Yes, you can move your website to a new hosting provider with little to no downtime by migrating and testing the site first, then switching DNS only after the new server is ready.
In practice, “no downtime” really means visitors never hit a broken site. The trick is to have two working copies for a short overlap period: the current host keeps serving traffic while the new host is fully built, tested, and able to serve the same site. Then the DNS change simply moves new visitors to the new server, while a small percentage may still land on the old server until their DNS cache expires.
How we move a site without downtime
- Lower DNS TTL in advance. If your DNS provider lets you change Time to Live (TTL), set it lower (often 300 seconds) 24 to 48 hours before the cutover. This helps more visitors switch faster after the change.
- Clone the site to the new host. Copy files, the database, and any server settings (PHP version, caching rules, cron jobs). For WordPress, this includes wp-content, the database, and the wp-config.php settings.
- Test the new site before the switch. We preview the site on a temporary URL or via a hosts-file test so you can click the full site, submit forms, and confirm logins, checkout, booking, and tracking.
- Handle SSL early. Install your SSL certificate on the new host before cutover so HTTPS works the moment DNS flips.
- Do a final sync. Right before the DNS change, we sync any last changes (new blog posts, form submissions, orders). For high-activity sites, we schedule a short “content freeze” window so nothing goes missing.
- Switch DNS and monitor. Update A/AAAA/CNAME records (or nameservers if you are moving DNS too), then watch uptime, error logs, forms, and transactions.
- Keep the old host live for 48 hours. This catches the tail end of DNS caching so nobody sees a dead server.
| Step | What happens | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| TTL change | DNS caches begin expiring faster | 24 to 48 hours before cutover |
| Migration and setup | New server gets a full working copy | A few hours to 2+ days (site size and complexity) |
| Cutover | DNS record update is saved | Minutes |
| Propagation tail | Some visitors still reach the old host until cache expires | Minutes to 48 hours |
Common causes of surprise downtime
- Email DNS gets changed by accident. If your email uses the same domain, keep MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records intact during the move.
- Mixed content or forced redirects. A hard-coded redirect, wrong WordPress site URL, or an old caching layer can bounce visitors to the wrong place. If you are also changing URLs, review redirects first, and our guide on 301 vs 302 redirects explains what to use and when.
- Firewall or security rules block traffic. Some hosts or plugins block new IPs, APIs, or payment gateways until allowlisted.
- DNS was switched before testing. That is the big one. Testing first is what keeps your site live.
If you run a busy Orlando service business, we usually schedule the DNS cutover after normal booking hours (Eastern Time) so your phone and forms stay quiet while we watch the switch and verify everything is behaving.
If you want us to handle the full migration, testing, and monitoring, our WordPress hosting support covers moves like this regularly, including the overlap plan that keeps your current site online while the new server takes over.
