How to move WordPress from shared hosting to a VPS

Quick answer: Export your site from the shared host (files via FTP/cPanel backup, database via phpMyAdmin), import both on your VPS, test with a hosts-file override, then switch DNS. The big change isn’t the move itself — it’s that on a VPS you now manage the server: updates, backups and security.

Overview

Shared hosting hides the server from you; a VPS hands you the keys. In exchange you get dedicated resources, any PHP version you want, real caching (Redis, OPcache, server-level page cache) and no noisy neighbours. This guide focuses on what’s different when your starting point is cPanel-style shared hosting without SSH.

Before you start

• A Cloud2Y VPS with a working stack or control panel (setup guide).
• Your shared-hosting control panel login (cPanel, DirectAdmin, Plesk…).
• A plugin-based fallback if there’s no SSH: Duplicator or All-in-One WP Migration.

Step-by-step guide

1. Easiest path (no SSH at the old host): install Duplicator on the old site, build a package, download the archive + installer, upload both to the empty web root on the VPS and open installer.php in your browser — it restores files, imports the DB and rewrites URLs.
2. Manual path: download a full cPanel backup (Files → Backup), export the DB in phpMyAdmin, then upload the extracted files and import the dump on the VPS as in the standard migration guide.
3. Recreate mailboxes/forwarders elsewhere if the shared host also served your email — a web VPS is not a drop-in mail server.
4. Test via a hosts-file override, switch the A record, then issue SSL on the VPS.
5. Set up what shared hosting used to do for you: backups, a firewall and hardening.

Common issues

• Upload limit blocks the migration plugin: raise upload_max_filesize/post_max_size in PHP on the VPS, or use the manual path for large sites.
• Email stops working after cutover: MX records pointed at the shared host — move mail to a dedicated provider and update DNS before switching.
• Hard-coded paths: shared hosts use paths like /home/user/public_html; search the DB and wp-config for leftovers.

When to contact support

Stuck extracting the site from a restrictive shared host, or want the whole move handled for you? Open a ticket — with your old-host credentials the team can migrate the site for free.

Frequently asked questions

What changes when I move from shared hosting to a VPS?

You gain dedicated resources, root access and free choice of PHP/caching, but you also take over server duties: OS updates, backups, firewall and security are now your responsibility.

Can I migrate without SSH access at the old host?

Yes. Plugins like Duplicator or All-in-One WP Migration package the whole site from wp-admin, and the archive is then restored on the VPS through a browser-based installer.

What happens to my email hosted at the shared provider?

Email does not move automatically. Before switching DNS, set up mailboxes at a mail provider and keep or update the MX records, otherwise mail delivery stops at cutover.

Related articles

• How to migrate WordPress to Cloud2Y VPS
• How to choose a VPS for WordPress
• How to configure WordPress backups
• How to secure WordPress on a VPS

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