Migrating WordPress from another host

There's no automatic WordPress import in the panel. You can move the site yourself — this guide shows how — or write to support (Help → Write to us in the new panel) and describe your site; our team will tell you what's possible. See Moving your existing site to Rivervo.

Either way, your existing site stays live on the old host until you switch DNS, so you can test the new copy first.

Before you start

1. Order a website at Rivervo: + Create → Website. Choose Empty site if you're bringing your own WordPress, or a fresh WordPress install if you'll use a migration plugin.
2. Open the website in the panel: project → Website.

Moving it yourself

Two workflows — pick one:

Option A: Use a plugin (simplest)

1. Install Duplicator or All-in-One WP Migration on your current site.
2. Create a backup archive.
3. Create a fresh WordPress install on Rivervo (Website → Software → Install an app — see install guide).
4. Install the same plugin on the new site.
5. Import the archive.
6. Test on a subdomain or using a hosts file (see below).
7. Cut over DNS.

Option B: Manual copy (more control)

1. Download the full wp-content/ folder from your current host via SFTP.
2. Export the database from your current host's phpMyAdmin as a .sql file.
3. Fresh WordPress install on Rivervo.
4. Upload wp-content/ via File Manager or an FTP client, overwriting the default.
5. Import the SQL dump in Rivervo's phpMyAdmin.
6. Update wp-config.php with the new database name/user/password.
7. Search-and-replace the site URL in the database (use WP-CLI or the Better Search Replace plugin).

Testing before DNS cutover

Before you flip DNS, test the migrated site works:

Using a hosts file

Edit your local hosts file to temporarily point your domain to your Rivervo hosting's IP address (if you don't know it, ask support):

Mac/Linux: /etc/hosts Windows: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

Add a line:

<your-rivervo-IP>  yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com

Save. Now your browser resolves your domain to the new server only for you — the rest of the world still sees the old site. When you're done testing, remove the line.

Cutting over DNS

When you're ready:

1. Change your domain's nameservers to ours (or update the A record — see the domain pointing guide).
2. DNS propagates within minutes to hours.
3. Once propagated, all visitors hit the Rivervo-hosted version.

We recommend lowering your domain's TTL to 5 minutes 24 hours before the cutover. That makes the switchover near-instant for most visitors.

What about email during the switchover?

Email follows DNS — specifically the MX records. If you switch nameservers to Rivervo, make sure the MX records in Website → DNS zone point to wherever your mail should live (the website's mailboxes or Business email) before you switch. Move the mailboxes first — see Migrating email mailboxes — then update mail apps: email setup guide.

Common issues

• "After migration, WordPress shows the database error" — wp-config.php wasn't updated with the new DB name, user and password. Fix them in Website → Files.
• Images broken after cutover — search-and-replace in the database missed some URLs. Run Better Search Replace again targeting wp_posts.guid.
• WP-admin redirects to the old host — siteurl and home options weren't updated. Fix in phpMyAdmin under wp_options.

Stuck? Write to us from the panel: Help → Write to us.