Switching hosting providers sounds risky, but with planning your visitors and email won't notice anything.
1. Inventory
- Website files and databases
- Domains and DNS records (A, CNAME, MX, TXT for SPF/DKIM/DMARC)
- Email accounts, aliases and forwarding
- SSL certificates
- Cron jobs, scheduled tasks and special server settings
- Access to the domain registrar
2. Prepare
- Make a full backup of website and email
- Lower the DNS TTL (time to live) a day or two in advance so changes spread quickly
- Check PHP and database versions on the new server
3. Copy and test
- Transfer files and database to the new server
- Test using a temporary URL or local hosts-file entry before switching DNS
- Check forms, logins, shop checkout and links
4. Email migration
- Create mailboxes on the new system
- Copy existing emails (IMAP migration tools)
- Plan the MX record change carefully
- Update SPF, DKIM and DMARC records
- Run a final sync after the switch
5. Switch DNS
Update the records (or nameservers). With a low TTL, most visitors reach the new server within minutes to hours.
6. After the switch
- Issue SSL certificates on the new server
- Monitor for errors and email delivery
- Keep the old hosting active for a few days as a fallback
- Restore the normal TTL
Common mistakes
- Forgetting TXT records, breaking email authentication
- Cancelling the old hosting too early
- Not testing before switching DNS
- Missing redirects or HTTPS configuration
Our Business and Business Pro hosting packages include a migration, and we coordinate the switch time with you.
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