WORDPRESS WEBSITE HANDOVER CHECKLIST
UpOnUp | Guidance checked 16 October 2026
Guide: https://uponup.com/guides/move-from-wordpress/

Save a copy and fill it in with your current and receiving providers.
Do not put passwords, API keys or customer records in this document.

1. DEFINE THE MOVE
Business:
Current website:
WordPress.com or self-hosted WordPress:
Current provider and contact:
Receiving provider and contact:
What changes (host, design, platform, page addresses, domain):
What stays:
Essential features and editing needs:
Agreed scope and costs reference:
Business approver:

2. RECORD SERVICE OWNERS
Domain registrar / account owner / renewal date:
DNS administrator:
Website host / account owner:
Email provider / administrator:
WordPress administrator:
Who can authorise access:
Approved access-sharing method:

3. AGREE THE MATERIALS
[ ] Content export obtained and its contents checked.
[ ] Original images, logos and documents supplied with reuse permissions.
[ ] Media inventory checked against the replacement.
[ ] Images and PDFs will remain accessible after old hosting ends.
[ ] For a WordPress restore: agreed database AND file backup set retained.
[ ] Backup date, storage location and restore instructions recorded.
[ ] Theme, page builder, plugins and licence ownership listed separately.
[ ] WordPress.com plan restrictions and supported transfer route confirmed.
[ ] Private material has a protected transfer method.

An XML/WXR content export is not a full working-site backup. WordPress.com's
standard export contains media references, not the actual media files, and
omits the theme design, customisations and plugins. A new platform may need
manual content preparation and a replacement design. Confirm the method and
costs with the receiving provider; a migration plugin is not a complete scope.

4. MAP CONTENT AND ADDRESSES
Repeat this block for pages, posts, important images and downloads:
Old URL:
Keep / improve / merge / retire:
New URL or relevant redirect destination:
Content and asset owner:
Redirect owner:
Checked by / date:

[ ] Important existing URLs retained where practical.
[ ] Changed URLs mapped to relevant replacements.
[ ] Permanent redirects tested; no blanket homepage redirects.
[ ] Internal links, canonical addresses and sitemap checked.
[ ] Preview indexing restrictions reviewed for launch.
[ ] Search Console access and monitoring owner confirmed.

5. CHECK WORKING CONNECTIONS
Repeat for forms, bookings, newsletters, analytics, consent, shops and members:
Function:
Account owner:
Retain / replace / remove:
Data to retain and approved method:
Subscription / licence dependency:
Receiving provider responsibility:
Authorised test and expected result:
Observed result / checker / date:

[ ] Form delivery checked at the intended inbox or CRM.
[ ] Visitor confirmations and error handling checked.
[ ] Shop/member/customer-data work separately scoped where needed.
[ ] Changes during migration have a capture and reconciliation plan.

6. AGREE LAUNCH AND A WAY BACK
Private preview:
Final content update / freeze arrangement:
Business approval reference:
Launch owner and contact:
Authorised DNS change owner:
Email records to preserve (MX and relevant verification records):
Proposed change window:
Rollback method and person responsible:
Old domain / redirect hosting arrangements:
Post-launch monitoring owner:

[ ] Phone and desktop pages reviewed.
[ ] Essential functions and enquiry journeys tested.
[ ] Email sending and receiving checked after authorised changes.
[ ] HTTPS, important old URLs, images and PDFs checked.
[ ] Final backup and handover retained by the business.
[ ] Dependencies understood before cancelling any old service.
[ ] Ongoing support and renewal responsibilities agreed.

REQUEST TO YOUR CURRENT PROVIDER
We are reviewing our WordPress website arrangements. Please confirm which
accounts our business controls, the supported method for receiving the agreed
content, media and backups, and any licences or connected services we need to
retain. Please identify effects on our domain, email, forms, bookings or other
services if the existing arrangement ends. We will agree the scope and timing
of any change separately.

OFFICIAL REFERENCES
Checked 16 October 2026. Confirm current tools and plan features for your site.
https://wordpress.com/support/export/
https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/tools-export-screen/
https://developer.wordpress.org/advanced-administration/security/backup/
https://developers.google.com/search/docs/crawling-indexing/site-move-with-url-changes

A NEW HOMEPAGE DIRECTION
UpOnUp offers a free homepage design by email, with no obligation to buy.
A full website build and any migration work are agreed separately.
https://uponup.com/free-homepage-design/