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How to Change Domain Name in WordPress

Today I read a question on Facebook Group. I also intend to write about this.

“I guess it’s a very basic question for you all pros here:) I need to change my domain name..how do I go about it? I already have a live and running WordPress website. I bought my domain at GoDaddy and my host is HostGator..thanks so much!”

In this post, we will learn how to change domain name in WordPress without losing SEO.

I will use cPanel Hosting on Hawkhost. Because most people use cPanel Hosting.

Old domain name is old-example.com. New domain name is new-example.com. Both bought at Godaddy.

Let’s start.

Step 1. Point new domain name to Hosting

Go to Godaddy > Sign in

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Fill your username and Password

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Click DNS

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Click “Pen” icon at Type A and Type CNAME

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Type A

  • Host: @
  • Points to: IP of Your Hosting. Contact Hosting Provider to know this.
  • TTL: Leave Default

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Type CNAME

  • Host: www
  • Points to: your domain name (non-www), eg. new-example.com
  • TTL: Leave Default

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Step 2. Add domain name to hosting

Log in cPanel at New-Example.com/cpanel

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Click Addon Domains

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Enter Your New Domain, eg: new-example.com

  • New domain name: eg. new-example.com
  • Subdomain: Leave Default
  • Document Root: Folder hosted your site. Remember to choose correctly.

Document Root can be:

/public_html: If your hosting is hosted 1 Domain

/oldomain.com: If your hosting is hosted multiple domains

Then click Addon Domain

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Success!

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Step 3. Change Domain Name in WP-Admin

Settings > General. You will see

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Change WordPress Address and Site Address to New-Example.com

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Scroll down and Click Save Changes. WordPress will automatically log out. You need to log in again.

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Step 4. Replace all old link to new link

Plugins > Add New > Type Better search replace > Install Now

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Activate

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Tools > Better Search Replace

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Search for: your old domain, eg: old-example.com

Replace with: your new domain, eg: new-example.com

Select tables: select all

Run as dry run?: Uncheck

Then click Run Search/Replace

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Done!

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Step 5. Save Permalinks

Settings > Permalinks > Save (No need to do anything)

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Step 6. Redirect Old Domain to New Domain

Log in to cPanel

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Click File Manager

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Click Settings (Top right corner) > Check Show Hidden Files (dotfiles) > Save

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Click public_html > .htaccess > Edit

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Paste these line into .htaccess

RewriteEngine On
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ http://new-example.com/$1 [R=301,L]

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Save. Done!

Step 7. Add New Domain Name to Google Search Console

You need:

  • Add New Domain Name to Google Search Console
  • Submit Sitemap
  • Increase Crawl Rate
  • Change Address in Your Old Domain (Added in Google Search Console)

and Done!

Updating….

1 thought on “How to Change Domain Name in WordPress”

  1. Thank you very much. This tutorial has saved me. I had lost a domain and therefore did not have access to the WordPress control panel, but I did have all the files of the site in the hosting. I thought making the switch would be a huge headache, but thanks to you it was so easy.

    Reply

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