Overview
The following explains how to transfer your website's hosting to another company. This includes the website files, database, and emails.
See this article instead if you need to transfer your registration away from DreamHost.
Transferring website hosting
These steps walk you through backing up your website, uploading your data to the new hosting provider, and pointing your DNS records so the domain is no longer hosted at DreamHost.
Back up your data
Before making any changes to your account, you should back up your data. See this article for instructions on using the panel backup service.
Another option is to manually back up this data.
Locate your DNS records
It's important to obtain a textual copy of the DNS records for your domains in case your new host needs any of them configured in their system. To obtain your DNS records:
- Navigate to the Manage Websites page.
- Open the DNS Settings page:
- Copy all the DNS records to a text file.
Confirm everything is backed up
Before you point your DNS to the new hosting company, confirm all of the following is backed up:
- Web files
- Database
- Emails
- DNS records
Upload your data to the new hosting company
Now that everything is backed up, you must log into your new hosting company's panel and upload all of your site's content. Check with your new host for instructions on how to upload your data within their system.
Point your DNS to the new hosting company
Your website data is now uploaded to the new hosting provider, however your website still loads from DreamHost's servers. The final step is to point your DNS to the new provider.
Depending on what services you would like to continue hosting at DreamHost, you have two options for pointing your DNS records.
Both options assume your domain is registered at DreamHost.
If your domain is NOT registered at DreamHost, you must log into the account where it is registered and adjust the DNS from there.
Option 1 — Host ALL records at the new company
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Use this option if you want ALL of your records (website, email, and any custom DNS records) to be hosted at the new company. If so, all you need to do is point your nameservers.
Removing hosting
If this is the only domain on your account, you do NOT need to maintain a hosting plan. A hosting plan is only necessary if you wish to host a domain and its content on DreamHost servers. If this is your only domain, make sure to close your hosting plan. Your DNS will continue to point to your new hosting company.
Option 2 — Host only the website at the new company
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If you need to keep email or any other services hosted at DreamHost, you must instead create custom A DNS records to point to your new hosting company.
Contact your new host to obtain the correct IP addresses to point to. Then, use the instructions in this article to create A records for your site.
Wait for DNS to update
After pointing your DNS, the records will take several hours to update online. You can use the following links to check the progress of the records during this time period:
- whatsmydns.net — A popular site that checks DNS records around the world.
- Viewing your DreamHost DNS records — Use DreamHost's DNS propagation checker in the panel.
Once updated, your website will load from the new hosting company.