Title: Installing WordPress to Replace Existing Website
Last modified: August 19, 2016

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# Installing WordPress to Replace Existing Website

 *  [WebSkilz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/webskilz/)
 * (@webskilz)
 * [15 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/installing-wordpress-to-replace-existing-website/)
 * Hi, we currently have a regular non-CMS website (e.g., [http://www.mysite.com](http://www.mysite.com))
   that we would like to replace with a WordPress template driven site. I have the
   following questions:
 * 1) We would like to keep our existing site live and active, while we develop 
   the new WordPress site and transfer the exisiting website content into our new
   WordPress site. What is the best way for us to install WordPress to accomplish
   this? Would we install it to the root directory or would we need to do it into
   a sub directory? I am assuming a sub directory, but don’t know if this will cause
   problems when we are ready to go live with the new WordPress site. For example,
   if it is installed to [http://www.mysite.com/wordpress](http://www.mysite.com/wordpress),
   what happens when we are ready to go live with the new site and want people to
   access it from the main [http://www.myseite.com?](http://www.myseite.com?)
 * 2) Once all of the content has been integrated into the new WordPress site, I
   would like to “flip a switch” to make the new WordPress go live (deactivate the
   existing site), so that the new WordPress site would be active at the same domain
   name as the old site (e.g., [http://www.mysite.com](http://www.mysite.com)). 
   Are there any special steps I need to know about to make it a smooth transition
   from our old site to the new WordPress site?
 * I hope my post makes sense. Any guidance or advice on replacing an existing site
   with a new WordPress site would be appreciated.
 * Thanks!

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

 *  [govpatel](https://wordpress.org/support/users/govpatel/)
 * (@govpatel)
 * [15 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/installing-wordpress-to-replace-existing-website/#post-1765261)
 * You can install wordpress in a folder and work on it set up everything up when
   you are ready to go live with your wordpress you will move what you have in root
   into a folder.
    login in your wordpress and change urls to new location that 
   is root in Settings General and move the contents of wordpress in root.
 * reset your permalinks.
 *  Thread Starter [WebSkilz](https://wordpress.org/support/users/webskilz/)
 * (@webskilz)
 * [15 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/installing-wordpress-to-replace-existing-website/#post-1765650)
 * Thanks for the reply govpatel. I will try that!
 *  [avahaf](https://wordpress.org/support/users/avahaf/)
 * (@avahaf)
 * [15 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/installing-wordpress-to-replace-existing-website/#post-1765678)
 * and also you can use custompermalink plugin to keep your existing url alive
 *  [obscure](https://wordpress.org/support/users/obscure/)
 * (@obscure)
 * [15 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/installing-wordpress-to-replace-existing-website/#post-1765687)
 * > Are there any special steps I need to know about to make it a smooth transition
   > from our old site to the new WordPress site?
 * Don’t forget to remove the current index.html page when you flip the switch or
   it will prevent the new WP site showing.

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

The topic ‘Installing WordPress to Replace Existing Website’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Installing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/installation/)
 * 4 replies
 * 4 participants
 * Last reply from: [obscure](https://wordpress.org/support/users/obscure/)
 * Last activity: [15 years, 7 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/installing-wordpress-to-replace-existing-website/#post-1765687)
 * Status: not resolved

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