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Updating WordPress Site and Home URLs After Migration

When migrating a WordPress site to a new domain or URL, you need to update the site and home URLs in multiple places. Here are the most common and effective methods.

Method 1: Using WP-CLI (Recommended)

WP-CLI is the fastest and most reliable method for updating URLs:

# Update both home and site URL
wp option update home 'https://newdomain.com'
wp option update siteurl 'https://newdomain.com'

# Search and replace old URLs in content
wp search-replace 'https://olddomain.com' 'https://newdomain.com'

# Include uploads if you have hardcoded URLs in content
wp search-replace 'https://olddomain.com/wp-content/uploads' 'https://newdomain.com/wp-content/uploads'

# Flush rewrite rules
wp rewrite flush

Method 2: Using wp-config.php (Temporary Fix)

Add these constants to your wp-config.php file before the /* That's all, stop editing! */ line:

// Force WordPress to use these URLs
define('WP_HOME', 'https://newdomain.com');
define('WP_SITEURL', 'https://newdomain.com');

Note: This is a temporary solution. Remove these lines once you've updated the database permanently.

Method 3: Direct Database Update

⚠️ Always backup your database before making direct changes!

Update options table:

UPDATE wp_options 
SET option_value = 'https://newdomain.com' 
WHERE option_name = 'home';

UPDATE wp_options 
SET option_value = 'https://newdomain.com' 
WHERE option_name = 'siteurl';

Update content URLs (if needed):

-- Update post content
UPDATE wp_posts 
SET post_content = REPLACE(post_content, 'https://olddomain.com', 'https://newdomain.com');

-- Update meta values
UPDATE wp_postmeta 
SET meta_value = REPLACE(meta_value, 'https://olddomain.com', 'https://newdomain.com');

-- Update comments
UPDATE wp_comments 
SET comment_content = REPLACE(comment_content, 'https://olddomain.com', 'https://newdomain.com');

Method 4: Using WordPress Admin Panel

If you can access the admin panel:

  1. Go to Settings > General
  2. Update WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL)
  3. Save changes

Method 5: Using functions.php (Temporary)

Add to your theme's functions.php:

// Temporary URL override
update_option('siteurl', 'https://newdomain.com');
update_option('home', 'https://newdomain.com');

Remove this code after the URLs are updated!

Post-Migration Checklist

After updating URLs, verify these items:

  • WordPress admin is accessible
  • Frontend loads correctly
  • Images and media files display properly
  • Internal links work correctly
  • SSL certificate is properly configured
  • Redirect old domain to new domain (if applicable)
  • Update any hardcoded URLs in theme files
  • Check and update any plugins with domain-specific settings
  • Update CDN settings if applicable
  • Test contact forms and other functionality

Troubleshooting

Can't Access Admin Panel

If you can't access the admin after URL change:

  1. Use wp-config.php method first
  2. Then use WP-CLI or database method to make permanent changes
  3. Remove wp-config.php constants

Mixed Content Issues

If you're moving from HTTP to HTTPS:

# Use WP-CLI to replace HTTP with HTTPS
wp search-replace 'http://yourdomain.com' 'https://yourdomain.com'

Multisite Networks

For WordPress multisite:

# Update main site
wp option update home 'https://newdomain.com' --url=olddomain.com
wp option update siteurl 'https://newdomain.com' --url=olddomain.com

# Update each subsite
wp search-replace 'olddomain.com' 'newdomain.com' --network

Best Practices

  1. Always backup your database before making changes
  2. Use WP-CLI when possible - it's the safest method
  3. Test thoroughly after making changes
  4. Keep wp-config.php constants as temporary solutions only
  5. Update your DNS records and SSL certificates accordingly
  6. Set up 301 redirects from old domain to new domain if applicable

Additional Resources