How to Migrate WordPress in 5 Minutes, No Plugins

In this video we explain how to move a website built with WordPress from one server to another with no need for extra plugins, in just a few minutes.

For the simplest move you only need two things: access to the old hosting and access to the new one, and the domain, database names, and connection user must stay the same. The video uses cPanel as the control panel.

Video summary

A WordPress site has two parts: a set of files (the public_html folder) and a database. The move consists of exporting both from the old host and importing them into the new one.

1. On the old host, open phpMyAdmin, select the database, and use Export (without changing any options) to download the SQL file.
2. Open the File Manager, go into public_html, select everything, and compress it into a .zip. Download the archive.
3. On the new host, create a database and a user with all privileges on it.
4. Upload and extract the .zip into public_html on the new host.
5. Import the SQL file into the new database from phpMyAdmin.
6. Edit wp-config.php and replace DB_NAME, DB_USER, and DB_PASSWORD with the new database’s details.

No plugin is needed — doing it directly from the panel is usually faster, especially on sites with a lot of files.

This method works with no further changes only if the domain stays the same. If you’re also changing domains, keep reading the full guide below.

Full manual migration guide

This guide expands on the video’s process for more complex migrations: a domain change, an online store, or when you want to test the new site before switching DNS.

What you need

• Access to both the old and new hosting.
• File manager, FTP/SFTP, or SSH.
• phpMyAdmin or MySQL access.
• DNS management for the domain.
• A complete backup (see WordPress backup and restore).
• An SSL certificate at the destination.

Don’t cancel the old hosting until you’ve confirmed the migration works and the DNS propagation window has passed.

Phase 1: prepare the migration

Before copying anything, note the domain and its www variants, the PHP version, the database name and size, cron tasks, email accounts (if they’re moving too), and the current DNS. Update WordPress, plugins, and the theme if it’s safe to do so, and confirm you have credentials for both hosts.

If you manage the DNS zone, you can lower the TTL on the records you’re about to change a day or two beforehand, to speed up adoption of the new IP after the switch.

Phase 2: copy the old hosting

Export the database with phpMyAdmin, WP-CLI (wp db export copy.sql), or mysqldump, and copy every file in the install (wp-admin, wp-content, wp-includes, wp-config.php, .htaccess, index.php), including hidden and custom files.

Keep a second, untouched copy that you won’t modify during the process.

Phase 3: prepare the new hosting

Add the domain in the new panel without changing DNS yet if you plan to test first. Select a compatible PHP version, and create the database, user, and a strong password, noting the full names (the panel may add an account prefix).

Phase 4: restore on the new hosting

Upload and extract the files into the domain’s public folder, checking that index.php ends up at the correct root rather than inside an extra folder. Import the database with phpMyAdmin, WP-CLI (wp db import copy.sql), or MySQL.

Update wp-config.php with the new host’s database name, user, password, and DB_HOST, and check that $table_prefix matches the imported tables.

Phase 5: test before switching DNS

To check the new site without affecting visitors, you can temporarily force your own computer to resolve the domain to the new IP by adding a line to your system’s hosts file:

NEW_IP yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com

Flush your local DNS cache, open a private window, and confirm you’re seeing the new server. Remove the line when you’re done. Check the homepage, pages, images, /wp-admin, forms, email, permalinks, the store, and cron tasks.

Phase 6: sync the final changes

If the site keeps receiving content, orders, or sign-ups while you prepare the migration, schedule a short maintenance window: export the database again, import the final copy, copy any new uploads files, test, and then switch DNS.

Phase 7: switch DNS

Change the domain’s A record and www’s (plus IPv6 or CDN records if you use them). Don’t delete mail records (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC) if email isn’t moving. During propagation, keep both servers active — some visitors will land on the old one and others on the new one.

If the domain is also changing

Besides moving files and the database, update home and siteurl, replace URLs in the database with a tool that handles serialized data correctly, and set up 301 redirects from the old domain. See how to change the WordPress URL for the detailed procedure, including using wp search-replace.

Follow-up tasks

Activate and check SSL, clear every cache (plugin, server, CDN), recreate the panel’s cron tasks (they don’t copy over automatically), and check email delivery, since the server change can affect the IP and SMTP authentication.

Don’t cancel the old hosting until you’ve confirmed DNS has propagated, the site is stable, SSL works, email is working, and you have a final complete backup.

Common issues

Database connection error

Check DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD, DB_HOST, and the user’s privileges. See database connection error in WordPress for more detail.

The site redirects to the old hosting

Check the DNS, cache, the home and siteurl options, and your computer’s hosts file.

Broken images

Confirm you copied the entire wp-content/uploads folder, with its permissions and paths.

404 errors on internal pages

Go to Settings > Permalinks and save again to regenerate the rules.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to change the URL if I keep the same domain?

No. If the domain and path stay the same, copying files and the database and updating the necessary credentials in wp-config.php is enough.

Can I migrate using only WordPress’s Export tool?

That tool moves content, but doesn’t always include the theme, plugins, settings, or every file. It’s not equivalent to a full migration.

Do I need to change the nameservers?

Not necessarily. You can keep the current DNS and only change the web records.

Is it better to request an assisted migration?

For stores, Multisite, large sites, or projects with no room for data loss, a migration carried out or supervised by support reduces risk.

Conclusion

Migrating WordPress manually means copying the files and database, recreating them on the destination host, and updating the credentials in wp-config.php. For the simplest case (same domain) the process takes a few minutes; if you’re also changing domains or running a store, follow the full guide and always test before making the DNS switch permanent.