How to Move WordPress Site to New Server

How to move WordPress site to new server is a question we get from our visitors who recently started building their online empire. This tutorial will show you how to move a WordPress site  to new server easily with Duplicator Plugin. Migrating a WordPress site to a new domain or a new host is not as hard as it sounds. Luckily, there are some free plugins that help you move WordPress site to new host or a domain easily. In this article you will see which steps will lead you to a successful site migration process.

Why Duplicator?

Duplicator makes the website transfer process very simple. If you are not happy with your current domain and move your site to a new domain, this plugin is the only tool you need. Duplicator is also very handy if you want to use the same website template on multiple sites. Just create 1 back up and install it on unlimited sites with Duplicator with some easy steps such as:

• Install Duplicator Plugin On Your Existing WordPress Site
• Create A Back Up For Your Existing WordPress Site
• Move WordPress Site To New Host Or New Domain
• Install Your New WordPress Site

Install Duplicator Plugin On Your Existing WordPress Site

First thing, you need to install Duplicator plugin on your current site so the plugin can create a back up.

Create A Back Up For Your Existing WordPress Site

After you successfully installed and activated the Duplicator, it will appear on your WordPress side menu. Simply go to Duplicator>Packages.

On the following screen click Create New button. The plugin will create a package (back up) and save it for you so you can re-download it in the future.

After you click Create New button, you should see the setup screen, this is the first step of creating the database. You don’t have to edit anything on this screen, just click Next.

After you click Next, it will scan your site for a few seconds, this is the second step of the back up process. After the scan, you’ll see Scan Complete screen. Click Build button. 

Third and the last step of creating the database on Duplicator Plugin is called “Building Package”.  On this step, it will literally start building the zip file that contains all your WordPress site files and your database file (.sql file), in short; it’ll put everything about your site in a zip folder. This step might take a few minutes depending the size of your site.

Finally, back up creating process is done. Download both installer file (installer.php) and Archive file (zip file). Later you will upload these 2 files to your new site’s root folder.  Please keep reading.

Move WordPress Site To New Host Or New Domain (second part)

Now we have the Archive and the Installer file. These 2 files will the only files you will need in order to install the site but before that, we will have to take a few simple steps. First step is creating a new database with MySQL Databases. 

Create A Database

1. Go to your hosting page and look for cPanel and on the cPanel find and click MySQL Databases.
2. Create a new database and a new user for the new site. Then add this new user to the new database you just created. Remember, you will need the new user’s password later, so you might want to save it until the whole installation process is over.

► If  you haven’t assigned the domain to the new host, go ahead and assign the domain as an Addon Domain.

Second step is uploading the zip file and installer.php to your domain’s root folder. We have the back up files and a new database now. On the cPanel find and click File Manager. Find your new domain’s root folder and delete everything if there are any files and upload the zip file and installer.php file into this folder. If you are using shared hosting, your domain’s root folder would be in public_html folder.

Install Your New WordPress Site

After you have successfully uploaded the back up files. Simply go to example.com/installer.php

When you go to example.com/installer.php you should see the Deployment screen ↓ 

Click Next and you should see Install Database screen. Go ahead and enter the database name, user name and user password you created on MySQL Databases. After you entered these information click Test Database and if you entered everything correctly, you will see a Success notice. Then, click Next and on the pop up screen click Yes. 

On the following screen you will see the new settings of your freshly installed site. Click Next.

Congratulations! You have successfully moved your WordPress site to new host (or domain). Simply click Site Login to go to your WP Login page. Login credentials are the same as your old site’s WP login credentials.