In this article, we will describe step by step what you need to do in order to take your website live after our Migrations Team has already migrated it to a temporary URL.
Since your website is already running on a temporary URL, you will need to replace it with your actual domain name before taking it live. It is worth noting that you can test your site with the actual domain name even before updating your DNS. In fact, this is the approach we recommend to ensure everything works as expected and to prevent your users from having a bad experience with a malfunctioning site.
Replacing URL
Map Your Domain to Your Server’s IP Address on Rapyd
After completing the search and replace operation, you may be automatically redirected to the new URL, which could happen to be identical to your current live site (if you're using the same domain). Consequently, you might see your live site instead of the migrated version. To circumvent this issue, we strongly advise mapping your domain to the server’s IP address. This will enable you to test the site with the new URL without needing to update your DNS records.
Detailed step by step instructions on how to do this are available in this article:
You can get your server's IP address by going to https://my.rapyd.cloud/ > Your site > Tools > Domains > Custom Domains > Add Custom Domain. A popup will appear containing the IP address.
Do not add the domain yet. Just copy the IP address and add it to your hosts file.
Install and Activate the "Better Search Replace" Plugin
1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.2. Navigate to "Plugins" > "Add New."
3. In the search bar, type "Better Search Replace."
4. Once you find the plugin, click "Install Now," and then click "Activate."
Replace the Temporary URL with Your Actual Domain
Now that the plugin is activated, you can use it to replace your temporary URL with your actual domain. Follow these steps:
From your WordPress dashboard, navigate to "Tools" > "Better Search Replace."
In the "Search for" field, enter your temporary URL (e.g., https://example.ew1.rapyd.cloud).
In the "Replace with" field, enter your actual domain (e.g., https://example.com).
Select all tables by clicking on any table and then pressing Ctrl+A (on Windows) or Cmd+A (on Mac).
Uncheck the "Run as dry run?" option to perform the actual search and replace.
Click the "Run Search/Replace" button.
The plugin will now search for instances of your temporary URL in your WordPress database and replace them with your actual domain. Depending on the size of your site, this process may take a few moments.
At this point, you may be redirected to the new URL, and your browser might display a warning message concerning the SSL certificate. Don't worry, we'll address this issue shortly. For now, click on 'Advanced' (in Chrome) and then click on 'Proceed to [domain] (unsafe).'
![For now, click on Advanced (in Chrome) and then click on 'Proceed to [domain] (unsafe).](https://downloads.intercomcdn.com/i/o/982896767/2eda59e5a2ef0da02fcb414f/image.png?expires=1735211700&signature=c9a03c2c08cdc4e3394e122b27f8b9b533428f771a0cf49414f0467f6760590b&req=fSglHsB4modYFb4f3HP0gNSKSyvI28A%2F9UnDwtXy3dx5JImidiDHmuhyHnHK%0AUl4%3D%0A)
Test Your Site with the Correct Domain
Once the search and replace operation is complete, it's time to test your site to ensure everything is working correctly. Open a new browser tab and navigate to your site using your actual domain (e.g., https://example.com). Test various pages, posts, and functionalities to ensure they load correctly. Pay special attention to links, images, forms, and any other dynamic content. If you encounter any issues, double-check your search and replace settings or revert to a backup if necessary.
Update Your DNS Settings
Once you've confirmed that your site is working correctly with the actual domain, you're ready to update your DNS settings to point to your new server. Contact your domain registrar or DNS provider for instructions on how to do this.
Add your Domain through our Platform
Once DNS propagation is complete, add your domain through https://my.rapyd.cloud/ > Your site > Tools > Domains > Custom Domains > Add Custom Domain.
This will set up the domain and begin the SSL installation process. This process can take between 5 and 10 minutes.
To make your domain show as the main domain of your site in our platform, click Make Primary.
Once complete, your site will be live on Rapyd and people who visit your custom domain will see it!
Best Practices
Always flush all cache (LiteSpeed Cache and Object Cache Pro) after replacing the URL.
Update permalinks by going to WordPress dashboard > Settings > Permalinks, and click Save Changes.
If Elementor is in use, we recommend to also use its Replace URL tool in addition to Better Search Replace. This is available in WordPress dashboard > Elementor > Tools > Replace URL (tab).
After updating your DNS settings, remove the domain mapping from your hosts file to prevent possible future issues.
By following these steps, you can easily complete your WordPress website migration and ensure that it's ready to go live without any hiccups. Happy site launching!