WordPress
WordPress to cPanel Migration Checklist (India)
Hoststack Team
7 min read
July 2026
A WordPress migration goes wrong in predictable places — a forgotten email account, a missed database table prefix, DNS pointed too soon. This checklist walks through the full move to a cPanel host in the order that avoids downtime and lost data.
Before you touch anything
- Take a fresh backup of files and database on the old host
- Note your current PHP version and any active cron jobs
- List every email account and its current storage usage
- Lower your domain's DNS TTL to 300 seconds, a day in advance
The migration, step by step
1
Export the database and download all files
Use phpMyAdmin to export the full WordPress database as SQL, and download the entire public_html (or wp-content at minimum) via FTP or the cPanel File Manager compress-and-download option.
2
Create a fresh database on the new cPanel
In Hoststack's cPanel, go to MySQL Databases, create a new database and user, and assign the user all privileges. Import your exported SQL file via phpMyAdmin.
3
Upload files and update wp-config.php
Upload your files to public_html, then edit wp-config.php with the new database name, username, password, and host (usually localhost on Hoststack's shared plans).
4
Test on a temporary URL or local hosts-file edit
Before DNS is switched, verify the site loads correctly by editing your computer's hosts file to point your domain to the new server's IP temporarily, or use the temporary URL Hoststack support provides.
5
Recreate email accounts before switching DNS
Set up the same email accounts in the new cPanel so mail doesn't bounce the moment MX records switch. Export important mail via IMAP if you need history preserved.
6
Switch DNS and monitor
Point your domain's nameservers or A record to Hoststack. Because you lowered the TTL earlier, propagation should complete within an hour. Keep the old host active for at least 48 hours as a fallback.
Let Hoststack do it for you, free
If this list feels like a lot, it is — and it's exactly why Hoststack offers free migration on all new hosting orders. Open a ticket from client.hoststack.pro with your current host's login details and the team handles files, database and email.
Quick Summary
- 1 Back up files, database, and note email accounts before starting
- 2 Test on a temporary URL before touching DNS
- 3 Recreate email accounts before switching MX records
- 4 Keep the old host live for 48 hours as a fallback
Skip the checklist — let us migrate it
Every new Hoststack hosting order includes a free, hands-off migration from your current host.
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