This guide will show you how to step-by-step migrate a WordPress website from your current cPanel to a different cPanel. There are many reasons why you would need to do this. You may have built the site for someone and need to migrate it to their own account. You could be moving from one hosting company to another. We will start off in the cPanel you are wanting to move your website out of. Let’s get started!
Step 1 Locate Your Current WordPress Files
We first need to make sure we are grabbing the correct files. An easy way is to locate the domains section and click on the Domains Icon. Once that loads up you will see all the domains attached to your cPanel and the Document Root the website files are located in. Simply click on the Document Root link and it will load in a new tab.
Step 2 Identify Your Database Name
Now that we are in the folder that contains your website files we need to locate a file called “wp-config.php”. This file contains the name of the database your site is connected to. We want to grab a copy of the database but we have to know which one it is first. Please locate the file and right-click on it and select view. In my example below, you will see a line of text:
define( ‘DB_NAME’, ‘i6276752_wp4’ );
The database name my site is using is named: i6276752_wp4
Later we will download a copy of this. Save this information for later.
Step 3 Compress Your Files
We need to make sure hidden files are showing for this next step. In the File Manager, there is a settings button with a gear icon in the top right. Click on the gear and make sure to check the checkbox next to “Show hidden files.”
Now we can click on “Select all” at the top of our screen and then click compress in the upper right of our screen. You can rename the file before completing this action. Remember to download this ZIP file.
Download a copy of your Database. cPanel > Backups (in files section). Select the Database name you identified earlier.
Step 4 Upload Your Files and Database
From the cPanel main screen. Find the software section and look for the “Select PHP Version” Icon.
1. This needs to match the PHP version you had on the other hosting plan. You can upgrade after you setup the website.
2. We want to increase max upload size in the options section.
cPanel > File Manager > go to folder ‘public_html’
Click on Upload button and drag your zip file and database file on to window. Leave the tab open and let file upload. Lets go back to cPanel main screen so we can restore the database.
Step 5 Add Database User and Connect to Database
Remember this information from step 1? We need to add the User and password and add the user to the database we want to use.
