Ultimate WordPress Migration Checklist: Everything You Need to Move Web Hosts Seamlessly

Migrating a WordPress website to a new web host can be daunting, especially if you’re doing it for the first time.

First of all, there are a lot of steps. 

Second, anything can go wrong. Content can go missing. Design can break. Links may not work. The site might not load, no matter how many times you punch the refresh button. 

And finally, you have to figure out where it went wrong. At which precise point did it all break down? Needle in a haystack. 

What you need is a checklist. A comprehensive WordPress migration checklist. 

The good news is that you’ve found it.

TLDR: Use Migrate Guru to seamlessly migrate your site for free. It handles all the tricky parts automatically. For the rest, use the checklist below.

The WordPress migration checklist will outline how you should prepare for the process and what you should do after the migration is complete to ensure everything works and you don’t lose SEO performance.

How to make migration easy

Shifting your website to a new host can happen for a variety of reasons. 

You might be seeking better performance or need more storage space. Maybe you’re looking for improved security, or a better support team to rely on. Whatever your reason, moving hosts should be easy—but it rarely is.

To help with this process, a migration checklist is your go-to guide. It covers all aspects of WordPress migration, from making backups to final testing. Think of it as your step-by-step companion to ensure nothing gets overlooked.

In this article, we’ve put together a general checklist for WordPress migration. While some steps are handled automatically by Migrate Guru, we’ve included everything for those who prefer to take the manual path.

Pre WordPress migration checklist

Before even beginning the migration process, there are a whole bunch of preparatory steps. They set the stage for success. Don’t skip any of them.

Step 0: Always take a backup

Before you begin your migration, always start with a WordPress backup. This is your safety net in case anything goes wrong. 

It saves you from potential headaches and ensures you don’t lose any valuable content or data. Remember, preparation is key!

Step 1: Choose a hosting provider

Chances are you have already picked a web host. This new host will be the home for your website. 

Since you’re moving, it is because the old one fell short. Pick wisely. 

Here are some things to consider:

• Performance and speed
• Reliability and uptime
• Storage space
• Customer support
• Cost and scalability

While our checklist makes migration easy, constant moves aren’t ideal. Make informed decisions about hosting for your WordPress site now to save future hassle.

Step 2: Set up WordPress on your new host 

Next, you need to set up WordPress on your new host. This can be done in two ways.

Some hosts offer automated installation, which is quicker and simpler. Otherwise, you can perform the WordPress setup manually.

⚠️ Ensure that the PHP version on your new host matches your current host. This saves you from complications later. If you need to select an older PHP version for now, don’t worry. You can update it once the migration is complete. If they’re not, an HTTP 500 Error may occur.

Remember, handle one major operation at a time to avoid unnecessary complications.

Step 3: Gather all the credentials

First, get the login credentials for both your current web host and the new one. You’ll need these to access your hosting accounts during migration.

Next, make sure you have the FTP credentials for your site. These are essential for transferring files between your computer and the server. 

Having all these credentials ready-to-hand ensures a smooth migration process.

Step 4: Domain decisions

If you’re changing the domain name, the process is much easier. Just purchase a new domain from a registrar, and you’re good to go.

However, if you’re keeping the same domain name, you’ll need access to your domain nameservers. They might be linked to your web hosting account, making the migration process a bit tricky. 

If this is the case, you have two options:

1. Opt for a domain-only plan.
2. Migrate the domain to another registrar.

No matter your choice, ensure your domain points to your site on the new host after migration. 

Create a checklist of all the URLs on your site to keep track. Downloading a sitemap is a good starting point.

Step 5: Set up for success

Before starting with the migration, you need to prep your site.

First, enable maintenance mode. This keeps out all users and ensures no changes occur during the migration process.

Second, disable all firewalls and caching plugins. Don’t worry; you’ll re-enable them once your site is up and running on the new host.

Third, check your file permissions. If the WordPress file permissions are too restrictive, the migration may fail. 

This will not apply to every site, but also need to verify if the WordPress database prefix has been changed. Open up the wp-config.php file to check. Migrate Guru handles this well, but you may face issues when setting up on the new host if changes were made.Finally, open up analytics and identify a slow traffic time. This way, the migration will cause minimum disruption for your site visitors and users.

Checklist for WordPress site migration

Now, you’re ready for the main event: migrating your site. 

Step 6: Migrate your site

It’s best to use Migrate Guru for this, rather than attempt a manual migration, to avoid complexity and errors.

Migrate Guru is a free migration plugin specifically built for WordPress. It’s host-agnostic, meaning it can seamlessly transfer your site from any host to another—except from localhost. Migrate Guru can’t help you there. Not yet anyway. We’re working on it.

Some hosting providers have their own migration plugins: Automattic, Pantheon, LiquidWeb, and more. Many of them are actually Migrate Guru under a different name, so you can confidently use them too.

Step 7: Set up the domain

Whether registered with a domain registrar or through your host, you’ll need to add the new site’s IP address to the nameservers.

This tells browsers where to look for a site when someone types the domain name in the URL box. 

Step 8: Change the URLs

When you switch to a new domain name, it’s not enough to just move the files and database over. 

This is because there are still references to your old domain name in the database. It could be in media links, internal links between pages, and so on. Leaving these in will result in errors. 

To fix this, you need to search and replace all mentions of the old domain with the new one across your site. 

⚠️ Simply changing the home or site address in WordPress settings won’t be enough. It could lead to losing access to your wp-admin. You’ll need to get into the database to resolve that issue.

Obviously, this is impossible to do manually. Use a plugin like Better Search and Replace or Velvet URLs. 

You can also use a handy WP-CLI command: search-replace. If you’re comfortable with the command line, this saves you a plugin installation. 

Step 9: SEO considerations 

The biggest fear from changing hosts is the impact on SEO. If done correctly, there should be zero to minimal impact. If you’re keeping the same domain, there’s not much to do. But if you’re changing domain names, make sure to:

• Add correct redirects: This includes checking the .htaccess file, where some people place redirects instead of using a plugin.
• Update permalinks and URL structures.
• Post announcements about the change to inform your audience.

These are the basics. You may need more in-depth SEO migration guidelines, if you have a complex setup.

Post WordPress migration checklist

So you’ve migrated your site. Now, you need to set it up to work the same way it did before the migration. 

Step 10: Reset the site

• Re-enable all plugins that you disabled earlier during preparation. 
• Disable maintenance mode. 
• Clear all caches. 

Step 11: Check everything

Time to make sure everything transferred correctly.

• Check all major pages and posts.
• Test forms and any important site workflows to ensure everything functions smoothly.
• Review any licenses or keys for paid subscriptions. These are often tied to domains, so ensure they’re updated to function properly.
• Verify your SSL certificates. This is especially important to renew if you’ve changed your domain name.
• Crawl your site to find any issues like broken links, redirect chains, and so on.

Step 12: Shut down the old hosting account

You don’t want to pay 2 bills, do you? Cancel the account, but only after successful migration.

Troubleshooting

If everything went well… well you wouldn’t be reading this section. 

Even with the best migration checklist in the world, there will be the occasional hiccup. Because each site, host, user, network has their unique characteristics. And those don’t always play well together. 

If you’re facing issues with your site on the new hosting, let’s diagnose the problem. 

Site looks different

Perhaps you didn’t use Migrate Guru, but another method or did it manually. Hopefully, you took a backup. Restore that backup on the original hosting and double-check the configuration.

For extra security, update all outdated plugins and themes. Remove any that aren’t actively used. If you’re using a page builder, these can be troublesome sometimes. Try deactivating it and switching to a stock theme to see if it resolves the issue.

Site isn’t loading or returns an error

Did you change the URLs when switching the domain name? With Migrate Guru, this step is covered, but if you used another method, you may need to do a search and replace of the old domain with the new one across the entire database. This isn’t something you can do manually, so a specialized tool or plugin will help.

Migration plugin failed the migration

This could be due to the size of your site. If your site has a large database, measured in gigabytes, many plugins might struggle. Migrate Guru is designed to handle larger sites better, so consider using it if size is an issue.

Error establishing a database connection

This error points to an error with the database and its connection to your site. 

Was the database prefix changed on the site? Check the wp-config.php file. The default prefix is wp_ but people often change it for security reasons. (Not good reasons, but reasons.)

The database credentials (DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD, DB_HOST) may also be incorrect. Reconfirm those in the wp-config.php file.

Alternatively, the database server may be down. That’s a problem that the web host will fix.

Critical error

The most eloquent of errors. Not. 

Critical error tells you nothing. However in the context of migrations, it generally refers to a PHP error. 

While that doesn’t narrow it down a great deal, you can troubleshoot WordPress errors in a few ways.

Conclusion

Now, your site has a new home and everything is in place. Migration is a big task, but with preparation and the right tools, it’s manageable. Remember, each step brings you closer to a more efficient website. As you finalize this process, know that you’ve done it with care and confidence. You’re well-equipped for any future migrations. Keep your checklist handy, and happy hosting!

FAQs

What is a WordPress migration checklist? 

A WordPress migration checklist is a step-by-step guide to help you move your website to a new host or domain without missing any crucial steps.

Why do I need a checklist for WordPress migration?  

A checklist ensures no important tasks are overlooked, reducing the risk of errors like broken links or missing content during migration.

What are the essential steps in a WordPress migration checklist?

Essential steps include taking a backup, choosing a new host, setting up WordPress, gathering credentials, setting up the domain, migrating the site, and checking everything post-migration.

Why is it important to follow a WordPress migration checklist when migrating your site?

A lot of things could go wrong when migrating a website. If you follow our WordPress migration checklist, then rest assured that you’ll be migrating your site safely and efficiently.

How do I verify that my WordPress site is functioning properly after migration?

Re-enable any disabled plugins, check major pages and features, ensure the domain redirects properly, and verify SSL certificates are in place.

Is there professional help available for WordPress migration? 

Yes, many professionals and services offer WordPress migration help to ensure a seamless transition. But with the right plugin and checklist, you can absolutely pull it off on your own.

What post-migration steps are necessary to ensure everything is working?  

Re-enable plugins, check site functionality, verify domain URL changes, ensure SSL certificates are updated, and announce any domain changes.

What are the best practices for migrating a WordPress website?  

Best practices include using reliable migration tools like Migrate Guru, backing up your site, and choosing a low-traffic time for migration.

What is the best way to transfer a domain and web hosting of a site from a different provider to minimize downtime?  

Use a tool like Migrate Guru for a smooth transfer, update DNS records promptly, and schedule migrations during low-traffic periods to minimize downtime.

How do you prepare for a site migration?  

Prepare by backing up your site, gathering all credentials, checking file permissions and PHP versions, and enabling maintenance mode.