Migrating a WordPress website may feel like a huge undertaking, especially when you hope that all goes smoothly after the move. It’s quite apparent to face complications right before or after migration. If your WordPress site is down, don’t panic; you are not the only one, and there are measures you can take to fix it.
Be it missing files, plugin conflicts, broken links, or database connection issues, as long as there is a problem, this guide has you covered. By the end, you will be able to ensure that your website is running optimally. And remember, expert help is always available – companies like DigiCorns specialize in making WordPress migration stress-free.
Here are some common reasons responsible for troubling your WordPress site after migration:
One of the primary challenges in the migration procedure is inconsistencies in file paths and URLs. The WordPress system holds old URLs and it can act as an obstacle when accessing the new domain.
After moving to a new host, your WordPress site might fail to connect to the new database. This leads to displaying the message – “Error establishing a database connection” – persistently.
Following migration, it is probable that all your subpages display 404 errors. Often, this problem is due to differences in the server environments of the old host and the new one.
Migration may affect how certain themes or plugins work, particularly if they’re installed on new server settings that are configured differently. As a result, some features may become non-functional, or the site may not display properly.
If your website is migrated onto a new server supporting a different version of PHP than the intended one, it can face issues like blank pages, missing features, or a total crash.
Don’t worry if migrating your WordPress site leads to errors. Most problems can be fixed if you follow the right steps. Here’s how to deal with them:
Database connection error stands as a common post-migration issue. The appearance of the message – Error establishing a database connection – shows that your WordPress site can’t communicate with the database.
Locate the wp-config.php file within your WordPress files. Open this file and check whether the following credentials are correct:
– Database name
– Database username
– Database password
– Database host
These details usually change when a website is migrated to a new server. If required, update them.
Certain hosting providers use different database hostnames, like localhost or a particular IP address. This can be located within your hosting control panel, or you can ask your hosting provider for clarification.
– Open your wp-config.php file located in your domain’s root folder.
– Then, add this line – define ‘WP_ALLOW_REPAIR’, true); – and close your wp-config.php file after saving it.
– Now, visit yourwebsite.com/wp-admin/maint/repair.php, and follow the instructions.
– After repair, remove the line you just inserted into your wp-config.php file.
Still stuck? DigiCorns can troubleshoot and resolve database issues quickly, saving you hours of frustration.
Post-migration, you may observe that certain links are non-functional or some images are not loading. This is common when file paths or URLs are not updated properly during the migration process.
There are plugins available that update old URLs to reflect new domains or locations. You can use any of those plugins to update URLs in the database.
Visit your WordPress dashboard and go to Settings > Permalinks. Without making any changes, click on Save Changes to refresh your permalink settings. Doing this usually resolves broken links.
Check to see if your website’s uploads folder is in place and if all media files have been moved correctly. If anything is missing, manually re-upload files using FTP or the file manager on your hosting platform.
Migration often leads to broken plugins, especially if they depend on server-specific configurations or an issue occurs during transfer.
Disable all plugins temporarily. This can be done in the admin area of WordPress or by renaming the plugins folder via FTP.
Reactivate each plugin one by one to determine which one is causing the problem. If a plugin is found to be incompatible with the new hosting environment, try to find an alternative or reach out to the plugin’s developer or support staff.
Make sure all plugins are updated to their latest versions. Older versions of plugins can bring bugs or cause compatibility issues after migration.
If managing plugins feels overwhelming, DigiCorns can help optimize them for your new server environment and make sure that everything runs smoothly.
Themes, just like plugins, can behave unpredictably after migration. It happens because of differences in server setups.
You can temporarily switch to a default theme, like Twenty Twenty-Five. If your website works correctly, it is likely that your theme is causing the problem.
Some files may get corrupted or missed during migration. So, you should re-upload the theme files manually through FTP.
Confirm that you have the most up-to-date copy of your theme. If it is a custom theme, ensure that it works with the PHP version on your new server.
At times, certain files might not be executable, writable, or readable due to wrong file permissions set after a migration is performed.
Using an FTP client, set the folder permissions to 755 and the files permission to 644. These values are standard for WordPress files.
Make sure that your .htaccess file has not been changed during the migration process. If necessary, replace it with a default copy:
# BEGIN WordPress
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ – [L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-f
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} !-d
RewriteRule . /index.php [L]
# END WordPress
Contact your website hosting provider if you need assistance with permissions and server settings.
When you have completed HTTPS for your website but still see warnings about it not being safe, your SSL certificate might not be in place, or there is mixed content, meaning that non-HTTPS resources are loading on the webpage(s).
Many plugins automatically detect SSL and fix the mixed content problem. Use any of them and resolve the issue.
To force HTTPS redirection, add the below code to your .htaccess file:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]
If the certificate is invalid or expired, reissue it through your hosting provider or SSL vendor.
Now that you have dealt with common migration issues, it’s worth preparing for smoother moves in the future.
Make sure you always take full backups of your website files and database before migration. This is essential to restore your website if something goes wrong.
A demo environment or a local WordPress installation should be employed to test the migration process before making it live.
Many migration tools are available nowadays. You can use any of them to automate much of the migration process while reducing errors.
You will need an expert if your site is down, even after all the attempted fixes. Companies such as DigiCorns assist with WordPress migration and troubleshooting. The specialized help enables you to resolve the most complicated problems, ensuring your site operates flawlessly.
A WordPress site not working after migration is undoubtedly exasperating, but you can resolve it. You can now settle each of these issues with confidence due to actionable steps provided for database connection problems, broken link issues, and plugin conflict problems. If you still feel a bit lost, contact experts at DigiCorns so that your entire website migration process gets simplified.
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