How to Move a Website to a New Host (Without Downtime)

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Lessons 10 of 10

People move hosts for many reasons: slow pages, poor support, or a renewal price that suddenly doubled. Fortunately, moving is much easier than it sounds. The key is to keep your old host running until the new one works, so your site stays online the whole time. That way, you can move a website to a new host with no downtime at all.

Step 1: Back up before you move a website to a new host

First, make a full backup of your files and database. Use your old host’s backup tool, or a WordPress backup plugin. Download the backup to your computer as well, so you have a copy that does not depend on any host.

Step 2: Choose how to move the website to the new host

Method	Best for	Effort
New host’s free migration service	Beginners, WordPress sites	Lowest
WordPress migration plugin	Most WordPress sites	Low
Manual copy (files + database)	Custom sites, developers	High

On Hostinger, for example, the free service sits under Account → Migrate Website in hPanel, according to Hostinger’s migration guide. You add a request with your site’s details, and their team moves it, usually within 2 to 48 hours.

Step 3: Copy the site to the new host

• Migration service: submit the request and wait for the confirmation email.
• Plugin: install WordPress on the new host, install the same plugin on both sites, then export from the old and import on the new.
• Manual: upload the files, import the database, and update the database details in your site’s configuration file.

Tip: before a service migration, turn off two-factor login and anti-bot protection on the old site temporarily, so the migration team can log in.

Step 4: Test the site before you switch

Next, preview the copied site on the new host. Most hosts offer a temporary address or preview link. Check the homepage, a few posts, forms, images and the admin login. Fix any problem now, while visitors still see the old host.

Step 5: Point your domain to the new host

Then log in to your domain registrar and change the nameservers (or the DNS records) to the ones your new host gives you. DNS changes spread gradually, so some visitors reach the new server within minutes, while others take up to 48 hours. Our lesson Domain Name vs Web Hosting shows how nameservers work.

Step 6: Finish up and cancel the old host

1. Make sure SSL is active on the new host (the padlock shows).
2. Turn two-factor login and security plugins back on.
3. Check email still works if your email was at the old host.
4. Wait at least a few days, then cancel the old plan.

Mistakes to avoid when you move a website to a new host

• Cancelling the old host before DNS has switched.
• Forgetting email accounts and their messages.
• Moving during your busiest sales day.
• Not keeping a downloaded backup of your own.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose SEO if I move a website to a new host?

Not if your domain and URLs stay the same and the site stays online. In fact, a faster host can help your rankings.

How long does it take to move a website?

The copy itself takes minutes to a couple of days, depending on the method. After that, DNS can take up to 48 hours to update everywhere.

Do I need to move my domain too?

No. You can keep the domain at its registrar and only change where it points.

What’s next

Your website now runs on its new host. Next, get to know the dashboard in cPanel vs hPanel, or browse the full Web Hosting track.