How to Migrate a Website to a New Host Without Downtime

Moving a website between hosts sounds risky, but it is a well-worn path. Every migration is the same four moves: copy the files, copy the database, test on the new server, then switch DNS. Done in that order, visitors never see a broken page and Google never sees a gap. This guide covers the free migration we offer and the do-it-yourself route through DirectAdmin, so you can pick whichever suits you.

Two ways to move: let us do it, or do it yourself

ProWebHosting migrates existing websites free of charge on request. Order a plan, message us on WhatsApp with your old hosting login or a full backup, and we copy the site, database and email accounts to your new DirectAdmin account, enable SSL and test it before you change DNS. Details are on our website migration page.

The DIY route makes sense if you prefer not to share logins, if you want to understand your own site better, or if you are a freelancer moving a client site and want to control every step. It needs no special tools beyond a browser, the two control panels and about an hour of focused time for a typical WordPress site.

Before you start: what to check and what to keep

A migration goes wrong for boring reasons: a forgotten email account, a database password written in the wrong file, or DNS changed before the new site was tested. Ten minutes of preparation removes most of them.

• Write down where your domain is registered and confirm you can log in there. You will change nameservers or an A record at the end.
• List every email account on the old host. Email does not move with the website files; each mailbox has to be recreated and its messages exported if you want to keep them.
• Note the PHP version your site runs on at the old host. You will set the same version on the new account with the PHP version selector.
• Check total disk usage at the old host against the storage on your new plan. A site with 8 GB of images will not fit on a 5 GB plan; see our hosting plans for the limits.
• Do not cancel the old hosting yet. Keep it running until the new site has been live on the new server for at least a week.

The DIY route: migrating with DirectAdmin

The steps below assume a WordPress site, since that covers most websites in Pakistan, but a Laravel app or a hand-coded PHP site follows the same pattern: files plus database plus one configuration file.

If your old host also runs DirectAdmin, there is a shortcut. Under System Info & Files, use Create/Restore Backups at the old host to generate a full user backup, download it, upload it to the same page on the new account and restore it. Files, databases and email accounts come across in one step. Backups from other control panels cannot be restored this way from a user account; send us the backup on WhatsApp and we will handle the conversion for you.

Test the site on the new server before changing DNS

This is the step that prevents downtime, and it is the one most people skip. Your domain still points to the old host, so you need a way to see the copy on the new server. The reliable method is to edit the hosts file on your own computer so that, for you only, the domain resolves to the new server's IP address, which is in your welcome email.

On Windows the file is C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts and must be opened as an administrator. On macOS and Linux it is /etc/hosts. Add one line with the new IP, a space and your domain, save, and reload the site in a private browser window. You are now viewing the migrated copy while everyone else still sees the old host.

• Open the home page, an inner page, a blog post and the contact form. Submit the form to confirm PHP mail works.
• Log in to the WordPress dashboard and check that media files load and that no plugin reports a missing PHP extension.
• For a store, run a test order through to the payment gateway page.
• Request the free SSL certificate from Account Manager, SSL Certificates, only after DNS has changed; Let's Encrypt needs the public domain to reach the new server.

Switch DNS and let propagation finish

Once the copy works, log in at your domain registrar. If your domain used the old host's nameservers, change them to the nameservers in your ProWebHosting welcome email. If you manage DNS elsewhere, such as at the registrar or on a CDN, change the A record for the domain and the www record to the new server IP and leave the rest untouched.

DNS changes spread across the internet gradually. Most visitors reach the new server within a few hours; a small number of networks cache old records for up to 48 hours. During that window some visitors land on the old host and some on the new one, which is why both copies must be complete and why you should avoid editing content on either site for a day. Remove the hosts file line on your computer once the change has propagated.

After the move: keep rankings and clean up

A properly executed migration has no effect on search rankings, because the URLs, content and response codes stay the same. Google simply fetches the same pages from a different IP address. Problems arise only when URLs change or pages start returning errors, so run a quick crawl with any free link checker after the move and fix anything that returns 404 or 500.

Keep the old hosting account active for about a week, then cancel it once you are sure no email is still arriving there and the site has been stable. Take a fresh backup from Create/Restore Backups on the new account and download it, so you have a clean copy of the site in its new home.

Frequently asked questions