How to Migrate from WordPress.com to WordPress.org?
Do you want to migrate from WordPress.com to WordPress.org? Then go through the complete article.
I had my Web portal hosted with WordPress.com, and I have been running it since 2019 on WordPress.com.
Why WordPress.Org, not WordPress.com?
In the beginning, I was using WordPress.org only but due to a lack of support from the hosting provider and website slowed down. Out of the blue, I switched to WordPress.com.
First I purchased WordPress Premium Plan because in WordPress.com free plan you don’t even get a Plugin for your website.
The very next year I updated my website to the Business plan, with more access to plugins and themes compared to the Premium plan.
As I was running a web directory, I am getting a lot of traffic, and my WordPress.com plan is quite enough for it but it was expensive.
Meanwhile, I came to know about WordPress.org. Before I don’t know the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org.
Then, I started researching the top Hosting Providers for WordPress Shared hosting.
At that time, many of the blogs voted for Hostinger as one of the best and cheapest WordPress Shared Hosting.
As I was designing websites also as a freelancer on a short note.
I got one of my clients for Website designing. While working on my Web Portal, I was much more familiar with WordPress. And by running the Web portal I got the client.
So, I was aware that WordPress.com is costly. That’s why I started making the website on WordPress.org.
So, I selected the Business WordPress plan for Hostinger.
Afterwards, I created many websites on WordPress.Org.
Till now I don’t have the confidence, to merge my Web Portal from WordPress.com to WordPress.org.
But this year, in the month of May, my WordPress.com plan was ending.
So, I again started researching how to transfer my Web portal from WordPress.com to WordPress.org.
Someone suggested Bluehost, as they have a support team, that does the work for me.
But I was familiar with Hostinger and they have one of the best support teams. (reasons are coming)
Migrating from WordPress.com to WordPress.org
For migrating the Website from WordPress.com, I have to transfer my domain also, because my domain was also from WordPress.com.
So, from Hostinger I request for Transfer of an existing Domain.
I was redirected to a page where I have to give the domain name which I want to transfer, with some important notes, for me.
I entered my domain name and click on Transfer then I got an error message Domain is Locked and Cannot be Transferred. With a friendly message, This Domain is Locked, please unlock the domain at the current provider and try again.
This error is a new thing for me to learn. I googled the error and came to know how to unlock the domain on WordPress.com
How to Unlock Domain in WordPress.com in 2023?
To unlock the domain in WordPress.com, you have to follow these steps
- Go to WordPress Dashboard
- Click on Upgrades on the left-hand sidebar
- Go to Domains
- You will see your domain name,
- Click on Transfer Your Domain
- In the advanced option, click on the Transfer lock on the toggle button to unlock Your Domain.
- Then Click the Get Authorization Code button.
The authorization code will be mailed to you on your registered email id with your account. And this authorization code will be asked on Hostinger or any other service provider, to you are transferring your domain.
After successfully unlocking my domain from WordPress.com, I returned to Hostinger and again requested Transfer Domain.
Yay! This time my domain name was available for transfer.
The next thing I have done was paid the domain registration amount.
After successful payment, the next screen asked me to enter the Authorization Code.
As WordPress.com mailed me the authorization code, I just copied it and paste it here.
Then I got the confirmation email from Hostinger.
How to Migrate from WordPress.com to Hostinger in 2023?
Now, how to transfer from WordPress.com to Hostinger?
For migrating websites, I learned that I have to install and activate the All in One Wp Migration Plugin, on both the old and new hosting accounts. If you don’t know how to install and activate Plugin, read the post on how to install a Plugin in WordPress.
So I installed it on WordPress.com, and my transferred domain also.
How to Export Data From WordPress using the All In One WP Migration plugin?
After activating the Plugin, I opened my WordPress.com (old host) dashboard and navigated to All in One Wp Migration on the left-hand sidebar.
WordPress Dashboard >> All-in-One Wp Migration >> Export
Next, I clicked on Export To, and a drop-down opened, and I selected File Option from the drop-down menu.
After that, the Plugin retrieve all my WordPress files and prompted me to download .wpress file.
The size of my Web Portal WordPress data was 7 GB. I downloaded all the data to my desktop.
How to Import Data to New Host using All in One Wp Migration Plugin?
Now I have to upload the whole downloaded file to my new host.
I logged in To Hostinger and opened my Web Portal new Hosting account.
As I already installed and activated the All in One Wp Migration Plugin, I navigated to Plugin in my WordPress dashboard and clicked on import
All in One Wp Migration >> Import
Then I clicked on Import From, a drop-down menu opened as before, and I selected File from the drop-down menu. Then it opened a dialogue box, and I selected the exported .wpress file from my desktop.
It’s started importing but suddenly, I shocked, because, while importing the Plugin displays Your File is More than 128 MB. And it asks me to increase WordPress’s maximum file upload size.
Suggested Reading: How to Export All WordPress Media Files
How to Increase WordPress Maximum File upload size All in One Wp Migration?
I searched the ways to increase WordPress’s Maximum file upload size, and read and tried the ways like modifying the .htaccess files, configuring PHP functions etc.
But all these methods didn’t work for me.
Strong Hostinger Support Team
When I was stuck and did not get any support from online searches. Then, I contacted Hostinger Live Support.
They helped me a lot with every error I was getting. I don’t have the words to appreciate their support. Any time I mailed them, I got a reply within minutes from them.
Now in my case, after listening to my query and problem they asked me to back up my WordPress.com data using the All In One WP Migration Plugin. And then I should upload it to File Manager Beta, in my new hosting.
I backed up my data and uploaded it to File Manager in Hostinger.
Then, I mailed them, that I completed my work of backing up data and uploading it to the File Manager.
They replied to me with smiling faces and they transferred all my data to my new Hostinger Hosting.
Wait!! this was the beginning of my queries to them. Because, after uploading all the data, as usual, I was getting image optimisation errors like Thumbnails, Featured images not showing up.
First, they only tell me about this error and asked me to back up data again and then re-upload the new backup.
I did that also but the issue didn’t resolve. And I was thinking that it will affect my Website ranking. And again mail Hostinger Support.
They replied and gave me several suggestions, but sadly many of them didn’t resolve my issue.
Resolving the Broken Image /Thumbnails issue
Then, They asked me to Install and Activate Regenerate Thumbnails and then Go to Tools>> Regen. Thumbnails and Click on Regenerate All Thumbnails.
This step solved my issues and my website is looking great as usual.
I mail them and thanked them for their support.
But wait, there was a new issue again.
How to Insert Special Characters in WordPress?
One of my top posts was How to Type Theta Symbol.
When I visited my post and saw that instead of Theta Symbol there is a question mark (?)
I opened my email and mailed Hostinger Support regarding my issue and they informed me that, in WordPress.org you have to use Classic Editor or Install one of the Plugins for using Special Character.
I thanked him and informed him that I will disturb him again. They replied with a smiley, and said they were happy to help.
How to Write Urdu or Arabic in WordPress?
Now, days gone, instantly I saw one of my posts which contains Urdu/ Arabic in some parts. But instead of Urdu Language WordPress is showing question marks (???). As it didn’t recognise the words.
Again, I contacted Hostinger Support, and they replied to me with a solution to install a Plugin because WordPress.org support other languages with the help of Plugins.
I thanked them, and read the article regarding multilingual plugins. I didn’t try anyone yet. But definitely do it in 2 to 3 days.
But in the total process of Migrating my Website from WordPress.com to Hostinger, the Hostinger support team is remarkable.
And that’s Why I suggest using Hostinger for Website Hosting, especially for WordPress.
Conclusion:
With the help of the All in One Wp Migration Plugin and Hostinger Support Team, I Migrated my Website From WordPress.com to Hostinger safely and securely, without affecting my Search Engine ranking.
Hope this long article helped you in migrating your website. There are some issues that may occur while you are migrating your website. Feel free to mail me for helping you out in migrating your website from one host to another host.
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