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Transfer a cPanel account

Transfer a cPanel account using a full backup, then verify the restored services.

Updated September 2026

For a move between cPanel services, a full-account backup can transfer website files, mailboxes, databases and account settings. Confirm destination compatibility before starting.

What a full-account transfer carries

  • Every file under the home directory (public_html, mail, etc/)
  • All databases (MySQL and PostgreSQL)
  • All email accounts with password hashes and mail contents
  • Email forwarders, autoresponders, and filters
  • DNS zone records (ignored on target if nameservers differ)
  • Cron jobs
  • SSL certificates
  • FTP accounts and passwords

Step 1: Generate the backup on the source

On the source host, log into cPanel and open Backup Wizard (or Backup, depending on the theme):

  1. Click Backup Wizard → Back Up.
  2. Choose Full Backup.
  3. Backup Destination: Home Directory. Do not email it (the file will be too large).
  4. Click Generate Backup.

The backup runs in the background. Completion time depends on account size. Once finished, the archive appears in your home directory as backup-YYYY-MM-DD_HH-MM-SS_cpuser.tar.gz.

Step 2: Transfer the archive to Omega Digital

Choose a transfer method supported by both hosts:

Option A: scp between hosts

# SSH into Omega Digital and pull
ssh [email protected]
cd /home/cpuser

scp [email protected]:/home/oldcpuser/backup-2026-04-19_10-00-00_oldcpuser.tar.gz .

Option B: wget from a URL

If the source host makes the backup available via HTTP (some do, under File Manager → download link):

ssh [email protected]
cd /home/cpuser
wget https://oldhost.com/download/backup-2026-04-19_10-00-00_oldcpuser.tar.gz

Option C: Download and upload

Download the backup to your computer, then upload it to the destination. Check available disk space and upload limits first.

Step 3: Restore on Omega Digital

cPanel's Restore A Full Backup feature is only available on WHM (with the required server permissions). On shared hosting, email [email protected] with the backup path and we will perform the restore. Support can confirm the restore process for your service.

If your account has the necessary WHM restore permissions:

  1. Log into WHM at https://your-server.omdigital.cc:2087.
  2. Open Transfer Tool (or Restore a cPanel Account from a Full Backup).
  3. Select the source file on your new server.
  4. Confirm the target username (usually the same as source), choose a package.
  5. Start the restore.

Step 4: Verify the restore

# Database count
wp db query "SELECT SCHEMA_NAME FROM information_schema.SCHEMATA WHERE SCHEMA_NAME LIKE 'cpuser_%';"

# Mailbox count
ls /home/cpuser/mail/yourdomain.com/ | wc -l

# Site directory structure
ls /home/cpuser/public_html/

Before DNS cutover, preview each site using the temporary URL the panel provides: cpuser.your-server.omdigital.cc or your-server.omdigital.cc/~cpuser.

Step 5: DNS cutover

Same as the WordPress migration: lower TTL 24 hours ahead, then switch nameservers or A records. If your domain is registered at the old host, transfer the domain separately; DNS and registration are independent.

Step 6: Email reconciliation

Any mail that arrived at the old host between your backup and DNS cutover is on the old server. You have two options:

  1. Keep the old host live for 48 hours after cutover. Mail that hits it during the window can be pulled manually via IMAP.
  2. Use imapsync to copy messages received at the old host after the initial backup.
# Example imapsync pull (one mailbox)
imapsync \
  --host1 mail.oldhost.com --user1 [email protected] --password1 'oldpass' \
  --host2 mail.yourdomain.com --user2 [email protected] --password2 'newpass' \
  --ssl1 --ssl2 --automap

Common issues

  • cPanel version mismatch. Backups from very old cPanel versions (11.60 and older) sometimes fail to restore on current versions. The fix: use a newer cPanel's migration tool.
  • Reseller backup on shared target. A WHM backup containing multiple cPanel accounts cannot restore onto a single shared hosting account. Generate one backup per cPanel username.
  • DNS zone imported on top of existing. If you already added the domain at Omega Digital with different DNS records, the full-backup restore may not overwrite them. Confirm zone contents after restore.
  • SSL certificates not auto-renewing. The restore brings in the old certificate, but AutoSSL may not claim the domain until DNS points here. Expect a brief window where you might need to force-renew.

Contact support

Email [email protected] with your source host, account size and preferred migration window.

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