Moving a WordPress site to a new host used to be nerve-wracking. Done in the right order, it’s straightforward and your visitors never notice. Here are two reliable methods — pick the one that suits your comfort level.
The easy way: a migration plugin
A good migration plugin packages your entire site — files and database — into a single archive, which you then unpack on the new server.
- On your current host, install a migration plugin and export the full site to an archive plus an installer file.
- In your new Hostnasi cPanel, create the destination (a fresh domain or a temporary URL) and upload both files via File Manager.
- Create a database in MySQL Databases and note its name, user and password.
- Run the installer in your browser, enter the database details, and let it rebuild the site.
The manual way: full control
If you’d rather do it by hand:
- Back up your old site’s files (via FTP or cPanel) and export its database from phpMyAdmin.
- Upload the files to
public_htmlon the new server. - Create a new database, then import the SQL file through phpMyAdmin.
- Edit
wp-config.phpwith the new database name, user and password. - If the domain is changing, run a search-and-replace on the database to update the old URLs.
Test before you switch DNS
Before pointing your domain at us, preview the migrated site using a temporary URL or by editing your computer’s hosts file. Click through key pages, log into wp-admin, submit a test form. Catch problems now, while the old site is still live and serving visitors.
Switch the DNS
Once you’re happy, update your domain’s nameservers or A record to point at Hostnasi. Lower the DNS TTL a day beforehand so the switch propagates quickly. Keep the old host active for 48 hours as a safety net while DNS updates worldwide.
Let us handle it
We offer free migrations for new hosting clients. Send us access to your current site and we’ll move it across, test it and switch it over — you just approve the go-live. It’s the least stressful option by far.
