Title: moving wordpress Last modified: August 24, 2016 --- # moving wordpress * [micktissue](https://wordpress.org/support/users/micktissue/) * (@micktissue) * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/moving-wordpress-42/) * I’m helping a friend move their website url to their root directory like I did my own, which was pretty easy. However with her installation there is no .htaccess file. What now? The instructions in the ‘Using a pre-existing subdirectory install’( this page – [http://codex.wordpress.org/Giving_WordPress_Its_Own_Directory](http://codex.wordpress.org/Giving_WordPress_Its_Own_Directory)) guide don’t include what to do if you don’t have this file. * thanks for any guidance * mick Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total) * [Clayton James](https://wordpress.org/support/users/claytonjames/) * (@claytonjames) * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/moving-wordpress-42/#post-6042070) * There may not be an .htaccess file if the default permalink structure has never been changed. WordPress probably wouldn’t generate an .htaccess file if that’s the case. If necessary, you can create it manually and just leave it empty, but if it doesn’t exist, it probably won’t/shouldn’t affect the move. * Thread Starter [micktissue](https://wordpress.org/support/users/micktissue/) * (@micktissue) * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/moving-wordpress-42/#post-6042071) * Thanks ClaytonJames – I went ahead without the .htaccess file but the site url did not change. Any ideas? * Also, I don’t know how to create an .htaccess file manually but am game to give it a try. * mick * Thread Starter [micktissue](https://wordpress.org/support/users/micktissue/) * (@micktissue) * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/moving-wordpress-42/#post-6042190) * ok I just broke the website – I changed the site and wordpress url to the root root after moving everything there (all the wordpress files) and now I cannot access the dashboard. * [http://www.lisadobiaslmft.com](http://www.lisadobiaslmft.com) is what I want the the site url to be and [http://www.lisadobiaslmft.com/wp](http://www.lisadobiaslmft.com/wp) is the wordpress url – right nbow [http://www.lisadobiaslmft.com](http://www.lisadobiaslmft.com) opens a temporary page. * What can I do to retrieve the dashboard and finally move to the ideal url? * [Clayton James](https://wordpress.org/support/users/claytonjames/) * (@claytonjames) * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/moving-wordpress-42/#post-6042196) * First fix the URL’s (change them back) by using one of the methods outlined in this document: [Changing The Site URL](https://codex.wordpress.org/Changing_The_Site_URL) Read carefully before choosing which method will work best for you. * Then, just to make sure we’re on the same page – if you are_ moving the entire site from the sub-directory /wp to root_, have a look at these instructions: [Moving Directories On Your Existing Server](https://codex.wordpress.org/Moving_WordPress#Moving_Directories_On_Your_Existing_Server) * If you intend to _leave your wordpress files in the /wp sub-directory, but want to access the site from the root directory_, have another look at these directions in-depth. [Giving WordPress Its Own Directory](https://codex.wordpress.org/Giving_WordPress_Its_Own_Directory) * **[edit]** the instructions on that default page are from the web host, telling the account owner how to make files placed in the root directory accessible. Normally, when a site (or any other file meant to be web accessible) is placed in root, it will be necessary to remove that default landing page first. * **[re-edit] ** * > I changed the site and wordpress url to the root root after moving everything > there (all the wordpress files) * If you’ve already gone ahead and moved the files, you might be able to shortcut some steps without needing to move them back. Have a look at these instructions: [Moving Directories On Your Existing Server](https://codex.wordpress.org/Moving_WordPress#Moving_Directories_On_Your_Existing_Server) * Thread Starter [micktissue](https://wordpress.org/support/users/micktissue/) * (@micktissue) * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/moving-wordpress-42/#post-6042203) * ok that worked, I was able to get all the content back and the site is working again thank you so much * BUT … the fix for moving the site url *still* didn’t work and I followed the instructions closely * I added a redirect to the site so at least they can use it on their business cards now, but I’d really love to get rid of the /wp * thanks for the rescue … * mick * [Clayton James](https://wordpress.org/support/users/claytonjames/) * (@claytonjames) * [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/moving-wordpress-42/#post-6042235) * Assuming from our conversation that your goal is to move all of the WordPress files out of the /wp directory and into the root directory, completely eliminating the sub-directory installation: * A) Remove that default index.html landing page from root. * B) Make sure all index.php, .htaccess, and other files that might be copied over are backed up and that the root directory is ready for the new WordPress files. * Re-visit these instructions –[ Here are the step-by-step instructions to move your WordPress site to a new location on the same server](https://codex.wordpress.org/Moving_WordPress#Moving_Directories_On_Your_Existing_Server)– paying particular attention to the order of execution, and item 11 regarding images and media and how to update the URL’s in the database. * You must remove the placeholder index.html file from your root directory first. The hosts FAQ should be able to help with that if the placeholder file name isn’t something obvious. Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total) The topic ‘moving wordpress’ is closed to new replies. * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/) * 6 replies * 2 participants * Last reply from: [Clayton James](https://wordpress.org/support/users/claytonjames/) * Last activity: [11 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/moving-wordpress-42/#post-6042235) * Status: not resolved ## Topics ### Topics with no replies ### Non-support topics ### Resolved topics ### Unresolved topics ### All topics