Blog · Guide · December 9, 2025
How to move a WordPress site to a new host without downtime
Switching hosts does not have to mean a broken site or lost orders. The trick is simple: build the new copy first, test it, and only then send visitors to it.
Most migration horror stories have the same cause: the old site was switched off before the new one was ready. A safe move turns that around. Your current host keeps serving visitors the whole time, and nothing changes for them until you are sure the new copy works.
1. Take stock before you start
Write down what the site depends on: the PHP version, the database size, any cron jobs, email settings (contact forms often send through the host), and anything that talks to an external service such as a payment gateway or CRM. Check how large the uploads folder is, because that usually decides how long the copy takes.
2. Lower your DNS TTL a day early
Your domain's DNS records have a "time to live" that tells the internet how long to cache them. If it is set to several hours, some visitors will keep reaching the old server for that long after you switch. Lower it to five minutes a day before the move, and the switch will take effect almost immediately.
3. Copy files and database together
Copy the WordPress files and export the database at the same moment, so they match. A migration plugin can do both in one step; on larger sites, copying over SFTP and importing the database with WP-CLI is faster and more reliable. If the site takes orders or comments, pick a quiet hour so little changes during the copy.
4. Test the new copy before anyone sees it
This is the step people skip. Open the new copy without changing DNS, for example through a temporary address from your new host or by pointing the domain to the new server in your computer's hosts file. Click through the important pages, log in to WordPress, submit a form, and run a test order if you sell online.
5. Switch DNS, then watch
When everything works, point your domain's records to the new server. Thanks to the low TTL, most visitors arrive within minutes. Issue the SSL certificate on the new server, keep the old host running for a few days in case anything was missed, and copy over any orders or comments that arrived during the switch.
6. Clean up
Raise the TTL again, check that backups are running on the new host, and only then cancel the old plan.
Or let us do it
Every Netkeel customer gets free migration. Tell us where your site is now and our team copies it to your Netkeel server, so you can check everything before you switch your domain.
Launch your first server today.
Create your account, add a payment method and launch a server in a few minutes. Netkeel handles the updates, backups and security.