Step by step
How to move a WordPress site to new hosting without losing Google rankings
Intermediate · 90 minutes of work · 2 minute read · Updated October 21, 2026
A move does not lower rankings by itself. Mistakes along the way do: changed URLs, blocked indexing, a slower server or a period when the site is down. The order below limits each of those risks.
1. Take a full backup
You need two things: the files (the wp-content folder and wp-config.php) and the database. Download the backup to your own computer instead of leaving it only on the old server. If your host makes automatic backups, still take one manual copy right before you start.
2. Prepare the new hosting
Check that the new server supports the PHP and database versions your site runs on. PHP on the new host should not be older than the current one. Create an empty database and note its name, user and password.
3. Copy the files and the database
There are two routes:
- A migration plugin (for example Duplicator or All-in-One WP Migration) builds a single package you upload to the new server. The simplest option for small and medium sites.
- Manually: files over SFTP, database through an SQL export and import, then fix the database credentials in
wp-config.php. More control on large sites.
4. Test the new copy before changing DNS
On your computer, add the new server's IP address for your domain in the hosts file. Only you will see the site from the new location while visitors still reach the old one. Click through the home page, forms, cart and admin login.
5. Lower the TTL and switch the A record
The day before the move, lower the TTL of the A record (for example to 300 seconds) so the change spreads quickly. On the day, point the A record to the new server. Keep the old hosting running for a few more days.
6. Check everything after the move
- the HTTPS certificate works and there are no mixed-content warnings,
- the WordPress setting “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” is not ticked (it often carries over from a staging copy),
robots.txtdoes not block the whole site,- old 301 redirects still work,
- the sitemap is submitted in Google Search Console and the indexing report shows no sudden rise in errors.
If the site has outdated plugins, a slow server, or needs a rebuild rather than a simple move, see WordPress sites and hosting management. For an unusual setup, describe your situation in a brief.
Table of contents
Have this problem? Copy an AI prompt that solves it
Paste it into ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini. The assistant will ask about your situation and walk you through it step by step.
You are an experienced WordPress administrator. Help me move my WordPress site to new hosting without losing my Google rankings. First ask me questions, one or two at a time: - who hosts the site now and where I want to move it, - the PHP and WordPress versions, and the size of the files and database, - which caching, security and SEO plugins I use, - whether the domain stays the same and where its DNS is managed, - where my business email runs. Then walk me through it step by step: a full backup of files and database, preparing the new server, copying the site (by plugin or manually; recommend the better option for my case), testing through the hosts file before changing DNS, lowering the TTL, switching the A record, and post-move checks (HTTPS, robots.txt, the “Discourage search engines” setting, 301 redirects, the sitemap in Google Search Console). Rules: after each step wait for my confirmation. Do not guess; if you do not know something, ask. Warn me before any step that cannot be undone.
Frequently asked questions
Services related to this guide
Keep reading
Intermediate · 90 minutes of work
Jak przygotować wiedzę o firmie, żeby asystent AI odpowiadał klientom poprawnie
Jakość asystenta AI zależy od materiałów, na których pracuje. Jak zebrać, uporządkować i aktualizować wiedzę o firmie w 6 krokach.
Intermediate · 60 minutes of work
Jak zautomatyzować obsługę zapytań ofertowych z formularza za pomocą AI
Krok po kroku: formularz, narzędzie automatyzacji i AI, które przygotowuje szkic odpowiedzi do Twojej akceptacji. Bez wysyłania czegokolwiek bez kontroli.
Basic · 15 minutes of work
Jak napisać prompt do ChatGPT lub Claude, żeby dostać odpowiedź, której możesz użyć w pracy
Sprawdzony schemat promptu w 5 krokach: rola, kontekst, zadanie, format i ograniczenia. Z gotowym przykładem do skopiowania.
Would you rather have someone do it for you?
Describe what you want to achieve in a brief. We reply with specifics, no sales call.
Send a brief