What should you prepare before migrating?
- A full backup of files and database from the current host, stored somewhere else.
- Access to your domain’s DNS — know where it is managed (your registrar, your old host or a service like Cloudflare).
- A list of everything the site uses — database, email accounts, scheduled tasks, SSL certificates, redirects, PHP version and extensions.
- Where your email lives — if it’s on the old host, it needs its own plan.
- A quiet window — choose your lowest-traffic time for the final switch.
How do you migrate a website step by step?
- Lower the DNS TTL — A day or two ahead, so the switch spreads quickly.
- Copy files and database — To the new host, matching software versions.
- Test privately — Preview the new server before the world sees it.
- Freeze and final sync — Pause changes, copy the latest data.
- Switch DNS — Point the domain at the new server.
- Watch and keep the old host — Monitor, then cancel the old plan later.
What happens at each stage?
1. Lower the TTL. Every DNS record has a “time to live” — how long other servers cache it. Lowering it a day or two before the move means that, when you switch, visitors pick up the new address quickly instead of hours later.
2. Copy everything. Move the files and export and import the database. Match the PHP version and extensions so nothing behaves differently.
3. Test privately. Use your computer’s hosts file or a temporary preview address to load the site from the new server while the public still sees the old one. Click through key pages, log in, submit a form and — for stores — place a test order.
4. Freeze and sync. For sites that change constantly, like stores and membership sites, pause new content or put the store in maintenance briefly, then copy the latest database so no orders are lost.
5. Switch DNS. Update the A record (and any related records) to the new server. With a low TTL, most visitors move within minutes.
6. Watch and wait. Keep the old host running for a few days. Check error logs, forms, emails and payments. Only cancel once you’re sure nothing is still pointing at it.
What usually goes wrong in a website migration?
- Email stops working — the MX records were changed, or not changed, by accident. Plan email separately.
- Orders are lost — the store took orders on the old server after the final copy.
- SSL errors — the certificate wasn’t ready on the new server at switch time.
- Missing scheduled tasks — cron jobs that send emails or sync stock weren’t recreated.
- Hard-coded addresses — old server paths or IPs left in settings.
- Cancelling the old host too soon — before confirming everything moved.
Does Cloudflare make migration easier?
It can. If your DNS is on Cloudflare, changes take effect very quickly and your visitors connect through Cloudflare rather than directly to your server, so the switch is smoother. Free Cloudflare on our account is included with our web hosting. For whole servers or larger systems, see our guide to cloud migration.
Questions we get asked
How long does it take to move a website to a new host?
The copying can be quick for a small site; the planning and testing take longer. Allow time to lower the DNS TTL a day or two before the switch.
Will moving hosts affect my SEO?
Not if the site, its addresses and its redirects stay the same and there’s no downtime. Check that nothing returns errors after the move.
What happens to my email when I change host?
It depends where your email is hosted. If it’s on your old web host, it needs its own migration plan; if it’s elsewhere, keep the MX records unchanged.
Can Speed Linx move my site for me?
Yes. We can migrate your website to our hosting, test it before the switch and keep the old host as a fallback until everything is confirmed.
Something else on your mind? Ask us directly →
