Migrating Without Downtime
Migrating a website without downtime requires a specific order: back up everything, set up the new host, test, lower your DNS TTL, switch DNS, verify, and only then cancel the old account. The most common mistake is cancelling the old host before propagation completes. The checklist on this page tracks each step so nothing gets skipped.
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Before You Touch DNS
Take a full backup of your site files and database from the current host. Download it to your own machine — do not rely solely on the old host's backup system, because you will lose access to it once you cancel. If your site uses a CMS, export its database separately and note the version numbers of the CMS, plugins, and any server-side requirements like PHP version.
Set up the new hosting environment and upload your site. Verify it works by editing your local hosts file to point your domain to the new server's IP address, which lets you browse the site on the new host without changing public DNS. Check every critical page: homepage, contact forms, checkout, login. Test email if your hosting handles mail.
Reduce your DNS TTL to 300 seconds at least 24 hours before the planned switch. This ensures that once you update DNS, the change propagates within minutes instead of hours. Skip this step and you risk serving some visitors from the old host and others from the new one for up to a day.
The Switch and After
Update your DNS records — typically the A record and any AAAA record — to point to the new server's IP address. Do this during a low-traffic window if your site has predictable usage patterns. Both old and new hosts should be live simultaneously at this point. Do not cancel the old account yet.
Monitor propagation using a DNS checker and watch your server logs or analytics for the traffic shift. Within a few hours most visitors will arrive at the new host. Wait at least 72 hours before cancelling the old hosting to accommodate resolvers with aggressive caching.
After the move, verify SSL is active on the new host, test all forms and interactive features, check that redirects still work, and confirm your backup schedule is running on the new server. A migration that looks complete can still silently break background tasks like cron jobs and scheduled emails — test those explicitly.
If your old and new hosts use different nameservers, you will change NS records at your registrar rather than A records at your DNS provider. The timing advice is the same either way.
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Related guides and tools
Sources
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DNS TTL propagation behaviour per RFC 1035. Migration best practices consistent with IETF DNS operational guidance.
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