How to Move a WordPress Site from One Server to Another
So you’ve developed wordpress on one server and want to move it to the client’s choice of server?
No sweat – just follow these steps and you should be fine:
Note: This tutorial assumes that the entire site is powered by WordPress and that the WordPress files are installed in the root of the website. If you’ve got the build working in a directory like /blog/ then make modifications as needed.
Step 1. Downloading Files:
Start by downloading the /wp-content/uploads/ folder from your development server.
Anything you’ve put into the client’s development site through WordPress application will be stored there, but probably won’t be on your local drive.
It also won’t hurt to download the /wp-content/themes/ folder that you’ve been working in – especially if you’ve collaborated with others on this project and are not using a Subversion system.
Step 2. Exporting the Database:
In the hosting control panel for your existing build, you’ll need to get all of the data you’ve put into the system out. Using Tools > Export in WordPress is helpful but to ensure you get everything from the existing database, you should really use PHP MyAdmin and export all of the database tables.
Launch PHP MyAdmin, Log In using the existing database credentials, select the database you want to export from the left, then click the Export Tab. Select the Save Without Compression checkbox and you’ve got a backup on your desktop.
Step 3. Creating the New Database:
In the environment that the client has chosen to host the final WordPress-driven site, you’ll need a new database. Ideally, you will have both the Control Panel and FTP credentials before the day of launch. A good rule of thumb is getting this from the client a week or two ahead of time to account for any issues. If you can’t get Control Panel access, have the client create a Database for you and have them list the Database Name, Username, Password and Host Name. That and FTP will do the trick – but the client may have to import the database for you. Configure the wp-config.php file for your new site/database and continue to Step 4.
Step 4. Uploading
Backup the client’s existing website first. Then upload all of the appropriate wordpress folders to their host. At this point, you may want to delete the files in the root of their site and replace them with the wordpress root files to make the transition complete. Remember to update the wp-config.php first to be sure it will connect with the new database.
Using a web browser, navigate the website and type /wp-admin/ after the url. Hopefully you encounter the WordPress screen where you can name your site, sign in for the first time and see the system working correctly.
It’s a really good idea at this point to go to Settings > General and make sure the URL is pointing to the correct address of the live website. (See screenshot below:)
Step 5. Importing the Data into the New Database:
Now you’ll want to get the data you’ve entered into the development site into the live site. This step is very similar to Step 2 – only the reverse. Log into PHP MyAdmin in the new hosting environment and click Import. Select the file from your desktop and you should have a working copy of the development site.
Step 6. Fixing Bugs
Sometimes during transitions you’ll encounter problems where the live site is looking for file uploads that reference the old development URL. The easiest way we’ve found to fix these problems is to install the Search and Replace plugin and find the old URL and replace it with the new URL.
Hope this was helpful. Cheers!
James Bower
Great blog, reading it through RSS feed as well
bisnis internet
Your list step by step what we have to do, very helful, thanks.
nabeel
for those who are still having trouble related to transferring wordpress from one domain to other or simply changing hosting, specially updating the blog domain name and are having issues like being redirected to the old domain name or the layout issue, check out the step 4 here:
tech.nabtron.com/how-to-transfer-wordpress-from-one-server-to-another/488/
Backup
Hello Guru, I am glad I pressed harder enough until I found backup, because this post on Move a WordPress Site from One Server to Another | Fresh Tilled Soil was extremely helpful. Just last Tuesday I was pondering on this quite a bit.
Build First Website
WordPress is a good place to start. Make sure you take time to learn how to make it a self hosted website on your own domain. I made the mistake of using free blogging platforms when I first started. That is quite simply a waste of time, since you don't own it.
don luttrull
I wish I would have read this sooner, I rebuilt my entire site LOL.
порно онлайн
best best best!!!
manish
I love to this great plugin. It saves my lot of time . you are genious and more then engineer .
garden hammock
Good “how to” guide. Sorry for being off topic but I want to subscribe to read more of your how to guides and I cant seem to find your rss button. I just bookmarked it for meantime. Thanks. – Pat
Harriet Wiln
This post and the comments remind me of that movie where the girl starts posting craziness…
freshtilledsoil
I like the way you think, Harriet. Have you ever seen "Jumpin Jack Flash?"
kevinlearynet
Harriet, you are an evil genius. Correct, ma'am. Correct.
Quincy Emiliano
Very informative post, great post. Subscribed to feeds
Mohammad Pascuzzi
Great Post. Highly impressed.
Else Broach
Great post, I read this a while ago and, since then . I was wondering… can I translate your post into portuguese – with link to your original post, of course?
Myrtle Wingerson
That’s a very interesting post that you have. I stumbled on a new one the other day. They look open , but very similar to linkedin.com with more of a social business directory look and feel. Nice clean interface though. Found it at SocialTerrain.com
Jose
Keep posting stuff like this i really like it
lineage2
god thanks a lot,this is very useful!!
stylo
Hi, nice method but there is one problem. when i login to my dashboard and upload any image its not uploading so i did some changes in config.php now its working totally fine
Luke
Thanks for the guide! I just sold a website and had no idea how to transfer the database!
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CamAmateur
is it me or is there a JS error? anyways well written post
Ola Löfvén
Great guide. I also put up a guide, and recently moved a few installations when changing webhost. Perhaps your guide is a little easier to read
Etheline Cimatu
Hi, maybe you can help me. I am just wondering how long should this type of job take? I did a similar undertaking for a small firm locally and the site was simply static pages.
I took maybe a total of 11 hours in a span of 3 days to get this done. The task involved working with phpmyadmin, config.php, setting up new users, temporarily redirecting modifying .htaccess, backup, download/upload ftp and so on.
I am asking to have a basis on what to charge future clients.
Thank you.
Anita Elder
One thing to note – sure you can export/import your database. But what it doesn’t do is carry over your WP theme, menu or widgets. you have to set those up all over again. It also doesn’t export/import all the plug-ins you may have used.
Alex F.
Great points, Anita. Readers should be aware that they’ll need to download and backup their theme and take note of which plugins they’re using. Typically on sites we’ve worked on, there are usually 3-6 Plugins we’ve found to be the most useful and they’re relatively easy to re-install.
prasad
does changing site from one server to another affect website traffic
Alex F.
Hi Prasad. Thanks for the comment. If the URL structure is exactly the same and you move the Website/Blog to the new server, test it and then change the DNS, traffic should not be affected. Once the propagation of the new Nameservers ‘takes’ users will simply visit the new site and your search rankings would also relate to the same URL’s.
Nikia
Thank you so much this was very helpful!
Alex F.
Glad it was helpful, Nikia
Save the great apes!
This is excellent!!
Thanks a lot
Alex F.
Thanks Paul!
steel targets plate
Currently it appears like Drupal is the top blogging platform available right
now. (from what I’ve read) Is that what you are using on your blog?
Alex F.
We’re currently using WordPress. We have some experience with Drupal but we’re more familiar with WordPress so that’s what our site is built on.