Guides
How to change web hosting without losing your website or email
Short answer
To change hosting safely, keep the old plan running until the end. First list everything you have: website files, databases, mailboxes and DNS records. Back it all up, copy the site to the new host and test it there before anyone sees it. Create the same mailboxes and copy the saved emails over. Only then point your domain's DNS to the new host, check that the site and email work, and cancel the old plan last.
Key points
- Never cancel the old hosting until the new one is fully working.
- Your website, your email and your domain are three different things: know where each one lives.
- Test the site on the new host before you change any DNS.
- When you move email, copy the saved messages too, folder by folder.
- After the switch, check forms, HTTPS and email on every device.
Why people lose things when they change hosting
Most problems come from doing the steps in the wrong order. Someone cancels the old plan, the files disappear with it, and the backup turns out to be incomplete. Or the domain gets pointed to the new server before the site is ready, and customers see an error page for a day.
Email is the part people forget. On many hosting plans, the mailboxes live on the same server as the website. If you move the site and change the DNS, new emails start arriving at the new place, but years of saved messages stay behind on the old server. When that plan is cancelled, they're gone.
A shop in Bogotá, a dental office in Houston or a consultancy in Madrid all face the same risks. The fix is the same too: an inventory, a full copy, a test, then the switch.
Make a list of what you have
Before touching anything, write down where each piece lives today. It's common for the domain, the website and the email to be with different companies, and each one moves differently.
| Piece | What to look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Domain | Where it's registered and who has the login | That's where you'll change the DNS at the end |
| Website files | Folders, images, uploads, configuration files | Without them the site can't run on the new host |
| Databases | Name, size and which site uses each one | Stores products, posts, orders or user accounts |
| Mailboxes | Every address, its size and who uses it | Each one has to exist on the new host with its saved emails |
| DNS records | A, MX, TXT (SPF, DKIM) and any others | Missing a record can break email or a service quietly |
The steps, in the right order
DNS changes don't take effect everywhere at once. For a few hours some visitors may still reach the old server, which is exactly why the old plan has to stay active during the switch.
- Back up everythingDownload a copy of the website files and export every database. Keep it somewhere outside the old host.
- Set up the new hostingPick a plan that fits your site, and make sure it includes HTTPS and a way to manage files and databases.
- Copy the websiteUpload the files, import the databases and update the site's configuration with the new database details.
- Test before switchingOpen the site on the new server before changing DNS and check pages, images, forms and checkout.
- Move the emailCreate the same mailboxes on the new host and copy the saved emails from the old ones.
- Point the DNSUpdate the records at your domain so the website and the MX records point to the new host.
- Check, then cancelConfirm the site, HTTPS and email work for a few days, then cancel the old plan.
How to move your email without losing messages
Creating sales@yourbusiness.com on the new host gives you an empty mailbox with the same name. The messages already saved in the old one have to be copied separately, folder by folder, before the old service is shut down.
Plan the email move around the DNS change. Copy the old messages first, switch the MX records, then do one last copy to catch anything that arrived on the old server during the change. After that, update the mailbox settings on every phone and computer that uses it, because many of them still point to the old server.
- Note the size of each mailbox so you know the new plan has room
- Keep the same addresses so customers don't notice the change
- Copy every folder, including sent mail and archives
- Check that SPF and DKIM records point to the new email service
- Ask each person to confirm their old emails are there before cancelling
What to check after the switch
If something fails, the old plan is still there. That's your safety net, so keep it until everything on this list works.
- The site opens with the padlock (HTTPS) on every page
- Contact forms send their messages and they arrive
- Online payments or the shopping cart still complete an order
- You can send and receive email from inside and outside the business
- Old links and pages that people search for still open
How Autorys can help
If you'd rather not do the move yourself, Autorys moves your website and your mailboxes over from your current provider, including the emails you already have saved, without your business going offline. You can also transfer your domain to Autorys so it sits next to your hosting and email.
Afterwards you manage everything from your Autorys dashboard: hosting with HTTPS included at no extra cost, a file manager and a database manager, your mailboxes and your domain. There are hosting plans for one site, up to 5 sites or an online store, and the dashboard comes in 5 languages.
Frequently asked questions
Will my website go down when I change hosting?
It shouldn't if you follow the order: copy and test the site on the new host first, switch the DNS second and keep the old plan active until the end. While DNS updates, both servers answer, so visitors still see a working site.
How long does a hosting change take?
It depends on the size of the site and the mailboxes. The copying part can be quick for a small site and longer for a store with many orders or mailboxes with years of email. Then add a few hours for DNS to update everywhere.
Do I have to move my domain too?
No. Your domain can stay where it's registered. You only change its DNS records so they point to the new host. Moving the domain is optional, and it's handy if you want domain, hosting and email in one place.
What happens to my emails if I just change the DNS?
New emails start arriving at the new server, but the messages saved on the old one stay there. If you cancel the old plan without copying them, you lose them. Always copy the saved emails before cancelling.
How much does it cost to move my site with Autorys?
Karla, the Autorys AI assistant, gives you the price and sends your quote right away. Message her on WhatsApp, in the website chat or on Telegram and tell her what you want to move.
