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Before starting

Because there are so many different types of websites out there, we cannot provide a comprehensive guide detailing every scenario you may run into. For this reason, we’ve provided the basic steps you need to take to move your website files and associated databases between cPanel accounts. Some platforms such as WordPress or Magento, for example, may require extra steps to get things 100% working under the new cPanel account. If things are not working once you move the website files and associated databases, you may need to consult a web developer for further assistance.

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Downloading the website files

The first part of this process is to download the website content, starting with the website’s files.
  1. Determine where the subdomain’s website files are located by checking the Document Root by navigating to cPanel → Subdomains. cPanel subdomain document root
  2. Once you have this information, you can download the website’s files using cPanel’s inbuilt File Manager or via FTP:
    1. To download via FTP, follow our guide on how to manage files via FTP.
    2. To download the files using cPanel’s File Manager, you must:
      1. Access the cPanel file manager under cPanel→ File Manager.
      2. Navigate to the folder in which the website’s files are stored.
      3. Click on the first file/folder in the list, then hold SHIFT and click on the last file/folder. Right-click on the highlighted files and folders, then click Compress.
      4. Choose any of the compression methods, and set the file name to whatever you like.
      5. Right-click on the compressed file, and click Download.

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Download the website database(s)

If your website has some databases associated with it, you can download it using PHPMyAdmin.
  1. Login to cPanel.
  2. Click on PHPMyAdmin under Databases.
  3. Click on Export.
  4. Under Export Method select Custom.
  5. Select the database(s) you want to export.
  6. Click Go at the bottom of the page (this will download a file called “localhost.sql”).

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Uploading the files and databases to the new cPanel account

Before proceeding, you need to set up the sub-domain in the new cPanel account by first navigating to cPanel → Sub-domains. cPanel new subdomain To upload the files into the new account, you need to place them in the Document Root for the subdomain in the new account.
  1. To upload the files via FTP, follow our guide on how to manage FTP files.
  2. To upload the files using cPanel’s File Manager, you need to:
    1. Navigate to cPanel > File Manager.
    2. Open the folder for the Sub-Domain, which you can see under Document Root under cPanel > Sub-Domains.
    3. Click Upload and select the compressed file you downloaded earlier.
    4. Once the file is uploaded, make sure it’s in the subdomain’s Document Root.
    5. Right-click on the file and click Extract.
Once you have done that, you can upload the database you exported (if you did this). Follow these steps:
  1. Create a new MySQL database and database user inside cPanel, by following this guide.
  2. Navigate to cPanel → PHPMyAdmin.
  3. Click on the database you want to import the database backup into (this will be to the left of the page).
  4. Click Import.
  5. Click Choose File under File to import.
  6. Click Go at the bottom of the page.

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What’s next?

From here, there may be some extra steps you need to take in order to make the website work. These steps will differ from website to website.