Easy steps on how to migrate WordPress blog

Summary

Moving/migrating a WordPress site from one host to another can be troublesome at times, but with this guide you can do it quickly with no downtime to your website!

To migrate your WordPress site, follow the steps below:

1. Back up your database.
   • If you are unfamiliar with database backups, please click here for Hostek.com's guide to creating a backup, or exporting, your database.
2. Connect to your website via FTP on the old server (the web host you are moving from).
3. Download your website files to a location on your computer. These should include everything in the public_html folder (on a Linux server) or wwwroot folder (on a Windows server) directories.
4. Once all files have been downloaded to your computer, connect to your website via FTP on the new server (the web host you are moving to).
5. Upload the same files you just downloaded to the new location, making sure to place your website files into the public_html folder (on a Linux/cPanel server) or the wwwroot folder (on a Windows server).
6. Now that you have your WordPress files uploaded to the new hosting location, it's time to upload, or import, your database backup.
   • If you are unfamiliar with database importing, please click here and follow the steps appropriate for your hosting package to import your database backup.
7. Once your database is imported, go back to your FTP software with the connection to your new server/web host. Find the file you uploaded called wp-config.php with your FTP software and edit it.
8. Look for the following lines in the wp-config.php:

   define('DB_NAME', '<your old database name>');

   /** MySQL database username */

   define('DB_USER', '<your old database username>');

   /** MySQL database password */

   define('DB_PASSWORD', '<your old database password>');

9. Change the text in the position of <your old database name> above to the name of the database you set up using our guide.. Do the same for the database username, then the database password.
10. Congratulations! You are done transferring your WordPress over to its new location. All that remains is that you update your domain's nameservers:
    • If you purchased your domain with Hostek.com, click here for a tutorial to update your nameservers.
    • If you purchased your domain with another registrar, click here to find the right tutorial for you.