Downtime during a host move is avoidable, and the trick is simple: never turn anything off. Build the site on the new host while the old one keeps serving visitors, then switch the pointer. Done in this order, the worst case is that some visitors see the old server for a few hours.

Before you start

Take a full backup of files and database, and download it somewhere that is not either host. Note your current DNS records, particularly the MX records that route your email, because those are what break.

Confirm the new host supports what your site needs: the right PHP version, the right database version, enough storage. Discovering a mismatch after the switch is the avoidable disaster.

And pick a quiet time. Friday afternoon is the worst possible choice, for reasons that become obvious at 17:00.

Step 1: lower your TTL, a day ahead

TTL, or time to live, is how long other servers cache your DNS record. If it is set to 24 hours, your switch takes a day to reach everyone.

Set it to 300 seconds at least 24 hours before the migration. This one step converts a day-long propagation into a few minutes, and it is the step most often skipped.

Step 2: copy the site to the new host

Upload the files, import the database, and update the configuration to point at the new database.

Most hosts offer a free migration service and many do it well. If yours does, use it, but still verify the result yourself rather than assuming.

Step 3: test on the new host before switching anything

This is the step that makes the whole thing safe, and it is the one people skip because the site "looks fine".

Use a temporary URL from the new host, or edit your computer's hosts file to resolve your domain to the new server's IP so only you see it.

Then test properly: every page loads, images appear, forms submit and arrive, any payment process works, the admin login works, and the site is fast. Click the contact form and confirm the email lands, because form delivery is the most common thing to break on a new server.

Step 4: final sync

If the site changed while you were testing, or if it is a store taking orders, do a final copy of the database immediately before switching so nothing is lost.

For a store, consider putting it in maintenance mode for the few minutes this takes, so no order lands on the old server after you copy.

Step 5: switch the DNS

Update the A record to the new server's IP address. With a 300-second TTL this reaches most people within minutes.

Do not change the MX records unless your email is also moving. This is the trap. Website and email frequently sit on different services sharing one DNS zone, and copying a whole zone file from the new host can silently replace working mail routing.

Check your MX records after the switch and send yourself a test email from an outside address.

Step 6: watch, then decommission slowly

For the first 48 hours, check that the site loads, forms deliver, email flows and no errors appear in Search Console.

Keep the old hosting running for at least a week. It costs one month's fee and it is your only fallback if something turns out to be broken. Cancel it only once you are confident, and take a final backup from it before you do.

What to check afterwards

Check	Why
HTTPS certificate	New host needs its own; browsers flag the absence
Contact form delivery	The most common post-move failure
Email send and receive	MX records are easy to break
Page speed	The reason you moved, presumably
Search Console errors	Catches crawl problems early
Scheduled tasks and backups	Do not carry over automatically

Juicy Designs migrates sites as part of managed hosting and website maintenance. Related: local vs international hosting and migrating without losing traffic.

Frequently asked questions

How do I move my website to a new host without downtime?

Copy the site to the new host first, test it there using a temporary address, lower your DNS TTL a day ahead, then switch the DNS. The old host stays live throughout, so visitors reach one working site or the other rather than an error.

How long does a host migration take?

The copy and test takes two to four hours for a typical small business site. DNS propagation then takes anywhere from a few minutes to 48 hours, during which some visitors see the old server and some the new.

What is TTL and why does it matter?

Time to live is how long other servers cache your DNS record. Lowering it to 300 seconds a day before the move means the switch propagates in minutes rather than hours.

What usually goes wrong?

Email. Website hosting and email hosting are often on the same DNS records, so moving the site can break mail if the MX records are not carried across correctly. Check them before and after.

Should I keep the old hosting running?

Yes, for at least a week after the switch. It costs one month's fee and it is your fallback if something on the new host turns out to be broken.