Move a site to another host
Updated
You can move a site to any WordPress host. The site uses only free plugins and a free theme, so it needs no paid licence at the other host, and moving it doesn't need hosting. You copy the site with the Migrate Guru plugin, then tell us the domain where the moved site opens, so the dashboard keeps pointing at the right site.
Copy the site with Migrate Guru
The Move to another host section of the site's page lists four steps.
- Create an empty WordPress site at the other host, and note its domain.
- Select Open WP Admin in the section, go to Plugins, and activate Migrate Guru. Sign in to WordPress admin explains how to sign in.
- Open Migrate Guru, enter your email address, and follow its steps to copy the site to the other host.
- Check that the site works at the other host.
Tell us where the site moved
After the copy works, enter its domain in Domain at the other host under the heading "Migrated to a different domain? Update it here". Enter the domain name only, for example example.com, with no spaces. Select Check domain.
We check that the site at that domain is this site before anything changes. If the check doesn't pass, a message under the field says why.
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| We couldn't reach the domain. | Check that the moved site opens in a browser at the address, then check again. |
| The site doesn't have the Local Service Core plugin active. | Activate the plugin in WordPress admin at the other host, then check again. |
| The site is a different site. | Check the domain, or finish the move with Migrate Guru, then check again. |
| The site rejected our sign-in. | Some hosts and security plugins turn off WordPress application passwords. Turn them back on at the other host, then check again. |
| The site isn't a copy we can verify. | Copy the site again with Migrate Guru so its database comes along, then check again. |
| The address is on our servers. | Enter the site's domain at the other host. |
| The domain took longer than 30 seconds to answer. | Check again in a minute. |
A site's domain can be checked 20 times in an hour. After that, try again later.
What happens when you confirm
When the check passes, the section reads "We found" the business name "at" the domain, with a Confirm the move button. Only the workspace owner can confirm, because the move takes our copy of the site offline. A dialog lists what happens, and Keep the site here is the safe choice.
- Our copy of the site goes offline and shows a "This site is unavailable" page.
- A custom domain connected to our copy is disconnected from it.
- When the site has hosting, hosting for our copy ends on the date shown, with no refund.
- We keep our copy and its backups.
- From now on, changes you make to the site from the dashboard go to the site at the domain you confirmed.
After the move, the section reads "Moved to another host" with the date. It says our copy is offline and kept as a backup, and that you can contact support to bring it back online if the move didn't work. The domain form stays, so you can enter a later domain if the site moves again. A later check that passes opens a shorter dialog that only changes the domain.