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How to Migrate a WordPress Site from Cloudways to Neurax Hosting

Moving a WordPress website from Cloudways to Neurax Hosting involves transferring your website files and database, configuring your new hosting account, updating DNS settings, and testing the website before making the switch.

Although the process is manageable, each step requires care. Incorrect database credentials, incomplete backups, or DNS changes made too early can cause errors or downtime. Follow this guide carefully, and keep your original Cloudways account available until the migration is fully verified.

Neurax Host advertises website migration services. Before starting a manual migration, contact the support team to confirm whether your hosting plan qualifies for free migration assistance.

What You'll Be Doing

The migration process involves:

Preparing and verifying a backup of your WordPress website.
Preparing your Neurax hosting account.
Uploading the website files.
Creating a database and importing the SQL backup.
Updating the WordPress configuration.
Testing the migrated website.
Updating DNS when you're ready to switch.
Confirming SSL, email delivery, and website functionality.

Before You Start

Make sure you have:

An active Neurax Hosting account with the required hosting features.
Administrator access to your Cloudways account.
Access to your domain's DNS settings.
A complete backup of your WordPress files and database.
The new hosting server's IP address and database details, where applicable.
An FTP or SFTP client, such as FileZilla or WinSCP, if needed.
Enough storage space to download and transfer your backup.

If your website receives regular traffic, plan the migration during a period of low activity. Maintenance mode can help reduce changes during migration, but it may not stop every background process or external integration.

For an online store or another dynamic website, plan a final database synchronization or content freeze before switching DNS. This helps prevent lost orders, comments, or customer updates.

Important: If your email service is also moving, plan the email migration separately. Changing website hosting does not automatically transfer existing mailboxes or messages.

Step 1: Open Your WordPress Application in Cloudways

Cloudways' interface and navigation may vary. Open the relevant application and locate its access details and backup options.

Before continuing:

Confirm the correct domain and application.
Identify the appropriate application or server credentials.
Confirm that you can access the website files and database.
Record any relevant configuration details you will need during migration.

Application credentials and server-level credentials may be different. Use the credentials appropriate for the operation you're performing.

Step 2: Create and Verify a Full Backup

Before moving anything, create a fresh backup of your website.

Use the backup options available in your Cloudways account. Follow the current Cloudways instructions for creating and downloading a backup; the exact process can vary depending on your account and configuration.

Make sure you have both of the following:

Website files: WordPress core files, themes, plugins, uploads, and other required files.
Database export: An SQL backup containing your WordPress content, settings, users, and plugin data.

Do not assume that a downloaded website archive also contains the database. Export the database separately unless you have confirmed that the archive includes it.

Download the backup files using a supported method, such as SFTP or the available Cloudways download options. For a large database, use a database export method supported by your current hosting environment.

Before proceeding, verify that the downloaded files are complete and that the SQL export is available. Keep an additional copy of the original backup in a safe location.

Step 3: Log In to Your Neurax Hosting Account

For a typical cPanel-based migration, the main tools you may need include:

File Manager: To upload and manage website files.
MySQL Databases: To create a database and database user, if this feature is available.
phpMyAdmin: To import the database, if available.

The tools available may depend on your hosting package and configuration. If you cannot find one of these options, consult Neurax support before proceeding.

Step 4: Check Your Domain Configuration

Open the Domains section in cPanel and verify whether your domain is already configured.

If the domain has not been added, follow the available cPanel instructions, provided your hosting package supports adding it. Select the appropriate document root for the website.

The document root is the folder from which the domain serves its website files. It may be public_html or another directory, depending on your configuration.

Before uploading files, confirm the correct document root. Do not assume that every domain uses public_html.

Keep the domain pointed to the existing website while you prepare and test the new installation. Avoid changing DNS until you're ready to switch.

Step 5: Upload Your WordPress Files

A. Open File Manager

In cPanel, open File Manager and locate the document root assigned to your domain.

For a typical primary domain, this may be public_html. For other domains, the document root may be different.

B. Upload the Backup Files

Select the correct document root and upload your WordPress files or backup archive.

Browser-based upload limits and available storage depend on the server configuration and hosting account. Check the available disk space and upload limits before transferring large files.

If a large browser upload fails, use SFTP or another transfer method supported by your hosting environment.

C. Extract the Archive

If you uploaded a compressed archive, extract it using the available File Manager options.

Check where the files were extracted. Depending on how the backup was created, the WordPress files may appear directly in the document root or inside a subfolder.

The main WordPress installation should be in the directory that your domain is configured to load. Look for files and folders such as:

wp-config.php
index.php
wp-admin
wp-content
wp-includes

If the files are inside an extra directory, verify the intended document root before moving them. Do not change the folder structure without confirming how the domain is configured.

D. Verify the File Structure

Review the uploaded files and confirm that the backup is complete.

Make sure the website files are in the correct directory and that important folders, themes, plugins, and uploads are present.

Keep the original backup until the migration has been tested successfully.

Step 6: Create and Import the WordPress Database

WordPress needs both its files and its database to work correctly.

If your hosting package provides the required database tools, open MySQL Databases in cPanel.

Create a new database.
Create a database user.
Assign the user the required privileges on the new WordPress database.
Save the database name, username, and password securely.

For a standard cPanel setup, ALL PRIVILEGES is commonly used for the database user on that specific database. Grant permissions only where required.

Next, open phpMyAdmin if it is available.

Select the new database.
Open the Import tab.
Select the SQL backup exported from Cloudways.
Start the import and wait for it to finish.
Check that the WordPress tables are present and that no import errors occurred.

Your database contains important website information, including posts, pages, settings, user accounts, and plugin data.

For a very large database, phpMyAdmin may have import limits. Ask Neurax support about an appropriate import method if the file exceeds the available limits.

Step 7: Update the WordPress Configuration

WordPress must connect to the database you created on the new hosting account.

Open the wp-config.php file in your WordPress installation using File Manager or another supported file-management method.

Update the database settings to match the details provided by your new hosting environment:

DB_NAME
DB_USER
DB_PASSWORD
DB_HOST

Do not automatically assume that DB_HOST is localhost. Use the database host value specified by Neurax for your account.

Save the file and check that the database credentials match the database and user you created.

If the website displays a database connection error, verify the database name, username, password, host, and user privileges.

Test the Website Before Changing DNS

Where possible, test the migrated website before switching your public domain to the new server.

Use a supported preview method, such as a temporary URL if one is available, or a local hosts-file entry pointing your domain to the new server's IP address.

A temporary URL is not guaranteed to be available for every hosting account. A local hosts-file test requires the correct server IP and access to your computer's hosts file.

Check the website carefully before continuing.

Step 8: Point Your Domain to Neurax Hosting

Once your files and database are ready and the website has been tested, you can plan the DNS change.

There are two common options.

Option 1: Update the A Record

If you want to keep your existing DNS provider, update the relevant A record to point to the Neurax server IP address supplied for your account.

Review any related records, including records for www if applicable. Do not change unrelated DNS records unnecessarily.

Option 2: Change Nameservers

If you want to use Neurax's nameservers, obtain the correct nameserver values from Neurax and update them with your domain registrar.

Changing nameservers is different from changing an A record. A nameserver change can affect the entire DNS zone, including website records, email records, and other services.

Before switching nameservers, make sure all required DNS records have been recreated or verified with the new DNS provider.

Prepare for DNS Propagation

If your DNS provider allows it, lower the relevant record's TTL in advance. Follow the provider's minimum TTL and allow existing cached records to expire before making the change.

DNS updates do not take effect everywhere immediately. The time required can vary based on previous TTL values, caching, and DNS configuration.

After the change, verify that the domain resolves to the intended server. You can use tools such as dig, nslookup, or a reputable DNS-checking service.

Keep your original hosting account and backup available while the change takes effect.

Step 9: Confirm SSL and Test HTTPS

Neurax Host advertises free SSL certificates. Once your domain points to the new server, check whether a certificate has been issued and is active.

Open the SSL-related section available in your cPanel account and review the domain's certificate status. The exact menu and activation process may vary.

If the certificate has not been provisioned automatically, follow Neurax's SSL instructions or contact support.

After the certificate is active, open your website using its HTTPS address, for example:

https://yourdomain.com

Check that:

The website loads without certificate warnings.
Important pages and images display correctly.
Forms and interactive features work.
Internal links use the correct website address.
The browser does not report mixed-content issues.

Only enable a Force HTTPS Redirect option if it is available and the HTTPS version is working correctly. Redirect settings can vary by hosting configuration.

Fix Mixed-Content Warnings

Mixed-content warnings occur when a page loaded over HTTPS requests some resources over HTTP.

Back up your database before making website-wide URL changes. Use a WordPress-compatible search-and-replace tool that handles serialized data, review the changes where possible, and test the website afterward.

Avoid making broad database replacements without understanding their effects.

Post-Migration Checklist

Before considering the migration complete, test the website thoroughly.

Browse the Website

Visit important pages and check the text, images, navigation menus, links, and layout.

Log In to WordPress

Open /wp-admin and confirm that you can sign in successfully.

If the website's HTTPS address is working correctly, open Settings → General and verify that the WordPress Address and Site Address use the intended domain and protocol. Confirm the correct values before saving any changes.

If links are broken, open Settings → Permalinks and save the existing settings without making unnecessary changes. This can refresh WordPress rewrite rules.

Test Important Features

Check that:

Contact forms submit successfully.
Search works correctly.
Navigation menus lead to the right pages.
Images and media load.
Important plugins function as expected.
E-commerce checkout and payment workflows work, if applicable.
User logins and other essential features work.

Test Email Delivery

If your website sends contact form messages, order confirmations, or notification emails, send test messages and confirm that they arrive.

If email remains with a separate provider, preserve its existing DNS records unless you intentionally plan to change them.

If email is moving too, transfer the mailboxes and existing messages as required. Configure the necessary MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records according to your email provider's instructions, then test both sending and receiving.

Creating new mailboxes does not automatically transfer old messages or folders.

Turn Off Maintenance Mode

If you enabled maintenance mode, disable it once the website is ready for visitors.

For a dynamic website or online store, confirm that the final content and database synchronization is complete before reopening normal activity.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Database Connection Error

If WordPress displays “Error establishing a database connection,” check the following in wp-config.php:

Database name.
Database username.
Database password.
Database host.

Also verify that the user has the required privileges on the correct database.

White Screen or 500 Error

A blank page or HTTP 500 error can have several causes, including PHP incompatibility, plugin errors, file problems, or server configuration issues.

Start by checking the available PHP and server error logs. Confirm that the files uploaded correctly and that your PHP version is compatible with WordPress, your theme, and your plugins.

If WordPress debugging is necessary, configure it to log errors without displaying them publicly. Disable debugging after troubleshooting and avoid exposing sensitive technical details to website visitors.

Missing Images or Themes

If images or parts of the design are missing, verify that the backup contains the required files and that the upload and extraction completed successfully.

Check file ownership and permissions. Typical WordPress defaults are:

Directories: 755
Files: 644

These are common defaults, not universal requirements. Follow the requirements of your hosting environment, and avoid unnecessarily broad write permissions or recursive permission changes without understanding their effects.

Mixed-Content Warnings

If the browser reports mixed content, check for resources that still use HTTP URLs.

Back up the database before changing URLs. Use a WordPress-compatible tool that handles serialized data, review the changes where possible, and test the website after making the updates.

Slow Website Performance

If the website feels slower after migration:

Clear WordPress and CDN caches where appropriate.
Check whether caching plugins are configured correctly.
Verify that the PHP version is compatible with the website.
Review available server logs and performance information.
Confirm whether any server-side caching feature is included with your hosting plan before relying on it.

Do not assume that every hosting plan includes the same caching tools or settings.

Should You Roll Back the DNS Change?

Keep your original Cloudways account and backup available until the new website has been verified.

If rollback becomes necessary, plan the DNS change carefully. For websites that receive new orders, comments, or customer information, synchronize the data before switching traffic back to the old server. Otherwise, the two installations may contain different information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my website experience downtime?

Downtime can often be reduced by testing the new installation before switching DNS and planning the change during a quieter period. However, downtime cannot be guaranteed to be zero. Some visitors may continue reaching the old server while DNS changes take effect.

Can Neurax migrate my website for me?

Neurax Host advertises website migration services. Contact the support team to confirm whether your plan and website qualify for migration assistance, and ask what is included before beginning a manual transfer.

What happens to my email?

Moving website hosting does not automatically move email accounts or messages.

If your email stays with your existing provider, preserve the relevant DNS records. If email is moving too, migrate mailboxes and messages, configure the necessary DNS and email authentication records, and test delivery before completing the switch.

Should I update PHP or WordPress?

Use a currently supported PHP version that is compatible with your WordPress installation, theme, and plugins. Verify compatibility before changing PHP versions.

After migration, check for available WordPress, theme, and plugin updates. Back up the website before performing updates, and test important functionality afterward.

What if I use a CDN or caching service?

If your website uses Cloudflare or another CDN, update its origin configuration to the new server's IP address when appropriate. Review the related DNS settings, then clear the relevant caches and test the website.

If you keep your DNS with the CDN provider, you generally do not need to change nameservers just to update the website's A record.

Best Practices for a Smooth Migration

Follow these precautions to reduce migration problems:

Keep complete backups of both your website files and database.
Verify that the backup can be accessed before starting.
Test the migrated website before changing DNS.
Use the correct database host and credentials supplied for your account.
Plan for a final database or content synchronization on dynamic websites.
Preserve email DNS records unless email migration is part of the plan.
Enable HTTPS redirects only after the SSL certificate is working.
Keep the original hosting account available until testing is complete.
Record the DNS changes made during the migration.
Check the website again after the DNS change, including forms, logins, checkout, and email delivery.

Once all checks are complete, your WordPress website should be operating from its new Neurax Hosting environment.

If you encounter a hosting configuration issue or need help confirming the correct server details, contact Neurax Host support before making additional changes.

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