🔄 How to Migrate a WordPress Site to a New Hosting (VPS)

Migrating a WordPress site may seem complex, but with the right steps, it takes just 15–30 minutes. Below is a complete guide for manually or using plugins to transfer WordPress from one host to a VPS.

🧰 Method 1: Manual Migration

• 💾 Download all WordPress files via FTP or archiver (e.g., FileZilla, WinSCP)
• 🗃 Export the database via phpMyAdmin or mysqldump
• 📥 Upload files to the new server and import the database
• ⚙️ Update wp-config.php with new MySQL credentials
• 🌐 Update the domain’s DNS A-record to point to the new VPS IP

🔌 Method 2: Using a Migration Plugin

• 📦 Install All-in-One WP Migration or Duplicator on the old site
• 💾 Generate a backup and download it (with installer.php if using Duplicator)
• 📤 Upload the archive to the root of the new site
• 🔧 Open http://yourdomain.com/installer.php and follow the steps
• 🔄 Regenerate permalinks and cache

🔐 Important Post-Migration Tasks

• 🛡 Ensure SSL is active (via Let’s Encrypt or Cloudflare)
• 🔗 Check that all links and media files are working
• 🚀 Configure CDN if you used one (e.g., Cloudflare)
• 📧 Set up email again if it was tied to the old hosting