Export Migrate WordPress to New Host to HTML

WordPress migrations sound scary. Database exports, file transfers, configuration nightmares. The reality? It's mostly automated now. Plugins handle the hard parts.

Here's what you're actually moving: a MySQL database with your content, a wp-content folder with your themes, plugins, and uploads, and a wp-config.php with your settings. That's it. Everything else is WordPress core, identical across installations.

Method one: migration plugins.

All-in-One WP Migration is the standard. Install it on your old site, click Export, download the file. Install WordPress and the same plugin on your new host, click Import, upload the file. Done.

The free version caps file size at 512MB. Most sites are smaller than this. If yours isn't, the paid version is $69 or you can manually exclude large files and upload them separately.

Duplicator works similarly but packages things as a standalone installer. Download the package and installer.php, upload both to your new host, run installer.php in your browser. It creates the databse and configures everything.

Method two: host-managed migration.

Most decent hosts offer free migration services. SiteGround, Bluehost, WP Engine, Kinsta, they all do this. Submit a ticket with your current site credentials, they handle the techncial work, you verify and switch DNS.

This is my actual recomendation for most people. Let professionals do professional work. Takes longer (1-3 days typically) but less risk of screwing something up.

Method three: manual migration.

Download your wp-content folder via FTP. Export your database from phpMyAdmin. Create a new database on the new host. Import your database. Upload WordPress core and your wp-content folder. Edit wp-config.php with new database credentials.

This approach gives you maximum control but maximum opportunities for mistakes. Serialized data in WordPress, especially URLs, needs special handling. If you're not comfortable with database search-and-replace operations, stick with plugins.

Method four: don't migrate at all.

Seriously. If your WordPress site is a brochure, five pages, some images, rarely updated, you don't need WordPress on the new host. Export your site as static HTML instead. Upload those files to Netlify for free. Your site works identically, loads faster, and costs nothing to host.

This is the approach people overlook. Migration assumes you need WordPress. But WordPress is a tool for managing content, not a requirement for having a website. If the management overhead exceeds the management benefits, skip it.

Common migration issues:

Images not showing? Check file permissions and make sure the uploads folder transferred completely. White screen of death? Enable debug mode in wp-config.php to see the actual error, usually a plugin conflict. Wrong URLs everywhere? Run a search-replace on the database for old domain to new domain.

After migration, test everything before switching DNS. Every page, every form, every plugin feature. The new site should work perfectly on its temporary URL before you point your domain at it.

DNS propagation takes up to 48 hours but usually finishes faster. During this window, some visitors see the old site, some see the new. Both should work. Once propagation completes, your migration is done.