# Move a WordPress site to Nuvlo

Copy a WordPress site from your current host to one of your servers with the Nuvlo Migrator plugin. The old site stays online until you point the domain to Nuvlo.

## Before you start

- An administrator login for the site’s WordPress admin, so you can install a plugin there.
- An active server created as **WordPress & apps** or **Mixed projects**. You can also create one during the move.
- Access to the domain’s DNS settings, for the final switch.
- Permission to manage sites. Only team members who can change sites can connect the plugin.

## Step 1: Enter the site’s address

Click **Create**, then **Move an existing site**. You can also click **Move an existing site** at the bottom of the **Create site** page.

On **Move a site to Nuvlo**, type the site’s address under **Where is the site now?** and click **Check site**.

![Move a site to Nuvlo page with the address field and the Check site button](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/shots/move-a-wordpress-site--check.webp)

## Step 2: Check what Nuvlo found

Nuvlo shows what the site runs on, where it’s hosted, which DNS provider the domain uses and where its email runs.

Under **How should Nuvlo move it?**, keep **Connect with a plugin** (marked **Recommended**). Then click **Move … to Nuvlo**.

## Step 3: Install the Nuvlo Migrator plugin

The move page now shows **Connect … to Nuvlo**. Click **Download plugin** to get the plugin file.

In the old site’s WordPress admin, go to **Plugins**, **Add New**, **Upload Plugin**. Upload the file and activate it. **Open plugin upload** takes you straight to that page.

## Step 4: Paste the code

Copy the code from the move page. It starts with `nvm_`.

In WordPress, open **Tools**, **Nuvlo Migrator**, paste the code into **Code from Nuvlo** and click **Connect to Nuvlo**. **Open the plugin page** on the move page takes you there.

Back in Nuvlo, **Nuvlo connects by itself** within a few seconds. You don’t need to reload the page.

The plugin only reads the old site, and its access expires after seven days.

## Step 5: Choose the server

Once connected, Nuvlo lists the WordPress version, PHP, database size, theme and active plugins.

Under **Where should … go?**, pick one of your servers. To use a new one, click **New server**. Nuvlo brings you back to this move once the server is created.

If your account has AI answers or its own AI key, **What to expect for this site** gives a short read of anything to watch for. It uses one AI answer, or runs on your key. See [AI answers](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/ai-answers).

## Step 6: Choose the copy’s address

Under **Address of the copy**, choose where the copy answers while you test it:

| Option | When to use it |
| --- | --- |
| The site’s own domain | The copy goes live when you point the domain to Nuvlo. Until then, everyone keeps seeing the old site. |
| **Temporary address** | Shown when Nuvlo offers temporary addresses. Try the copy right away. Search engines don’t index it. |
| **Another domain** | For example `cms.example.com`. The main domain stays at the old host. Turn on **DNS and HTTPS through Cloudflare** to have Nuvlo add that one record in your connected Cloudflare account. |

Click **Copy … to …**.

## Step 7: Wait for the copy

Nuvlo creates the WordPress site, copies themes, plugins and uploads, copies the database, publishes the copy, clears caches and compares pages. You can leave the page. Nuvlo notifies you when the copy is ready.

When it’s done, **Old site and new copy** shows how many pages match. A page matches when both answer the same way and at least 80% of the text is the same.

If the old site changed since the copy, click **Copy … again** to replace the Nuvlo copy with its current state.

## Step 8: Point the domain to Nuvlo

If the copy uses the site’s own domain, **Point … to Nuvlo** shows the A record to set at your DNS provider, with the new server’s IP address and a copy button.

Change only the A record. If the site’s email runs at the old host, keep the MX records as they are. Then click **Check DNS again**. When the domain points to the server, turn on HTTPS on the site’s **Domains** tab. See [SSL certificates](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/ssl-certificates).

DNS changes usually spread in minutes and can take up to a day.

## Step 9: Finish the move

Click **Finish moving …** (or **Finish the move** if the copy runs on another address). The Nuvlo Migrator plugin on the old site forgets its code and switches itself off. You can then delete it under **Plugins**.

> **Warning:** After finishing, you can’t copy from the old site again. Finish only when the new site works.

## Email after the move

If the old site sent email through an SMTP plugin or service, those settings come along. If the old host sent email with its own mail server, that can’t move. The move page tells you which case applies.

In the second case, set up an email service for the new site, or order and password emails won’t arrive. See [Send WordPress email through an email service](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/site-email).

## Other ways to move

If you can’t reach the site’s WordPress admin, choose **Copy from the server over SSH**. You enter the old server’s address, SSH port and SSH user, then add a one-time key line on that server. Nuvlo only reads from it and removes the key when you finish or cancel.

If the site isn’t online any more, click **Site not online? Copy it over SSH** under the address field.

If you have a backup from cPanel, All-in-One WP Migration, Duplicator or UpdraftPlus, you can restore it instead. See [Restore a WordPress site from a backup](https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/restore-wordpress-backup).

## Limits

- WordPress multisite networks can’t be moved automatically yet.
- Sites on WordPress.com can only install plugins on paid Business plans. Export the site from WordPress.com instead.
- Caches and backup folders inside `wp-content` aren’t copied.

To stop a move, click **Cancel move and disconnect the plugin** at the bottom of the move page. The plugin switches itself off. Any copy Nuvlo already created stays on your server until you delete it.

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Source: https://app.nuvlo.dev/docs/move-a-wordpress-site