Previously, I had my Wordpress blog transferred to a new web hosting and without further ado, I’m going to explain steps I’ve did to get the process smoothly. The first step you need to do if you want to move your Wordpress blog to a new web hosting is:
1) Upgrade your Wordpress
Upgrade your Wordpress installation. This is important if you want to use Fantastico to install Wordpress script in your new web hosting later as they tend to provide the latest version of the script for automatic installation.
2) Backup needed files and database
a) Backup your wp-content folder that usually contains your uploaded files and images, plugins, and themes filles. Backup also other personal files you wish to transfer to the new host. A good FTP program that let us do this quick is FileZilla since it’s free and easy to use. Keep the files properly in your hard disk.
b) Identify the database name that your Wordpress blog is currently using and then backup it using phpMyadmin. How you are able to do that has been explained briefly by Wordpress team here. Backup several copies for safety. If you plan to download the database using Firefox browser, don’t opt to get the file in .gz archive as Firefox might corrupt it later.
note: What you should have now in hands are: database + any files you wish to transfer + folders and files in /wp-content folder. If you got all the items, then proceed to the next step..
3) Change your domain’s name servers
Change the nameserver of your domain to the name servers provided by your new web hosting company using your domain registrar control panel. As example, for Host Gator change to: ns565.hostgator.com, ns566.hostgator.com while for Dreamhost, change to: ns1.dreamhost.com, ns2.dreamhost.com).
Usually, DNS propagation will take some time to complete so while waiting, turn to the next step. Make sure that you can access your FTP server (where you can upload files) in your new web hosting using FTP program first. (Refer to your new web hosting’s documentation in FTP section)
3) Install Wordpress (fresh install) in your new web hosting.
After you have verified that the FTP program can connect correctly, using Fantastico or any other script installation service in the cPanel, do a fresh installation of Wordpress blog in your new web hosting. After that, delete its database.
4) Upload needed files and database to the installation folder
a) Using the FTP program again, upload files in /wp-content folder just now to the same folder in your new installation. Choose overwriting when the FTP program ask you what to do with the file with the same name.
b) After finished uploading, upload your previous blog’s database to your web hosting using phpMyAdmin. If your database file is larger than 8mb, then e-mail your new web hosting company technical support to import it for you: upload the database in your old web host + email them the download link and your account details.
5) Connect your Wordpress to the database
Connect your fresh installation of Wordpress just now to the database imported by editing required database information in wp-config.php file in the root folder of the installation (where you can find index.php in), according to your imported database name, user name, password, and host name (usually localhost).
6) Done!
If all steps are done correctly, your blog should start working as usual now. Good luck!
June 23rd, 2007 at 3:40 am
Well for cpanel users the steps won’t be anything like this. Just create a full backup through cpanel and you are ready to go. Change dns etc. Done.
So hows hostgator doing? I’m thinking to switch to a new hosting too. Hmmm…
June 23rd, 2007 at 3:43 am
Testing the comment section to see if it’s fixed yet.
June 24th, 2007 at 3:44 am
izzatz: Yeah, not all webhosting has cpanel though and so far Hostgator’s doing fine.
vincent chow: Just a minor plugin problem with the latest version of wp which I have fixed two days ago. Dun worry..
July 1st, 2007 at 7:21 pm
i usually do not do a fresh install of wordpress…just copy and paste…but sometimes there is needs to change the path of the software as if you have change control panel like cpanel to hsphere or direct admin, things would change.
July 2nd, 2007 at 9:49 am
yeah,.. that’s why I decided to write basic process of transferring blog in this post. Thanks for dropping by.
August 14th, 2007 at 9:52 am
You can just import all of your posts. But for the layout and such just copy the files over. Backing up your stuff should be done often anyways
September 17th, 2007 at 5:37 am
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October 6th, 2007 at 6:57 am
hey man.. its very nice and much thank of you man..
sooo good and sooo informative..
keep it man..
November 12th, 2007 at 4:30 am
Ahoy,
I’m on hostgator and i’m using cPanel and i’ve used your guide lol.. the long way around I guess.
It is useful to me though, coz my blog’s on a subdomain.. so backing up the site wouldn’t work for me.
Thanks for the great tut mate.
January 20th, 2008 at 10:24 am
Great article. But there is a simple way to move the database, even it’s a little more technical and uses Navicat for sql management.
February 16th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Thanks for this tutorial. I am in the process of shifting my blog to a new host & have a question. I could not understand the exact process as described by you in step 4(b) above (..after finished uploading, upload your previous blog’s database to your web hosting using phpMyAdmin…)Forgive my ignorance but can you please explain in detail how to upload my previous database to new host ? Or can you please point me to any existing tutorial on this?
February 17th, 2008 at 2:13 am
“upload your previous blog’s database to your web hosting using phpMyAdmin” means you have to upload the .sql file of your Wordpress blog into the new webhosting (to replaced Wordpress new installation’s default .sql file) by using phpMyAdmin.
If you wonder how phpMyAdmin looks like and how to use it
you can refer to http://www.phpmyadmin.net or the documentation provided in your Web hosting website.
Good luck.
February 17th, 2008 at 2:29 am
@Eklavya, Have you sucessfully exported your blog’s DB (database) yet??
If not, you also have to use something called PHPmyAdmin. This is a simple program that is rather userfriendly.
Drop me a mail at chris at riply.co.za and i’ll help you through the process!!
Hope you come right,
CJC
February 17th, 2008 at 6:44 am
I have downloaded the sql file in my harddisk. Fuad your reply popped another question in my mind. In the last para of step 3 you have written : “After that, delete its database.”. Does it mean that after making a fresh installation of wordpress on new host, I should select the database of this fresh WP installation and drop it’s tables? There appears to be no option in PHPmyAdmin for deleting the database. Is dropping the tables of a database is as good as deleting it ?And if that is the case, then after droppping the tables, should I click on ‘import’ button and select the ,sql file stored in my harddisk? Please help as you tutorial is the only one which explains this process in some understandable language. All other tutorials I have searched so far are not good enough.
February 23rd, 2008 at 7:10 pm
[...] I am still a newbie when it comes to technical stuff of Wordpress. However, with the help of some excellent tutorials on shifting wordpress, I could do that. Soon I shall write my experience of this shifting process [...]
April 1st, 2008 at 10:48 pm
how about subdomain.
If i change hosting and changing my blog to subdomain ?
I got error where they can’t detect my files as all the content and post is still link to root directory.
April 5th, 2008 at 5:48 am
there seems to be a problem with this solution… the wordpress installation wont even happen if the domain is not shifted the new host first. The last steps in wordpress installation happen on the actual domain so you have to shift the domain first.
April 21st, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Nice guide, Thanks a lot. I will be watching this blog always.
May 27th, 2008 at 4:13 am
[...] How to Move Your Wordpress Blog To A New Web hosting - great technical advice on backing up and restoring your WP blog [...]
June 1st, 2008 at 2:44 pm
@ rohit
no. wordpress can be installed even if it’s not shifted to the new webhot. I followed this guide and the transfer went as smooth as silk. I am now hosted with blue host. I installed wordpress first after verifying the domain. deleted the installed databse and uploaded the one I have and did transfer the wp-contents folder. After that, I changed the Name servers. No downtimes. Thanks
August 11th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
[...] How to move your Wordpress blog to a new web hosting [...]