Need to migrate an Elementor site to new hosting without losing layouts, templates, media or settings? The good news is that an Elementor WordPress site can be moved to another host, just like other WordPress websites. The important part is to treat it as a controlled project rather than a quick file copy.

Elementor sites rely on the WordPress database, uploaded media, theme files, plugins, Elementor templates and generated CSS. If any of these are missed, the site may load but appear broken, incomplete or poorly styled. This guide walks through a practical hosting migration process for business owners and agencies, covering planning, backups, staging, files, database, Elementor settings, DNS, SSL and final testing.

Why this matters

A hosting move can affect website availability, forms, search visibility, SSL security, email routing and customer trust. Careful planning cannot guarantee zero downtime, because DNS changes and third-party systems can behave differently across networks. Still, it can significantly reduce disruption and make problems easier to fix.

If you are moving to Giraffe Hosting Limited, our UK-based team can support customers with website migration, onboarding, and hosting. Giraffe Hosting has provided UK hosting services since 200. It offers WordPress hosting, managed cloud hosting, VPS hosting, domain services, daily backups, Web Application Firewall protection, malware scanning, DDoS protection and hosting powered by 100% renewable energy.

Hosting migration versus domain transfer: what is the difference?

Before you start, separate two commonly confused tasks:

If you also want to consolidate your domain and hosting with one provider, read our guide on how to transfer your domain name. If you run into registrar locks, incorrect authorisation codes or DNS problems, our domain transfer troubleshooting guide explains common issues.

Step 1: Run a pre-migration audit

Start by recording exactly what you have. This gives you a baseline for testing and helps avoid hidden dependencies.

• WordPress version, PHP version and database version.
• Active theme, child theme and all active plugins.
• Elementor and Elementor Pro status, if used.
• Custom post types, forms, pop-ups, headers, footers and templates.
• WooCommerce, booking systems, membership areas or any feature that stores live customer data.
• Current DNS records, including website, email and verification records.
• Existing SSL certificate status.
• Any hard-coded URLs, tracking scripts, redirects or security rules.

For e-commerce sites, membership sites, and busy lead-generation websites, consider a content freeze during the final migration window. Orders, form entries and account changes made during a move may need special handling.

Step 2: Take complete backups

A safe WordPress migration begins with complete backups. Elementor's own migration guidance highlights the need to back up the site before moving it, and broader WordPress migration guidance also emphasises copying both files and database content.

Back up the following:

• WordPress files: the full WordPress installation, including wp-content, themes, plugins and uploads.
• Database: posts, pages, Elementor data, settings, menus, users, WooCommerce data and plugin options.
• Configuration files: especially wp-config.php any server-level rules, such as .htaccess where applicable.
• Elementor assets: templates, global settings, theme builder layouts and uploaded media.
• DNS records: export or copy the current zone before making changes.

Store at least one backup away from the old hosting account. A backup that only exists on the server you are replacing is less useful if access is interrupted.

Step 3: Prepare the new hosting environment

Set up the new hosting account before making any changes to DNS. The new environment should match your site's requirements as closely as possible, particularly the PHP version, required extensions, memory limits and database support.

Create a new database and database user, install a clean WordPress environment if your migration method requires it, and ensure you have SFTP, control panel, and database access. If your new host provides a temporary URL or staging address, use it for testing before launch.

Step 4: Choose your migration method

There are three common ways to move an Elementor WordPress site:

1. Managed migration: your hosting provider assists with the move. This is often the best option for business owners who do not want to handle files, databases and DNS manually.
2. Migration plugin: tools such as Duplicator or similar plugins package the site for import on the new host. Elementor's guidance describes using Duplicator to create a package, uploading it to the new host, and running an installer.
3. Manual migration: copy files with SFTP or a file manager, export/import the database, then update wp-config.php with the new database details.

For agencies and developers, manual migration gives more control. For business owners, host-assisted migration or a reputable migration plugin is usually simpler.

Step 5: Move files and database

If migrating manually, copy all WordPress files from the old host to the new host. Then export the old database and import it into the new database. Update wp-config.php So WordPress can connect to the new database using the new database name, username, password, and host.

If the domain name is changing, or if you are moving from a temporary URL to the live domain, you may need to update the site URL and home URL in the database. Use a proper search-and-replace tool that handles serialised WordPress data. Avoid simple text replacement in a raw SQL file unless you know how serialised data works, as it can break stored Elementor and plugin settings.

Step 6: Protect Elementor templates, media and settings

Elementor stores much of its layout data in the WordPress database, while images and documents live in the uploads folder. That means a complete migration must include both the database and media library.

After the site is restored on the new host, check:

• Global colours, fonts and site settings.
• Headers, footers and Theme Builder templates.
• Page templates, pop-ups and saved sections.
• Background images, icons, SVGs and video embeds.
• Forms, int,egrations, and redirect actions.

Elementor guidance also recommends replacing URLs in Elementor when the domain changes and regenerating CSS after migration. In WordPress, you can also resave permalinks to refresh rewrite rules.

Step 7: Test on staging before changing DNS

A staging site lets you check the migration before visitors are sent to the new host. Use the temporary URL, staging domain or local hosts file method provided by your hosting team.

Test the site as a visitor and as an administrator. Browse key pages, submit forms, check menus, open blog posts, review landing pages and confirm that Elementor pages can still be edited. If the site runs WooCommerce, test product pages, basket, checkout flow and transactional emails carefully before launch.

Step 8: Plan DNS changes and reduce disruption

DNS tells browsers where your website is hosted. When you move hosting, you normally update A, AAAA or CNAME records, or change nameservers. DNS changes can take time to propagate across different networks and resolvers, so plan the switch for a quieter period.

Before launch, consider lowering the DNS TTL for relevant records if your current DNS provider allows it. A lower TTL can help networks refresh records sooner, although it does not remove all propagation delay. Keep the old hosting active for a short overlap period so visitors who still reach the old server are not immediately met with an error.

Take extra care not to overwrite email-related records such as MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC. Moving website hosting does not necessarily mean moving email hosting.

Step 9: Install and test SSL

Once DNS points to the new hosting, issue or install the SSL certificate for the domain, then test that the site loads securely over HTTPS and that no mixed content warnings appear. Mixed content usually means some images, scripts, or styles are still loading over HTTP.

If you need a refresher, our guide to SSL certificates explains why HTTPS matters for modern websites.

Step 10: Final post-launch testing checklist

After DNS and SSL are live, complete a structured final test:

• Homepage, service pages, landing pages and blog posts load correctly.
• Elementor styling, spacing, fonts, colours and responsive layouts are intact.
• Menus, buttons, internal links and calls to action work.
• Contact forms, newsletter forms and booking forms are submitted correctly.
• Admin login works, and Elementor editor opens.
• Permalinks have been resaved if needed.
• SSL is active,e and the site redirects to HTTPS.
• Images and media files load from the correct domain.
• Redirects are in place if URLs or domain names have changed.
• Analytics, trac, king Search Console, and console verification are still present.
• Backups are enabled on the new hosting platform.
• Security tools, malware scanning and firewall settings are active where available.

Practical checklist for business owners and agencies

A well-managed migration is about reducing risk, not pretending risk does not exist. With a clear plan, full backups, staging tests and careful DNS handling, most Elementor hosting moves can be completed smoothly and with minimal disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you move an Elementor site to another host?

Yes. Elementor sites can be migrated to a new host using a managed migration service, a migration plugin or a manual WordPress migration. The move must include both the WordPress files and database because Elementor layouts and settings depend on both.

What should be backed up before migrating?

Back up the full WordPress file system, database, uploads, themes, plugins, wp-config.php, Elementor templates and current DNS records. Keep a copy away from the old hosting account before starting the migration.

How do you protect Elementor templates, media and settings?

Make sure the database and uploads folder are migrated together. After restoring the site, check Elementor global settings, Theme Builder templates, saved sections, forms and media. If URLs change, use Elementor's URL replacement tool and regenerate CSS.

What DNS and domain steps are involved?

For a hosting move, update DNS records or nameservers so the domain points to the new server. This is different from a domain transfer, which moves the domain registration between registrars. Keep email records such as MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC intact unless the mail is being moved.

How can downtime be reduced during migration?

Use staging, test before launch, schedule the DNS switch for a quieter period, lower TTL where possible and keep the old hosting active during the transition. These steps can reduce disruption, although they cannot guarantee zero downtime.