WordPress Migration: Beginners Guide in Easy Steps 2026

For novices who are unfamiliar with the technical facets of web management, moving a website from one location to another may seem overwhelming. For website owners who need to switch hosting companies, update domains, or set up development environments, WordPress migration has become a crucial ability. Regardless of technical proficiency, this thorough guide will ensure a seamless transition by guiding you through every step of the WordPress migration process using the well-liked All-in-One WP Migration plugin.

This is a quick summary of how to do WordPress Migration with All-in-One WP Migration:

• Add the All-in-One WP Migration plugin to the website you want to move.
• Exporting your whole site will make a full backup and restoration file.
• Get the .wpress file that has all of your website’s data.
• Add the plugin to the website or hosting environment where you want it to work.
• Use the plugin’s one-click migration capability to import the .wpress file.
• Change the DNS settings and make sure everything works as it should.
• Do all the tests that need to be done after the transfer, like checking the settings for themes and plugins.

Website owners often have to migrate their WordPress sites for a number of technical and strategic reasons. When current hosting providers don’t fulfill performance, security, or support standards, host change decisions typically lead to migration demands. A lot of people find better hosting pricing, better server locations, or better features that make it worth it to move host providers.

The WordPress Migration procedure has changed a lot, making it easier for people of all ability levels to utilize. Modern solutions deal with frequent worries about website outage, data loss, and technological complexity that used to keep site owners from taking the steps they needed to do.

The most common reasons for migrating are:

• Change hosts to get better performance or customer service
• When you change the name of your firm or its emphasis, you can transfer your domain.
• Changes from development to production environment
• SSL/HTTPS migration for better security needs
• Improvements to the server or the technological stack
• Moving servers to different locations to improve customer experience

No downtime migration is becoming more and more crucial because organizations can’t afford to stay out for long periods of time. Modern migration plugins solve this problem by making it easy to switch between services with as little downtime as possible.

With over 60 million sites utilizing it since 2013, All-in-One WP Migration is one of the most trusted migration plugins out there. The plugin makes WordPress migration easier by putting whole websites into single exportable files. This makes transfers easy for even beginners.

The plugin is famous because it can move entire websites without needing sophisticated technical skills. With only a few clicks, users can do entire WordPress migration process, so they don’t have to move files or change the database by hand.

The plugin has a number of benefits that make WordPress migration easier:

• One-click migration makes it easy to move things quickly
• When done right, relocation can happen without any downtime
• Works with all hosting providers without problems
• Creating automatic backups and restores while exporting
• Support for exporting and importing whole databases
• The ability to move files without knowing how to use FTP or SFTP

With just one click, the plugin exports whole sites, including their databases, media, themes, and plugins. It does this without any downtime and works with all platforms.

To avoid frequent mistakes, you need to plan and prepare carefully for a successful WordPress Migration. A full migration checklist makes sure that no important steps are missed throughout the transfer process. This makes the WordPress migration process more predictable and easier to follow.

Users should do these things before starting any migration:

• Set up a full staging environment for testing.
• Check to see if the plugin works with the hosting environment you want to use it in.
• Write down the current settings for your theme and plugins so you can refer to them later.
• Make sure the data is safe by making several backup copies.
• Check your DNS settings and get ready for delays in propagation.
• If you can, test the migration plugin on a smaller site.

The most important thing to do during any move is to prevent against data loss. To make sure they can fully recover from problems, users need to make numerous backup copies using different ways.

The procedure of backing up and restoring should include:

• Full database exports that include all settings and content
• Full copies of the file system, including themes, plugins, and media
• Backups of configuration files, such as wp-config.php
• SSL certificate copies if you are using your own certificates

There are multiple steps in the manual migration process with All-in-One WP Migration, and each one needs to be done carefully and with attention to detail.

Install All-in-One WP Migration on both the source and destination websites to start the migration process:

• Go to the WordPress admin dashboard
• Go to Plugins → Add a new section
• Look for “All-in-One WP Migration”
• Get the plugin and turn it on
• Check to see if the plugin is in the main navigation menu

The plugin is simple to use and can be found in the WordPress main menu without having to change any settings.

The export method puts the whole website into one file that may be moved:

• From the WordPress dashboard, you may get to All-in-One WP Migration
• To start the process, click the “Export To” button.
• Choose “File” as the place to export
• Wait for the plugin to make the full backup and restore file
• Get the .wpress file onto your computer

During the export process, the plugin puts the whole site into one .wpress file.

Make sure the destination environment is set up correctly before importing:

• Install WordPress from scratch on a new server
• On the destination, install the All-in-One WordPress Migration plugin
• Make sure the import file has enough disk space
• Verify the file upload limits set by the hosting provider
• Set up DNS in preparation for future propagation

The entire website is restored to the new location through the import process:

• Go to All-in-One WP Migration → Import
• To start the import procedure, drag the export file into the upload field
• Await the completion of the import’s processing.
• Check that all themes, plugins, and content were transferred properly
• Test important website features as soon as they are imported

WP-CLI migration provides command-line alternatives to plugin-based transfers for users who are more at ease with technical methods. This approach can manage larger websites more effectively and offers more control over the WordPress migration process.

FTP/SFTP techniques offer substitutes when plugin restrictions prohibit standard imports:

• Place large WordPress files in the /wp-content/ai1wm-backups directory.
• Click the RESTORE button after selecting All-in-One WP Migration → Backups.
• Keep an eye on the restoration process to ensure its completion.
• Check that every component was successfully transferred.

Database export and import operations without file transfers are necessary in certain situations:

• Use the plugin options to export only database content
• Maintain current files while importing a database
• Update permalinks and URL rewriting for the new domain structure
• Verify all database connections and dynamic content

The software lets you plan out a client’s journey in multiple steps, automate behavioural triggers, and create more advanced consumer segments based on what users do. The ability to do A/B testing makes sure that all campaigns work as well as possible.

A successful WordPress migration doesn’t end with the transfer being finished. Tasks completed after migration guarantee optimum functionality and performance in the new setting.

Follow these crucial verification procedures as soon as possible after migration:

• Verify that all posts and pages load properly
• Check that the theme and plugin settings were transferred properly
• Verify that the plugin is compatible with the new hosting environment
• Verify that SSL and HTTPS migration certificates are functioning correctly
• Test user registration, e-commerce features, and contact forms

One of the most important post-migration tasks is DNS propagation:

• To point to the new hosting provider, update DNS records
• Give the DNS a full 24 to 48 hours to propagate.
• Track the accessibility of the website from various locations
• If necessary, update the DNS settings for email and subdomains

Performance changes are frequently necessary in new hosting environments:

• Set up caching plugins for maximum speed.
• Check loading times and make any necessary optimizations.
• Check any applicable CDN configurations.
• Any hardcoded URLs in the settings or content should be updated.

Even with meticulous preparation, WordPress migration may run into a number of issues that call for troubleshooting and problem-solving abilities.

Limitations on the size of migration plugin files frequently result in import failures:

• Exports in the free version are limited to 512MB
• Frequently, hosting companies limit imports to 100 MB or less
• Manual file transfer may be necessary for large media libraries
• For larger websites, premium versions provide higher limits

After a migration, plugin compatibility problems may cause disruptions to website functionality:

• Before exporting, turn off any unnecessary plugins
• First, test important plugins in a staging environment
• Prior to migration, update all plugins to the most recent versions
• Keep track of plugin settings so you can manually adjust them if necessary

Character encoding problems can occasionally arise during database export/import operations:

• Make sure that UTF-8 encoding is consistent between environments
• Verify that special characters are displayed correctly in the content
• Check that multilingual content is transferred correctly
• Verify that database queries and connections operate as intended

During the intricate transfer process, a thorough migration checklist helps guarantee that no important steps are missed:

• Make a full backup and restore file
• Record the current theme and plugin settings
• Test the migration plugin in a staging environment
• Check that the plugin and the destination host are compatible
• Plan for DNS propagation delays
• Make sure there are safeguards against dMake a full backup and restore file
• Record the current theme and plugin settings
• Test the migration plugin in a staging environment
• Check that the plugin and the destination host are compatible
• Plan for DNS propagation delays
• Make sure there are safeguards against data loss

• Carefully carry out the one-click migration process
• Keep an eye out for any warnings or error messages
• Check that the file uploads were successful
• Test the essential features as soon as they are imported

• Complete permalink updates and URL rewriting
• Verify the functionality of every theme and plugin setting
• Check that SSL/HTTPS migration certificates are operational,
• Adjust DNS, and track their spread
• Verify that the migration had no downtime
• Make fresh backup and restore files in a different setting

Check out

7 Powerful WordPress CRM Tools To Boost Your Sales

If you plan ahead and have the right tools, WordPress migration doesn’t have to be scary. All-in-One WP Migration makes WordPress migration accessible even for novices by streamlining the intricate process of moving websites between hosting companies. Compared to manual migration techniques, the migration plugin approach has several advantages, including a lower time commitment and a lower chance of error.

The ability to effectively migrate WordPress site installations is becoming more and more valuable as websites continue to expand and hosting technologies advance. Gaining proficiency in WordPress migration techniques gives website owners flexibility and assurance in managing their online presence.

Author: Saad Wasim