Overview
DreamHost has partnered with the makers of BlogVault to provide DreamHost Automated Migration, a free WordPress plugin that allows you to quickly and easily migrate your WordPress site to DreamHost.
This article explains how to migrate your WordPress site using this plugin. The workflow in your DreamHost panel guides you through every step of this process.
These instructions are ONLY used when migrating to a top-level domain like example.com, subdomains, or temporary domains.
They cannot be used for:
- subdirectory installations, such as example.com/blog
- migrating FROM an existing DreamHost website
How to migrate your website using the plugin
The following steps migrate your site using the DreamHost Automated Migration Plugin.
Add your domain to a hosting plan
Make sure you have already signed up for a DreamHost account, added a hosting plan, and added your domain to that hosting plan. See the following articles for more information:
Update WordPress (in the old host website)
Make sure your WordPress site (at your old hosting company) is running on the most current version.
Then, install all available updates for your themes and plugins.
The source site (i.e., where you are migrating from) must use https:// to migrate to DreamHost.
It must also be accessible and online in order to use this plugin.
Migrating the site
- Log into your panel.
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Navigate to the Manage Websites page and click the Manage button to open the Domain Settings page, which allows you to adjust various settings for your site.
- Click the Website tab.
- To the right of Migrate Site, click the Explore Migrations button.
- A new page opens.
- Click the Scan my Site button.
- Your site is scanned to determine which migration options are available.
- Click the See Migration Options button.
- A new page opens listing available migration options.
- Under the Automated option, click the Select button.
- A series of steps appear to guide you through migrating your WordPress site.
Checking the status
You can continue to check back on the migration status in your panel in the Migration section. Once the migration is complete, you will receive a confirmation email to the address you added in the guided steps above.
FAQs
Can I use this plugin to migrate a WordPress multisite?
Yes. After installing the plugin, make sure to 'Network Activate' it to ensure it can run from the Network Admin dashboard. However, please note the following considerations:
- The migration must move the whole network to DreamHost. It does not allow the migration of individual subsites, or the import of a subsite into a different network.
- The recommended hosting plans for WordPress Multisite are VPS, Dedicated, or DreamCompute. Multisite installs on Shared and DreamPress plans are not recommended or supported.
- DreamHost Support does not offer technical assistance with Multisite installs.
Are there any restrictions or limitations?
The plugin will work with the vast majority of WordPress sites, themes, plugins, and configurations. However, please note that you cannot migrate the following types of sites using this plugin:
- WordPress sites set up at WordPress.com. However, you can import the content of your pages, posts, and embedded images.
- Sites built using Wix, Weebly, SquareSpace, Joomla, or other site builders.
- WordPress sites developed in local environments (e.g., ServerPress).
- Your site must already be a WordPress site in order to migrate an exact copy of your site using this or any other plugin.
Are there size limits on the migration?
At this time, you can migrate a WordPress site of any size using this plugin. Please note the time to complete the migration increases for larger sites.