### **KB: Manual Domain Migration between cPanel Accounts**

**Objective:** Move a functional website (files, database, and email) from a "Source" cPanel account to a "Destination" cPanel account.

**Prerequisites:**

* Access to both cPanel accounts.
* No SSH access required.

---

### **Phase 1: Domain Setup (Destination cPanel)**

Before moving data, the destination server must be configured to accept the new domain.

* Log in to the **Destination cPanel**.

* Navigate to the **Domains** section (often labeled "Domains" or "Addon Domains").

* Click **Create A New Domain**.

* Enter the domain name you are migrating.

*
**Important:** Uncheck "Share document root" (if the option exists) so the domain has its own isolated directory.

* Define the **Document Root** (e.g., `/public_html/example.com` or just `/example.com`) and click **Submit**.

>
> **Tip:** If the domain is still pointing to the old server via DNS, cPanel might verify ownership via a temporary file or fail validation. If it fails, ensure you can access the destination server's IP directly or temporarily adjust DNS.
>

---

### **Phase 2: File Migration & Cleanup**

**Step A: Source (Export)**

* Log in to the **Source cPanel** and open the **File Manager**.

* Navigate to the domain’s document root (usually `public_html` or a specific addon folder).

*
**Critical Settings Check:** Click **Settings** (top right) and ensure **"Show Hidden Files (dotfiles)"** is checked. This ensures you capture critical files like `.htaccess`.

*
**Select All** files.

* Right-click and select **Compress** (Zip Archive).

* Once compressed, select the `.zip` file and **Download** it to your local machine.

**Step B: Destination (Import)**

* Log in to the **Destination cPanel** and open **File Manager**.

* Navigate to the **new Document Root** created in Phase 1.

* Click **Upload** and select the `.zip` file you just downloaded.

* Once the upload bar is green, go back to the File Manager window, click Reload, then right-click the `.zip` file, and select **Extract**.

*
**Path Correction:** If the files extracted into a sub-folder (e.g., `/example.com/example.com/`), enter that folder, **Select All**, and **Move** them up one level to the main document root.

*
**Cleanup:** Delete the `.zip` file from the server to save disk space.


**Step C: .htaccess Cleanup (Crucial)**

* Right-click the `.htaccess` file and select **Edit**.

*
**Remove Cache Rules:** Old caching plugins write hardcoded paths (e.g., `/home/old_user/...`) into this file that will crash the new site.

* Delete any code blocks wrapped in comments like `# BEGIN W3TC Browser Cache`, `# BEGIN Litespeed`, or `# BEGIN WP Rocket`, this means remove everthing between the `# BEGIN` section to the matching `# END` below then **Save Changes**.

---

### **Phase 3: Database Migration**

**Step A: Source (Export SQL)**

* In the **Source cPanel**, open **phpMyAdmin**.

* Select the database associated with the website, click the **Export** tab, and click **Go** (or **Export/Go**) to download the `.sql` dump file.


**Step B: Destination (Create Database)**

* In the **Destination cPanel**, open the **MySQL Database Wizard**.

*
**Step 1:** Create a new Database (give it a recognizable name).

*
**Step 2:** Create a new User. Generate a strong password and **copy it to a secure notepad** immediately.

*
**Step 3:** Assign the User to the Database and grant **All Privileges**.

**Step C: Destination (Import SQL)**

* Open **phpMyAdmin** in the **Destination cPanel**.

* Select the *newly created* (empty) database from the left sidebar.

* Click the **Import** tab, upload your `.sql` file, and click **Import/Go**.

>
> **Tip:** If the SQL file is larger than the upload limit in phpMyAdmin (often 50MB+), you may need to use the MySQL command line via SSH or request support to perform the import.
>
Example: `mysql -u database_user -p database_name < /path/to/filename.sql`

Alternative (root user only): `mysql database_name < /path/to/filename.sql`

---

### **Phase 4: Configuration & Connection**

You must now connect the files to the new database credentials.

**Step A: Update Configuration File**

* In the **Destination cPanel File Manager**, locate the configuration file (e.g., `wp-config.php` for WordPress, `.env` for Laravel, or `configuration.php` for Joomla).

* Right-click and **Edit**.

* Update the following lines with the *new* details created in Phase 3, Step B:

* **DB_NAME / Database Name:** (e.g., `user_newdb`)
* **DB_USER / Database User:** (e.g., `user_newuser`)
* **DB_PASSWORD / Database Password:** (The password you generated).
*
**DB_HOST / Database Host:** Ensure this is set to `localhost`.

*
**Save Changes**.

**Step B: WordPress Manager (Registering the Site)**

*If this is a WordPress site, the destination cPanel doesn't "know" it exists yet.*

* In **Destination cPanel**, open **WordPress Manager**.

* Click the **Scan** button to search your directories for existing WordPress installations.

* Once detected, click the "Down Arrow" icon next to the site to expand options and ensure the **Site URL** is correct.

---

### **Phase 5: Email Migration (History)**

*Note: This method moves email history but requires you to manually recreate the email addresses first.*

*
**Step 1: Recreate Accounts:** In the **Destination cPanel**, go to **Email Accounts** and recreate the EXACT email addresses with their MATCHING passwords used on the old server.

* **Step 2: Source Export:**
* In **Source File Manager**, navigate to the `mail` folder.

* Open the folder matching your domain name.

* You will see folders for each user (e.g., `info`, `support`); compress the specific user folders you want to keep.

* **Step 3: Destination Import:**
* In **Destination File Manager**, navigate to `mail` -> `yourdomain.com`.

* Upload and extract the zip file here.

---

### **Phase 6: Finalization & Performance**

*
**DNS:** Update your nameservers or A Record to point to the new host.

*
**SSL Generation:** Once DNS has propagated, log in to **Destination cPanel**, navigate to **SSL/TLS Status**, select the domain, and click **Run AutoSSL**.

*
**PHP Version Check:** Check the PHP Version in the Destination cPanel (**MultiPHP Manager**) and ensure it matches the version used on the Source. Mismatched PHP versions are the #1 cause of "Critical Errors" after migration.

* **Caching Cleanup (WordPress):**
* Log in to your WordPress Dashboard (`/wp-admin`).

*
**Deactivate and Delete** any old caching plugins (WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, Autoptimize, etc.) to prevent conflicts.

>
> **Tip:** If you see "Mixed Content" errors or broken images after migration, install a plugin like **"Better Search Replace"** to find `/home/old_user/public_html` and replace it with `/home/new_user/public_html`.
>