Migrating a WordPress site to a new domain is supposed to be simple, but it is common to run into a strange problem afterward. Visitors, or even you, keep landing back on the old domain instead of the new one. This guide explains why that happens and walks through the fixes that actually resolve it.
What Causes the Redirection to the Old Domain After Migration?
When you move a WordPress site to a new domain, proper redirection matters for more than just user experience. It also protects your keyword rankings and existing traffic during the transition.
If that redirection is not configured correctly, visitors can end up back on the old domain even after the migration is technically complete.
The most common cause is a mismatch between the site URL and home URL values stored in the WordPress database. Both need to point to the new domain, and if either one still references the old address, WordPress will keep sending traffic there.
DNS issues are the other frequent cause. If DNS records have not fully updated or propagated yet, some visitors will still be routed to the old server regardless of what your WordPress settings say.
The methods below cover both of these causes, along with a couple of related checks worth doing at the same time.
Method 1: Update the Site Address in WordPress Settings
This is the simplest fix and the first thing to check. Both the WordPress Address and Site Address need to match your new domain exactly.
Go to Settings, then General, in your WordPress admin panel. Update the Site Address (URL) field to your new domain, save the changes, then visit the new domain to confirm the redirect issue is gone.
If these fields appear grayed out or disabled, that usually means the URLs are being defined elsewhere, most likely in your wp-config.php file or directly in the database. In that case, move on to Method 2.
Method 2: Update the Site URL in the WordPress Database
If the settings page will not let you change the URL, you can update it directly in the database through phpMyAdmin, which is available through your hosting control panel.
Log in to your hosting account and open phpMyAdmin, usually found under a database or advanced tools section depending on your host.
Once phpMyAdmin loads, find the wp_options table. Depending on your hosting provider, this table may have a different prefix, but it will always end in “_options”.
Inside that table, locate the siteurl row and click Edit. Replace the value with your new domain, then save the change.
Go back to the wp_options table and repeat the same process for the home row, entering your new domain there as well.
Once both values are updated, clear any caching plugins on your site and reload it to check that the redirect problem is resolved.
Method 3: Clear the DNS Cache on Your Computer
If the site and home URLs are correct but you are still landing on the old domain, the issue is likely DNS related rather than WordPress related.
DNS propagation can take anywhere from a few hours up to 48 hours after a domain change. During that window, your computer or your internet provider may still be using outdated DNS records that point to the old server.
Flushing your local DNS cache forces your computer to fetch the current DNS records instead of relying on stored ones. This is a quick fix and often resolves the issue immediately, even while broader propagation is still finishing elsewhere.
Use an SEO Plugin for Reliable Site-Wide Redirection
Manually redirecting a full site increases the chance of missing a page or leaving an old URL unredirected. A WordPress SEO plugin with a built in redirection manager is a more reliable way to handle a full domain migration, since it can apply consistent redirect rules across the entire site rather than relying on individual manual changes.
This approach is worth setting up before the migration if possible, so redirects are live from the moment the new domain goes public rather than added afterward.
Final Thoughts
Redirect issues after a domain migration almost always come down to one of two things, a mismatched site URL in the database or DNS records that have not caught up yet. Working through the settings, the database values, and a DNS flush in that order will resolve the vast majority of cases.
If your migration is still redirecting to the old domain after trying these steps, our team at Canada Create can help you get it fixed. Visit Canada Create to reach out to our WordPress support team.
