Playbooks

Switching to Hostworld

How a move actually goes: what to check first, lowering TTLs, moving the domain itself, cutover day, and what to verify afterwards.

You end up withYour site and email moved across with no downtime and nothing lost

Written forSomeone leaving another host

Steps10 of 10 written, about 85 minutes

1
What to check before you move a website
“What should I check before moving host?”
8 min read
2
Free migration or do it yourself?
“Should I let Hostworld migrate my site or do it myself? Explain what a free migration covers, what information the team needs from you, how long it takes, and the cases where doing it yourself is genuinely faster.”
9 min read
3
Lowering your TTLs before you move
“What is a TTL and why should I lower it before moving host? Explain what the TTL controls, how far in advance to lower it, what value to use, and how this is what turns a move from a day of downtime into a few minutes.”
10 min read
4
Copying files and databases to a new host
“How do I move my site files and database?”
8 min read
5
Transferring a .uk domain with an IPS tag
“How do I transfer a .uk domain to a new registrar? Explain the IPS tag system that .uk uses instead of auth codes, where to change the tag, how long it takes, and why a .uk transfer does not extend your registration the way a .com transfer does.”
7 min read
6
Transferring a .com or other gTLD with an auth code
“How do I transfer a .com, .net or .org to a new registrar? Cover unlocking the domain, getting the auth or EPP code, the 60 day lock after registration or a contact change, the approval emails, and the year that gets added to your registration.”
10 min read
7
Moving email without losing any mail
“How do I move my email without losing anything?”
7 min read
8
Cutover day: the order to do things in
“It is moving day. What order do I do things in so nothing breaks? Give the actual sequence: final sync, database, testing on the new server before DNS changes, then the DNS change, and what to do about email that arrives during the switch.”
8 min read
9
Switching DNS with no downtime
“How do I switch DNS without my site going down?”
10 min read
10
What to check after the move
“The move is done. What should I check before I cancel my old hosting? A checklist: every page loads, forms send, SSL is valid on the new server, email sends and receives, cron jobs are running, and how long to keep the old account as insurance.”
8 min read

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