Moving PrestaShop to Another Host: A Step-by-Step Plan

PrestaShop stores database connection settings in the app/config/parameters.php file and strictly checks the domain match in the ps_shop_url table. Forgetting to edit either of these two places is the most common cause of a white screen after moving a store.

What to check before moving PrestaShop

Before starting, check the PrestaShop version with php bin/console prestashop:version, or look at the app/AppKernel.php file on older 1.6 installs. Server requirements differ by branch:

Check the PHP version in advance — PrestaShop 1.6 will not run on PHP 8.3, and PrestaShop 8 requires PHP 8.1 at minimum.

Moving the store files

Move the img/p directory with product images and the modules directory with installed paid modules together with the core using rsync:

rsync -avz --progress /var/www/prestashop/ user@newserver:/var/www/prestashop/

A general overview of rsync, SCP and FTP is in the article moving site files. After copying, check the permissions on the var/cache directory — it must be writable by the web server user, otherwise the admin panel returns an access error on first load.

Exporting and importing the database

Export the database from the "Advanced Parameters → Database → Backup" panel, or from the console:

mysqldump -u ps_user -p --single-transaction ps_db > ps_backup.sql

On the new server, create a database with the same or a new name and import the dump:

mysql -u ps_user -p ps_db < ps_backup.sql

The general algorithm for moving MySQL is covered in the article moving a MySQL database. Watch the table prefix — ps_ by default, but older stores may have it changed during installation.

Configuring parameters.php and the shop_url table

In app/config/parameters.php, update the database_host, database_name, database_user and database_password values with the new server's data. Then open the ps_shop_url table and check the domain and domain_ssl fields — if they still point to the old address, the store redirects every request back to the previous host.

UPDATE ps_shop_url SET domain = 'newshop.example', domain_ssl = 'newshop.example';

After editing, clear the Symfony cache, otherwise PrestaShop keeps using the old compiled settings:

rm -rf var/cache/prod/*
rm -rf var/cache/dev/*

Testing the storefront and admin panel

Open the store on the new server by IP, overriding the host in the local /etc/hosts file. Test logging into the admin panel at /admin123 (the admin folder is renamed for security), placing a test order, and loading product images.

Once the test passes, lower the domain's A record TTL to 300 seconds a day before the switch, and after changing DNS check propagation with dig +short newshop.example from different servers. A detailed scheme for a switch without downtime is in the article switching hosting without downtime.

PrestaShop migration checklist

• The PHP version on the new server matches the PrestaShop version.
• The img and modules directories are moved in full.
• The database dump is imported, the table prefix is checked.
• The parameters.php file and the ps_shop_url table are updated.
• The var/cache cache is cleared after editing the configuration.
• Checkout and admin panel login are tested by IP.

Run the final check after the domain switch against the general checklist in the article post-migration site checklist.