To change your WordPress address, begin by updating the name server or IP address of the new domain you want to connect. After completing the domain addition and SSL certificate installation with your hosting provider, you can then change the address on your WordPress site. If there are existing URLs using the old domain, you may need to update them collectively to the new URL or individually.
If you are running WordPress on Cloudways, after linking the domain and installing the SSL certificate, simply change the Primary Domain in the Domain Management section on the application management page, and your WordPress site address will update automatically.
Changing Your WordPress Address on Cloudways
If you want to switch your WordPress site address from A.com to B.com, you can follow these steps:
- Change the name server or IP address for the B.com domain so that the DNS records point to the server.
- Log into your web hosting account and add the B.com domain.
- Install the SSL certificate for the domain.
- Update the site address in your WordPress settings.
You can typically change the WordPress Address and Site Address to the new domain name under Settings » General in the WordPress admin dashboard.
Before changing the site address in the WordPress dashboard, ensure the domain is connected to the web hosting server and that the SSL certificate is installed.
On Cloudways, you can change the site address by setting the newly added domain as the Primary Domain in the domain section of the application management page without needing to do it from the WordPress admin area.
For detailed steps on connecting a domain and installing an SSL certificate on Cloudways, refer to the article titled "Getting Started with WordPress on Cloudways and Connecting a Domain (+ Discount Coupon)." Here’s a brief overview:
1 First, log into your domain registrar's site to change the IP address of your domain.
@ → Server IP Address (A Record)
www → Server IP Address (A Record)You can set a CNAME Record for www, but this complicates things, so it's recommended to set the A record as shown above.
For example, using the popular domain registrar Namecheap, you can configure your domain settings under Domain List » (Select the Domain) » Advanced DNS as follows:
2 In the application management page where WordPress is installed, go to the Domain Management section and add your new domain.
3 In the SSL Certificate section, install the SSL certificate for the newly added domain. Make sure to include both the domain without www (example.com) and the domain with www (www.example.com) for the SSL installation.
If you try to install the SSL certificate immediately after setting the DNS records, you might encounter an error. In that case, wait for a few hours before attempting again.
4 Once you've added the domain and installed the SSL certificate, in the Domain Management section, click on the vertical three dots next to the domain you wish to set as the primary domain, and select Make Primary.
A popup will appear confirming whether you really want to set that domain as the Primary Domain.
Clicking the Set as Primary button will update the existing domain address to the new domain address across the WordPress database.
5 Changing to the Primary Domain may take some time, so wait patiently for it to complete. Once done, you can log into WordPress and check the settings page to confirm that the URL has changed to the newly linked domain.
Now ensure that all addresses on your site have been correctly updated and that the site is functioning properly.
Conclusion
This wraps up our discussion on how to change the address of a WordPress site hosted on Cloudways. By setting the new domain as the Primary Domain, the database address changes automatically, eliminating the need for additional tasks.
For those experiencing lower traffic, using a cost-effective hosting service like ChemiCloud, known for its fast speeds in Korea, can be a great alternative. ChemiCloud offers quick speeds with its Seoul server and is highly rated for its customer service, even internationally.
👉 If you encounter difficulties setting up domain DNS records or require assistance with WordPress or web hosting issues, feel free to request service here.
