How to Migrate Your Website to a New Hosting Provider Step by Step

When your online business or blog grows, your old hosting plan might not be enough to handle the increasing traffic, security, and performance demands. In such cases, moving your website to a new hosting provider becomes essential. Many website owners hesitate to migrate because they fear data loss, downtime, or technical complexity. But the truth is – if you follow the right process, migrating your website can be simple and hassle-free.

In this detailed guide, we will explain step by step how to migrate your website to a new hosting provider without losing data or SEO rankings. Whether you run a WordPress blog, e-commerce store, or business website, these instructions will help you move smoothly.

Why Migrate to a New Hosting Provider?

Before starting the migration, it’s important to understand why you may need to switch hosting providers. Some of the most common reasons are:

• Slow Website Speed – Your current hosting server may not be optimized for speed, affecting user experience.

• Frequent Downtime – Cheap hosting providers often face downtime, which can hurt your business.

• Poor Customer Support – If your hosting provider takes too long to solve issues, it’s time to move.

• Need for More Resources – Growing websites often need more storage, bandwidth, and better scalability.

• Better Pricing and Features – New providers might offer free SSL, backups, domain, and security tools at a lower cost.

👉 If you are facing any of these issues, migrating your website is the right step.

Pre-Migration Checklist

Before you begin the actual migration, make sure you have completed these tasks:

1. Select Your New Hosting Provider – Choose a reliable hosting company (e.g., Bluehost, Hostinger, SiteGround, A2 Hosting, etc.) based on your needs.

2. Take a Complete Backup of Your Website – Always create a full backup (files + database) to avoid data loss.

3. Check PHP and Database Versions – Ensure your new hosting supports the same or higher versions of PHP and MySQL/MariaDB.

4. Lower Your Domain’s TTL (Time-to-Live) – Reducing TTL to 300 seconds (5 minutes) ensures quicker DNS propagation when you switch.

5. Collect Login Credentials – Keep your old hosting, new hosting, domain registrar, and FTP details ready.

Step-by-Step Website Migration Guide

Step 1: Back Up Your Entire Website

The most important step before migration is taking a full backup of your website. You can do this in different ways:

• cPanel Backup: If your old host uses cPanel, you can download backups directly from the Backup Wizard.

• WordPress Plugins: Tools like UpdraftPlus, All-in-One WP Migration, or Duplicator can back up and transfer websites easily.

• Manual Backup: Use FTP (FileZilla) to download all files from your public_html folder and export the database from phpMyAdmin.

👉 Store your backup safely on your computer or cloud storage.

Step 2: Set Up Your New Hosting Account

After purchasing the new hosting plan, log in to your new hosting control panel. Most hosts provide:

• cPanel or Custom Dashboard

• One-Click Installers (Softaculous, WordPress Installer)

• Free SSL and CDN Setup

Make sure your hosting account is fully active before moving files.

Step 3: Upload Website Files to the New Host

Once you have the backup, you need to move your files:

• Via cPanel File Manager – Upload your .zip backup and extract it in the public_html folder.

• Via FTP/SFTP – Connect using FileZilla and transfer all files manually to the new server.

• Plugin Method – If using a migration plugin, install it on your new WordPress site and upload the backup.

This step ensures your website’s files (themes, plugins, media, etc.) are on the new server.

Step 4: Export and Import Your Database

For websites like WordPress, the database is as important as files.

• From your old host, go to phpMyAdmin → Select Database → Export (SQL file).

• On your new host, create a new database and user in cPanel.

• Import the SQL file into the new database using phpMyAdmin.

👉 Note down the database name, username, and password, as you’ll need them in the next step.

Step 5: Update Configuration Files

Now, connect your website to the new database:

• Open wp-config.php (for WordPress websites).

• Update database name, username, and password with the new hosting details.

• Save changes and upload back to the server.

This ensures your website connects to the correct database.

Step 6: Test Your Website on the New Server

Before updating the domain DNS, you should test your site:

• Use a temporary URL provided by your host.

• Or, edit the hosts file on your computer to preview your site from the new server.

Check if:

• Website loads properly.

• All images, links, and pages are working.

• Plugins and scripts function correctly.

Step 7: Update Domain DNS Records

Once your site works fine on the new host, update your domain’s DNS (Nameservers).

• Log in to your domain registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, BigRock, etc.).

• Replace old nameservers with the new host’s nameservers.

• Save changes and wait for DNS propagation (can take 2–48 hours).

👉 During this time, some visitors may see the old server while others see the new one.

Step 8: Monitor Website After Migration

After DNS propagation, keep checking your site:

• Test different browsers and devices.

• Monitor uptime and speed using tools like GTmetrix or Pingdom.

• Set up free SSL certificate (HTTPS) if not already active.

• Ensure your emails (if hosted) are configured correctly.

Common Issues During Website Migration

Sometimes, you may face problems like:

• Error Establishing a Database Connection → Check wp-config.php credentials.

• Broken Links or Images → Update URLs in the database using a plugin like Better Search Replace.

• Downtime → Keep backup files handy to restore quickly.

• Slow Loading After Migration → Clear cache, enable CDN, and optimize server settings.

Pro Tips for Smooth Website Migration

1. Migrate During Low-Traffic Hours – This minimizes the impact on visitors.

2. Use Migration Tools – Many hosting providers like SiteGround, Hostinger, and Bluehost offer free migration services.

3. Keep Your Old Hosting Active – Don’t cancel immediately; keep it running for a week as a backup.

4. Check Email Accounts – If your old host provided email, set up new accounts or migrate them.

5. Update Google Search Console – Verify your website works correctly after migration.

Conclusion

Migrating your website to a new hosting provider may sound complicated, but when done step by step, it becomes straightforward. Always start by backing up your data, then move files and database, test everything, and finally update your domain’s DNS.

A smooth migration ensures better speed, security, customer support, and long-term growth for your online business.

If you don’t feel confident doing it yourself, many hosting providers offer free or paid migration services, saving you time and reducing risk.

👉 So, don’t let a poor hosting service slow you down – make the switch today!