Currently I am migration three websites to a different hosting. After wild migration of the first one I decided to make a checklist what to do. It’s general. In my case I should put there things like back up, delete and upload wp-config.php, so it’s not exhaustive but a starting point.
Old hosting
- Make list of plug-ins on your current website, just in case
- Log in to your old hosting through FTP
- Download folder ‘wp-content’. This folder contains plug-ins, themes and uploaded files like images
- Log in to your WordPress website administration
- Go to ‘Tools’ -> ‘Export’
- Click ‘Download Export File’
- Save it on the disk
- Remember where you saved it
New hosting
- Change DNS records at your domain registrar to new hosting
Manual method
- Download WordPress installation archive from wordpress.org
- Extract the file
- Upload contents of the folder to a new hosting through FTP
- Gather all necessary information from your host
- If necessary create new database
- Go to your website
- Follow the wizard
- This might not work as new DNS might not be updated everywhere
Installation scripts
- Check if host has installation scripts
- If not, use manual method
- Use them
- Follow your host’s instructions
After installation
- Log in to your new hosting through FTP
- Upload folder ‘wp-content’
- Log in to WordPress administration
- Here you need a bit of caution because new DNS servers might updated everywhere
- Go to ‘Users’ -> ‘Add New’
- Create new user with ‘Administrator’ role. Select just before button ‘Add New User’
- Log out
- Log in as the user you just created
- Delete the default user
- Go to ‘Tools’ -> ‘Import’
- Choose WordPress
- Install the plugin
- Click on ‘Choose file’ and locate the exported file
- There might be different text on the button, this exact phrase is valid only on my computer. It should be something similar
- Assign all posts to the new user if it is appropriate
- Check settings for all plug-ins
- Congratulations! You have just migrated your WordPress site
Conclusion
I hope it’ll help you. I will keep this as is probably for the next two years before my hosting expires.