Moving Website to New Hosting: A Pre-Migration Checklist

Use this hosting migration checklist to prepare the destination, protect existing DNS and email services and decide when it is safe to move public traffic. Treat the migration as a controlled change with a tested recovery path.

Inventory the current host, PHP version, database, domain and DNS provider before copying the site. Confirm that your backup includes the files and database needed for recovery, as described in the WordPress backup guidance. Agree who will approve cutover and what would trigger rollback.

Include DNS preparation in your hosting migration checklist

If you control the DNS zone, reducing the relevant TTL ahead of a planned migration can shorten the period in which visitors receive different server addresses. Record every existing DNS record before making changes, especially MX, SPF, DKIM and verification records used by business email and third-party services.

Build and test before switching traffic

Copy the website to the destination and test it before changing public DNS. Check important pages, forms, logins, redirects, SSL behaviour and any ecommerce or booking functions. A hosts-file preview or temporary staging method can let you test the destination while customers continue using the existing server.

Keep the old hosting available temporarily

Do not cancel the old account immediately after the DNS switch. Keeping it available gives you a rollback option and helps cover visitors whose DNS resolvers have not yet refreshed. Once traffic has settled on the new server and logs show normal operation, you can plan the old account’s closure.

Complete the hosting migration checklist before cutover

Choose a quieter period if the site receives transactions or frequent content changes. Take a fresh database copy immediately before cutover where necessary, then switch DNS and monitor both servers. Recheck contact forms and email notifications after the public domain resolves to the destination. Keep a written rollback threshold so the decision to revert is based on defined failures rather than pressure during the migration.

Practical takeaway

Keep a record of the destination settings, DNS change, test results and rollback decision. If the domain registrar is also changing, review our domain transfer checklist and keep the registrar, DNS and hosting steps distinct.

Related website and SEO resources

A hosting migration is also a good time to review the website and its search visibility. For website redevelopment see Branding Experts, and for search migration and technical SEO planning see SEO Edge.