WordPress website, which will look just as it did before.

Step 8: Configure and Change DNS

Finally, you’ll need to make sure your Domain Name Server (DNS) is pointed toward the correct host. For example, if you are migrating to one of our hosting plans, you’ll need to point your DNS to your new WP Engine server.?

To do this, you’ll need two things:?

1. Information from your new host?
2. Access to the registrar where you purchased your domain name

You can find the details you need by going to your WP Engine User Portal again and clicking on?Domains:?

Near the bottom of the?Domains?screen, you’ll find a section called?DNS Details.?There you’ll find both a?CNAME record?and an?A NAME?for your website:?

This is the information you’ll need to enter into your domain name account. Depending on where you purchased the domain, the process for doing so can vary.

How to Migrate WordPress Site With a Plugin

When you need to migrate your website, it’s not unusual to have some anxiety about the process. After all, you’ve worked hard to build what you have, and you don’t want to lose any of it along the way. Fortunately, there are several excellent migration plugins available that can help.?

Using a plugin often provides you with an insurance policy. That’s because many of these tools can create complete site backups for you, as well as provide recovery services. Additionally, if you only need to migrate part of your site, there are plugins that can customize the process to meet your needs.

WordPress Migration Tools to Make Your Move Easy

Knowing how to migrate a WordPress website manually is useful. As we mentioned earlier, however, there are also some tools you can use to simplify the process. Here are some of our favorites.

Duplicator

If you’re looking for a plugin that enables you to automate the entire migration process,?Duplicator?is one of your best options. It works with any WordPress website and takes care of copying both your files and database. You’ll still need to?do a few things by hand to get your website set up on its new server, but the overall process is much simpler.

WP Migrate DB

WP Migrate DB?enables you to skip the part of the migration process where you need to export your database manually. However, you’ll still need to import the?.sql?file the plugin generates to your new site by hand. This is a small timesaver, but it’s still very welcome.

All-in-One WP Migration

All-in-One WP Migration?is one of the most streamlined backup and migration plugins you can find. It enables you to?create copies of your site?in minutes, and then import them to another WordPress installation using the same plugin. In our experience, it’s perfect for small websites, although it can struggle with larger installs.

WPvivid Backup plugin

WPvivid Backup plugin?is perfect for site migration, as well as for keeping a copy of your WordPress site on hand. It supports both?automated migration and manual migration(uploading a backup to a destination site and then restoring it). What’s more, it’s completely free and has no restrictions on the size of the website you can migrate.

Hope that this step-by-step guide helped move WordPress to a new host with no downtime whatsoever. If you come across any issues with your WordPress migration, then check out the migration service.