How to move a website to a new host without downtime

Moving a website feels risky because it is your business online. Done in the right order, visitors never notice. This guide gives you that order, and shows where people usually go wrong.

The idea in one line

Build a full copy at the new host, test it, and only then change where your domain points. Your old site keeps serving visitors until the very last step.

Before you start

• Find out what you have. Note your website files, your database, your email accounts and any scheduled jobs.
• Check the size. Large sites take longer to copy, and the size affects the price if someone does it for you.
• Make a backup. Download a full copy of files and database and keep it somewhere safe. If anything goes wrong, you can start again.
• Find your DNS login. The company that manages your domain's DNS is where you will make the final change.

The steps

1. Lower your DNS TTL. The TTL is how long the internet remembers your domain's address. A day before the move, lower it to a few minutes so the final switch takes effect quickly.
2. Copy the files and the database to the new host.
3. Update the settings. Your site's configuration holds the database name and password. Change them to the new ones.
4. Test the copy. Open the new site by its temporary address or by editing your computer's hosts file. Click through pages, forms, search, checkout and login.
5. Copy your email. Create the mailboxes at the new host and move the old messages across. Tell people using phone apps what will change.
6. Freeze changes. Pause orders or edits for a short window so nothing is lost between the copy and the switch.
7. Switch the domain. Change your DNS to point at the new host. Follow our guide to pointing a domain to a new host.
8. Watch and confirm. Check the site and send test emails. Keep the old host for a few days before cancelling.

What protects your Google ranking

• Keep the same page addresses.
• Keep the same domain.
• Keep the certificate working, so visitors never see a warning.
• If addresses must change, add permanent redirects from the old ones to the new ones.

Common mistakes

• Forgetting email. Changing your DNS can break mail if the mail records are lost. Move email at the same time and test it.
• Cancelling the old host too early. Some visitors still reach the old address for a few hours after the switch.
• Not testing forms and payments. The home page can look perfect while the contact form is broken.
• Moving during your busiest hour. Pick a quiet time.

Questions