How to Move Your Website to New Hosting

Quick answer: Back up everything, set up the site and email at the new host, test it on a temporary address, copy your DNS records, then switch the domain. Keep the old hosting running for a few days, and redirect any changed page addresses.

Before the move

• Get access to the old hosting, domain and website admin. Without it, moves stall.
• Take a full backup of files, database and email.
• List every DNS record, especially MX, SPF, DKIM and verification records.
• Note any special settings: redirects, cron jobs, forms and payment integrations.

The steps

1. Copy the website files and database to the new host.
2. Create the same email accounts at the new host, if email is moving too.
3. Test the site on a temporary address before switching.
4. Lower the DNS TTL a day before the switch.
5. Update the DNS records or nameservers to point to the new host.
6. Move old mailbox contents to the new mail server.
7. Check the website, forms, SSL and email from several devices.

Keep your Google rankings

If page addresses change during the move or a redesign, add 301 redirects from every old address to the matching new one. Submit the new sitemap in Search Console. Without redirects, links and rankings built over years can be lost.

Don't cancel the old host too early

Keep the old hosting for at least a few days after the switch, until DNS has updated everywhere and all email has been collected.

We plan and do the whole move for you. See domains and hosting.