4 Common Mistakes to Avoid While Migrating a WordPress Website

WordPress is one of the most popular systems, with around 43% of the overall websites built using it. Webmasters often need to migrate a WordPress website to other servers. The reasons can be various, like moving to a better hosting plan or transferring ownership in case the site is flipped. 

Whatever the reason, there are some mistakes that many make while migrating WordPress websites. And know that a single mistake here can destroy the website. 

In this blog post, we are going to discuss some common mistakes you should avoid making while migrating a WordPress website. 

4 Common Mistakes to Avoid While Migrating a WP Website

Many mistakes can occur during a website migration that remain unseen. For your ease, we have addressed four of the most common ones that many people make below. 

1. Not Backing Up the Website Before Migration

The WordPress migration process is prone to errors. The most critical mistake many people make is failing to back up their website before initiating the migration process. Ignoring the backup is like putting everything on your website (design, structure, content, etc) at stake. 

 Why is this essential?

Because during migrations, bad things can happen. For example:

• Files can get corrupted
• Database import can fail
• Issues can arise at the server end during migration, such as the server failing to import new configurations.

Any of the issues mentioned above can scratch your website. If that happens and you don’t have a backup file, you will lose everything and might have to start the site from scratch. 

However, having a backup ensures that if something breaks, you can roll back to a working version without losing anything. 

Regarding how to take a backup on WordPress, there are multiple methods that you can opt for, i.e., via using a plugin or manually downloading files from your hosting cPanel. 

For plugins, some popular options include Updraft Plus and All-in-One WP Migration. Using them, you can simply download and upload backups. However, note that their free plans offer a limited download size. If your website size exceeds that limit, things can go wrong. 

We always recommend that web admins take a manual backup at the hosting end. This includes zipping the WordPress files and exporting the database using phpMyAdmin.

2. Not Updating DNS or Name Servers Correctly

While migrating a WordPress website, the most crucial step is updating the DNS records. Especially, the NS (Name Server) records. They tell the internet which DNS provider is managing your domain. You need to point them from the old server to the new one. 

However, many people perform this step in a rush, taking it nonseriously. Be aware that a single mistake during DNS record setup can bring down your website. Users will not be able to access it on the web, even if you have uploaded the backup files. 

So, while migrating the WordPress website, carefully update the old name servers or update the A record to point to your new server.

Double-check is always recommended at this step. After updating, save the record and perform a DNS lookup using an external tool. It will show you what record values are listed in your DNS setup.  

You might not see the new values instantly, as it usually takes up to 48 hours for the latest records to propagate on the web servers around the globe. 

To check whether your newly added records are propagated or not, use an online DNS propagation checker. It will show you which records from your DNS setup are being resolved in which region at the time. 

3. Incorrect File or Database Transfer

Transferring databases and other files during a manual WordPress migration is one of the most damaging mistakes. A slight misstep while transferring files and data can have serious consequences. For example, it can lead to:

• Theme or plugin malfunctions
• White screen of death (blank site)
• Broken internal links or images
• Admin panel errors or login issues
• Loss of customer data or blog content

What can cause this?

Well, it usually happens when essential files like wp-config.php or .htaccess are missing. Additionally, skipping the hidden FTP files during migration also negatively impacts the site. This usually occurs when one tries to download folders one by one manually. A good way to avoid this is to download all the folders and databases altogether at once.

 To transfer all the files the right way, do the following:

• Use FTP tools like FileZilla or your host’s File Manager to download and upload files.
• Make sure you include all hidden files (like .htaccess) during download.
• Compress your entire WordPress folder into a .zip file to reduce errors, then unzip it on the new server.

4. Ignoring Permalinks and .htaccess Settings

Another mistake that is often overlooked by many is not updating the permalinks structure (especially if it is set to custom on the previous server) and checking the .htaccess file. 

This sometimes results in broken pages and non-functional redirects. Ultimately, a poor and sudden impact on the SEO performance. 

This usually happens when one:

• Forgot to save the permalinks settings after migration. 
• Transfer files via FTP, but excluding dotfiles, which hides .htaccess.
• Forgetting to restore custom rules (like redirects, security headers, or gzip compression).

If you’ve made such a mistake while migrating a website, here’s how to fix it. 

Refresh your permalinks. To log in to your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Settings > Permalinks. Without changing anything, click “Save Changes”. Doing this will regenerate .htaccess with the correct rewrite rules.

Moreover, double-check if your .htaccess file exists in the file manager. Make sure the file is present in the root directory of the website. 

Final Talk

Migrating a WordPress website can be smooth if done carefully. The above-discussed are the most common mistakes or errors that one has to face during the migration process. By avoiding these mistakes and double-checking each step, you can ensure a safe migration of WordPress websites.

The good news is you don’t have to handle the migration yourself – WPX takes care of it for you. We offer unlimited free migrations to WPX with all our plans, completed within 24 hours at no cost — so you can move worry-free.