How to Move a Website to Another Domain on cPanel – StableCluster Guide

Changing your website’s primary domain can seem challenging, but with StableCluster’s cPanel hosting, the process is simple and structured.
Whether you’re rebranding your business or upgrading to a better domain name, migrating your site correctly ensures smooth functionality, data integrity, and SEO stability.

This step-by-step guide will help you safely move your website to a new domain name using cPanel.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure you have:

• StableCluster cPanel access for both old and new domains.

• A complete backup of website files and databases.

• Updated DNS records for the new domain.

• FTP or File Manager access to transfer files.

• Basic understanding of cPanel tools.

Step 1: Backup Website Files and Database

Backup Files:

1. Log in to your StableCluster cPanel.

2. Open File Manager → public_html.

3. Select all files and click Compress to create a ZIP file.

4. Download the ZIP backup to your computer.

Backup Database:

1. Go to phpMyAdmin from cPanel.

2. Select your website’s database.

3. Click the Export tab → choose Quick method → click Go to download the .sql file.

 Step 2: Add the New Domain in cPanel

1. Go to Addon Domains in your cPanel.

2. Enter your new domain name and set the document root (e.g., /public_html/newdomain).

3. Click Add Domain to complete the process.

 Step 3: Transfer Website Files

1. Open File Manager again.

2. Navigate to the new domain directory (public_html/newdomain).

3. Upload the ZIP file you created earlier.

4. Extract the ZIP archive to restore all files.

 Step 4: Create a New Database and Import the Old One

1. Go to MySQL Databases in cPanel.

2. Create a new database and note its name.

3. Create a new user and assign it to the database with full privileges.

4. Open phpMyAdmin, select the new database, and click Import.

5. Upload your previously exported .sql file and click Go.

Step 5: Update Configuration Settings

For WordPress Sites:

1. Open File Manager → wp-config.php.

2. Update the following lines:

    

   define('WP_HOME', 'https://newdomain.com'); define('WP_SITEURL', 'https://newdomain.com');

3. Save and close the file.

For Other CMS or Custom Sites:

• Update any configuration files or database entries containing the old domain name.

• To update URLs in WordPress, run this SQL query in phpMyAdmin:

   

  UPDATE wp_options SET option_value = REPLACE(option_value, 'https://olddomain.com', 'https://newdomain.com') WHERE option_name = 'siteurl' OR option_name = 'home';

 Step 6: Update DNS Records

1. Go to your domain registrar and update the A record to point to StableCluster’s server IP.

2. If using Cloudflare or a CDN, update domain settings there as well.

3. Allow up to 24 hours for DNS propagation.

 Step 7: Set Up 301 Redirects for SEO

To preserve SEO rankings and redirect traffic from the old domain:

1. Open the .htaccess file under the old domain’s public_html.

2. Add the following lines:

    

   RewriteEngine On RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^olddomain.com [NC,OR] RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^www.olddomain.com [NC] RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://newdomain.com/$1 [L,R=301,NC]

3. Save and upload the updated file.

Step 8: Update Google Search Console and Analytics

1. Log in to Google Search Console → Add your new domain.

2. Use the Change of Address tool to notify Google about the migration.

3. Update your property in Google Analytics.

4. Scan your website for broken links and fix them.

Step 9: Test and Verify Everything

1. Visit your new domain in a browser.

2. Check all pages, forms, and images for proper loading.

3. Run an SEO audit to verify redirects and indexing.

 Conclusion

Migrating a website to a new domain on StableCluster cPanel is simple when done step by step.
By carefully following this guide, you can ensure a smooth domain transition — keeping your website online, secure, and SEO-friendly throughout the process.