Knowledge Base

I changed hosts, now my backups don't work

Updated on September 4, 2026

Overview

By the end of this article you will understand why your CodeGuard backups stopped after you changed hosting providers, and you will have working backups again on your new host. When a website moves to a new host, CodeGuard is still pointed at the old server, so its connection fails and backups stop. The article covers why the move breaks backups, how to confirm the host change is the cause, what to do with your existing backups before you change anything, the three steps to restore protection, and how to verify the new backups are running.

Your existing backups are not lost. They remain in your CodeGuard dashboard and can still be downloaded while the website record exists.

Why changing hosts stops your backups

CodeGuard connects to your website using the server details you gave it when you added the site. When you move to a new host, those details point at a server that no longer holds your website, so the connection fails and no new backups are taken.

A new host also changes the shape of your site in ways that matter for restores:

The file paths to your content usually change.
The user and group that own your files change.
The file permissions change.

Because a restore reproduces paths, ownership, and permissions exactly as they were captured, restoring an old-host backup onto a new host can produce a site that does not work correctly. This is why the fix is to start a fresh backup from the new host rather than repoint the existing one.

Confirm the host change is the cause

Backups can also stop for reasons unrelated to a move. The host change is the cause if:

Your backups stopped at or after the date you migrated.
Your website loads normally in a browser, but CodeGuard reports a connection failure.
The connection details stored in CodeGuard are the old host's, not the new one's.

If your backups stopped at a different time, or your credentials are unchanged, the cause is more likely a connection or credentials problem. See the related article on connection failures below.

Before you change anything: save your existing backups

Your old backups remain available while the website record exists in CodeGuard. Once you delete that record in step 2 below, they go with it.

In your CodeGuard dashboard, open the Restore tab for the website.
Select Restore Options, then Request Zip, for each backup version you want to keep.
Download the zip files and store them outside both hosting accounts, such as local or cloud storage.

Also note which folders you had excluded from backups, so you can set up the new site the same way.

Restore protection on your new host

Confirm your website is live on the new host and serving correctly.
Delete the old website record in CodeGuard. Open the Settings tab for the website, scroll to Delete Website, and select the delete link in that section. This removes the CodeGuard record and its backup history. It does not affect your live website.
Re-add the website to CodeGuard using the connection details for your new host. CodeGuard then takes a fresh initial backup from the new server.

If you have space on a multi-site plan

You do not have to delete the old record immediately. If your plan allows more websites than you are using, you can add the site under the new host first and keep the old record and its backup history for as long as you need it.

Verify your backups are working

Protection is restored when all three of the following are true:

The website appears in your CodeGuard dashboard with the new host's connection details.
The initial backup from the new server has completed without a connection error.
A new backup version is listed under the Restore tab.

If the initial backup fails, the connection details for the new host may be incorrect, or the new host may be blocking CodeGuard. See the related article on connection failures.

If the problem persists, contact Sectigo Support.