Leaving a cPanel host sounds like a lot of moving parts: files, databases, email, DNS. In practice it is a known, repeatable process, and most of it can be handled for you. Here is what actually needs to move and how to do it without downtime.
What needs to move
A typical cPanel account has four things to transfer:
- Website files, everything in
public_html - Databases, your MySQL databases and their users
- Email, mailboxes and their stored messages
- DNS, the records that point your domain at the server
Miss one and something breaks after the switch, so treat them as a checklist.
The easy path: let us do it (free)
The simplest option by far: Vastrox migrations are free, handled by engineers, and done with zero downtime. You give us your current cPanel login (stored encrypted), we copy everything to the new server, verify it works, and switch DNS last. Start a migration and skip the manual work entirely.
If you would rather do it yourself, here is the manual version.
The manual path
1. Move the files
Download public_html from cPanel (File Manager or FTP) and upload it to your new server.
2. Move the databases
In cPanel, use phpMyAdmin or "Backup" to export each database as a .sql file. Create matching databases on the new server and import the files. Update your site's config (for WordPress, wp-config.php) with the new database name, user and password.
3. Move email
If your mail lives on the same host, recreate the mailboxes on the new server and migrate the messages; IMAP sync tools can copy mail between servers. Plan this carefully so nothing is lost.
4. Set up before switching DNS
Get everything working on the new server first, tested on a temporary URL or IP. Only then change DNS. This is the key to zero downtime, because both servers hold the site during propagation. See How to migrate your website with zero downtime.
5. Switch DNS and verify
Point your A record (or nameservers) to the new server, then test: pages load over https, forms work, email sends and receives. See How to point your domain to Vastrox.
After the move
- Keep the old cPanel account active for a week or two until propagation finishes worldwide.
- Re-issue SSL on the new server. See How to get a free SSL certificate.
- Confirm email authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) is set on the new host. See How to fix email going to spam.
FAQ
Will my site go down when I move from cPanel?
Not if you set up and verify the new server before switching DNS. Done in that order, the move is seamless.
Do you really migrate for free?
Yes. Vastrox migrations are free and handled by our team, including the database and email, with zero downtime.
What about my emails, will I lose them?
No, if they are migrated properly. We copy existing mail during the move and keep the old server live until DNS fully propagates.
Ready to move? Start your free migration and we will handle the whole cPanel transfer for you.