How to Migrate Your Website to New Hosting Without Downtime
Can I move my website to new hosting without downtime?
Yes. If you copy the site to the new server first, test it on a temporary address, lower your DNS TTL in advance and keep the old hosting active for a few days, visitors will not notice the switch. Email needs its own plan so no messages are lost.
Many businesses stay on slow or unreliable hosting for years simply because moving feels risky. They worry about the site going offline, emails disappearing or Google rankings dropping. Those risks are real when a migration is rushed, and almost zero when it is done in the right order.
This guide walks through that order. It applies whether you are moving to BDIX hosting for faster local speed, upgrading to a bigger plan, or leaving a provider you no longer trust.
Table of Contents
1. Prepare Before You Touch Anything
- List everything that lives on the old hosting: website files, databases, email accounts, subdomains, cron jobs and any SSL certificates.
- Find your domain and DNS logins: you will need to change DNS records, so confirm where the domain is registered and where DNS is managed.
- Check PHP and database versions: the new server should run the same or a newer supported version.
- Choose a quiet time: plan the switch for your lowest-traffic hours.
2. Take a Full Backup
Download a complete backup of files and database before anything else, and store it off the server. If something goes wrong during the move, this backup is your safety net. For WordPress, a plugin such as UpdraftPlus or a full cPanel backup both work, as long as you keep a copy on your own computer or cloud storage.
3. Copy and Test on the New Server
Restore the files and database on the new hosting, then test the site before any visitor can reach it. You can preview it with a temporary URL from the host or by editing the hosts file on your own computer so only you see the new server.
Click through the important pages, submit the contact form, test the checkout if you run a store, and log in to the admin panel. Fix any errors now, while the old site is still serving visitors.
4. Switch DNS the Smart Way
- A day before, lower the TTL on your domain records (for example to 300 seconds) so changes spread quickly.
- Update the A record (or nameservers) to point to the new server.
- Issue the SSL certificate on the new server and check every page loads over HTTPS.
- Keep the old hosting active for at least a few days while DNS updates around the world.
Because the URLs do not change, Google treats this as a hosting move rather than a site move. Its guidance on moving a site without URL changes confirms that rankings are unaffected when the new server is fast and stable.
5. Do Not Forget Email
Email is where most migrations go wrong. If your business email runs on the old hosting, create the same mailboxes on the new server, copy existing messages over (IMAP migration), and update the MX, SPF and DKIM records. Check that new mail arrives and that sent mail does not land in spam.
6. Check Everything After the Switch
- Visit the site from mobile data and a different network to confirm it loads from the new server.
- Re-test forms, checkout and admin login.
- Check Google Search Console for crawl errors over the next week.
- Set up new backups and monitoring on the new hosting.
- Cancel the old hosting only when you are sure nothing still depends on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a website migration take?
Copying a typical business website takes a few hours. DNS changes usually spread within a few hours too, but allow up to 48 hours before cancelling the old hosting.
Will I lose my Google rankings when I change hosting?
No, as long as the URLs stay the same and the new server is fast and reliable. Rankings only suffer if the site is down or broken for a long period.
What does free migration from a host usually include?
Usually the files and database of one website. Email, extra sites and fixing errors are often not included, so ask exactly what is covered.
Can I migrate a hacked website?
Clean it first. Moving an infected site just moves the malware to the new server. Our malware removal service cleans the site before it moves.
Why Businesses Choose Spider Infotech Services
At Spider Infotech Services, we handle the whole move so you can keep running your business. Our team helps with:
- Full website and database migration
- Email migration with no lost messages
- DNS, SSL and domain changes
- Testing before and after the switch
- Speed tuning on the new server
- Backups and security from day one
Related services: domain registration and web hosting, backup and restore and website maintenance and care plans.
Final Thoughts on Website Migration
A website migration is safe when it follows a simple rule: build and test the new home before you leave the old one. Back up first, test on the new server, switch DNS with a short TTL, move email carefully, and keep the old hosting until everything checks out. Done that way, your visitors will only notice that the site got faster.
Need Help Moving Your Website?
Talk to Spider Infotech Services on WhatsApp at +880 1756-061222 or email contact@spiderits.com and we will plan your migration with you.
