Moving a WordPress website from one host or domain to another doesn’t have to be scary, or expensive. Whether you’re switching hosts, creating a staging copy, or transferring a client project, you can migrate your site completely free using reliable tools and a few smart steps.
At Right Padding, we migrate sites regularly for clients and partner agencies, and we’ve perfected a smooth, zero-downtime process that doesn’t break your links or design.
🎥 Prefer watching instead?
Follow along in our full video tutorial here:
⚙️ Step 1: Choose a Reliable Migration Plugin
There are many tools out there, but for a free and straightforward migration, we recommend:
🔹 All-in-One WP Migration
- Completely free for most basic transfers.
- No coding needed.
- Works with any hosting provider.
Alternative: Duplicator is also great, especially if you’re moving between similar hosting setups.
📦 Step 2: Export Your Website
After installing All-in-One WP Migration:
- Go to All-in-One WP Migration → Export.
- Choose Export To → File.
- Wait for the export to finish, then download the .wpress file to your computer.
This file contains your entire site — database, media files, themes, and plugins.
💡 Pro Tip: If your site is large (over 512MB), you may need to temporarily increase upload limits or use a file-splitting option.
🖥️ Step 3: Set Up WordPress on the New Host
On your new domain or hosting account:
- Install WordPress (fresh, clean install).
- Make sure you can log in at yourdomain.com/wp-admin.
- Install the same All-in-One WP Migration plugin again.
This gives you the “bridge” to import your old website.
📂 Step 4: Import the Website File
- Go to All-in-One WP Migration → Import.
- Choose the file you exported earlier (yourwebsite.wpress).
- Wait for the upload and restoration process to complete.
Once done, the plugin will ask you to replace the database — click Proceed.
After the import, log back in using your old site’s credentials (since those were migrated too).
🔧 Step 5: Update Your Permalinks & Settings
Once you’re inside your new site:
- Go to Settings → Permalinks → click Save Changes (this refreshes URL structure).
- Reconnect any plugins or APIs that require reauthorization (like Elementor, SEO tools, etc.).
- Clear cache and test your site.
Everything (pages, posts, images, and settings) should now look exactly like your original site.
🌐 Step 6: Point Your Domain (If Applicable)
If you also changed your domain name or hosting provider, you’ll need to update your DNS records:
- Log in to your domain registrar (like GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.).
- Update the A record or Nameservers to point to your new hosting provider.
- Wait for DNS propagation (usually 1–24 hours).
After propagation, your new migrated site will load under your domain.
🧠 Step 7: Test Everything Thoroughly
Before announcing your migration done, test these:
- ✅ Homepage and subpages load correctly
- ✅ Contact forms and pop-ups work
- ✅ Media and images display properly
- ✅ Plugins like SEO, cache, and security are active
- ✅ Links and menus redirect correctly
Use tools like Broken Link Checker or Ahrefs Webmaster Tools to verify all internal links.
🪄 Bonus: Use Staging for Safe Migrations
If your host supports staging sites, you can migrate your website there first, test it, and only then push it live.
It’s an extra safety step we recommend for client or production websites.
⚡ Common Migration Issues & Fixes
| Issue | Cause | Fix |
| Upload limit exceeded | Host file size limit | Increase upload_max_filesize in php.ini or use file-splitting |
| Broken URLs | Old site links not replaced | Use the plugin’s Find and Replace tool |
| Missing images | File path issue | Regenerate thumbnails or re-upload media |
| Login not working | Cache or cookies | Clear browser cache and cookies, then log in again |
Migrating a WordPress site doesn’t need to be stressful or costly. With free tools like All-in-One WP Migration, you can handle the whole process confidently in under an hour.
At Right Padding, we use this same approach for agency handoffs and redesign migration. It’s efficient, reliable, and completely free.
