Changing a WordPress Multisite domain is an infrastructure and data migration, not a single setting change. You must coordinate DNS, HTTPS, web-server routing, wp-config.php, network and per-site database values, serialized content, caches, and login behavior. Back up the database and files first, stage the new hostname, then validate every site before redirecting the old domain.
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Decide what you are changing
There are two different operations that are often confused:
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| Operation | What changes | Typical database scope | Main risks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Change the primary domain for the whole network | The hostname WordPress uses to bootstrap the network and the addresses used by the main site and subsites | wp_site, wp_blogs, every site’s options table, and embedded URLs throughout content and plugin data |
Broken routing, login cookies, redirects, media, APIs, and serialized settings |
| Give one subsite a custom domain | One site’s public address while the network remains on its existing primary domain | That site’s domain/path records and mapped URL settings | Incorrect mapping, cookie scope, HTTPS, or a full URL entered incorrectly |
A subsite mapping does not require changing DOMAIN_CURRENT_SITE. If the network itself is moving, follow the complete migration below.
Understand the values that control a Multisite network
WordPress loads the network before it loads an individual site. The generated Multisite section in wp-config.php normally contains these constants:
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MULTISITEenables the network.SUBDOMAIN_INSTALLrecords whether the network uses subdomains or subdirectories.DOMAIN_CURRENT_SITEis the network’s bootstrap hostname.PATH_CURRENT_SITEis the network base path, such as/or/wordpress/.SITE_ID_CURRENT_SITEidentifies the network row, usually1.BLOG_ID_CURRENT_SITEidentifies the main site, usually1.
For a root installation using subdirectories, a new block might look like this (use your real values):
define('MULTISITE', true);
define('SUBDOMAIN_INSTALL', false);
define('DOMAIN_CURRENT_SITE', 'new.example.com');
define('PATH_CURRENT_SITE', '/');
define('SITE_ID_CURRENT_SITE', 1);
define('BLOG_ID_CURRENT_SITE', 1);Change DOMAIN_CURRENT_SITE to the new host and keep PATH_CURRENT_SITE aligned with the actual installation directory. Do not change SUBDOMAIN_INSTALL merely because the domain is changing. Switching from subdomains to subdirectories (or the reverse) is a separate address and server-configuration migration.
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Prepare a rollback and inventory
WordPress describes Multisite moves as more complicated than single-site moves because the database contains multiple references to the server name and folder locations. Treat the old configuration as a rollback asset until the new network has passed testing.
Record the current architecture
- Whether sites use subdomains or subdirectories.
- The current domain, base path, and any non-root installation directory.
- The database table prefix; it may not be
wp_. - Domain-mapping rules, redirects, CDN and page-cache rules, and object-cache settings.
- Web-server type and rewrite configuration (Apache, Nginx, or IIS).
- Transactional email, SMTP, cron, webhook, OAuth, and external API dependencies that may contain the old host.
Create tested backups
Export the complete database and copy the WordPress files, including wp-config.php, uploads, themes, plugins, and server rewrite files. A backup is only useful if it can be restored: verify that the SQL export opens correctly and that the files can be recovered to a separate location. Keep an untouched copy of the original configuration and rewrite rules.
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Stage DNS, the web server, and HTTPS
- Create DNS records. Point the new hostname to the existing server or load balancer. For a subdomain-based network, make sure the hostnames required by your sites resolve and are accepted by the front end; for a subdirectory network, the primary host and its path must resolve.
- Configure the virtual host. Add the new hostname to the web server’s site/server block and ensure it serves the same WordPress document root. A DNS change alone does not make the web server answer for the new name.
- Install a certificate. Use a TLS certificate covering the new hostname and any subdomains the network will serve. Test HTTPS before changing WordPress URLs.
- Preserve the correct rewrite rules. Multisite rules differ by server. Apache and IIS use different rule formats, while Nginx requires an equivalent configuration in its server block. Copying an Apache
.htaccessfile into Nginx will not provide routing.
Leave the old hostname available during staging. Do not send a permanent redirect until the new network has passed the checks later in this guide.
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- Open the active
wp-config.phpand locate the generated Multisite section. - Replace only the old value of
DOMAIN_CURRENT_SITEwith the new hostname. - Confirm that
PATH_CURRENT_SITEstill matches the directory in which WordPress is installed. If the site is installed at the web root, it is normally/; a subdirectory installation must retain that path. - Leave
MULTISITE,SITE_ID_CURRENT_SITE, andBLOG_ID_CURRENT_SITEunchanged unless you are intentionally changing the network itself. - Do not enable
RELOCATEas a shortcut. The migration handbook warns that leaving this constant enabled can allow an attacker to change the site URL in some configurations. If you used it for troubleshooting, remove it immediately afterward. - Save a copy of the edited file and the original file outside the web root.
Update network and per-site database addresses
Use your actual table prefix in place of wp_. Review these records before performing a broad URL replacement:
| Table or pattern | Values to review | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
wp_site |
domain, path |
Identifies the network’s domain and base path |
wp_blogs |
domain, path |
Stores the domain and path for each site |
wp_options |
home, siteurl, and fileupload_url where present |
Stores the main site’s public and administrative URLs |
wp_2_options, wp_3_options, and so on |
home, siteurl, and fileupload_url where present |
Stores each subsite’s URLs |
Update domain and path values consistently with the new architecture. A network that was at old.example.com/wordpress/ cannot be changed to new.example.com/ by editing only the hostname; the path values must also reflect the move.
Do not assume that changing the options rows is enough. Posts, menus, widgets, theme settings, plugin settings, and other tables can contain the old hostname inside serialized PHP data or JSON-like structures.
Run a serialization-safe URL replacement
Serialized values contain lengths that must be recalculated when a string changes. A raw SQL command such as a blanket REPLACE() across every column can corrupt those values and break themes, widgets, or plugins.
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Use a serialization-aware migration tool or WP-CLI. Run a dry run first, then execute the same replacement after reviewing the report. For example, from the WordPress directory:
wp search-replace 'old.example.com' 'new.example.com' --all-tables-with-prefix --precise --recurse-objects --dry-runRemove --dry-run only after confirming that the old and new strings are correct and that the command is targeting the intended database. If the old address includes a path, replace the complete old URL pattern rather than only the hostname when that is what the stored values contain. Take another database backup immediately before the live replacement.
After the replacement, search again for the old hostname. Remaining matches may be intentional historical data, third-party service settings, or values in tables outside the selected prefix; investigate each match rather than repeatedly replacing text.
Regenerate routing and clear caches
- Regenerate or replace the Multisite rewrite configuration for your web server. In Apache, verify the network’s
.htaccess; in Nginx or IIS, update the corresponding server rules. - Flush object-cache and page-cache layers. Purge CDN caches and any reverse-proxy cache that keys responses by hostname.
- Confirm that scheduled tasks, REST endpoints, XML-RPC, sitemaps, and webhooks generate the new host where applicable.
- Check command-line cron jobs and server-level scheduled tasks for hard-coded old URLs.
- Clear browser cookies only when testing a suspected stale-cookie problem; do not use cookie deletion to hide a domain or path configuration error.
Validate every site before cutover
Test from a clean browser session and, where possible, from a device that has not cached the old certificate or redirects. Work through the main site and every subsite, not just the network dashboard.
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- Front end: load the home page, representative posts, pages, archives, search, feeds, and 404 pages.
- Administration: sign in, open Network Admin, switch between sites, edit content, upload media, and verify that logout works.
- Media: inspect image, document, and attachment URLs; confirm that uploads are served over HTTPS without mixed-content warnings.
- Links and redirects: follow internal links, canonical links, pagination, language links, and any custom redirects.
- Cookies: test administrator and subscriber sessions. A cookie scoped to the old host or an overly broad domain can cause login loops or cross-site session problems.
- Forms and integrations: submit contact, registration, and comment forms; test REST and XML-RPC consumers, webhooks, OAuth callbacks, and email links.
- Automation: run cron tasks, check scheduled publishing, verify backups, and inspect application and web-server logs for the old host or redirect loops.
- Discovery: check robots directives, XML sitemaps, canonical URLs, and any SEO or analytics settings that embed the old domain.
Only after these checks pass should the old hostname serve a controlled HTTP 301 redirect to the corresponding new URL. Keep the old DNS, certificate, configuration, database backup, and rewrite files available for rollback for as long as your operational policy requires.
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Map one subsite to a custom domain instead
If the network’s primary domain is staying the same, use native Multisite domain mapping rather than editing DOMAIN_CURRENT_SITE.
- Create DNS for the custom hostname and make the web server accept it over HTTPS.
- In WordPress, open Network Admin → Sites, choose the subsite, and select Edit.
- In the site’s Site Address (URL) field, enter the complete URL, including the scheme and hostname, using the exact path required by the mapping configuration.
- Save the site, clear caches, and test the mapped domain’s front end and administration.
- Verify cookies, media, redirects, REST requests, sitemaps, and login/logout behavior from the mapped hostname.
Domain mapping changes the address of that site; it does not migrate the network bootstrap domain. A full-network move still requires the database, configuration, rewrite, and validation work described above.
Subdomain and subdirectory architectures
| Architecture | Address pattern | Migration considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Subdomain network | site1.example.com, site2.example.com |
DNS and TLS must cover the primary host and the site hostnames; web-server host matching and cookie behavior deserve particular attention. |
| Subdirectory network | example.com/site1, example.com/site2 |
The base path in PATH_CURRENT_SITE, wp_site.path, and wp_blogs.path must remain consistent with the installation directory. |
Changing the primary domain while preserving the architecture is usually less disruptive than changing both the domain and the address model at once. If both must change, stage the work carefully and treat every site’s domain/path pair as a separate value to verify.
Self-managed server or managed hosting?
| Consideration | Self-managed server | Managed WordPress hosting |
|---|---|---|
| DNS and certificates | You configure records, virtual hosts, renewals, and certificate coverage. | The provider may supply interfaces for DNS and TLS; confirm that Multisite and custom domains are supported. |
| Rewrite rules | You maintain Apache, Nginx, or IIS routing and reload services. | The host may manage the web tier, but you still need to verify its Multisite rules. |
| Database migration | You control backups, WP-CLI, and rollback. | Confirm access to complete exports, serialized search-and-replace, and restoration. |
| Maintenance access | Full shell and log access, with more responsibility for failures. | Less infrastructure work, but restrictions may limit debugging or custom mappings. |
| Rollback effort | You can restore the original files, database, DNS, and server configuration directly. | Ask how quickly snapshots, DNS changes, and certificates can be reverted. |
Choose a managed service only after confirming explicit Multisite support, DNS control, TLS for all required hostnames, database export and restore capability, and a documented rollback process. A generic single-site plan may not provide those controls.
Common failures and recovery paths
All sites redirect in a loop
Check for conflicting old and new redirects at the CDN, web server, WordPress, and plugin layers. Confirm that HTTPS termination forwards the correct protocol and that the new hostname is listed in the virtual host.
The dashboard shows “Error establishing a database connection” or a blank page
Restore the last known-good wp-config.php, inspect PHP and web-server logs, and verify that the edited file has valid syntax. If the database was altered, restore the pre-migration export before attempting another replacement.
Users cannot stay logged in
Inspect cookie domain and path settings, clear stale cookies in a test browser, and confirm that every admin request remains on one canonical HTTPS host. A subsite mapping must not accidentally share an incompatible cookie scope with another site.
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Images or styles load from the old host
Search serialized options and content with a serialization-aware tool, then purge page, object, and CDN caches. Check theme and plugin settings that store absolute URLs outside the standard options rows.
Subsites return 404 errors while the main site works
Recheck wp_blogs.domain and path, the network type constant, DNS resolution for the affected host, and the server’s Multisite rewrite rules. A working main site does not prove that subsite routing is correct.
The old hostname still appears after migration
Search all tables with the correct prefix and inspect cron definitions, email templates, integrations, caches, and third-party configuration. Do not repeatedly run an unrestricted replacement; classify each remaining match first.
When the migration is complete
Document the final DNS records, certificate names, canonical redirects, network constants, table-prefix assumptions, cache purge steps, and rollback files. Keep monitoring logs and authentication for several release cycles. The migration is complete only when every site, admin path, integration, and automated task works on the new domain and the old domain is intentionally redirecting or retired.
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