Website migration checklist: moving your site to a new host

The short answer

To move a site to a new host, record everything first, copy files and database to the new server, test it before going live, lower DNS TTL in advance, then switch DNS at a quiet time and watch closely. Keep the old host running until you are sure email, forms, redirects and search visibility are working.

Why people move, and what can go wrong

Common reasons are slow performance, poor support, outgrowing a plan, a change of platform, or a wish to bring several sites under one account. Whatever the reason, the risks are the same: downtime, broken pages, lost email, lost form submissions and a drop in search visibility if addresses change by accident.

If you are also changing the domain name or the platform, treat those as separate projects with their own plans. See our guides on changing your domain name and, for shops, the ecommerce platform migration checklist. Moving the same site to a different host should leave every web address exactly as it was.

Before you touch anything: take stock

List what is running on the current host. People often forget that hosting does more than serve pages.

• The website files and the database.
• Email accounts and mailboxes, if hosted there. See email hosting versus web hosting.
• DNS records, where they are managed and who has the login. Our guide to DNS records explains the types.
• Scheduled tasks, such as automatic emails or backups.
• The security certificate and redirects.
• Server settings your site relies on, such as the software version.
• Third-party connections that use the server's address, like payment or booking tools.

Save a full copy of the DNS records, take a complete backup and keep it in a separate place. Record the current speed and the key pages to compare later. Choose a time when traffic is low, away from sales peaks.

Choose and prepare the new host

Check that the new host supports what your site needs, such as the right version of the programming language and database. If you are unsure what to look for, read how to choose web hosting. Ask whether they help with moves, and whether you can test the site before changing DNS.

Set up the new account, create the database, and copy the site files and data across. Some hosts and platforms offer migration tools or plugins; others need a manual copy. Either way, update the configuration file so the site points at the new database.

Test before the switch

The new server should be tested while the old one still serves the public. There are two common ways: use a temporary address supplied by the host, or point only your own computer at the new server through a local setting your developer can explain. Then check, using a list:

1. Home page, key landing pages and a few older pages all load.
2. Images, fonts and downloads display.
3. Forms submit and the notification email arrives.
4. Logins, search, checkout and booking work.
5. Web addresses and redirects behave as they did.
6. HTTPS works with a valid certificate.
7. Speed looks no worse than before.

Block search engines from indexing the temporary address, so the test copy does not appear in results. The staging site guide explains how test copies are handled.

Switching DNS

DNS records tell the internet where your site and email live. When you change them, the update spreads gradually, because other servers keep a stored copy for a period set by the TTL (time to live) value.

• A day or two before the move, lower the TTL on the relevant records so changes spread faster. Check your DNS provider's documentation for the minimum allowed.
• Check the current mail records and recreate them exactly if email moves or stays put, whichever is intended.
• On the day, freeze changes on the old site, especially orders and comments, then take a final copy of the data and import it into the new server.
• Update the records to point at the new host.
• Keep the old host running while the change spreads. Some visitors will reach the old server for a while.

Do not cancel the old account yet.

After the switch

Watch closely for the first days. Re-run your test list on the live domain, send test emails in and out, place a test order if you sell online and check that forms still reach you. Review error logs and search tools for new crawl errors; Google Search Console, for instance, reports crawl and indexing problems. Check uptime monitoring is pointed at the right place and restore your normal DNS TTL.

Run backups on the new host and test one restore, as described in the backup guide. Only when everything has run properly for a sensible period should you cancel the old hosting, and keep a final archive of it first.

A simple timeline

Spreading the work over a few days keeps the stressful part short. The outline below is an example you can adapt.

• A week or more before: inventory, backups, choose the host, lower expectations about the date and tell staff.
• A few days before: build and test the copy, lower the TTL, prepare the redirect and email checks.
• Move day: freeze edits, copy final data, switch DNS, test.
• Following days: monitor, fix small issues, keep the old host alive.
• Afterwards: restore the TTL, confirm backups, archive and cancel the old account.

Name one person to make the go or no-go decision, and agree in advance what would make you roll back by pointing DNS at the old server again.

Common mistakes

• Cancelling the old host before DNS and email have settled.
• Forgetting that email lives on the old server and losing mailboxes.
• Leaving the new copy open to search engines during testing.
• Changing web addresses during the move and not redirecting.
• Forgetting scheduled tasks, certificates or third-party connections.
• Moving on a Friday afternoon with nobody watching.

A calm, listed process beats a clever one.

Related guides

• Website development
• How to Choose Web Hosting: Types Explained
• Website Backups: How Often and Where to Keep Them
• Website redesign seo checklist
• Types of web hosting explained
• Domain name vs website vs hosting

Questions and answers

Will moving hosts hurt my search rankings?

It should not if web addresses stay the same, pages load correctly and downtime is short. Problems usually come from broken redirects, blocked crawling or changed addresses, so test carefully and monitor afterwards.

How long does a website migration take?

It depends on the size of the site and the platform. The copying may be quick, but testing and DNS spread take time. Plan for the full process, and do not rely on an exact estimate.

Will my website be down during the move?

Not if you test on the new server first and keep the old one running until DNS has spread. A short freeze on orders and edits around the final copy is common.

What happens to my email when I change host?

If email is hosted with the old provider, it must be moved or its records kept intact. Check your mail records before changing DNS and test sending and receiving afterwards.

What is DNS TTL and why change it?

TTL is how long other servers keep a stored copy of a record. Lowering it before the move lets the new address spread faster. Check your DNS provider's documentation for allowed values.

When can I cancel the old hosting?

After the new site, email, forms and backups have worked properly for a sensible period, and after you have saved a final archive of the old account.