> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://soft2hosting.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # How to Migrate a Website to cPanel Shared Hosting with Minimal Downtime - URL: https://soft2hosting.com/blog/migrate-website-to-cpanel-shared-hosting-zero-downtime/ - Published: 2026-09-28T12:14:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-09-28T11:00:58.000Z - Description: The order of steps that keeps a site online while it moves to new hosting. - Author: Aniket Joshi - Tags: Soft2Hosting, Shared Hosting, Website Migration, cPanel Migration, WordPress Transfer, Web Hosting A website move with little or no visible downtime follows one rule: build and test the site on the new hosting while the old one keeps serving visitors, then switch DNS. Lower your DNS TTL a day ahead so the switch takes effect quickly, and keep the old hosting running for a few days afterwards. ## Before you start - List everything the old hosting does: websites, subdomains, email accounts, forwarders, cron jobs and any databases. - Check your new plan's limits: Starter Pro covers one website and five mailboxes, Business Pro Hosting ten websites with unlimited email. - Take a full backup of the old site and keep it safe. ## Step 1: lower the DNS TTL At least a day before the move, lower the TTL on your domain's A record and MX record at your current DNS provider, to a few minutes. TTL controls how long resolvers cache the old address, so a low TTL makes the switch take effect quickly. ## Step 2: copy files and databases 1. Download the site files from the old host, or use a migration plugin for WordPress. 2. Export the database. 3. In cPanel, create the database and user with MySQL Databases, then import the export with phpMyAdmin. 4. Upload the files with File Manager or FTP. 5. Update the site's configuration file with the new database name, user and password. ## Step 3: test privately Edit the hosts file on your own computer to point the domain at the new hosting, then browse the site. Check the home page, forms, logins, checkout and a few inner pages. Visitors still see the old site while you test. ## Step 4: recreate email Create the same mailboxes and forwarders in cPanel before switching DNS. Old mail can be copied with your mail app over IMAP after the switch. ## Step 5: switch DNS Update the A record (and MX record, if email is moving) to the new hosting, or change nameservers. Because the TTL is low, most visitors move over quickly. ## Step 6: after the switch 1. Run AutoSSL and force HTTPS once the domain resolves to the new hosting. 2. Watch the old server for a day or two. Any form submissions or mail that still arrive there should be copied across. 3. Raise the TTL back to a normal value. 4. Cancel the old hosting only after a week without issues. ## If you are moving from another cPanel host A full cPanel backup from the old host can often be restored as a complete account, including email. Ask Soft2Hosting support before the move whether they can restore it for you. ## Plans | Plan (billed yearly) | Websites | NVMe storage | Email | Backups | Extras | Price | | ---------------------- | --------- | ------------ | ---------- | ---------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------ | | Starter Pro | 1 | 10 GB | 5 accounts | Weekly | Free auto SSL, 5 databases, 100 GB bandwidth | ₹2,499 | | Business Pro Hosting | 10 | 50 GB | Unlimited | Daily | LiteSpeed + cache, basic DDoS protection, unmetered bandwidth | ₹4,999 | | Enterprise Pro Hosting | Unlimited | 100 GB | Unlimited | Daily backup + restore | LiteSpeed + Redis cache, advanced DDoS protection, priority support | ₹7,999 | Prices are annual in INR, as listed on the [Soft2Hosting cPanel plans](https://soft2hosting.com/web-hosting/) page. Taxes and final terms are confirmed at checkout. Every plan includes cPanel access and free SSL. ## Checklist for the day of the switch 1. Confirm the TTL was lowered at least a day earlier. 2. Put the old site into maintenance mode, or pause orders, if it takes bookings or payments, so no new data is written there during the switch. 3. Take a final database export from the old host and import it on the new one. 4. Update DNS. 5. Test the live site on mobile data, which uses different DNS resolvers from your office. 6. Take the old site out of maintenance mode only if you need to roll back. For shops and booking sites, choose a quiet time of day for the switch, and tell staff which hour to avoid making changes. Write down every step you took and anything that surprised you. The next move, or a restore from backup, will be faster with that note. ## Frequently asked questions ### Will email be lost during the move? Not if you create the mailboxes first, switch MX with a low TTL, and check the old server for stragglers for a day or two. ### Do search rankings drop? A move that keeps the same URLs and HTTPS, with no long outage, should not affect rankings. ### Can Soft2Hosting help? The plans page offers help with moving a website and setting up SSL. Ask before you start. --- ## Sources - [cPanel & WHM Documentation: MySQL Databases](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/databases/mysql-databases/?ref=soft2hosting.com) - [cPanel & WHM Documentation: phpMyAdmin](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/databases/phpmyadmin/?ref=soft2hosting.com) - [WordPress Advanced Administration Handbook: Migrating WordPress](https://developer.wordpress.org/advanced-administration/upgrade/migrating/?ref=soft2hosting.com) - [cPanel & WHM Documentation: Zone Editor](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/domains/zone-editor/?ref=soft2hosting.com)