Complete Guide to Manually Migrating a WordPress Website Using cPanel

Migrating a WordPress site manually can seem challenging, but by following this step-by-step guide, you’ll be able to transfer your site with ease. We’ll go over the entire process of moving your WordPress website from one hosting provider to another using cPanel, covering each step for clarity. This guide will also help optimize your content to rank well on Google for search queries related to WordPress migration.

Step-by-Step Checklist for Manual Migration

Old Host: Preparing the Files and Database

1. Download the wp-content Folder

   • Log in to your old hosting account’s cPanel.
   • Open File Manager and navigate to the public_html (or the root folder where your WordPress files are stored).
   • Locate the wp-content folder, right-click, and select Compress to create a ZIP file for faster download.
   • After compressing, click on the ZIP file and select Download to save it to your computer.

2. Copy Database Name and Table Prefix from wp-config.php

   • In the same public_html folder, locate and open the wp-config.php file.
   • Find the following lines and make note of them:
     php

     Copy code

     define('DB_NAME', 'your_database_name'); $table_prefix = 'your_prefix_';
   • This information will be useful when setting up the database on your new host.

3. Download the Database

   • In cPanel, navigate to phpMyAdmin and select the database referenced in wp-config.php.
   • Click on Export at the top, choose Quick Export for simplicity, and select SQL format.
   • Click Go to download the SQL file to your computer.

New Host: Setting Up WordPress with Your Old Data

1. Install Fresh WordPress

   • Log in to the cPanel on your new hosting account.
   • Use Softaculous or any WordPress installer tool provided by your new host to install a fresh WordPress instance.
   • Ensure the new installation is set up with the same URL you plan to use for your site.

2. Delete the New wp-content Folder

   • Once the new installation is complete, go to File Manager and locate the public_html (or root directory).
   • Delete the new wp-content folder created during installation, as we’ll replace it with the one from your old site.

3. Upload the Old wp-content Folder

   • Click on Upload in File Manager, and select the wp-content ZIP file you downloaded from the old host.
   • Once uploaded, right-click on the ZIP file and choose Extract. This action will replace all plugins, themes, and uploads from the old site.

4. Drop the New Database

   • Open phpMyAdmin in cPanel.
   • Select the new WordPress database and Drop all tables to clear it. This makes room for the tables from your old database.

5. Import the Old Database

   • With the database still selected, go to Import and choose the SQL file you downloaded from the old host.
   • Click Go to start the import process. After a successful import, you’ll see your old site’s tables in the new database.

6. Update Domain URL in the Database (If Necessary)

   • If your site is moving to a new domain, go to the wp_options table in phpMyAdmin.
   • Update both siteurl and home values to reflect the new domain.

7. Update Table Prefix in wp-config.php

   • Return to File Manager and open the wp-config.php file in the new site’s root folder.
   • Update the $table_prefix value to match the prefix from your old site.
   • This is essential for WordPress to recognize the tables in the new database.

8. Update Old URLs to the New Domain (Optional)

   • Log in to your new WordPress admin dashboard.
   • Install and activate a plugin such as Better Search Replace or WP Migrate DB to help with URL replacement.
   • Run a search-and-replace to change all instances of your old domain to the new one.

Important Considerations

• Testing: After the migration, test your site thoroughly to make sure all links, images, and pages load correctly.
• Permalinks: You may need to re-save the permalink structure in Settings > Permalinks to ensure URL structure is preserved.
• Backup: Always keep a backup of your files and databases before making significant changes.

By following this guide, you should have your WordPress website fully migrated to your new host with minimal downtime. Whether you’re moving to improve site speed, security, or just exploring a new host, these steps will ensure your site functions just as it did on the old server.