How to migrate WordPress hosts

Perhaps the most obvious of the migration issues people can face, downtime is often the result of a badly managed migration, and can leave sites off the web for anywhere from minutes to days. 

In order to reduce the risk of downtime, it’s important to have a migration plan in place. Plan out each step, when you intend each step to take place, and ensure each person involved understands what’s required from them to keep the process running smoothly. 

Making sure you have (and share) a migration plan also means that every team member is aware of the potential need to reduce the load on the website during the migration time. This might look like, for example, not scheduling a big update to take place, or refraining from organising a site sale during that time window. 

Even more concerning, data loss can mean losing valuable site information. It’s one of the most important things to avoid during a migration – and something that developers will be well-versed in navigating. 

There’s one word which sums-up the best approach to avoiding data loss: backups. 

Taking regular backups is good practice at any time, and especially before updates, but during a migration it’s crucial to take a comprehensive site backup before you make any changes – and then to store that backup somewhere safe. 

This way, even if something does go awry in the move, you won’t lose anything.

If you’re migrating a large site, using plugins can be trickier. They can cause errors, as the site files and database are too large to handle. 

It’s important to read-up on any plugins you plan to use beforehand, to ensure that they have the capability of handling your site. Different plugins all function in slightly different ways, too, so bear in mind that while one migration plugin may not be able to handle the load of your site files, another may help you to automate part of the process. 

We’ve outlined some of the most popular WordPress migration plugins below.

This first step is one of the most important. It’s vital that you have a recent, secure backup of your site files – just in case something goes wrong during the migration process. 

You can take a backup manually using an FTP tool, or sometimes via your current hosting provider. 

If you’re doing it manually via FTP, you’ll need to navigate to the WordPress root folder, and right-click to select the ‘Download’ option. 

This will add a copy of this root folder (which contains all of your site files) to your computer. It may take a while, but don’t be tempted to move on without it.

The database, like the files, contains important information about your site; things like information on site content, users and more are all contained within the database. 

To export it, you’ll need to access it. Most web hosts will have a route into this – check your dashboard for a ‘Databases’ section, and you should find the option to ‘Export’. 

Otherwise, your current hosting platform may give you the option to access your database via phpMyAdmin. Log in via that, and you’ll be able to export your database from under the server name menu. 

In either case, the default option will usually be a ‘Quick’ export, aka a download of the database in an SQL format. This is perfectly fine, and will contain all the information you’ll need. 

Again – don’t be tempted to move on before this process is complete. 

This step will create an environment for your WordPress installation. You’ll need your login details for your new host – and it may well be worth checking with them which method for database creation they use, as if it’s not MySQL you may need further guidance from them. 

If they do use MySQL, the database creation step is simple. First, open the MySQL Database and create one with a clear name for your website. Then, set up your username and password, and add this user to the database with ‘All Privileges’ enabled. 

It’s useful to make a note of these credentials, as you’ll need them again during this process. 

Next, you’ll need to browse to the downloaded files you took earlier, and search for the ‘wp-config.php’ file. This file controls the access between WordPress and your database, so you’ll need to change some of the details within it to make it point to your new database. 

Start by making a copy of the file, and store it in another folder. (This backup will be useful should something go wrong.) 

Then, open the original version of the file, and make three edits. You’ll need to change the lowercase variables in each case:

• Change the database name from the MySQL database name of your old web host, to the name of the new database you just created.

define(‘DB_NAME, ‘db_name’);

• Change the database username from the username of your old host to match the new username you’ve just created. 

define(‘DB_USER, ‘db_user’);

• Change the database user password to the new secure password you created for your MySQL user. 

define(‘DB_PASSWORD, ‘db_pass’);

Then, save and close the file. 

You’ll complete this step via phpMyAdmin too. Once you’ve launched it, open the ‘Import’ tab within the navigation menu. 

In the ‘File to Import’ section click the ‘Choose File’ button, and select the SQL file you exported previously. Make sure you un-tick the Partial Import check box, set the format to SQL, and click ‘Go’. 

The time this import takes will vary depending on the size of your database – the larger it is, the longer you can expect to wait for the import confirmation. 

Are you migrating to Nimbus? We have helpful tools within the platform to make this process simple. You can read our Knowledge Base guide to uploading a database import here. 

Once the wp-config.php file has been configured to point at your new server, you’ll be able to begin uploading your website’s files. 

You can do this by connecting to your new web host (using FTP) and accessing the folder that your website will sit within. 

Navigate to the root folder, right-click and select ‘Upload’. Select the remote directory, which should now contain the updated version of the wp-config.php file, and make sure you’ve selected all the files and directories listed within it. 

You’ll have to wait until the hundreds of files have finished uploading before you can move on – but don’t delete your local version just yet.

The final big step is to reconfigure your DNS to point towards the correct hosting provider. 

You’ll need access to the registrar where you purchased your domain name, and some information from your new host – including their nameservers. 

The process will look different for every domain registrar, so contact them for guidance. Just bear in mind that even when you’ve made the DNS change, it can take up to 48 hours to fully propagate – though often it is more likely to be around 1 – 6 hours, depending on what your ‘time to live’ value is set to – which is why it’s important to warn your team in advance to try and limit website traffic during this period. 

Next, search and replace any instances of your old domain to ensure that all your site links still work, and will point towards your new domain. You can find open source scripts to help you complete this step, like the Search Replace DB script on github. 

Just make sure you don’t run the script in your root domain, and delete it once you’re done. This will keep your site secure.

Only when you’re certain that you have everything set-up and working to your liking should you go ahead and connect to your old host to delete your files and database. At this stage, you can also delete the locally stored files you took, although it’s a good idea to keep hold of this backup (along with your original wp-config.php file) just in case you need to revert the migration for any reason. Think of it as a security blanket. 

These final tests are the last step, though – and you’re done! Congratulations, you’ve successfully migrated to a new hosting provider. 

If you’ve moved to Nimbus, there’s even more good news. Once you’re established within the platform, you’ll have access to our FTP migration tool – which means that migrating any further sites will be a total breeze. Interested? Check out our short video guide to the tool:

You’ll need to send the Support team all the details on your websites – including which sites are being moved, your current providers, their logins, and the order of priority. You can do this by responding to the ticket in the client area.

Once we receive the above information, a member of the Support team will be in touch to organise your migration start date.

They’ll introduce themselves, take charge of your migration, and be around to answer any questions you have during the process. 

Once your site has been copied over, it’s over to you to test them. Make sure that you’re happy with how everything’s set up, and let your assigned Support team member know when you’re happy to progress.

Once you’re happy, it’s time to move the DNS. Check with your current provider for guidance, should you need it – they’ll usually have a step-by-step guide you can follow.

That’s it – the whole process is complete, and your sites will now be hosted on your new Nimbus server.