Hey all, as the title says. Started my site on Bluehost, but I realized it wasn’t the best fit and want to move to a new server. I’ve got my site design just how I want it, and it’s getting decent traffic now. Is it possible to switch to a different host and still keep all the WordPress settings, design, etc.? I’m new to all this, so any guidance would be awesome.
Thanks in advance!
Nope, you won’t lose it. Just move your site to the new host. Most of them handle it for you.
Erick said:
Nope, you won’t lose it. Just move your site to the new host. Most of them handle it for you.
Great, thanks for clearing that up!
What others are saying is true, but let me add a bit more info.
If you’re not super familiar with WordPress, it’s important to know that the database is even more essential than the files in your Bluehost public_html folder. People sometimes copy files but forget the database, and then their site doesn’t work!
There are plugins and guides for migration, and if you follow one of them, switching hosts shouldn’t be a problem.
(I do this all the time for clients. Moving a site isn’t hard, but emails and domains are a bit more work. Still, the whole process isn’t as tough as it seems.)
@Easton
People keep saying ‘just use a plugin,’ but not every site on the internet is WordPress, lol
Molly said:
@Easton
People keep saying ‘just use a plugin,’ but not every site on the internet is WordPress, lol
For Bluehost sites, the methods I mentioned should work fine.
Molly said:
@Easton
People keep saying ‘just use a plugin,’ but not every site on the internet is WordPress, lol
For Bluehost sites, the methods I mentioned should work fine.
I was referring to the general advice out there, not yours.
Just to be on the safe side, try backing up your site using a free plugin like Updraft Plus. The plugin may prompt you for paid options, but you can make backups for free without issues.
LEON said:
Just to be on the safe side, try backing up your site using a free plugin like Updraft Plus. The plugin may prompt you for paid options, but you can make backups for free without issues.
Depends on your file size though! There’s a limit on the free storage, just FYI.
I suggest watching a few YouTube videos on migrating your WordPress site. Most new hosts should help, but knowing the tools and methods makes it easier.
I use Updraft. Makes moving a site a breeze.
If your site has email attached, like Technical-Jeff suggested, switching hosts with cPanel access is simple. Just update your nameservers when ready, and all settings transfer over.
Nah, you won’t lose anything. Moving to a new host is easy, especially if they offer cPanel migration.
Technical-Jeff covered it well. Pick a host that does free migrations. Sign up, request migration, and they’ll handle it while your site stays live. Once done, test the new setup, and if everything’s good, just switch the DNS!
Definitely go for it! I moved to Nixihost, and they migrated my site for free in under 24 hours. No issues at all.
How about downloading all files from cPanel’s File Manager, then uploading to the new host? Will that work?
ByteVaultUS1 said:
How about downloading all files from cPanel’s File Manager, then uploading to the new host? Will that work?
That’s missing a major part – the database. Without it, your WordPress site won’t work.
@Amy
So, does my method not back up the whole site?
ByteVaultUS1 said:
@Amy
So, does my method not back up the whole site?
Nope. You need to also back up the database in cPanel. After that, on the new host, restore the database and update the config file to link it up.
@Amy
If I just want to save the WordPress content, can I only save the files?