Migrating a website between servers doesn’t have to be a headache. Whether you’re upgrading hosting, moving to a new provider, or consolidating servers, cPanel’s Full Backup and Restore features provide a simple, powerful method for transferring websites files, databases, emails, and all.

In this guide, we’ll walk through how to safely migrate a website using cPanel’s Full Backup feature and how to restore it on the new server with minimal downtime.

When to Use Full Backup & Restore

The Full Backup method is ideal when:

• You want to migrate everything: files, MySQL databases, email accounts, cron jobs, SSLs, DNS zones, and more.

• You don’t have SSH or root access to both servers (i.e., limited to cPanel/WHM).

• You want an easier method compared to manual migration.

Note: You can’t restore a full backup from within the cPanel interface. It requires WHM (root-level access) on the destination server, or you’ll need your hosting provider to do it for you.

Step-by-Step Guide to Website Migration Using cPanel Full Backup

1. Log into Source cPanel & Generate a Full Backup

1. Go to cPanel > Backup or Backup Wizard.

2. Under Full Backup, click Download a Full Account Backup.

3. Select the backup destination:

   • Home Directory (recommended)

   • Or choose Remote FTP/ SCP if transferring directly.

4. Enter your email to receive a notification when the backup is complete.

5. Click Generate Backup.

Your backup will be saved as:

/home/username/backup-<date_time>_<username>.tar.gz

2. Download the Backup File

Once the backup is complete:

1. Go to cPanel > File Manager > navigate to /home/username.

2. Locate the backup .tar.gz file.

3. Right-click > Download to your local machine.

Alternatively, use an FTP client like FileZilla or SCP:

scp username@source-server:/home/username/backup-xxxx.tar.gz .

3. Upload Backup to Destination Server

You now need to upload the .tar.gz backup file to the new server.

If you have WHM/root access, upload it to:

/home/

Use scp, rsync, or SFTP:

scp backup-xxxx.tar.gz root@destination-server:/home/

4. Restore the Full Backup via WHM

1. Log in to WHM (Web Host Manager) on the new server.

2. Go to:
   WHM > Backup > Restore a Full Backup/cpmove File

3. Select the uploaded file (e.g., cpmove-username.tar.gz or backup-xxxx.tar.gz).

4. Click Restore.

5. WHM will extract the backup and recreate the user account, files, databases, emails, and settings.

If the backup was made from a different cPanel server, WHM will automatically detect and adapt user settings and DNS records.

Post-Restoration Checklist

After the migration is done, check the following:

• Website loads correctly (front-end and backend)

• Database connections (especially if using external config files)

• Email accounts and webmail access

• Cron jobs and scheduled tasks

• SSL certificates (reinstall if necessary)

• DNS records (especially A records and MX entries)

Pro Tips for a Smooth Migration

• Keep both servers running during testing to ensure rollback is possible.

• Update DNS A records only after confirming the new site works.

• For large sites, consider doing the migration during low-traffic hours.

• Use tools like DNS propagation checkers to monitor DNS updates.

• Enable Cloudflare or CDN caching to reduce propagation issues during the switch.

Common Issues and Fixes

Conclusion

Migrating a website using cPanel’s Full Backup and Restore method is one of the easiest and most reliable ways to move a site without missing anything critical. It’s especially useful when you need to replicate an entire hosting environment not just files or databases.

Whether you’re a hosting provider, a server admin, or a freelance developer, this method can save hours of manual work and reduce the risk of errors.

Need help with complex migrations or server tuning? Talk to EglueWeb we specialize in managed hosting support, migration services, and infrastructure scaling.