Prepare the destination and a rollback plan before changing a live domain. Moving hosting, transferring domain registration, and moving mailboxes are separate tasks.
Make an inventory #
Record the current registrar, nameservers, DNS provider, hosting provider, and email provider. List website files, databases, PHP requirements, scheduled jobs, mailboxes, aliases, redirects, certificates, and third-party services that verify the domain.
Export the DNS zone and make fresh copies of website files and databases. Export mail if it will move. Store these copies away from the old hosting account and confirm they open.
Arrange the destination #
- Confirm the new plan supports your application and mailbox needs.
- Order the destination hosting and wait for account creation after payment and any required new-domain confirmation. Provisioning can complete while public DNS still points to the old provider. Upload and configure the destination before directing visitors to it.
- Choose whether to keep your current DNS provider or use Lucid nameservers. Preserve external mail records. If moving DNS, prepare the destination zone and coordinate DNSSEC with the responsible provider.
- Agree how to test the migrated site before directing visitors to it. A preview address or local hosts-file test may need support assistance and can behave differently with HTTPS.
- For a store or other frequently updated site, schedule a final data sync or a maintenance window so that new orders and uploads are not lost.
Perform the move #
Copy files and databases, update application configuration, and test key functions. Recreate mailboxes before changing MX records if mail is moving. Change DNS only when the destination is ready under the agreed sequence.
Keep the old service available while you verify traffic, mail delivery, forms, logins, HTTPS, and recent data. DNS caches can send users to different servers during the transition, so plan how to handle writes and incoming mail on both sides.
Confirm before cancelling #
Check several devices or networks and compare recent data. Keep the backups and old configuration until you are satisfied with the move. Migration assistance, overlap duration, and downtime arrangements depend on the service; arrange them before the cutover.
Related: Existing-domain hosting, Nameserver setup.
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