How To Move WordPress Website To New Host
When it comes to move your WordPress website to a new host it could be a risky task. Server migration could be stressful and you may face potential downtime and data loss. To avoid this, you need to understand and learn about how to move wordpress website to new host by yourself.
Before you move your webserver to a new host it is necessary to review your new hosting provider features. Many times the host you choose never meet your expectation and again you search for the new host. It’s better to know it before you use it. Therefore, review the hosting plans and features it provides. Be satisfied before planning to shift your web server.
Why Do I Need To Transfer WordPress Site New Server?
Sometimes, we need to move our site to new host because we are facing problem to our current hosting provider. There are many reasons behind this problem. Such as Cost of hosting, storage problem, Service problem, etc. Another things to consider is obviously your business future. As your website visitor growing, you need to make sure hosting is good and stable. If your current hosting can’t provides the best environment for huge traffic, then start migrating WordPress website to another hosting.
How to Manually Migrate WordPress Website
Step 1 : Back Up Your Website’s Files. This is the first and very important step of any project that you need to take backup of your site files. This is helpful in if you lost any kind of data then you can collect from your backup. There are many tools are available for take backup like Filezila , WinScp,etc. These are the tools which are connects your FTP local directory to web directory. You can also use CPanel or Plesk File Manager and download all of the files to your computer.
Step 2 : Export the WordPress Database. Exporting your database is a simple process that only requires a few steps to complete. Login to the cPanel account of your web server and open the phpMyaAdmin application. Select the database that contains your WordPress installation from the list on the left hand sidebar and once selected click on the Export tab on the navigation menu.
Click the Go button and the database export file will be downloaded to your computer. Once the database export and the FTP transfer of your files have completed, you are ready to move onto the next steps.
Step 3 : Create the WordPress Database On Your New Host Server. To do this you must create a database that you can import your SQL data into. First you need to login with your new web host with your user id and password or with your user credentials. Your new host supplied you to the cPanel software, Which is way to reach your your database (MySql Database).
Afterwards, Create a new MySQL user (with a secure password). Don’t forget to add this user account to the new database and grant it All Privileges
Step 4 : Edit the wp-config.php File. Access your files and edit with an editor.
- Change the Database name. Locate the following line : define(‘DB_NAME’, ‘db_name’);
- Change the Database Username. You will find the line : define(‘DB_USER’, ‘db_user’);
- Change the Database User Password : define(‘DB_PASSWORD’, ‘db_pass’);
Step 5 : Import Your Database. In the File to Import section click the Choose File button and select the SQL file you exported previously. Un-tick the Partial Import check box, make sure the format is set to SQL and then click the Gobutton. The database import will now begin. The time this import takes varies depending on the size of your database. You should receive a message informing you of the success of the import when it has finished.
Step 6 : Upload The WordPress Files To Your New Host. Now your new database have prepared with the help of above steps. And you have configured wp-config.php in the above step 4. Now it is the time to uploading all of your website files to new host.
Step 7 : Linking to New URL & Defining New Domain. If you’re somehow move WordPress to new server and new domain, then you need to redefine site URL on the wp-config. Use the following Code and add it to your wp-config.php files. Remember, HTTPS, WWW or HTTP it all matters to your new site.
- define (‘WP_HOME’, ‘http://newdomain.com’ );
- define (‘WP_SITEURL’, ‘http://newdomain.com’ );
Step 8 : Change the Domain Name Server. This process will depend on where you have your domain registered. The details of completing this process are too varied to discuss in this post, but your domain registrar should have all of the details you need to make this change.
DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to fully propagate. It’s best to do this at a period when you expect lower levels of traffic. During this 48 hour window you should avoid making any changes to your website as you may be changing the old version of the site. When everything is okay, you need to follow my previous article on How to Maintain WordPress Security.
