What Actually Happens When You Migrate a WordPress Site

People usually don’t move to a new host until they’ve already outgrown the one they’re on, even when the pricing is wrong or support is slow. The migration itself is what stops them, not the host they’re leaving. That hesitation comes from a real place: migration has a lot of moving parts, and getting one step wrong can create problems later. Four areas are worth paying particular attention to: orphaned orders, a rushed domain cutover, picking the wrong way to move a site, and getting stuck with no one to ask when something breaks.

Orphaned orders

The first risk is financial. If a WooCommerce store keeps taking orders on the old host after the migration has captured its database, those orders exist only on the old site, with no simple way to recover them afterward.

For stores that can pause orders, the simplest option is to put the store into maintenance mode before the migration starts and keep it there until DNS has fully propagated.

For stores that can’t tolerate downtime, there’s another option: migrate while the store stays live, then sync the orders and customers that came in before the DNS cutover. It’s more technical and leaves more room for error, which is why the decision needs to be made before the migration starts.

A rushed DNS cutover

Timing causes the second problem too. A domain pointed at a new host without first checking the migrated site is how a routine DNS change turns into an afternoon of troubleshooting.

Previewing the site before DNS changes gives you a chance to check the real domain, mobile layouts, page builder styles, plugins, and wp-admin before anyone else sees the new version. Once everything checks out, point the domain and confirm the switch.

The sequence matters: migrate, preview, verify, then change DNS.

Picking the wrong way to move

The third problem is simpler than the first two: knowing which way to move a site in the first place.

An automated plugin handles most sites in one pass. A manual migration works when the source host blocks plugin installs. A fully assisted migration is there for sites with a more complicated setup, or for anyone who’d rather hand the whole thing to someone else.

The risk is defaulting to one method without looking at what the site actually needs.

No one to call

The fourth problem shows up after something has already gone wrong: not having anyone to ask.

A migration doesn’t end when the files and database arrive. There are still things to check once DNS is live, including PHP errors, caching plugins, Jetpack, email authentication, and anything the old host left behind.

That’s when support matters. If something breaks during the move or after launch, having someone available can save a lot of time.

How Pressable handles it

Pressable’s migration process follows that sequence: make the WooCommerce decision first, create the destination site, choose the migration method, preview the site, then change DNS and work through the post-migration checks.

The managed environment also changes a few things that are easy to miss when moving from another host. Caching is already handled by Pressable, for example, so some caching plugins carried over from the old host need to be deactivated. PHP configuration is managed at the platform level too.

Every plan includes free migrations, either through the automated plugin or with Pressable’s team handling the move. Support is available 24/7/365 through live chat and email.

What this looks like in practice

500 Designs, a California-based agency managing 50+ client accounts, is a case worth walking through. They moved one of their most demanding clients, a custom-built enterprise site with its own server requirements, without a single issue, cutting hosting costs in half and eliminating the recurring downtime that had been hitting during high-traffic campaigns.

Black Nova moved 700+ sites to Pressable. For them, migration became a routine part of onboarding a new client instead of a project they had to figure out from scratch each time.

Get the full walkthrough

The migration itself is only part of the process. There are decisions to make before it starts, things to check before DNS changes, and a list of cleanup and verification steps once the site is live.

We put together the Pressable Migration Playbook to walk through all of it in order: what to check before starting, the WooCommerce order-timing decision, all three migration paths, what changes once a site is live on a managed host, what to expect after launch, and how agencies can handle moving a full portfolio.

It’s free to download.

Download the Pressable Migration Playbook

Suzanne Kolpakov

Suzanne leads Product Marketing at Pressable, where she focuses on translating complex hosting technology into clear, empowering solutions for creators and businesses. Driven by a passion for the WordPress community, she strives to show how the right platform can be a catalyst for growth and innovation. Suzanne believes that great marketing starts with authentic storytelling and making high-performance tech feel accessible to everyone. She lives in the Metro Atlanta area with her two children and two cats. When she’s not scaling the Pressable brand, you’ll find her navigating the local trails or enjoying the vibrant energy of the South.