Move wordpress site to new domain

Moving a WordPress site to a new domain can be a bit of a process, but it's definitely doable. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you through the process:

Before you start:

  1. Backup your site: Before making any changes, make sure to backup your WordPress site using a plugin like UpdraftPlus or Duplicator.
  2. Update your DNS: Update your DNS settings to point to the new domain. This may take some time to propagate, so be patient.
  3. Check your hosting: Make sure your hosting provider allows you to move your site to a new domain. Some providers may have specific requirements or restrictions.

Step 1: Update your WordPress configuration

  1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard and go to Settings > General.
  2. Update the WordPress Address and Site Address fields to reflect the new domain. For example, if your old domain was oldsite.com and your new domain is newsite.com, update the fields to https://newsite.com and https://newsite.com.
  3. Click Save Changes.

Step 2: Update your database

  1. Use a plugin like WP Migrate DB or Duplicator to migrate your database to the new domain. These plugins can help you transfer your database and update the URLs to reflect the new domain.
  2. Alternatively, you can manually update your database by exporting your database from your old site and importing it into your new site. You'll need to update the URLs in your database tables using a tool like phpMyAdmin.

Step 3: Update your files

  1. Use an FTP client like FileZilla to connect to your new site's hosting and upload your WordPress files.
  2. Update the wp-config.php file to reflect the new domain. You can do this by searching for the define('WP_HOME', 'http://oldsite.com'); line and updating it to define('WP_HOME', 'http://newsite.com');.
  3. Update the wp-content/uploads directory to reflect the new domain. You can do this by renaming the directory to wp-content/uploads/newsite.com.

Step 4: Update your plugins and themes

  1. Update your plugins and themes to reflect the new domain. You can do this by going to Plugins > Installed Plugins and updating each plugin individually.
  2. Update your theme to reflect the new domain. You can do this by going to Appearance > Themes and updating your theme settings.

Step 5: Update your DNS

  1. Once you've updated your WordPress configuration, database, files, and plugins, update your DNS settings to point to the new domain.
  2. This may take some time to propagate, so be patient.

Step 6: Test your site

  1. Test your site to make sure everything is working correctly. Check that your site is loading correctly, and that all links and images are pointing to the new domain.
  2. Check your site's search engine rankings and social media profiles to make sure they're updated to reflect the new domain.

That's it! With these steps, you should be able to move your WordPress site to a new domain. Remember to be patient and take your time, as the process can be a bit complex.