How to Troubleshoot and Fix WordPress Migration Errors

Migrating a WordPress site can feel like a big win—until something breaks. Whether you’re using a plugin, an automated tool, or doing it manually, unexpected issues can pop up post-migration: broken pages, media not loading, or worse, a site that won’t load at all.

But don’t panic. Most WordPress migration errors are fixable once you understand what’s causing them.

In this guide, we’ll walk through the most common problems that arise during or after a migration—and how to fix them step by step.

1. White Screen of Death (WSOD)

Symptom: Your site loads a blank white screen, with no error messages.

Cause: This is typically due to PHP errors, theme/plugin conflicts, or memory exhaustion during migration.

Fix:

Enable debugging in wp-config.php:

define(‘WP_DEBUG’, true);

define(‘WP_DEBUG_LOG’, true);

  • Check your server’s PHP error logs
  • Disable all plugins and switch to a default theme to isolate the issue

Increase memory limit:

define(‘WP_MEMORY_LIMIT’, ‘256M’);

2. Broken Links and Missing Images

Symptom: Internal links or media point to the old URL or return 404 errors.

Cause: URLs weren’t updated during migration, especially if your domain or folder structure changed.

Fix:

  • Use a search-and-replace plugin (like Better Search Replace) to update old URLs in the database.
  • Clear any caching layers (plugin, browser, CDN).
  • Regenerate image thumbnails using a plugin like Regenerate Thumbnails.

3. Error Establishing Database Connection

Symptom: The site won’t load, showing a database connection error.

Cause: The database name, user, or password in wp-config.php doesn’t match your new hosting environment.

Fix:

Check your wp-config.php file and verify:

define(‘DB_NAME’, ‘your_db_name’);

define(‘DB_USER’, ‘your_db_user’);

define(‘DB_PASSWORD’, ‘your_db_password’);

define(‘DB_HOST’, ‘localhost’); // Or the new host’s DB hostname

Confirm the database was imported correctly and that the user has access.

4. Redirect Loops or “Too Many Redirects” Error

Symptom: Your browser gets stuck in a redirect loop.

Cause: Mismatched site URLs, HTTPS conflicts, or server-level .htaccess or redirect issues.

Fix:

  • Temporarily disable .htaccess to test
  • Check wp_options table for siteurl and home values

Set correct URLs in wp-config.php to override:

define(‘WP_HOME’, ‘https://yourdomain.com’);

define(‘WP_SITEURL’, ‘https://yourdomain.com’)

  • Ensure HTTPS is properly configured if you moved from HTTP

5. Missing Theme or Plugin Files

Symptom: Layout is broken, or functionality is missing.

Cause: Files may not have transferred properly, or the file paths have changed.

Fix:

  • Re-upload missing themes or plugins via FTP or your host’s file manager
  • Double-check the wp-content folder to ensure all plugins/themes are in place
  • Clear site and browser caches

6. Incorrect File Permissions

Symptom: You can’t upload images, install plugins, or perform updates.

Cause: File and folder permissions weren’t retained during migration.

Fix:

  • Use an FTP client or cPanel to set permissions:
    • Folders: 755
    • Files: 644
  • Make sure the wp-content/uploads folder is writable by the server

7. Slow Site Performance After Migration

Symptom: Your site is noticeably slower after moving to the new host.

Cause: New server configuration, unoptimized database, missing caching.

Fix:

  • Install a caching plugin (e.g., WP Super Cache or LiteSpeed Cache)
  • Optimize the database using WP-Optimize or similar tools
  • Check if the new server meets your PHP and MySQL performance needs
  • Use tools like GTmetrix or PageSpeed Insights to analyze bottlenecks

8. Login Issues or 403/404 Errors on wp-admin

Symptom: You can’t access your WordPress admin dashboard.

Cause: Corrupt .htaccess file, plugin conflict, or incorrect URL.

Fix:

  • Rename the .htaccess file to disable it
  • Try accessing via /wp-login.php directly
  • Clear cookies and cache
  • Reset admin password via phpMyAdmin if needed

Final Thoughts

Even the smoothest migration can have hiccups, but nearly every issue you’ll face has a fix. Most errors boil down to configuration mismatches, missing files, or outdated URLs.

To reduce risk, always:

Troubleshooting takes patience, but with a systematic approach, you can get your site back to full functionality quickly—and confidently.

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