Migrating your website to a new host sounds risky, and horror stories about lost data or extended downtime keep plenty of business owners stuck on hosting they have long outgrown. Done properly, though, a migration is a straightforward, low-risk process. Here are the simple steps to get it right.
Step 1: Take A Full Backup Before Touching Anything
Before starting any migration, create a complete backup of your current website, including all files and your database. This is your safety net. If anything goes wrong at any point in the process, a solid backup means you can always start over cleanly rather than facing a genuine emergency.
Download this backup to your own computer as well, rather than relying solely on a copy stored with your old host, since you want a version fully independent of the account you are about to leave.
Step 2: Set Up Your New Hosting Account First
Get your new hosting account fully set up before making any changes to your live, currently working site. This includes confirming your control panel access, and if you are moving a WordPress site, having a fresh installation ready to receive your content, or ensuring the hosting environment matches what your current setup needs.
Step 3: Transfer Your Website Files
Move your actual website files from your old host to your new one. This typically involves:
- Downloading your complete website files from your old host, usually through File Manager or FTP
- Uploading those same files to the equivalent directory on your new host, typically public_html
Many hosting providers also offer direct migration tools that can transfer files between hosts without requiring you to manually download and re-upload everything yourself, which is worth checking before doing this step manually.
Step 4: Export And Import Your Database
If your website runs on a database-driven platform like WordPress, your content lives in a database, not just in files. Export your database from your old host using a tool like phpMyAdmin, then import that same export file into a newly created database on your new host.
Keep note of your new database name, username, and password, since you will need these exact details in the next step.
Step 5: Update Your Configuration To Point To The New Database
If you are moving a WordPress site, your wp-config.php file needs to be updated with your new database’s name, username, and password, replacing the old host’s database details. Without this update, your website will not be able to connect to its content even though both the files and database have technically moved successfully.
Step 6: Test Everything Using A Temporary URL Or Hosts File Edit
Before pointing your actual domain to the new host, test that everything works correctly using either a temporary URL your new host provides, or by editing your local computer’s hosts file to preview the new site privately while your domain still points elsewhere publicly.
Check thoroughly during this step:
- That your homepage and key pages load correctly
- That images and other media display properly
- That forms, if any, function as expected
- That your website’s overall design and layout appear exactly as they should
Step 7: Update Your DNS Once You Have Confirmed Everything Works
Once you are fully satisfied your website works correctly on the new host, update your domain’s DNS to point to your new hosting server. This is the step that actually makes your new host the live, public version of your website that visitors see.
Remember that DNS changes take time to propagate, typically anywhere from a few minutes up to around 24 hours, so your site may briefly show inconsistently across different locations during this transition window.
Step 8: Keep Your Old Hosting Active For A Short Overlap Period
Do not cancel your old hosting account immediately after switching your DNS. Keep it active for a week or two as a safety buffer, since this gives you time to catch and fix anything unexpected, and provides a fallback if you discover an issue with the new setup after the fact.
Step 9: Set Up Email Separately If It Is Hosted With Your Domain
If your business email is tied to your old hosting account rather than a separate service, plan its migration carefully alongside your website files, since email requires its own MX record updates and can be disrupted if not handled with the same care as your website content.
Step 10: Confirm Everything Is Working On The Live Site
Once your DNS has fully propagated and your domain is pointing to the new host, do a final, thorough check of the live site exactly as a real visitor would experience it, including testing on mobile, confirming forms work, and checking that email is flowing correctly if it was part of the migration.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- Skipping the backup step, leaving no safety net if something goes wrong during the move.
- Switching DNS before fully testing the new host, discovering problems only after the site is already live for real visitors.
- Forgetting to update database connection details, leaving the website unable to load its own content despite files being successfully transferred.
- Canceling the old hosting account too soon, removing your fallback option before you are fully confident everything works.
Moving your website to a new host does not have to be the stressful ordeal it is often made out to be. Backup first, test thoroughly before switching DNS, and keep a safety overlap period, and your migration completes without losing a single piece of data.
Ready to move your website to hosting that actually keeps up with your business? Get started with HoganHost’s hosting plans and get support through your migration from start to finish.
