How to Migrate Your WordPress Site Manually

We are going to experience the best approach in migrating your websites even if you’re not scared 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 and exploring a new 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.?

Step 2: Back Up Your 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 Your 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. Alternatively, you can get the zip format of your database from the cPanel. login to the cPanel and under the file manager section click on backup and allow it to load, you should your database under the database section, click on it and it will start automatically on your PC.

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

Next, you must 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.

Alternatively, go to the new hosting account you purchased, login into the cPanel, locate the file manager section, click on backup, and allow it to load, you will upload your MySQL database, please note that you need to upload the.sql format.

Then proceed to create a new user and assign privileges after assigning the new user to the database.

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 old site’s files.

However, if you’ve chosen a host that does not use cPanel, you’ll need to consider a different set of instructions.

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

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

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?root?folder 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 towards 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 Your DNS

Finally, you’ll need to make sure your Domain Name Server (DNS) is pointed toward the correct host. For example, if you migrate 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. In order to help you complete the DNS configuration process, we’ve put together a list of?the most common registrars, along with detailed instructions for each one.?

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