If you have a WordPress site hosted at another provider, you won't change your DNS at the other hosting company until your DreamPress site is completely configured at DreamHost. Otherwise, your site will go down when you update the DNS.

To help you test your site before switching DNS, you can now use a 'dream.press' subdomain to create your site at DreamHost. Then when you're ready, you can easily switch your DNS to DreamHost to have it hosted on DreamPress.

The following describes how to create a temporary DreamPress domain at DreamHost for your WordPress site hosted at another company.

Creating a dream.press subdomain allows you to migrate your entire website and ensure it's functioning properly before you make it live at DreamHost . You can then update the DNS to point to DreamHost, which avoids any downtime when changing your DNS.

1. Navigate to the Managed WordPress page.

2. Click the Add DreamPress button to add a DreamPress site.
3. Click the Add New Domain tab, and then select the Use a temporary domain to stage your site first option.
4. Enter a temporary dream.press domain name. For example, if your current site is example.com, you create a site called example.dream.press (though you can name it anything you wish). After you click the .dream.press button, the following confirmation appears:

5. Scroll down the page to review the terms and various DreamPress plans.

6. Select either 'Annually' or 'Monthly' payment plan.

7. Choose a DreamPress plan, based on the features and pricing you need (DreamPress, Plus, and Pro). If you select Plus, you are also prompted to select a 'Disk Size' (either 60 GB or 80 GB).

8. Review the details in the 'Your Purchase' box, and then click Add New DreamPress button.

   The following appears in your panel after you click the Add New DreamPress button:

   • A confirmation message, followed by further instructions sent to your email address
   • The main DreamPress page in your panel shows the new temporary domain you just created as "Pending" while it's configured. You must wait until the setup completes and 'Pending' no longer appears on the DreamPress page in your panel before proceeding.
9. After the temporary domain is set up on DreamPress, migrate your site content from your current hosting company to this new domain at DreamHost. You can also import an existing WordPress site into this temporary DreamPress site.
10. After you've migrated all site content, test the example.dream.press site to confirm it works as intended.
11. If you're migrating from another hosting company, add your current site (example.com) to the Manage Domains page as 'DNS Only'.

    DO NOT add hosting for your real domain. If you do, you will not be able to migrate your temporary site.

12. When you're ready, change your temporary domain to your live site.

See also

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