Moving WordPress

In this article I explain step by step how to move a WordPress website from one hosting provider to another. It is useful if you are already familiar with FTP and a database management environment such as phpMyAdmin, but that knowledge is not required.

Step-by-step guide

There are also WordPress plugins that can make a move easier, such as BackupBuddy. Or you can use our WordPress Removal Service , taking the whole process off your hands.

Summary steps:

1. Download all files and the database of the current provider to your own computer
2. Customize the database configuration
3. Upload all files from your computer to the new provider

Download all website files to your own computer with an FTP program

Alternative: You can download a backup of your files via a Control Panel

1. You need the FTP data from your current provider. If you do not know them, you can often find them in an online Control Panel, or you can ask the helpdesk for the following information:

FTP Server name: .... (this is often your domain name, eg www.mydomainname.com or a servername) 
FTP Username: .... 
FTP Password: ....

This allows you to log in with an FTP program

2. Navigate in your FTP program to the folder with WordPress. It is usually called something like "public_html" or "www". You can recognize it because it contains all kinds of wp files, such as wp-config.php, wp-includes, wp-content.

3. Downloading all files can take quite a long time

Adjust the configuration

1. For this you need to know which database name is used for this website, and the database login details of both your old and your new provider. If you do not know the details of your new provider , ask them. You then need:

Server address: .... (normally "localhost") 
Database username: .... 
Database password: ....

2. The current database data is set in the file "wp-config.php". If you have already downloaded the website files on your own computer, you can open the file wp-config.php in a text editor

3. You search for the line that looks like:

define ('DB_NAME', '<database name');

Behind it is the name of the database mentioned in a few brackets. Below are 3 similar lines starting with DB_USER (username), DB_PASSWORD (password) and DB_HOST (server address).

4. You must now adjust these 3 (or 4) values ​​with the data of the new provider. First make a note of the current values. Then change the data to that of the new provider and then save the file

Upload all files to the new provider with an FTP program

1. Now, you need the FTP data of your new provider. With us you will receive it for example by e-mail after ordering a hosting package. If you do not know them, you can often find them or reset them in an online Control Panel, or you can ask the help desk for the following information:

FTP Servername: .... (this is usually your domain name, eg www.mydomainname.com) 
FTP Username: .... 
FTP Password: ....

2. After you have made a connection you navigate on the right side to the folder where your public website files are located, often "www" or "public_html". That folder should still be empty, or there is only an index.html file. If it is there, you can first delete index.html or index.htm.

3. On the left side of your computer, navigate to the folder containing the WordPress files that you downloaded in first time. Now drag all files (including all folders such as wp-admin) from that folder to the right in the www or public_html folder. The upload will take a while.

Tip: Check for certainty that all folders and files have come along. The file list must therefore match the files that you saw with your old provider

Download a backup of the database via phpMyAdmin

1. You now need the database management environment (almost always phpMyAdmin) from your current provider.  Log in to phpMyAdmin (at the old provider) with the original username and password. Often you can only reach phpMyAdmin via an online Control Panel (eg Cpanel, Plesk).

2. Click in the left menu on the name of the database. If you see a few tables like wp_comments, wp_commentmeta, (wp_ can also be any other prefix).

3. Choose Export at the top and then you can click Go directly to download a backup to your computer. 

4. Save the file to your computer.

Import the database from the new provider with phpMyAdmin

1. Go to phpMyAdmin with new provider, log in with the new database.

2. Click on the name of the database that you filled in with DB_NAME. If it is good, this database is still empty. If not, be careful not to overwrite an existing database from another website

3. Click Import and choose Browse at the top (select) to select the database file you downloaded. Then choose Go at the bottom, and unless you have a very large database, it should be ready to import in a few minutes

Now, You are ready to transfer. If your provider has given a temporary URL, you can do a quick check to see if your website is working there (highly recommended). Then you can start moving your domain to the new provider.

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