WordPress is the world’s most popular web-building tool, powering over a third of all websites today. You can use it to create and manage just about any sort of site, from the most basic of blogs and portfolios to full-featured eCommerce stores.
While WordPress an open-source platform and free to download, you still need a way to get your website online and keep it up and running 24/7. Short of turning your spare bedroom into a high-tech data centre, this is where Managed WordPress Hosting comes in.
As your business grows, you may decide it’s time to switch to a new hosting provider. Maybe your site’s running slow, you’re looking for better value, or you’re after for more support. Moving to the right host might also help keep your site secure and ready for more traffic — things every growing business needs.
Why should I migrate my WordPress site to a new host?
In an ideal world, every host would be top-notch, offering fast speeds, excellent support, and solid security without any headaches. Alas, things don’t go as planned sometimes, and you might find it’s time to make a move. Here are a few signs it might be time to switch:
☐ Your site keeps going offline. Unexpected downtime is a killer. If your site’s regularly down and your host doesn’t fix it fast, it’s time to find a more reliable one.
☐ Your site’s too slow. A slow site frustrates visitors and harms your search rankings. If your host can’t deliver the speed you need, it’s worth finding one that can.
☐ Support isn’t cutting it. When your site’s down, you need support that’s quick and helpful. If you’re stuck waiting, it might be time for a change.
☐ Missing key features. Need features like WooCommerce or better security? If your host doesn’t support them, moving to one that does can make a big difference.
☐ You’re handling updates and backups yourself. Managing updates and backups manually is time-consuming and risky. A managed host can handle this for you, so you don’t have to worry.
☐ Your host can’t keep up with growth. As your site grows, your host needs to grow with it. If they can’t handle the extra traffic or resources, it’s time to move on.
☐ Security is lacking. Security should be a top priority. If your host isn’t providing SSL certificates, malware scans, firewalls, and automatic backups then you could well be leaving your site exposed.
☐ You’re ready for a managed solution. This one’s relevant if you’re a more technical user and you’ve been running your own hosting setup. Perhaps the success of your website has seen it reach the point that it’s outgrown what you can handle alone. Managed hosting takes care of updates, backups, security — and, perhaps most importantly, speed — so your site can handle more traffic.
☐ You’re not getting good value. If you’re paying for a service that doesn’t meet your needs, shop around. A host offering better features at a better price is always a win.
How do I migrate my WordPress website?
Moving a WordPress site involves the same basic steps: back up your content, move your files, update your domain settings, and you’re good to go. It doesn’t have to be complicated.
In short, there are three options: you can use an automatic tool, use a third-party plugin, or go it alone with manual migration.
For most users, especially if you’re new to migration, we’d recommend going the automatic route. 123 Reg gives you an incredibly easy 1-click migration tool and fantastic support along the way. (Of course, getting top customer support is one great reason to switch!)
While automatic migration is the easiest option, using a plugin offers more control over the process without the complexity of manual migration. Manual migration, on the other hand, is the most involved — calling for FTP, database work, and file changes — but offers full control for the tech-savvy. But then, if you are, you probably already knew that.
So, here we go. We’ll walk you through these methods in order of easiest to hardest: (A) Automatic, (B) Plugin-based, and (C) Manual.
Before you begin
If you’re using 1-click automatic migration, most of the work is done for you. But a few quick checks will help keep things smooth.
Back up your site — just in case. The migration tool handles the move, but having a copy of your database and files gives peace of mind.
Update WordPress to the latest version to avoid any issues.
Deactivate caching plugins or anything else that might interfere. No need to remove them—just turn them off for now.
Remember that custom tweaks made to core files won’t be transferred during migration. Files like wp-config.php or functions.php are part of the default WordPress setup, and any customisations you’ve made won’t carry over to the new site. However, the good news is that the destination site will automatically run the latest version of WordPress and PHP. This gives you a fresh start, with the most up-to-date features and security, but you’ll need to reapply any custom tweaks after the migration to ensure everything works as expected.
As ever, one of the great things about WordPress is the community and all the resources out there. For more info on how to back up manually, check out the official WordPress Developer Resources.
Automatic Migration: How to move your WordPress site the easy way
Automatic migration is the easiest way to move your WordPress site. Most of the hard work, like transferring files, databases, and settings, is handled for you.
123 Reg 1-click WordPress migration
123 Reg Managed WordPress Hosting offers a simple one-click migration tool that automatically connects to your old host, copies your files, and sets things up on the new server. It’s perfect for anyone who doesn’t want to dive into the technical side of things.
To get started, simply head to your 123 Reg product page and navigate to the Managed WordPress section.
Click on “Manage All” and select “Create WP Site.” Choose the option to move an existing WordPress site, then enter your domain name, WordPress username, and password.
Once you’ve filled in the details, follow the prompts to begin the migration. After the transfer, you may need to make a few quick adjustments, but most of the work is already done for you.
Quick tips:
☐ Migrate during off-peak hours to avoid affecting visitors during busy times. This will help things run smoothly while you make the switch.
☐ Don’t forget to backup, including any email accounts or custom configurations, if applicable.
☐ Clear all caches, including plugin and browser caches, before and after migration. This helps everything load correctly.
Plugin Migration: How to move your WordPress site using a third-party tool
Migrating your WordPress website with a plugin is the next easiest way to go about it, second only to automatic migration.
A good plugin will do much of the heavy lifting, so you don’t need to worry about manual file transfers or database imports.
Choosing your plugin
Each plugin is a little different, but they work in more or less the same way.
As always, do a bit of research before picking a plugin—look for ones with solid reviews (aim for over 4 stars!). These popular options are trusted for a reason, but always be cautious with third-party plugins and make sure they’re from reputable sources.
Just a few well-known options include:
☐ All-in-One WP Migration
☐ UpdraftPlus
☐ Duplicator
☐ WP Migrate DB
Installing your plugin
Install your chosen plugin from your WordPress dashboard. Go to Plugins > Add New, search for the plugin, click Install, and activate it.
Back Up Your Site
Once the plugin is set up, follow its instructions to back up your site, including files, themes, plugins, and the database. Download the backup to your computer.
Set Up the New Site
Install a fresh copy of WordPress on your new host, either using your provider’s installer or via wordpress.org. Then, install the same migration plugin and upload the backup file.
The plugin will handle most of the migration work, including updating settings and URLs where necessary. After the move, check that everything looks right—images, links, and content.
Update DNS Settings
Once the migration is complete, update your DNS settings to point to the new host (this can take up to 48 hours).
Clean Up
Deactivating the migration plugin and removing unnecessary files is a good idea. Tools like WP-Optimize or WP-Sweep can help with this.
See also: A Beginner’s Guide to WordPress Plugins
Manual Migration: How to move your WordPress site yourself
Into the nitty-gritty, now. Manual migration gives you full control, making it ideal for those who don’t mind the extra work and want full customisation at every step.
The DIY approach demands technical know-how, so if you’re confident in your skills and enjoy getting hands-on, it’s an option. Just be aware, if you’re not familiar with file transfers or databases, mistakes can happen.
Here’s how you can manually migrate your WordPress website to a new host, step by step:
1. Backup, backup!
First things first: before you get started, be sure to back up your current WordPress website — files, database, and everything else. If your website is important to you (and, let’s face it, it probably is), this step is a biggie. If anything goes wrong during the move, you’ll have everything safe and sound, ready to get back up and running.
2. Create a New Database
WordPress uses a MySQL database to store all the important parts of your website — be that posts, pages, user accounts, or settings.
When migrating your site, this database needs to move with it, as it holds everything that makes your site work. Choosing automatic or manual migration, the database transfer is always part of the process.
The first step, then, will be to head over to your new host’s control panel (eg., cPanel) and set up a fresh MySQL database.
You’ll need to:
☐ Create the database itself.
☐ Add a new user and assign them full privileges to the database.
☐ Keep note of the database name, username, and password—you’ll need these later.
Be sure to select the correct character set and collation for the database (typically utf8mb4_general_ci) for full compatibility with your content.
3. Install WordPress (if you haven’t already)
If WordPress isn’t already installed on your new host, now’s the time. Use the installation tool provided by your hosting platform or download WordPress direct from wordpress.org — WordPress itself is free to use, after all.
If you are migrating to a subdomain or a folder (e.g., example.com/wordpress), make sure WordPress is installed in the appropriate directory.
4. Download your site files
Use an FTP application like FileZilla to connect to your current host and download your site files.
☐ Log in to your old server with your FTP credentials.
☐ Navigate to the root folder, often named “public_html” or something similar.
☐ Download everything in this folder to a safe place on your computer.
Double-check that you’re downloading hidden files, such as .htaccess or wp-config.php. Some FTP programs allow you to download directories recursively to simplify the process.
This step might take a little while, depending how big your website is.
5. Export your database
Next, export your site’s database using phpMyAdmin. This tool is usually available in your host’s control panel.
☐ Log in to phpMyAdmin and select your WordPress database from the left-hand menu.
☐ Click on the “Export” tab, choose the “Quick” export method, and hit “Go.”
☐ Save the exported database file to your computer.
This file contains all your site’s content, settings, and data. For larger databases, you can use the “Extended” export method to get more control over the export settings.
6. Upload your files to their new host
Now, it’s time to move everything to your new host.
☐ Open your FTP application again, this time connecting to your new server.
☐ Navigate to the “public_html” folder (or the equivalent root directory).
☐ Upload the site files you downloaded earlier.
Make sure everything from your old host is transferred across.
After uploading, check that the file permissions are set correctly (755 for directories, 644 for files) to avoid any access issues.
7. Import the database
To upload your database to your new host, you can use one of the following methods:
☐ Via phpMyAdmin: This method is beginner-friendly and involves using the Import tab within your control panel to upload your database file.
☐ Via cPanel: Use the Backup Wizard or MySQL Database tools to restore your database.
☐ Via SSH: A more advanced option for users comfortable with command-line tools.
For full step-by-step instructions, check out our support article: How do I import a MySQL database?
8. Adjust your configuration file
The final step is to edit your WordPress configuration file (wp-config.php) so it points to the new database.
☐ Open the wp-config.php file (you’ll find it among the files you uploaded) using a text editor.
☐ Update the database name, username, and password with the details of your new database.
☐ Save the changes and re-upload the file via FTP.
If your database prefix is different (e.g., wp_), make sure to update that too. Also, if you’re migrating to a subfolder or subdomain, you may need to update the WP_HOME and WP_SITEURL settings within the wp-config.php file.
9. Check, tidy up, and secure.
Once the migration is complete, visit your website and make sure everything looks good. If something seems off, don’t worry — check your database details and file uploads to ensure everything’s in place.
Next, update your domain’s DNS records to point to the new host. This will link your site to its new location, but it can take up to 48 hours for the changes to fully take effect.
Head to Settings > Permalinks in your WordPress dashboard and click “Save” to refresh your permalinks. This helps avoid broken links.
Lastly, do a quick scan for missing images, broken pages, or issues with contact forms. If anything’s still off, double-check your file settings, PHP versions, or any leftover data from your old host.
Finally, to secure your site, delete any migration files, and keep a backup of your database and important files — just in case!
See also: A Guide to .htaccess Files for WordPress
Final checks
After you’ve moved over (whether automatically or manually), it’s time for a few final checks to make sure everything’s working right.
Test Your Site
Give your site a full once-over. Click through every page, post, and menu to check that everything’s where it should be. Make sure images load properly, links work, and any forms or interactive elements are still functioning.
Reactivate Plugins
If you disabled any plugins before the move, now’s the time to switch them back on. Check their settings, as some may need adjusting on the new host.
Update domain settings
If you changed domains, update your domain details in your new hosting control panel and in WordPress itself (Settings > General).
Update DNS Records
Point your domain to your new host by updating your DNS settings. This can take up to 48 hours to fully propagate, so don’t panic if things don’t update instantly.
Keep a backup of your database and important files just in case. Oh, and don’t forget to cancel your old hosting plan — no need to pay twice!
Wrap up
There are plenty of reasons you might need to migrate a WordPress website — whether it’s for better performance, enhanced security, or simply switching to a more reliable hosting provider. Whatever the reason, moving your site doesn’t have to be complicated. With the right tools and support, it can be straightforward, potentially giving you a faster, more secure site that’s ready for business.
Learn more about Managed WordPress Hosting from 123 Reg.
