Can I migrate WordPress without downtime?

Yes. Migrate your site to LJPc first and test it through the hosts file on your computer or a temporary URL. Lower the TTL of your DNS a day in advance and only change the DNS once the new site works properly. That way your old site stays reachable until the switch is complete.

Duplicator or All-in-One WP Migration: which is best to choose?

All-in-One WP Migration is the fastest route for small to medium sites, but the free version has an import limit that is often 512 MB. Duplicator takes one more step of work, but it has no fixed import limit and gives you more control. For larger sites, Duplicator is therefore often more convenient.

Do I get an SSL certificate automatically at LJPc?

Yes. As soon as your domain points to LJPc and the A record resolves to the correct server, LJPc automatically issues a free Let's Encrypt certificate. The check runs several times an hour. Make sure any CAA record allows letsencrypt.org.

Why do I get 404 errors on subpages after the migration?

The permalink rules have not been refreshed on the new server yet. Go to Settings > Permalinks in your WordPress admin area and click Save Changes. You do not have to change anything, saving again is enough.

Should I delete the Duplicator installer files?

Yes. Delete installer.php and the archive file from your web folder as soon as the migration is successful. If you leave them, someone could run the installer again, and that is a security risk.

My backup is larger than the import limit. What now?

Raise the upload_max_filesize and post_max_size values in the PHP settings in Plesk, or switch to Duplicator, which has no fixed import limit. For very large sites, a manual move over FTP with a database dump can also be an option.

Migrate WordPress with a plugin: Duplicator & more

Migrate WordPress with a plugin like Duplicator or All-in-One WP Migration. Follow this step-by-step guide to move your site to LJPc without downtime.

Moving your WordPress site does not have to be a technical adventure. With a migration plugin you copy your whole site, including the database, media, themes and settings, to a new server in just a few steps. This guide explains how to migrate WordPress with a plugin, using Duplicator as the main example and All-in-One WP Migration as an alternative. After that, you will see how to point your DNS to the right nameservers at LJPc and activate a free SSL certificate, so your site moves across without downtime.

Why migrate WordPress with a plugin?

A migration plugin packages your entire WordPress installation into one or two files that you unpack again on the new hosting. You do not have to work manually with FTP and phpMyAdmin. That makes it the easiest route if you have a basic knowledge of WordPress and the Plesk control panel, but you are not a professional developer.

The two best-known free plugins work a little differently. Duplicator builds a package with a separate installer file, so you do not need an existing WordPress on the new server. All-in-One WP Migration exports your site to a single file that you import into a fresh WordPress. The table below helps you choose.

Duplicator versus All-in-One WP Migration at a glance
Feature	Duplicator	All-in-One WP Migration
Install WordPress first	Not needed, the installer builds the site	Yes, you import into a fresh WordPress
Create a separate database	Yes, in advance in Plesk	No, it is overwritten on import
Free limit	No fixed import limit	Import limit, often 512 MB
Best for	Larger sites, more control	Small to medium sites, fastest route

Preparation: sort this out first

Good preparation prevents most problems. Run through these points before you start.

Hosting at LJPc. Make sure you have a hosting plan that is suitable for WordPress. All shared plans support WordPress and offer the latest PHP versions.
Make a backup first. Create a fresh backup of your current site before you change anything, so you can always roll back.
Check the PHP version. On the new hosting, choose a PHP version in Plesk that your theme and plugins support. Large differences between the old and new server can cause errors.
Lower the TTL. Reduce the TTL of your DNS records a day in advance (for example to 300 seconds). The DNS change then takes effect faster later on.
Pick your moment. Ideally migrate and test your site first, and only change your DNS afterwards. That way your old site stays online until the new one is ready.

Migrate WordPress with the Duplicator plugin

Duplicator creates a package of your site plus an installer.php that rebuilds everything on the new server. Work through the steps in order.

On your current site, install the Duplicator plugin through Plugins > Add New Plugin.
Go to Duplicator > Packages and click Create New in the top right. Give the package a name and click Next.
Duplicator scans your site. Resolve any warnings, rescan, and then click Build.
After the build, click One-Click Download. This downloads both the archive (a zip file) and installer.php to your computer.
On your LJPc hosting, create an empty database in Plesk through Databases > Add Database, together with a database user. Note down the database name, username and password.
Upload the archive and installer.php to the httpdocs web folder of your domain. You can use the File Manager in Plesk or connect over FTP or SFTP.
Open yourdomain.com/installer.php in your browser. Cannot reach your domain yet because the DNS has not been changed? Use the hosts file on your computer or a temporary URL to reach the new server in advance.
In the installer, enter the database name, username and password. Leave the host set to localhost and click Test Connection.
Connection fine? Click Run Deployment and then Run Update. Duplicator unpacks your site and adjusts the settings.
After a successful migration, delete installer.php and the archive file from httpdocs. Otherwise these files are a security risk.

Migrate WordPress with All-in-One WP Migration

All-in-One WP Migration works with a single export file that has the extension .wpress. You install the plugin on both your old and your new site.

On the new LJPc hosting, install a fresh WordPress first, for example through the WordPress Toolkit in Plesk or by uploading WordPress manually.
Install the All-in-One WP Migration plugin on both your old and your new site.
On your old site, go to All-in-One WP Migration > Export and choose File as the destination. The plugin creates a .wpress file that you download.
On your new site, go to All-in-One WP Migration > Import and drag the .wpress file into the window. Note that the import overwrites the fresh WordPress completely.
The free version has an import limit, often 512 MB. Is your file larger? Then raise the upload_max_filesize and post_max_size values in the PHP settings in Plesk, or use Duplicator instead.
After the import, log in again with the username and password of your old site, because the database has been overwritten.
Save your permalinks again (see the final checks below) so all links work once more.

Change your DNS to LJPc

Is your new site running on the LJPc server? Then point your domain to it so visitors reach the new hosting. You do this in one of two ways.

Change the nameservers (recommended). At your current domain provider, change the nameservers to ns1.ljpc.network, ns2.ljpc.network and ns3.ljpc.network. LJPc then manages your full DNS. You can read more about the role of these records in our article on the NS record.
Only change the A record. Do you want to keep your DNS elsewhere? Then change the A record of your domain to the IP address of your LJPc server. You find that IP address in Plesk.

A DNS change is not visible everywhere at once. Expect anywhere from a few hours up to 48 hours before everyone reaches the new server. How this works exactly is covered in our article on DNS propagation. Do you want to be sure the new site is correct before you switch? Then temporarily adjust the hosts file on your own computer to point your domain to the new IP address, and test at your leisure.

Activate SSL with Let's Encrypt

As soon as your domain points to LJPc and the A record resolves to the correct server IP, LJPc automatically issues a free SSL certificate through Let's Encrypt. A background check runs several times an hour and issues the certificate as soon as the DNS is correct. The certificate also covers the www variant, and HSTS and OCSP stapling are enabled by default.

Do you use a CAA record on your domain? Then make sure it allows letsencrypt.org, otherwise the certificate cannot be issued. Once https works, set your site URL in WordPress to https:// and check your site for any remaining http references.

Final checks after the migration

After the move it is wise to check a few things before you consider the migration complete.

Check wp-config.php. Site not loading? Open wp-config.php in the web folder and check DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD, DB_HOST (usually localhost) and the table_prefix. With Duplicator these are written automatically, but it is a good check.
Save your permalinks again. Go to Settings > Permalinks and click Save Changes, without changing anything. This refreshes the link structure and prevents 404 errors on subpages.
Fix mixed content. Does your site load without styling or without a padlock? Then a page still loads elements over http. Replace these references, for example with a plugin like Better Search Replace.
Clear your cache. Empty the contents of any caching plugins and of your browser cache, so you are sure to see the new site.
Test your site. Go through the main pages, forms and the admin area.

Common problems after a WordPress migration
Problem	Cause	Solution
White page or 500 error	Wrong database details or PHP version	Check wp-config.php and choose a suitable PHP version in Plesk
404 on subpages	Permalink rules not refreshed	Save your permalinks again through Settings > Permalinks
Site without styling or padlock	Mixed content, page still loads http resources	Force https and replace http references
File too large on import	Free import limit of All-in-One WP Migration	Raise the PHP upload limits in Plesk or use Duplicator
Installer reports no connection	Wrong database details or host	Use host localhost and the database you created in Plesk

Still stuck? LJPc offers free migration help. Feel free to contact support, and we will think along with you or take the move off your hands. Would you rather read the general approach first? Then have a look at the complete step-by-step guide to migrate your website to LJPc.