Move Website to New Hosting Without Downtime (+ Email)

Published 2026-11-01 · 7 min read

Decided to switch hosts? Maybe the site is slow, support never answers, or the renewal price keeps going up. The natural fear is downtime and lost customer emails. In reality you can move a website to new hosting with practically zero downtime if you follow the right order: prepare, back up, copy, test, and only then switch the domain. This guide walks you through it step by step, whether you run a WordPress site for a clinic in Mansoura or a small company site in Nasr City, including moving your email.

The core idea: the old host keeps running until the very end

The secret to a zero-downtime move is simple: do not cancel the old hosting and do not touch DNS until the site is fully working and tested on the new host. Visitors keep seeing the old site throughout, and at switch time they move to an identical copy. If you are unsure how domains and hosting relate, read domain vs hosting: the difference first. Moving hosting does not mean moving the domain; it stays with your domain registrar.

Step 1: list everything you are moving

• Websites and subdomains (for example shop.yourdomain.com).
• Databases and their names.
• Mailboxes: every address such as info@ and sales@, who uses it, and on which devices.
• Forwarders and auto-replies.
• All current DNS records. Screenshot or copy them, especially TXT records used for Google verification and similar.
• Any scheduled tasks (cron jobs) or special settings.

Step 2: lower the TTL a day or two ahead

TTL is how long networks cache a DNS record before asking again. If your TTL is a full day, some visitors may keep hitting the old server for a day after the switch. In your DNS panel, lower the TTL on the A, CNAME and MX records to something small like 300 seconds at least a day before the move, so the old value expires from caches. Raise it again afterwards. For a refresher, see DNS records explained.

Step 3: take a full backup

Any dynamic site (WordPress or otherwise) has two parts, and you need both:

1. Files: everything in the site folder (often public_html), including uploads, theme and plugins. Zip it in the old host's file manager and download it.
2. Database: export it as a .sql file from the database tool in your old control panel.

Keep two copies, one on your computer and one in cloud storage. Avoid changing the old site after the backup, or you will need a fresh one.

Step 4: migrate WordPress to the new host

There are two common ways to migrate WordPress. Pick whichever suits you.

Option A: a backup and migration plugin (easiest)

1. Install a fresh WordPress on the new host. On Orderatk WordPress hosting that is one click, in Arabic or English, with the database, permalinks and SSL set up for you.
2. On the old site, install a backup plugin such as UpdraftPlus, run a full backup (database, plugins, themes, uploads, others) and download the files.
3. Install the same plugin on the new site (one click from the Orderatk panel), upload the backup files and restore.
4. Log in again with your old credentials, since the restored database carries your old users.

Option B: manually with the file manager and a new database

1. In the new control panel, create a database and user. On Orderatk the password is shown once, so save it immediately.
2. Import your .sql file into the new database.
3. Upload the files zip with the in-browser file manager and unzip it in the site folder.
4. Edit wp-config.php and update DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD and DB_HOST to match the new database.
5. Choose a suitable PHP version; Orderatk lets you pick 8.1, 8.2, 8.3 or 8.4 per account.

For a static HTML site it is even simpler: upload the files, no database involved.

If your old site is small and dated, rebuilding it might be faster than migrating an old theme. The drag-and-drop website builder has ready Arabic and English designs with no code.

Step 5: test on the free address before switching DNS

This is the step that guarantees zero downtime. When you sign up to Orderatk you get a free address like yourname.orderatkeg.com that works immediately over HTTPS. Use it to test the migrated site while visitors are still on the old one. Check:

• Main pages and images load.
• The contact form actually sends.
• WordPress admin login works.
• For a store: add to cart and checkout.
• Everything looks right on mobile.

It is normal for internal WordPress links to still point to your old domain while testing, because the site URL lives in the database. When you connect your own domain on Orderatk, the WordPress URL is switched to it automatically.

Step 6: switch the domain (A and CNAME)

Once everything works, go to your domain registrar's DNS panel and set:

• An A record for @ pointing to 87.98.131.73.
• A CNAME record for www pointing to yourname.orderatkeg.com.

Delete any old A record for the same name so traffic does not split between servers. Then press "Check now" under Websites › Domains in the Orderatk panel; once the records are confirmed a free SSL certificate is issued automatically. Full details are on the connect your domain page, and if the certificate misbehaves, see the free SSL certificate and HTTPS guide.

Because you lowered the TTL, most visitors reach the new site quickly. During propagation, anyone still reaching the old server sees an identical copy, so nobody notices.

Avoid publishing posts or taking orders on the old site on switch day. For a busy store, pick a quiet time such as early morning.

Step 7: move your email without losing messages

Email is what worries business owners most, because a lost customer message can mean a lost deal. The right order:

1. Create the same mailboxes first on the new host with exactly the same names (info@, sales@ and so on), and recreate forwarders and auto-replies. Orderatk business email lets you do this from the control panel.
2. Add the new mail records: MX to mail.orderatkeg.com with priority 10, plus the SPF, DKIM and DMARC records shown ready to copy in the panel. Remove the old MX records. Why these matter is covered in why your emails go to spam.
3. New mail: once the new MX propagates, new messages arrive in the new mailboxes. During propagation some may still land on the old server, so do not cancel it yet.
4. Old messages: these can be moved over IMAP. The simplest way is to add both accounts (old and new) as IMAP in Outlook or Thunderbird and drag folders across. On Orderatk, moving old messages from your previous provider is also available as an extra service on request.
5. Update devices: use server mail.orderatkeg.com with IMAP on port 993 SSL and SMTP on 465 SSL or 587 STARTTLS; the username is the full email address. See adding company email to your phone and Outlook.

Meanwhile, staff can use webmail at webmail.orderatkeg.com (Arabic interface available) until their devices are set up.

Step 8: keep the old host for a few days

Do not cancel the old hosting on switch day. Keep it a few days so that:

• DNS has fully propagated everywhere.
• You can check the old mailboxes and move any late-arriving messages.
• You confirm no file, database or mailbox was forgotten.

Then download one final backup, keep it safe, and cancel. On the new side, Orderatk takes daily automatic backups of sites and databases that you can restore or download from the panel.

Website migration checklist

Stage	What to do
A day before	Write the inventory, save DNS records, lower TTL
Backup	Files zip + database export, two copies
Migrate	WordPress via plugin, or manually with wp-config edits
Test	On the free address: pages, forms, login, checkout, mobile
Switch website	A and CNAME, remove old records, Check now, SSL
Email	Same mailboxes first, then MX/SPF/DKIM/DMARC, then old mail via IMAP
After	Keep old host a few days, final backup, then cancel

Common migration mistakes

• Switching DNS before testing: visitors see a broken or half-moved site.
• Changing MX before creating mailboxes: customer emails bounce.
• Forgetting old TXT records: such as Search Console verification, which then gets lost.
• Leaving two A records: half your traffic still goes to the old server.
• Cancelling the old host too early: messages that arrived during propagation are lost.

The bottom line

Moving a website to new hosting is not a gamble if you follow the order: lower TTL, back up fully, copy and test on a temporary address, switch the website, then the email, and keep the old host for a few days. If you are still comparing options, read how to choose web hosting in Egypt. When you are ready, start on Orderatk web hosting with a free address to test your site before you touch the domain, and check the plans and pricing.

FAQ

Will my website go down while I change hosts?

No, as long as you test on the new host before changing DNS, lower the TTL in advance, and keep the old host running until propagation finishes.

How do I migrate a WordPress site to a new host?

Either use a backup and migration plugin such as UpdraftPlus, or upload the files, import the database and update the database details in wp-config.php.

Will I lose emails when I move hosting?

Not if you create the same mailboxes first, then change the MX record, and keep the old mailboxes for a few days. Old messages can be copied over IMAP.

How long does a DNS change take?

From minutes to hours depending on the TTL, which is why you should lower it a day before the move.

Do you move old messages from my current provider?

Yes, moving old messages is available as an extra service on request, or you can copy them yourself over IMAP.

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