How to Migrate a WordPress Website to a New Host

Move your site safely, without downtime, even if it’s your first time

Migrating your WordPress website to a new host might sound intimidating—especially if you’re not a developer.
But with the right tools and process, it can be surprisingly smooth.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the exact steps to safely move your WordPress site to a new hosting provider, with zero coding and minimal downtime.

Why Migrate Your WordPress Site?

Whether you’re looking for better performance, support, or pricing, there are plenty of reasons to switch hosts. But if done wrong, migration can lead to broken pages, lost media files, downtime, and SEO issues.

That’s why we’ve broken the process down into manageable steps with a free tool to make the transfer hassle-free.

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📹 Prefer to watch instead? 

Here’s the full video tutorial you can follow:

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Tools You’ll Need

For this tutorial, we’re using the All-in-One WP Migration plugin, a beginner-friendly tool that makes full-site transfers simple.

No manual file downloads. No database headaches.

✅ Works on all major hosting providers
✅ Supports large sites (even with images, plugins, and custom themes)
✅ Just install, export, import—done!

Step 1: Backup Your Site Before Anything Else

Even with reliable tools, backups are your safety net.

🔒 Pro Tip: Use a backup plugin like UpdraftPlus or JetBackup before doing any major site move.

Step 2: Install All-in-One WP Migration on Your Current Site

1. Log in to your current site’s WordPress dashboard
   
2. Go to Plugins → Add New
   
3. Search for All-in-One WP Migration
   
4. Click Install Now, then Activate

Step 3: Export Your Website

1. In the left sidebar, go to All-in-One WP Migration → Export
   
2. Click Export To → File
   
3. Wait for the export to complete and download the .wpress file
   

💡 This file contains everything: your posts, media, plugins, theme, and settings.

Step 4: Set Up WordPress on Your New Host

You’ll need a fresh WordPress installation on your new host.

1. Log in to your new hosting panel (like Hostinger, Bluehost, etc.)
   
2. Use the 1-Click Installer to install WordPress
   
3. Log in to the new WordPress dashboard

Step 5: Install the Same Plugin on the New Site

On the new WordPress dashboard:

1. Go to Plugins → Add New
   
2. Search for All-in-One WP Migration
   
3. Install and activate it again

Step 6: Import Your Site File

1. Navigate to All-in-One WP Migration → Import
   
2. Choose the .wpress file you downloaded earlier
   
3. Wait for the file to upload (can take a few minutes)
   

⚠️ If you get a file size limit error, you may need to edit the upload limit or use their free File Extension plugin.

Step 7: Save Permalinks and Re-login

Once the migration is complete:

1. Go to Settings → Permalinks and click Save Changes (no need to modify anything)
   
2. You’ll be automatically logged out—log in again using your original credentials

Step 8: Point Your Domain to the New Host

You’re almost done.

• If you’re using the same domain, go to your domain registrar (like GoDaddy, Namecheap)
  
• Update the nameservers to the new hosting provider’s DNS
  
• Wait for propagation (usually takes 1–24 hours)
  

🌐 This step ensures your domain now points to the new server where your site lives.

Final Step: Test Your Site

Double-check that everything is working:

✅ Pages and posts load correctly
✅ Images display properly
✅ Plugins and themes are active
✅ SSL certificate is installed (your new host usually provides this)

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