How to Manually Migrate Your WordPress Site

WordPress migration involves transferring a site to a different hosting provider. Website owners do this to enhance performance, security, and access to advanced features. It supports the website's growth and improves its overall efficiency.

This guide will walk you through the process of a manual WordPress website migration. Follow these steps:

• Step 1: Transfer Your Website Files
• Step 2: Export Your WordPress Database
• Step 3: Create a New Database
• Step 4: Import into New Database
• Step 5: Update Your WordPress Configuration File
• Step 6: Fix Your Permalinks
• Step 7: View Your Site
• Summary

Step 1: Transfer Your Website Files

1. Connect to your current hosting account using FTP (File Transfer Protocol).
2. Find the document root or site directory containing your WordPress files. This may be in your "public_html" or a subfolder.

   
    

3. Use an FTP client, such as FileZilla, to transfer files from the server to your local machine or computer.
4. Once downloaded, it's time to upload the files to your new hosting account using FTP.
5. To install WordPress, go to the public_html folder or a subfolder where you want to set it up, then upload the files from your computer to the new location.

For further details regarding FTP, refer to this article: What is FTP? An Introduction to File Transfer Protocol.

Step 2: Export Your WordPress Database

You will need to export your WordPress site's database. If you need help in locating where to find your database, visit How to Find Your WordPress Database.

1. Access the wp-config.php file on your current hosting account to locate the database name that needs to be exported.

   
    

2. Your wp-config.php file will contain the following details:
   • define('DB_NAME', 'example_database');
   • define('DB_USER', 'example_user');
   • define('DB_PASSWORD', 'example_password');
   • define('DB_HOST', 'localhost')

   The string of numbers and letters following the line "define('DB_NAME'," is the name of your WordPress database. Take note of this string of characters. For the example above, your database name is "example_database."

3. To export your database, go to phpMyAdmin, where you can download it in a .sql file format. For detailed instructions, visit the How to Import or Export a MySQL Database using phpMyAdmin article.

   If you're unable to access phpMyAdmin, you can export your database's backup using a plugin.

Step 3: Create a New Database

To set up your WordPress installation, you'll need to create a new database specifically for it. You can easily create and manage your databases through your Bluehost Account Manager's Database Management panel.

Please refer to the How to Create and Manage MySQL Databases and Users article for the detailed instructions on how to create a new database through your Account Manager.

Step 4: Import into New Database

Next, you need to import your database into your new WordPress site using phpMyAdmin. For more information, visit the How to Import or Export a MySQL Database using phpMyAdmin or How to Import and Export MySQL Database Using SSH articles.

1. Navigate to phpMyAdmin. Along the top of the screen, click the Import tab. 

   
    

2. Click the Browse button to locate the file on your computer.

   
    

3. After selecting the file, click the Go button to initiate the import process.

Step 5: Update Your WordPress Configuration File

To ensure that your WordPress installation is connected to the proper database, you need to update your wp-config.php file.

For a step-by-step guide, please see How to Access File Manager.

1. Access the File Manager and locate the wp-config.php file.
2. Enter your new database information, including the database name, user, and password.

   
    

3. Once done, click the Save Changes button.

Step 6: Fix Your Permalinks

1. Log in to your Bluehost Account Manager.
2. In the left-hand menu, click Websites.
3. Click the WordPress AAdmin button located next to the website you want to manage.

   
    

4. In the WordPress dashboard, click Settings in the left menu, then select Permalinks.

   
    

5. You do not need to make any actual changes; just click on the Save Changes button.

Doing this will update all the pages and post URLs. If you have custom themes or plugins/widgets with old URLs, you must update those manually since no plugins can modify them.

Step 7: View Your Site

After completing these steps, verify that your website is functioning correctly and appears visually appealing.

Summary

Manual WordPress migration refers to the process of moving your WordPress site to a new hosting provider without the use of automated tools. This involves several steps: moving website files using FTP, exporting and importing the WordPress database through phpMyAdmin, creating a new database, updating the wp-config.php file, and fixing permalinks. By following these steps, you can ensure that your site functions correctly on its new host. Bluehost also offers a WordPress Self-Service Migration tool for a more convenient alternative.

If you think manually migrating your WordPress website is a little too daunting for you right now, you can always create a new website using an easy WordPress website builder to simplify the job.