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How to migrate a website to Hostinger
How to migrate a website to Hostinger

Migrating your website from another hosting provider or platform to Hostinger

Updated over a month ago

If you have a website hosted on a different platform and you wish to migrate it to Hostinger, we are happy to do it for you.

Before starting the migration process, take note of the following:

  • Migrate your website to Hostinger first and only point your domain after the migration is completed. This way, your original website stays online until the migration is finished, which can take a couple of days.

  • You will need to manually migrate your email service. For instructions, refer to this tutorial: How to migrate email services to Hostinger Email.

  • The migration process includes website files and databases. It does not include cron jobs, DNS records, custom SSL configuration, and FTP accounts.

Step 1 – Requirements

You are eligible for a free website migration if your site is:

  • Currently hosted with another hosting provider other than Hostinger.

  • Built with an open-source CMS, such as WordPress.org or Joomla.

Websites created with custom builders like Blogger, Canva, Google Sites, Shopify, Squarespace, and others, cannot be migrated using this method. You will need to re-create your website – Hostinger Website Builder is an excellent tool for this task.

We also recommend the following:

If your website meets these conditions, proceed to the next step. Otherwise, if it is already hosted at Hostinger, refer to the information below regarding internal migrations.

Internal migration

Transferring websites between Hostinger accounts or hosting plans does not qualify for free migration. You must perform these migrations manually.

Here are some helpful guides to assist you with the process:

How to move a website to a different Hostinger account:

How to move a website to a different hosting plan within the same Hostinger account:

Step 2 — Preparation

After validating that your website meets the requirements, make sure you have an active hosting plan with at least one domain added.

If you haven’t set up your hosting plan yet, you can request website migration as part of the setup process.

Step 3 — Initiate the migration request

Use either of the following methods to reach the migration form:

  • Open the Websites section and click Add Website → Migrate Website:

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  • Click on the profile icon and select Migrate Website:
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How many websites can be migrated?

The number of websites you can migrate depends on your hosting plan's capacity. Generally, you can migrate as many as your storage and hosting resources allow.

If you plan to migrate multiple websites, for example, a domain and subdomains, submit a separate migration request for each one.

You can submit up to five active requests at a time. Once you have fewer than 5 requests in the queue, you can submit more.

Step 4 – Submit the request

Learn more about the migration process for each type of website:

Migrate a WordPress website from backups

If your website is a WordPress single-site installation and you want to migrate it from a local backup, follow these steps:

  1. Select Upload WordPress website backup:
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  2. Choose the destination website from the drop-down list, or create a new, empty website:

    1. If the website has already been added to your hosting plan, keep in mind that it will be replaced with the migrated website. This action cannot be reverted.

    2. For a new website, select Create a new empty website from the drop-down list; choose the hosting plan if applicable, and enter the destination domain name.

  3. Drag and drop your website files in ZIP format and your database in SQL format, or a WPRESS file.

Review the migration summary to ensure everything is correct, and click Submit request.

Migrate a self-hosted live WordPress website

If your WordPress website is a self-hosted, single-site installation and it's currently online, follow these steps:

  • Enter your source domain name and select I will provide WordPress Admin details in the next step:

    1. Confirm that you won't change your domain's DNS settings until the transfer is complete.

    2. Enter your WordPress admin credentials, and our tool will verify their validity.

  • Alternatively, if you want to use a local backup, select I will provide my backup files and database. Then, drag and drop your website files in ZIP format and your database in SQL format, or a WPRESS file.
    ​


    ​Select the destination website from the drop-down list, or choose to create a new, empty website:

    • If the website has already been added to your hosting plan, keep in mind that it will be replaced with the migrated website. This action cannot be reverted.

    • For a new website, select Create a new empty website from the drop-down list; choose the hosting plan if applicable, and enter the new domain name.

    Review the migration summary to ensure everything is correct, and click Submit request.

NOTES

Migrate a cPanel/WHM website

If your current hosting is on cPanel, enter your domain name, click Next, and choose the cPanel and WHM option:

  1. Enter the login URL and the admin credentials.

  2. Select the destination website from the drop-down list, or choose to create a new, empty website:

    • If the website is already added to your hosting plan, be aware that it will be replaced with the migrated website. This action cannot be reverted.

    • For a new website, select Create a new empty website from the drop-down list. Next, choose the hosting plan if applicable, and enter the new domain name.

  3. Review the migration summary to ensure everything is correct, and click Submit request.

Email migration is not supported. To manually import emails, follow this guide: How to migrate email services to Hostinger Email 💡

Migrate another type of website

If your website is neither WordPress nor cPanel-based, enter your domain name, click Next, and choose the Other control panel option.

  • For a live website:

    1. Verify that your current hosting has a backup feature and enough free space to create a backup.

    2. Enter the login URL to your current hosting provider's platform and the access credentials.

    3. Provide any additional information on the notes field.

  • For an offline website for which you have a local backup:

    1. Upload your website files in ZIP format and your database in SQL format to the same folder on one of the supported online cloud storage services: Google Drive, Dropbox, WeTransfer, or OneDrive.

    2. Enter the link to the online folder on the Additonal notes field. Even if your website is offline, fill in the rest of the fields to continue.

    Select the destination website from the drop-down list, or choose to create a new, empty website:

    • If the website is already added to your hosting plan, be aware that it will be replaced with the migrated website. This action cannot be reverted.

    • For a new website, select Create a new empty website from the drop-down list. Next, choose the hosting plan if applicable, and enter the new domain name.

    Review the migration summary to ensure everything is correct, and click Submit request.

After you submit a website migration request, you can check the status right away. If everything is set, the migration should be done within 48-96 hours ⚡️

Step 5 – Point a domain to Hostinger

When the migration is completed, you will receive an email notification. To verify that everything is working properly, use the SkipDNS tool and the IP address of your hosting plan.

Remember to point your domain to Hostinger servers only after the migration is complete to prevent prolonged interruptions 💡

Now that you have confirmed that your website is fully migrated, point your domain to Hostinger and enjoy an optimized hosting experience with Hostinger! 🚀

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