How to Migrate WordPress Manually with SFTP and phpMyAdmin

admin

11 hours ago

How to Migrate WordPress Manually with SFTP and phpMyAdmin migration tutorial showing backup, transfer, verification, and DNS cutover checks

SFTP or File Manager plus phpMyAdmin can move WordPress safely when it matches the source, destination, and risk level. This method is best for moving one WordPress site when panel transfer or migration plugins are not available.

Audience: site owners, support teams, and developers who need a tool-independent migration path. Before using this path, decide whether the move changes hosts, domains, DNS, email, PHP versions, database versions, cache layers, or business data. Those details matter more than the migration button itself.

Before migration

Download all WordPress files including hidden files.
Export the correct database.
Create a destination database and user.
Lower DNS TTL and plan a maintenance window.
Avoid plain text URL replacement in SQL dumps.

Migration steps

Upload WordPress files to the destination document root.
Import the database with phpMyAdmin or the destination database tool.
Edit wp-config.php for the destination database credentials.
Update URLs with a tool that preserves serialized data.
Set correct permissions and file ownership.
Preview before DNS cutover.

Post-migration verification

Check front-end pages, wp-admin, media, permalinks, forms, checkout, SSL, redirects, cron, error logs, and that backup archives are not public.

Also check server logs, PHP errors, WordPress Site Health, cache behavior, CDN routing, redirects, robots/indexing state, cron jobs, and whether a new backup job exists on the destination.

Migration risks

Moving files one directory too deep.
Importing the wrong database.
Breaking serialized plugin data with unsafe replacement.
Leaving SQL or zip files accessible in the web root.

Rollback and cutover planning

Keep the old site online until the new site is proven. For stores, memberships, bookings, LMS sites, directories, and lead-generation sites, plan a final data freeze or sync so records do not split between servers. Keep DNS rollback notes, old-host access, and a verified backup until traffic and logs are stable.

Fix I.T. Phill recommendation

Use SFTP or File Manager plus phpMyAdmin when it gives you the cleanest preview and rollback path. If the site makes money or stores customer records, treat the final cutover as a maintenance window, not a casual copy job.