How to Migrate Your WordPress Website
Migrating your WordPress website to a new server or host can be challenging, like moving into a new apartment. However, the experience doesn’t have to be painful and daunting. If you are prepared to migrate your website to a different server or host, you should consider some important steps to make the whole process smooth and seamless.
Like most problems, there is more than one approach to solve these issues: you can decide to do it manually or use a Word Press Plugin/App. Still, if you have a booked schedule, you could hire a professional to do the migration. However, this method can be expensive depending on the person you hire.
Some people are faced with the obligation to migrate to a different hosting company because of many reasons, some of them being:
Issues with the previous hosting or server provider
A change of mind or opinion to seek out a different provider
Upgrading to a different host provider
Hacking challenges
In most cases, moving to a new host is often delayed in fear of damaging your website by making a mistake. If you have even some little experience developing your website, transferring your website to a new host will be a breeze. With a proper guide and approach, migrating your website is a straightforward process and can be reversed if any issues occur.
Without further ado, let us go through the step-by-step process of migrating your website, but before we begin, keep in mind that most hosting companies offer migrating services. So, remember to check your package to see if they offer free migrating services.
- Step 1: Backing Up Your Website Files Via FTP-Transfer
- Step 2: Database Export
- Step 3: Making a WordPress Database
- Step 4: Edit the wp-config.php File
- How to Alter Your Database Name
- Step 5: Importing the WordPress Database
- Step 6: Uploading yourWordPress content To the New Host
- Step 7: Defining Your New Domain and Search or Replace Previous Domain
- Step 8: Final Touches
- Conclusion
Step 1: Backing Up Your Website Files Via FTP-Transfer
So how can you back up your site? You can choose to use a legitimate and trustworthy WordPress plugin or app to do the migration for you. Later on, we will provide you with some of the best WordPress plugins that you can consider. But if you are a DIY type of person or are just generally curious, Read on.
Here is a summary of a fast manual approach. Manual backups need a file transfer tool to your website files. Some popular FTP programs are Transmit for MAC and FileZilla for PC. Once you install an FTP, you will need to utilize SFTP credentials found on your web host account to gain access to your site’s server.
After connecting, select and save all files on your website’s directory. This also includes a
.htaccessfile, purposefully set to be hidden. Look into your FTP system help file to showcase the hidden files if you can’t locate the files.This might take time regarding the number of video, audio, content, or photo uploads you have on your website. Once this process is complete, we can move on to step two, making copies of the database.
Step 2: Database Export-How to migrate your WordPress website
All you need is a sufficient SQL format with fast export to make things run smoothly. Select the GO button to begin the export process, which will start downloading to your local PC. After the FTP transfer and database export files have finished, you can now move on to the next step.
Step 3: Making a WordPress Database The New Host Server
The steps to make a database are quite easy:
- Get into your MySQL Database and make a new database using a desirable name to give your website.
- Make a new MySQL user and apply a strong, secure password
- Add the new account to the fresh database and give it all access needed.
- Note the database name, password, and username since you will need them.
Step 4: Edit the wp-config.php File
In this folder, you will find a file known as wp-config.php, which runs the operation between your database and WordPress. Create a duplicate of the document and save it in a different folder on your local PC. This is essential in restoring any changes you will make if anything goes wrong. You can then run the initial version on the File using a desirable text editor to alter a few changes:
How to Alter Your Database Name- how To Migrate Your Site
Find this line (‘DB_NAME’, ‘db_name’);. At this DB name, part of the line might likely be found on your MySQL database name and the initial website host. You need to switch the name to one of the fresh databases.
Alter your Database Username
Under this line define(‘DB_USER’, ‘db_user’);
You can change the DB user part from the previous name to the new one you created.
Alter your Database Password
Locate the below line
(‘DB_PASSWORD’, ‘db_pass’);
Like with the other two changes, you need to switch your password with the new stronger password of your MySQL user. Ensure you Save wp-config.php before you close it. Once you are done, you can move on to the Fifth step of migrating your website.
Step 5: Importing the WordPress Database
You can start the important migration process since you now have a fresh working database. Open the
phpMyAdmin through the cPanel software on the fresh server and pick your fresh database on the list from the left sidebar. After it opens up, pick the migration tab from a navigation menu
At the Import File part, select the file hosting the SQL folder you had previously exported. Then Un-select (PICB) Partial Import Check Box, ensure it’s in SQL, select the Go tag, and start the process. The time it will take depends on how big your database is, after which you will get a message upon a successful import.
Step 6: Uploading your WordPress content To the New Host
Since you got a fresh database made and have reconfigured your wp-config.php File, it’s time to start uploading your site’s data. Access your current site host utilizing your FTP system and navigate to the space where your site will be placed. If it’s the only or primary website installed on the website server: uploading public_html files is the best way forward.
Since you have picked the native directory, upload the files of your site, which should now have the upgraded model of wp-config.php. Like earlier downloads, the time it might take to complete the whole process depends on its size. Note that you should not erase the files from your local PC once your upload is complete. They might still be required even after the last steps are complete.
Step 7: Defining Your New Domain and Search or Replace Previous Domain
Most people face one problem when migrating their website: adding links to other posts or inserting photos directly through a URL on the server, which causes it to break when migrated to a new domain. Suppose you want to quickly and easily browse for an inkling of your initial domain name and switch it with the fresh name.
It would be best to consider reviewing your Search Replace DB script that you can find on Github. Note that you should delete it once you’re done to avoid security issues, avoid storing it in the root domain, and instead make a temporary folder using a random name to host the script.
Replacing the Site URL: You will be switching the home URL and site URL values in the database through searching and replacing. Altering the Site URL ensures that you won’t get redirected to the initial domain when you try logging in to your current one.
Step 8: Final Touches- How to migrate your WordPress website
The final step is a combination of two different mini-steps.
First – before using your site on your new host provider, you must reconfigure the settings of your domain’s DNS. Since they are set to direct to the initial host server, you need to correct them to point the records to the new IP address.
The process depends on where your domain is registered. The full details of finishing the process can be too varied to explain in this article, but the domain registrar needs to have all the information of your mnm nlmmmmnl, which needs to be altered.
DNS changes may take more or less than 48 hours to register completely. It would help if you considered conducting this process during periods of low website traffic. During this period, avoid making any alterations to your site since it might affect the older model of the website.
Second – once the 48 hours are done, and you can access the new web host, you can now connect to the initial web host and erase all the files and database. Don’t worry; if you need anything from your initial files, you can seek it from your database exports, wp-config.php File, or local backup copy. Backup copies are good if you decide to roll back your migration; therefore, it’s a good idea to keep them around.
As explained above, once you break down the whole migration process, it’s not as difficult as you may think. All you need is to be careful with each step while still giving yourself the chance to get back the original model.
You have learnt how to migrate your WordPress website – still stuck read on !
But if you find this process difficult or don’t have the time to do it on your own, you need not worry. There are many amazing apps and plugins you can use to help you out with the process of migration. Below is a compiled list of some of the best plugins and apps you should consider.
If you cant Migrate your WordPress website, these are the apps that can help
1. Duplicator Pro
Duplicator Pro is among the best WP migration plugins you can find on the market. It works wonders for most forms of migration without needing computer expertise. It contains an easy guide wizard that directs and explains the whole migration process. To begin, make a migration package of your site and install it to your PC, including its installer script.
Secondly, use the installer script, including the package and upload it to a new location (new host or server), after which you can start the migration wizard. The Duplicator will then unpack the package’s contents and install all the contents.
Duplicator Pro enables users to update URLs to ensure everything runs smoothly.
Here are some few pros and cons you can find on the Duplicator pro
Pros:
Allows users to migrate their WordPress website to a domain name, new host, live site, local server.
It has a simple step-by-step migration wizard to help you migrate your website.
Far from migration, draft plus can be used to schedule automatic backups by saving the on remote storage like Dropbox and Google Drive, including others.
It has a connection with cPanel hosting dashboard to make users and database.
Allows for multisite migration.
Cons:
Newbies might need assistants in connecting to their FTP web server.
The uploading procedure is tiresome, especially with an unreliable internet connection or a huge website.
Pricing: offers affordable subscription plans beginning from $59 per annum for three sites. It has a free version that has limited features but can still work for small websites.
2. Updraft Plus Premium
Updraft Plus is a backup plugin that has amazing features. Its top package has a migration tool that enables users to migrate their websites easily.
Pros:
It offers a simple-to-use interface. If a user is already using the backup plugin, they can make a full import and back up to any location they prefer.
It can be used to store and schedule your backups to any remote location.
Enables WordPress multisite migration
Allows users to save server resources through incremental backups.
Cons:
To start and operate the migration, you must install WP on the destination.
Pricing: It offers affordable pricing of 30$ for the basic package and 70$ for the premium version. You can opt to use the free version, but it has limited features.
3. JetPack
JetPack is a large popular WordPress plugin that features a powerful backup system. Initially, it was named VaultPress; however, it was sold as a different entity, and currently, it has JetPack Backups. It enables users to seamlessly restore their WP backups and move your site to an alternate server.
Pros:
Provides an easy process of creating WP backups and seamlessly restoring the backups in a new location.
Allows users to save server resources through incremental backups.
A simple 1-click restoration makes migration a breeze.
Allowing data to be stored and saved on the cloud, meaning you don’t require manually re-uploading backups.
It also has site safety features that secure your backups.
Cons:
You require a JetPack subscription with other features you might not even use.
A complicated setup process that might discourage newbies. You will require different dual plugins.
Pricing: affordable prices beginning from $39 / year.
4. All-in-One WP Migration
All-in-one WP Migration is a renowned WP migration plugin that contains a comprehensive list of features. Compared to other plugins, it’s not quite a backup plugin, but it’s more of a website migrations software.
Pros:
Supports and has been tested by many hosting providers, OS, PHP versions, and more.
It also supports initial models, including Word Press 3.3
It surpasses your host’s size file limits by getting huge chunks of information.
Cons:
The free model limits taking large chunks of data at once.
You are required to install WP on a fresh location manually
Separate extension for multisite exports.
Pricing: The basic package is free; however, you will require an unlimited extension to eradicate the size restriction for exportation.
5. Migrate Guru
Migrate Guru is still a WordPress transfer plugin developed by the same team that brought you Blog Vault, a renowned WordPress backup software. It is a company that specializes in moving sites toward a new server or host.
Pros:
Mostly all famous Web host providers are being supported.
Simple migration: input your destination host’s FTP or Cpanel login details, and the plugin will then handle the rest.
The URLs that are updated in your own WordPress database are well migrated and then encoded data is well handled.
Large sites can be migrated without even compromising the system’s performance.
Cons:
Transfers from a local host to a live site or a local host are not supported.
Multisite transfers are not completely supported.
Free of charge
6. BackupBuddy
Among the most famous WordPress transfer/migrator plugins are BackupBuddy. It has a dedicated consumer base that has been there since 2010.
Pros:
This easy package provides automatic planned backups, recovery, and migration features.
Create backup schedules, select what to backup, and save them to cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, etc.
Utilizing comprehensive WordPress backup, you may quickly switch your website.
It’s used to launch a WordPress test file to a live server quickly.
7. Migrate DB Pro
Migrate DB Pro is a sophisticated WordPress transfer plugin designed to help you migrate your WordPress database between one installation to another. With independent add-ons, it may also effortlessly move media files, customizations, and plugins.
Pros:
It’s ideal for swiftly copying a WordPress database across one side to the other, and its powerful capabilities make it a great choice for developers.
Once you replace your existing website with a newer one, make a backup of it.
Any information in the database can be found and replaced.
Huge sites and sophisticated hosting server infrastructures benefit greatly from this product.
Cons:
Two add-ons are required for comprehensive migrations, and they are only accessible under a costly developer license.
For a newbie, it’s not quite as simple to use as most of the other plugins here on the list.
Price: A single website starts at $99 and goes up from there. You’ll have to use a developer license to use video and file extensions, which costs $199.
8. Bluehost Migrator
This plugin is ideal for users planning on migrating their WordPress website to Bluehost. It was developed by Bluehost to help users export their sites to hosting servers.
Pros:
It’s effective since it’s designed for a specific scenario: migrating from another hosting service to Bluehost.
It’s quite simple to use; all you have to do is input a code from your server control panel, and the plugin will handle the rest.
It autonomously creates a partial address for the migrated site if you do not change the domain name. You’ll be able to alter the DNS to link to your domain name afterward.
Cons:
It can’t be utilized to migrate from your local host to live.
Doesn’t support multisite migration
Pricing: Free
9. SiteGround Migrator
If you decide to move your WP website to SiteGround, this is a good choice. SiteGround develops it to assist people in moving their sites to SiteGround servers. SiteGround is among the best WordPress hosting providers. The company is accredited and a legitimate WP Host provider.
Pros:
It runs well since it’s created for a specific form of migrating from all hosting providers to SiteGround.
Simple and easy to use
Automatically makes up a domain name for you in case you have picked one. However, you can still change the DNS later on.
Cons:
It can’t be utilized to migrate from stage host to a live site
Doesn’t support multisite
Pricing: Free
BlogVault
When it concerns relocation and backups, BlogVault is a brand you can trust. It is a quick and effective WordPress migration plugin available. The plugin has assisted with site migrations over nearly a decade and has completed more than million successful WordPress migrations.
Attractions
Migrations that are fail-safe and faster
Automatic URL Redraws for Complete Website Migrations
Incredibly Simple 1-Click Full Website Migrations
Backup your WordPress site completely.
Conclusion
Migrating your website does not need to be a hard and painful experince with whatever method you decide to pick. This article has provided a clear path by presenting a step-by-step guide on how to migrate your entire website successfully. Also, the article provides you with some of the best plugins on the market that can assist you on your next host provider migration.
