How to Migrate WordPress to Another Folder
Need to Migrate WordPress to another folder within your hosting account? You're in the right place. This guide will walk you through the steps of moving your WordPress installation to a different folder to make a smooth folder migration. From accessing the File Manager to copying site files and updating your URL, we'll cover everything you need to know for a successful migration without losing data or functionality.
What You Need
Before you migrate WordPress to another folder, there are a few things you need to know:
- The username and password to your Bluehost account
- A basic understanding of what files and folders are
- The current location (folder and URL) of your WordPress site
- The destination (folder and URL) of your WordPress site
- The username and password to your WordPress site (optional)
Access File Manager
The File Manager on your account can move WordPress installation to a different folder on your server. You'll use it to move the WordPress installation to a different Folder. For more information on accessing the file manager, refer to Accessing the File Manager article.
Copy Files
Now that you are in the File Manager, you need to locate your files and copy them to the destination directory. The location of your files may vary, but your main site will be in the public_html directory. Other sites usually have their folders inside the public_html directory. You can refer to the How to Copy and Move Files Using File Manager article for detailed instructions on how to copy WordPress site files.
It is highly recommended that you copy the files rather than move them from the original location. Once the migration is complete and the site is verified to be working, you can remove the files from the old location. To complete the steps in this walkthrough, the files must be copied, not moved.
There isn't a progress bar to indicate if the copy was successful, so you'll need to go to the destination folder to confirm whether or not your files are there.
Update URL (Optional)
Moving your website from one folder to another will change your URL unless you have adjusted the domain assignments to accommodate your account's change. If you want to know more about domain assignments, please see Assigning an Addon or Parked Domain.
Before changing the URL setting on your site, you must be certain the new URL is correct. Setting the wrong URL will break your WordPress site!
How do I find the correct URL?
Finding the correct URL isn't hard. A URL consists of a domain such as www.example.com. The domain is assigned to a folder in your account, like public_html. When someone types "www.example.com" into the browser, the website will load from the public_html folder. If there is a folder inside public_html containing a website, the URL would be "www.example.com/folder-name," where folder-name is the name of the specific folder inside public_html.
For example, the domain example.com is assigned to public_html. If you move the WordPress site from public_html to the public_html/blog folder, the WordPress site's new URL would be http://www.example.com/blog/.
Follow these steps to update your WordPress URL:
- Log in to your WordPress site using the old URL.
Note: Since the files were copied and not moved, your original site should still exist. You should not remove the original files until you have verified the site works in the new location.
- Hover over the Settings menu on the left side and click General.
- Under General Settings, enter the new URL for both the WordPress Address URL and Site Address (URL).
- Click the Save Changes button once finished.
Once you save these changes, WordPress should redirect you from here to your site. It's time to give that site a good spin for a few moments. As long as the image, for example, has stopped showing up, it can be necessary to re-publish more URLs within your database. The Velvet Blues will update image URLs in your database if necessary.
Summary
Migrating your WordPress installation to a different folder can streamline your website's organization and improve its performance. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can successfully move your WordPress site files and ensure that your site continues to function seamlessly at its new location. Whatever the case may be, whether you are simply organizing your existing site or are doing a WordPress folder migration for a new site, planning carefully and executing it effectively holds the key here.
If you need further assistance, feel free to contact us via Chat or Phone:
- Chat Support - While on our website, you should see a CHAT bubble in the bottom right-hand corner of the page. Click anywhere on the bubble to begin a chat session.
- Phone Support -
- US: 888-401-4678
- International: +1 801-765-9400
You may also refer to our Knowledge Base articles to help answer common questions and guide you through various setup, configuration, and troubleshooting steps.