Move a WordPress site to OrbixPanel

A WordPress site is just files + a database. Move both, update two settings, and you’re done. This manual method works even when migration plugins choke.

1. Move the files

Copy the entire WordPress folder from the old host (wp-admin, wp-content, wp-includes, and the root PHP files). Easiest paths:

Download a zip and upload + extract into the new site’s web root, or
Use the cPanel importer if you’re coming from cPanel.

Put the files directly in the web root so the home page is at /, not in a subfolder — see where files go.

2. Move the database

Export the old database (phpMyAdmin → Export, or mysqldump).
Create a new MySQL database + user on OrbixPanel.
Import the .sql into it.

3. Update `wp-config.php`

Point WordPress at the new database:

define('DB_NAME', 'your_new_db');
define('DB_USER', 'your_new_user');
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'your_new_password');
define('DB_HOST', '127.0.0.1');

4. Fix the site URL (only if the domain changed)

If you kept the same domain, skip this. If it changed (or you tested on a temp URL), update the two URL options. Quickest via WP-CLI in the terminal:

wp option update home 'https://yourdomain.com'
wp option update siteurl 'https://yourdomain.com'
wp search-replace 'https://old-domain.com' 'https://yourdomain.com'

(Or set WP_HOME/WP_SITEURL in wp-config.php.)

5. Point DNS + request SSL

Point the domain at your server and request free SSL. Then speed it up: make WordPress fast.

Gotchas

Mixed-content warnings after going HTTPS → run the search-replace above to fix http:// URLs baked into the database.
Permission errors uploading media → fix permissions.

Running OrbixPanel? One-click WordPress is also available in the App Catalog. OrbixPanel.com → — the free, self-hosted, AI-powered hosting control panel.