How to Backup and Restore WordPress Site to New Server
Imagine this your WordPress website is finally getting good traffic but your current hosting server keeps crashing or loading slow. You have decided it’s time to move to a faster, more reliable host. But here is the scary part, what if you lose all your hard work during the move?
That’s where learning how to backup and restore WordPress site to new server comes in. It’s not as complicated as it sounds and trust me once you understand the process, you will feel confident doing it anytime you switch hosting or need to safeguard your site.
Let’s break this down step by step in simple and beginner friendly language.
How to migrate wordPress website one to another hosting
Why You Should Always Backup Your WordPress Website
Before we start moving anything let’s quickly talk about why backups are so important.
A backup is like a safety net for your website, It’s a complete copy of your site’s files, database, images, plugins and everything. If something goes wrong during migration or anytime in the future you can restore it in minutes.
Think of it like this:
- You would not jump out of an airplane without a parachute, right?
- Similarly, you shouldn’t make big website changes without a backup.
- Even the best web hosts can experience server failures or human errors. So having your own backup means your hard work is always safe and you stay in control.
What You will Need Before Starting
Here is a quick checklist before we move your website:
- Access to your current hosting account where your website is currently hosted.
- Access to your new hosting account where you want to move your site.
- Login details for your WordPress admin dashboard.
- A reliable plugin or manual method to back up your site.
Once you have got all this, let’s move to the fun part creating your backup.
Step 1: Backup Your WordPress Webite
There are two main ways to back up your site using a plugin or doing it manually.
Let’s look at both options.
Option 1: Backup Using a Plugin (Recommended for Beginners)
- This is by far the easiest and safest method especially if you are not tech savvy.
- One of the best plugins for this job is All in One WP Migration, UpdraftPlus, or Duplicator.
- Let’s use All in One WP Migration as an example.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Install the Plugin
- Log into your WordPress dashboard.
- Go to Plugins and click Add New.
- Search for All in One WP Migration.
- Click Install Now then Activate.
2. Export Your Site
- Go to All in One WP Migration – Export.
- Click on Export To File.
- The plugin will package your entire website database, themes, plugins, uploads, etc. into a single file.
- Once it’s ready click Download to save the backup file to your computer.
That’s it your website is safely backed up and ready to move.
Option 2: Manual Backup For Advanced Users
If you prefer doing things manually here is what you will need to do:
1. Backup Your WordPress Files
- Log into your current host via cPanel go to File Manager or an FTP client like FileZilla.
- Download your entire public_html or www folder.
- This folder contains all your website’s files like themes, plugins, uploads, etc.
2. Backup Your Database
- Go to cPanel phpMyAdmin.
- Select your WordPress database.
- Click Export, Quick then Go to download it as an SQL file.
Now you have a complete manual backup of your WordPress site.
Step 2: Upload Your Backup to the New Server
Now that your website is backed up, it’s time to move it to your new hosting account.
If you used All in One WP Migration this part is super easy.
Here’s what to do:
- Install WordPress on your new hosting account. (Most hosts let you install it in one click from cPanel or their dashboard.)
- Once installed, log into your new WordPress dashboard.
- Install the All-in-One WP Migration plugin again.
- Go to All-in-One WP Migration → Import.
- Click Import From → File and upload the backup file you downloaded earlier.
- Depending on your website size it may take a few minutes to upload and restore.
Once done, you will see a message saying the import was successful.
What is the difference between web hosting and website builder?
Alternative: Manual Restore Method
If you backed up manually follow these steps to restore your website manually:
1. Upload Your Files
- Connect to your new host using FTP or File Manager.
- Upload all the WordPress files you downloaded earlier into the public_html folder.
2. Import Your Database
- Open phpMyAdmin on your new host.
- Create a new database name it anything you like.
- Click Import and upload your SQL database file.
- Once uploaded, note down your database name, username, and password.
3. Update the wp-config.php File
- In your site files, open wp-config.php.
- Update the following lines with your new database details:
define(‘DB_NAME’, ‘yournewdbname’);
define(‘DB_USER’, ‘yournewdbuser’);
define(‘DB_PASSWORD’, ‘yournewdbpassword’);
define(‘DB_HOST’, ‘localhost’);
- Save and close the file.
Now your site should be connected to your new database and ready to load.
Step 3: Update Your Domain DNS (Point to New Server)
Once your new server has your website files and database, it’s time to point your domain name to your new hosting server.
Here’s how:
- Log into your domain registrar (e.g., Namecheap, GoDaddy, Hostinger, etc.).
- Find the option to update your DNS or nameservers.
- Replace the old nameservers with the ones provided by your new hosting provider.
Example:
ns1.newhost.com
ns2.newhost.com
Save the changes.
It may take a few hours up to 24 hours for DNS propagation to complete. During that time your website might still load from the old server for some visitors that is totally normal.
Step 4: Test Your Website on the New Server
Once your domain starts pointing to the new server open your website and test everything:
- Visit multiple pages and posts.
- Check images, menus, and contact forms.
- Log into the WordPress dashboard and make sure all plugins and themes are working fine.
- If something doesn’t look right, clear your browser cache or WordPress cache and check again.
- Most of the time everything works perfectly after restoring.
Step 5: Delete the Old Hosting Account Optional but Important
- Once you have confirmed that your website is working smoothly on the new server, you can safely cancel your old hosting account.
- But don’t rush wait at least a few days to ensure everything is running fine and that no data is missing.
- When you are sure go ahead and close the old hosting plan to avoid being charged again.
Bonus Tips for a Smooth Migration
Here are a few extra tips that can save you a lot of headaches:
- Disable caching plugins before taking a backup they can cause migration issues.
- Keep multiple backups one on your computer and one on cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox.
- Check your PHP version on the new host it should match or be newer than the one on your old server.
- Test your website on a temporary domain or staging URL before switching DNS.
Following these tips ensures a seamless migration every time.
Conclusion: WordPress Site Backup and Restore
So, that’s it you have successfully learned how to backup and restore WordPress site to new server without losing data or breaking your site.
At first, it might seem a bit technical but once you do it step by step it becomes surprisingly simple. Whether you use a plugin like All in One WP Migration or do it manually, the key is preparation always take a complete backup before making any big move.
Your website is your online asset, protect it like one!
Have you ever moved your WordPress site to a new host before? Share your experience or any questions in the comments below, I’d love to hear how it went!
FAQs – Backup and Restore WordPress Site to New Server
How can I easily backup and restore WordPress website to new server?
The easiest way is by using a plugin like All in One WP Migration or UpdraftPlus. These tools automatically back up your website and let you import it on a new host in just a few clicks no technical knowledge needed.
Can I move my WordPress site to a new server manually?
Yes! You can manually back up your website files and database via File Manager and phpMyAdmin then upload them to your new host. Just make sure to update your wp-config.php file with the new database details.
Will moving my WordPress site affect my SEO or rankings?
No, if done correctly your SEO won’t be affected, Just make sure your domain name stays the same and the website structure (URLs) doesn’t change after migration. Always test your website thoroughly after restoring.
How often should I backup my WordPress website?
Ideally, you should back up your WordPress site at least once a week or more frequently if you publish new content daily using a plugin that automates backups makes this easy.
Final Tip: Always keep at least one off site backup on Google Drive, Dropbox, etc. so you can restore your WordPress website anytime even if your hosting fails.
Discover more from hostifylab.com
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
