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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →A WordPress migration fails when only part of the site is moved. A working transfer includes the files, database, configuration, uploaded media, URL references, DNS, SSL certificate, and rewrite rules. Move one layer incorrectly and you can get an empty site, redirect loops, 404 errors, missing images, broken widgets, or a critical-error screen.
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The safest approach is to keep the old site untouched, create restorable copies of both files and database, test the new installation on a temporary address, then switch DNS only after the destination passes functional and redirect checks. This guide explains the sequence, the failure points, and the recovery steps.
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Think of a migration as several coordinated layers rather than a file copy:
- WordPress files: core files,
wp-content, themes, plugins, and uploads. - Database: posts, pages, users, settings, menus, widget data, form entries, and plugin configuration.
- Configuration: database credentials and any environment-specific constants in
wp-config.php. - URLs: the site address, home address, links in content, media paths, canonicals, and settings stored by themes and plugins.
- Server behavior: PHP/runtime compatibility, SSL, DNS, permissions, cron jobs, and rewrite rules such as those in
.htaccess.
Copying only the files produces a site with no content. Importing only the database leaves missing themes, plugins, and media. Moving both without replacing old URLs leaves links and images pointing to the previous host or domain.
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Before you move anything: create a rollback point
Freeze publishing while you prepare the move. Record the current WordPress version, PHP version, active theme, active plugins, scheduled jobs, DNS records, and any custom server rules. Do not delete the old installation when the new one appears to work.
Make two independent backups
- Download the complete site files, including
wp-content/uploads, custom themes, plugins, and root-level files. - Export the complete database, not just published posts. Include tables created by plugins and preserve the character set and collation.
- Store the files and database separately in an off-site location. Test that the archive opens and that the database dump is readable.
- Write down the backup date and the exact site address it represents. Keep the old site online until the rollback window has passed.
A backup that cannot be restored is not a rollback plan. If possible, perform a test restore on an isolated installation before changing DNS.
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Choose a migration method that matches your control and risk
A plugin-based package is convenient when you have limited server access. A manual transfer is more transparent and is usually preferable when archives are large, the site is multisite, or you need precise control of redirects and DNS. In either case, verify that the method handles serialized data rather than treating the database as plain text.
| Consideration | Package or migration plugin | Manual files and database transfer |
|---|---|---|
| Completeness | Can bundle the database, media, themes, and plugins when the package finishes successfully. | You choose and verify every file and database table. |
| Serialized settings | Usually handled by a migration routine designed for WordPress. | Requires a serialization-aware search-and-replace tool; blind SQL replacement can corrupt values. |
| Archive or upload limit | Limited by the host’s maximum upload or execution size. Check the limit before creating the package. | Large files can be transferred in smaller parts, but you must manage imports and permissions. |
| Staging and rollback | Often offers a one-package restore if the archive is intact. | Gives fine-grained control over snapshots and selective restoration. |
| Multisite | Support varies; confirm it explicitly. | Possible, but requires network-specific URL replacement and server configuration. |
| Redirect and DNS control | Still requires separate server and DNS work. | Direct access makes it easier to reproduce rewrite rules and redirect maps. |
| Required access | WordPress administrator access and enough disk and upload capacity. | File-transfer, database, and server access, or a hosting control panel that provides them. |
Whichever route you choose, keep an untouched copy of the source. A migration utility is not a substitute for an independent backup.
Step-by-step migration sequence
1. Prepare the destination
Create the destination database and database user, note the database name, username, password, host, and table prefix, and make sure the destination runtime can run your WordPress version. Install the SSL certificate and prepare a temporary test address or access restriction so search engines and visitors do not see the unfinished copy.
2. Transfer files and import the database
Copy the files and import the dump into the destination database. If you are transferring manually, preserve file names and directory structure, especially wp-content/uploads. Update only the destination-specific database values in wp-config.php. Do not casually overwrite salts, custom constants, or multisite definitions.
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3. Correct the two canonical WordPress addresses
When the domain or protocol changes, update the siteurl and home values in the wp_options table, or use a temporary configuration override while you repair the database. Both values must use the final scheme and hostname, including whether the site uses www. A mismatch commonly causes login redirects to the old domain or an endless HTTP-to-HTTPS loop.
4. Replace remaining old URLs safely
Old addresses remain in post content, attachment metadata, widgets, theme options, serialized plugin settings, and custom fields. Use a serialization-aware search-and-replace process. With WP-CLI, preview the affected rows before committing:
wp search-replace 'https://old.example' 'https://new.example' --all-tables-with-prefix --skip-columns=guid --dry-runReview the dry-run counts, then run the same command without --dry-run if the scope is correct. The guid column is normally left unchanged because it identifies the original feed item; follow your migration policy rather than changing it automatically. A tool that understands PHP serialization recalculates stored string lengths. A raw SQL replacement does not and can break widgets, page-builder layouts, and plugin settings.
5. Test on the temporary address
Log in and exercise the site as an administrator and as an anonymous visitor. Test the home page, several posts and pages, category and tag archives, search, menus, forms, comments if enabled, media attachments, XML sitemaps, feeds, and any membership or checkout flow. Confirm that scheduled tasks, outbound email, webhooks, and third-party API callbacks use the destination address.
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In the dashboard, open Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes without changing the structure. This rebuilds WordPress rewrite rules and often resolves post-move 404 errors. If the problem remains, inspect the root .htaccess (Apache) or the equivalent server configuration and make sure the destination document root is correct.
7. Switch DNS only after acceptance checks
Lowering DNS time-to-live in advance can shorten the transition, but cached records can still point visitors to the old host for a while. Change the records only after the temporary copy passes your checklist. Keep the old host available so requests that have not switched yet still receive a valid response.
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Common migration symptoms and the layer to check first
| Symptom | Likely layer | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Database connection error or an empty site | Database credentials, import, or destination server | Verify every database value in wp-config.php, confirm the import completed, check the database host and user permissions, and restore the known-good backup if tables are missing. |
| Redirect loop or login goes to the old domain | siteurl, home, HTTPS, or cached transients |
Correct both URL values, clear stale transients on the migrated copy, and align the proxy, SSL, and web-server HTTPS settings. |
| 404 errors after moving folders | Permalinks or rewrite rules | Save the permalink settings again, verify the document root, and check .htaccess or the server’s rewrite configuration. |
| Missing images or broken menus | Old media paths or embedded links | Replace old paths in content and options with a serialization-aware method, then edit menus and media references that use absolute URLs. |
| Broken widgets or page-builder layouts | Serialized theme or plugin data | Repeat the replacement with a serialization-aware tool and restore the database if a previous blind replacement damaged stored values. |
| “There has been a critical error” | Plugin, theme, PHP compatibility, memory, or corrupted files | Use the admin email and debug log to identify the failing component, then isolate it methodically. |
| Traffic or rankings fall after a domain move | Redirects, canonicals, sitemap, or indexing | Use an old-to-new URL map, direct permanent redirects, updated canonicals and internal links, and Search Console monitoring. |
Fixing database connection errors and empty sites
If WordPress says it cannot establish a database connection, first compare the destination values in wp-config.php with the database and user actually created on the new server. Check capitalization, special characters, the database host name, and whether the user has permission on that database. A successful login to the hosting database tool does not prove that the WordPress user has the required privileges.
If the page loads but contains no posts, inspect the database tables and table prefix. An import into a different prefix can make WordPress look at empty tables. Confirm that the destination database contains the expected posts, users, options, and plugin tables before attempting another URL replacement.
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Stop redirect loops and old-domain logins
Redirect loops usually involve two systems disagreeing about the URL: WordPress believes the site is HTTP while the server or proxy forces HTTPS, or one of siteurl and home still names the old host. Set both to the final public URL, then check reverse-proxy settings and any forced-redirect rules. Clear caches only after the configuration is corrected; deleting caches first can hide the cause temporarily.
Test in a private browser window and with a command-line header request. The final URL should settle in one or a small, intentional sequence, not bounce between schemes or hosts. Confirm that the login form, admin links, images, and REST API all use the same canonical origin.
Repair 404s, images, menus, and forms
Post and page 404s
Resave the permalink structure, then check whether the server is reading the correct document root and allowing rewrites. A copied .htaccess may contain the old path, while an Nginx-style server will ignore it entirely and needs its own rewrite configuration.
Images and downloads
Open a broken image URL directly. If it contains the old domain or folder, replace that reference in post content, attachment metadata, theme options, and plugin settings. If the URL is correct but returns 404, verify that the corresponding file exists under wp-content/uploads, that its case matches exactly on a case-sensitive filesystem, and that permissions allow the web server to read it.
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Menus, widgets, and forms
Absolute links in navigation menus may not be fixed by changing siteurl. Edit menu items that still point to the old host. Widgets and form configurations are frequently serialized; repair them with the same serialization-aware replacement used for the main URL change, then submit each form and verify delivery.
Diagnose a WordPress critical error after migration
The critical-error screen is a symptom, not a diagnosis. WordPress normally sends the administrator an email with a recovery link and the component that triggered the fatal error. Preserve that message. Then enable logging on the staging copy, not the public site, with appropriate debug constants and inspect wp-content/debug.log.
Look for the first fatal error and its file path. Common causes after a move include a plugin or theme requiring a different PHP runtime, insufficient memory, incomplete file transfer, changed file permissions, or an extension that is absent on the new server.
Isolation procedure
- Use the recovery mode link from the administrator email if available and deactivate the named plugin or switch to a standard theme.
- If the dashboard is inaccessible, rename the suspected plugin directory temporarily through file access, or deactivate all plugins by changing the active-plugin option in the database on a copy.
- Switch to a bundled default theme to distinguish theme code from core or server failure.
- Compare PHP extensions, memory limits, file ownership, and transferred file sizes between the old and new hosts.
- Re-enable components one at a time, checking the log after each change. Update or replace the incompatible component only after confirming the cause.
Do not hide a fatal error by suppressing logging. Remove temporary debugging output and restore normal settings after the issue is resolved.
Preserve SEO during a domain or host move
A host-only move can be nearly invisible to search engines when URLs stay identical. A domain, protocol, or path change needs a URL migration plan.
Build an old-to-new URL map
Export important old URLs from analytics, server logs, XML sitemaps, and Search Console. Assign each one its final equivalent. Redirect a discontinued page to the closest relevant replacement, not automatically to the home page. Include posts, pages, media that attract links, category archives, and significant feed or attachment URLs.
Use direct permanent redirects
A server-side 301 or 308 tells clients and search engines that the resource moved permanently. “A 301 redirect indicates to search engines that a page has been moved permanently,” according to Learn WordPress documentation. Keep redirects in place generally for at least one year, as Google Search Central recommends for site moves. Avoid chains: old URL should go directly to the final URL.
Test representative URLs from every template and both HTTP and HTTPS variants. Check status code, destination, canonical URL, and whether query strings are handled intentionally. Do not redirect every unknown path to an unrelated page.
Update signals on the new site
- Set self-referencing canonicals to the final URLs.
- Replace internal links, image references, hreflang entries, structured-data URLs, and social metadata.
- Generate and submit a sitemap containing only final, indexable URLs.
- Use the Search Console change-of-address process when the move qualifies and the property is verified.
- Watch crawl errors, indexing reports, server logs, impressions, clicks, and landing-page traffic after launch.
Temporary ranking volatility is possible, but persistent losses usually point to missing redirects, blocked crawling, incorrect canonicals, a noindex directive, or an incomplete URL map.
Launch checklist and rollback plan
- Files and database backups are stored separately and can be opened.
- The destination database contains the expected content, users, options, and plugin tables.
wp-config.phpuses destination credentials without losing required salts or custom constants.siteurlandhomematch the final public URL.- Old URLs were replaced with a serialization-aware method and the results were reviewed.
- Home page, posts, pages, archives, search, menus, forms, media, login, REST API, feeds, and sitemaps were tested.
- Permalinks were resaved and rewrite rules verified.
- SSL, DNS, cron, email, webhooks, permissions, and caching were checked.
- An old-to-new redirect map is deployed and representative responses are tested.
- The old host remains available during the rollback window.
If the new site fails after DNS changes, restore the previous DNS records or point them back to the old host, stop writes on the broken copy, and preserve logs. Do not continue editing both installations; that creates divergent databases and makes a later retry harder. Fix the destination from the last known-good backup, retest on the temporary address, and switch again only when the acceptance checklist passes.
When to use a specialist
Get experienced WordPress or server help when the site is multisite, uses custom deployment code, handles payments or regulated data, has a very large database, or has no tested backup. A specialist should be able to explain the backup format, serialized-data handling, rollback point, redirect plan, and access they require. You should still retain your own backups and verify the finished site yourself.
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