How do I migrate my WordPress site to a new host without issues?

The migration will depend on the website itself and the tools that the website uses. Keep in mind that to transfer a website, you essentially need to transfer your content, which is in your hosting.

Let's assume that you're not changing domain, only a hosting, then ideally, these would be the less-technical steps:

• Backup your content (This is always a good idea)
• Download your content from your current hosting
• Install a WordPress on your new hosting
• Upload the downloaded content
• Go into your domain provider and update the DNS, to point to the servers of new host
• Wait a bit, sometimes 24-48 hours
• Once it's done, make sure that all of the content is transfered and make sure that all your tools are in place

The best option to (auto) migrate your WordPress site is by using the WPvivid Backup Plugin, follow these steps:

Install WPvivid Backup Plugin:

• Go to your WordPress dashboard.
• Navigate to Plugins > Add New.
• Search for WPvivid Backup Plugin and install it.
• Activate the plugin.

Migrate Your Site Automatically:

• Go to WPvivid Backup > Auto-Migration
• Get the Migration key from the wpvivid plugin where you want to transfer the site ( New Host) and save it.

Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the migration.

Restore on New Site:

On the new site, install WPvivid Backup Plugin.

Go to WPvivid Backup > Restore/Migrate.

Click Restore and upload the backup file.

Complete the restoration process.

WPvivid will handle the migration and backup automatically based on your settings. Make sure to check the migration logs for any issues.

To migrate your WordPress site to a new host:

1. Backup Your Site: Use a plugin like UpdraftPlus or All-in-One WP Migration to backup your site (files + database).
2. Set Up WordPress on the New Host: Install WordPress on the new host.
3. Transfer Files: Use FTP or the plugin to move your WordPress files to the new host.
4. Export and Import the Database: Export your database from the old host and import it to the new one via phpMyAdmin.
5. Update wp-config.php: Update the database details in your wp-config.php file.
6. Update DNS: Change your domain’s DNS to point to the new host.
7. Test Your Site: Once DNS changes propagate, check that everything works properly.

This ensures a smooth migration with minimal downtime.

Migrating your WordPress site to a new host can seem daunting, but if you follow the right steps and use the right tools, the process can be smooth and seamless. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you migrate your WordPress site to a new host without issues:

Backup Your WordPress Site Before doing anything, please keep backup  your entire WordPress website using a free plugin like All-in-One WP Migration, UpdraftPlus or duplicator

Set Up Your New Hosting Account

Choose a Host: Sign up with your new hosting provider (e.g., SiteGround, Bluehost, Godaddy, etc.).

Set Up Your Domain: If you're keeping the same domain name, make sure it’s linked to your new host by updating your domain’s nameservers (this can be done through your domain registrar).

Install WordPress on the New Host: Install WordPress via your new hosting provider’s control panel (most hosts offer one-click WordPress installation).

Upload your backup website Using a Migration Plugin

If you want a simpler process or avoid manual steps, consider using a migration plugin such as:

All-in-One WP Migration, Duplicator, UpdraftPlus

These plugins allow you to back up, transfer, and restore your entire site to the new host with just a few clicks. They can significantly simplify the migration process, especially for beginners.

Common Issues and How to Avoid Them

Broken Links: After migration, make sure all URLs are updated correctly, including media links, internal links, and hard-coded URLs. Using a plugin like Velvet Blues Update URLs can help.

Missing Media: If media files don’t appear after migration, check that the wp-content/uploads folder has been properly transferred.

Permalink Structure Issues: If pages give 404 errors, go to Settings > Permalinks in the WordPress dashboard and re-save the settings.

By following these steps carefully, you can migrate your WordPress site to a new host with minimal downtime and avoid common issues.

There are multiple ways and approaches to transfer or migrate WordPress from old hosting provider to a better VPS or Dedicated Server.

First you need to determine the size of your WordPress installation including Files and the Database.

You must ensure to take backup of your files and database.

If your site is old and bigger in storage size, the backup will take longer to perform on budget shared hosts.

If your site is a dynamic one and constantly get updated with user inputs, you must ensure to enable the maintenance mode before initiating the transfer or migration of WordPress site or WooCommerce Store, so that your data integrity remains fine.

Two ways:

a. Manual

1. You can manually backup wordpress folder and take backup of mysql database from phpmyadmin [if you don't know the database name, check from wp-config.php] - This method might require some hosting path updates after the migration.

2. Upload the WordPress files and MySQL database to new hosting server, after adding your domain and creating a new database. 

3. MySQL Database can be imported using PhpMyAdmin. [If database size is bigger, you might need to do it over SSH, require command line skill]

4. DNS Update to new server's IP. [This could take 24 - 48 hours depending on your DNS provider]

5.  Once DNS is propagted, you will be able to apply for SSL on your domain on new hosting.

6. Test the website and it's performance. Check the permalinks structure to ensure that URLs work correctly.

b. Automated with Plugins - You can use plugins like Duplicator, All in One WP Migration, UpDraft Plus, WPVivid Backup and Migration [Please note that, you must ensure to correctly configure the plugin, folder paths and certain runtime configs to run them properly otherwise at some hosts, plugins could create trouble while creating the backup]

Migrating your WordPress site to a new host can be smooth if done correctly. Here’s a simplified guide to help you move your site without issues, focusing on both manual and plugin-based approaches.

1. Choose Your New Host

Pick a reliable host that offers good speed, security, and support. Some hosts offer free migration, so check if this is an option.

2. Backup Your WordPress Site

Before migrating, backup your site’s files and database.

Manual Backup:

Files: Use FTP (like FileZilla) to download all files from your current host. ( Each hosting provides FTP credentials )

Database: Use phpMyAdmin to export your database as a .sql file. ( usually in cPanel you can find phpMyAdmin )

Plugin-Based Backup: Use plugins like Backup Migration or All-in-One WP Migration. These plugins simplify the process by backing up everything (files and database) and making it easy to restore on the new host. Do note, some of these altough free, above certain size require Premium version.

Backup Migration is completely free and easy to use.

All-in-One WP Migration also offers a free version for smaller sites.

3. Set Up Your New Host

Install a fresh WordPress setup on the new host. Do note if it offers Softaculus app installer or direct WP installation, creation of database is not necessary!

Create a new MySQL database (your host should provide an option for this).

4. Transfer Your Site

Manual Transfer:

Use FTP to upload your site files to the new host.

Import your .sql database backup via phpMyAdmin.

Plugin-Based Transfer:

Install Backup Migration or All-in-One WP Migration on your new WordPress site.

Import your backup file created earlier. These plugins will handle the database and file transfer automatically.

5. Update wp-config.php

If you migrated manually, update the wp-config.php file to point to the new database credentials (DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD).

6. Change DNS Settings

Update your domain’s DNS settings with the new host’s nameservers. This step may take a from couple of minutes up to few hours to propagate ( max 72 hours ).

7. Fix Permalinks and Test the Site

Once your site is live on the new host:

Go to Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes to refresh URL structure. ( Advisable to save them twice! )

Test all your pages, forms, and links to ensure everything works as expected.

8. Monitor and Optimise

Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to check your site’s speed.

Set up backups on your new host using a plugin like UpdraftPlus or Backup Migration.

Using plugins like Backup Migration or All-in-One WP Migration makes WordPress migration simpler, especially for beginners and users without any previous experience. For manual migration, careful backups and database handling are the key to successful migration. Always test your site thoroughly after migration to ensure everything works properly, all links are correct and images/media files are correctly displaying.

The most important thing when migrating a WordPress website to new hosting is that the new hosting plan fully meets the requirements of website. Depending on the size of the website and the traffic on the website you will need it: shared hosting, VPS or dedicated hosting. 

Depending on which hosting you choose you can do the migration to the new server in several ways:

• Manual migration, you will have to export and import yourself files and database from old to new hosting.
• Automatic migration using some of wp plugins for migration.
• Automatic migration using hosting tool (if the new hosting has that migration tool) for migrating WordPress websites or hosting panel like cPanel or WHM.

Here is steps how to migrate your WordPress website to a new hosting:

• Select a new hosting plan or new hosting company for your website.
• Backup and export your WordPress website (files and database).
• Import your website to the new hosting plan.
• Edit your wp-config file and change database name, username and password.
• Point your domain to your new host by changing the nameservers.
• Because of DNS Propagation after 48 hours from the changing nameservers you may need to synchronize data between the old and new database.
• Make sure everything is working as expected on the new host and fix all issues.