Skip to main content

Complete WordPress Onboarding Guide for Cloudways

A complete WordPress onboarding guide for Cloudways customers. Learn how to launch, migrate, secure, and optimize your WordPress site easily. Your simple step-by-step guide to get started with WordPress on Cloudways.

Written by Syed Abuzar Mehdi
Updated over 5 months ago

This guide is designed to help you set up, launch, and manage your WordPress website on Cloudways—whether you are starting fresh or migrating an existing site.

Everything is explained in simple terms, so even if you are new to hosting or WordPress, you can follow the steps with ease.

By the end of this guide, you will be able to:

  • Launch a WordPress application

  • Migrate an existing WordPress website

  • Access your WordPress Admin Panel

  • Configure your domain and DNS

  • Install an SSL certificate and enable HTTPS

  • Set up the Breeze caching plugin

  • Optimize your website’s performance

  • Confirm your setup with a final checklist

This onboarding guide uses Cloudways best practices to help you set up a fast, secure, and stable WordPress website.

Table of Contents:

  1. Getting Started

  2. Launching Your Server & WordPress Application

  3. Migrating Your Existing WordPress Site

  4. Accessing Your WordPress Admin Panel

  5. Configuring Your Domain & DNS Settings

  6. Installing SSL Certificate & Enabling HTTPS

  7. Setting Up Breeze Cache Plugin

  8. Optimizing Performance

  9. Final Checklist

  10. What's Next?

  11. Need Help?

1. Getting Started

Before beginning your WordPress journey on Cloudways, make sure you have the following:

  • A Cloudways Platform account (create one if you don’t have it)

  • A registered domain name (e.g., from GoDaddy, Namecheap, DreamHost)

  • Access to your domain registrar’s DNS settings

You may also go through Cloudways’ Getting Started resources for additional help.

2. Launching Your Server & WordPress Application

Read from the complete article: Link

Step 1: Log in to Cloudways Platform

  1. Visit the Cloudways Platform.

  2. Log in using your email and password.

  3. From the top menu bar, click Servers.

Step 2: Launch Your First Server

If this is your first time launching a server:

  1. Click Launch.

  2. An application setup form will appear.

Step 3: Configure Your Application

Application Details:

  • Application Type: Select WordPress

  • Application Name: A name for your project (e.g., “My Business Site”)

  • Server Name: A name for your server (e.g., “Production Server”)

  • Project: Choose an existing project or create a new one

  • Application Stack: Select the stack for hosting (as shown in the platform)

Server Configuration:

  • Cloud Providers:
    ​

    • DigitalOcean (recommended for beginners)

    • AWS

    • Google Cloud Platform

    • Vultr

    • Linode
      ​

  • Server Size (choose based on your needs):
    ​

    • Small: Personal blogs or very small websites

    • Medium: Standard websites and business sites (2GB+ recommended for live sites)

    • Large: High-traffic sites or WooCommerce stores
      ​

  • Server Location: Select the region closest to your audience (e.g., London, New York, Singapore)

Step 4: Review and Launch

  1. Review the estimated monthly cost at the bottom.

  2. Click Launch Now.

  3. Your server and WordPress application will be ready in 5–10 minutes.

Step 5: Verify Your Application is Running

  1. Go to the Servers section.

  2. Click your server name.

  3. Click the globe icon.

  4. Your WordPress application will be listed there.

3. Migrating Your Existing WordPress Site

Cloudways offers two migration options:

Option 1: Free WordPress Migrator Plugin

Benefits:

  • Free and unlimited

  • Supports WooCommerce

  • Automated migration

  • No technical skills required

Step 1: Prepare Your Destination on Cloudways

  1. Launch a new WordPress app on Cloudways.

  2. Go to Access Details and note down:

    • Destination Site URL

    • SFTP Host / Server IP

    • Database Name

    • SFTP Username

    • SFTP Password

Step 2: Install Migrator Plugin on Source Site

  1. Log in to your old WordPress site.

  2. Go to Plugins → Add New.

  3. Search for Cloudways WordPress Migrator.

  4. Install and activate it.

Step 3: Run the Migration Wizard

The plugin will automatically open. If not, go to Cloudways Migrate in the sidebar.

Enter Migration Details:

  1. Email Address: Enter your email for migration updates

  2. Terms & Conditions: Check the box to agree

  3. Click Migrate

Configure Migration Settings:

  1. Platform: Select "Cloudways Flexible" or "Cloudways Autonomous"

  2. Destination Site URL: Enter your Cloudways application URL (e.g., wordpress-xxxxx.cloudwaysapps.com)

  3. SFTP Host/Server Address: Enter your Cloudways server IP address

  4. Database Name: Enter your Cloudways database name

  5. SFTP Username: Enter your Cloudways SFTP username

  6. SFTP Password: Enter your Cloudways SFTP password

  7. SFTP Port: Usually 22 (default)

Advanced Options:

  • Migrate root directories?: Select Yes to include custom directories

  • Migrate additional database tables?: Select Yes if you have custom tables

  • Is site protected?: Select Yes if your source site has password protection, then enter credentials

Step 4: Start Migration

  1. Review details.

  2. Click Migrate.

  3. Wait for migration to complete (time varies).

  4. You’ll receive email updates.

Step 5: Verify Migration

  1. Visit the new Cloudways WordPress URL.

  2. Log in using Cloudways-provided admin credentials.

  3. Check pages, plugins, themes, and media.

  4. Clear Breeze & Varnish caches.

Option 2: Managed Migration (Expert Assistance)

Benefits:

  • First migration is FREE

  • Handled by Cloudways team

  • Zero downtime

  • Ideal for complex websites

Step 1: Access Migration Service

  1. Log in to Cloudways Platform.

  2. Go to Add-ons → Application Migration.

  3. Click Submit Your Application.

Step 2: Select Destination Application

  1. Choose the application you created earlier.

  2. Select your product (Flexible or Autonomous)

  3. Click Next.

Step 3: Choose Connection Method

Select how to connect to your source site. You can use:

  • SSH Access

  • SFTP Access

  • FTP Access

  • cPanel Access

  • Downloadable Backup Access

Step 4: Provide Source Site Details

You will need:

Basic Information:

  • Application Domain Name: Your current domain (e.g., mysite.com)

  • Admin URL: Your WordPress admin URL

  • Admin Username: WordPress admin username

  • Admin Password: WordPress admin password

  • Subsite Path: If you have a subsite with separate database

Connection Details (varies by method):

  • Host/Server Address

  • Port Number

  • Username

  • Password

  • For database: phpMyAdmin URL and credentials

Step 5: Additional Configuration

You may also:

  • Upload SSL Certificate (if you have a custom one)

  • Specify checks to perform (e.g., Add to Cart, Login Process)

  • Add any special notes for the migration team

  • Request force HTTPS redirection

Step 6: Submit Request

  1. Review all information

  2. Click Submit

  3. A Cloudways engineer will contact you within 48 hours

  4. They'll schedule the migration at a convenient time

Post-Migration Tasks (Both Methods)

  • Test thoroughly: Check all pages, forms, checkout, and functionality

  • Clear caches: Purge Breeze and Varnish caches

  • Update DNS: Only after verifying everything works (covered in next section)

  • Update credentials: Change admin passwords for security

  • Configure email: Set up SMTP for transactional emails if needed

Note: If you want to read more about configuring email Add-ons, click here.

4. Accessing Your WordPress Admin Panel

Click here to read the comprehensive article.

Getting Your Login Credentials

  1. Open your application on Cloudways.

  2. Click Access Details.

  3. Copy your:

    • Admin Panel URL: Your WordPress admin login page

    • Username: Your WordPress admin username

    • Password: Your WordPress admin password (click the eye icon to reveal)

Logging Into WordPress

  1. Click the visit link icon next to the Admin Panel URL, or

  2. Open your browser and type: your-temporary-url.cloudwaysapps.com/wp-admin

  3. Enter your username and password

  4. Click Log In.

Changing Your Admin Password

Click here to read the complete article.

  1. In Cloudways, go to Access Details.

  2. Click Edit next to the admin password.

  3. Enter your new strong password

  4. Click Save

Important: Save these credentials in a secure password manager!

5. Configuring Your Domain & DNS Settings

Click the following links to read the complete articles:

Step 1: Add Your Domain to Cloudways

  1. Navigate to your application

  2. Select Domain Management from the left menu

  3. In the Primary Domain field, enter your domain (e.g., example.com)

  4. If you want to add additional domains or subdomains (e.g., www.example.com), add them in the Additional Domains section

  5. Click Save Changes

Step 2: Set Primary Domain

  1. Find your domain in the list

  2. Click the ⋮ (three dots) next to your domain

  3. Select Make Primary

  4. Click Set as Primary to confirm

Step 3: Get Your Server IP

  1. While in your application settings, note down your Public IP Address

  2. You'll need this for DNS configuration

Step 4: Configure DNS at Registrar

For Root Domain (example.com):

  1. Log in to your domain registrar (GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.)

  2. Find the DNS Management or DNS Settings section

  3. Create an A Record:

    • Type: A

    • Host/Name: @ (or leave blank)

    • Value/Points to: Your Cloudways server IP address

    • TTL: Automatic or 3600

For WWW Subdomain (www.example.com):

  1. Create another A Record:

    • Type: A

    • Host/Name: www

    • Value/Points to: Your Cloudways server IP address

    • TTL: Automatic or 3600

Alternative: Using CNAME for WWW

  • Type: CNAME

  • Host/Name: www

  • Value/Points to: example.com

  • TTL: Automatic or 3600

Step 5: Wait for DNS Propagation

  • DNS changes typically take 24-48 hours to fully propagate worldwide

  • You can check propagation status at whatsmydns.net

  • Your site may be accessible sooner, but full global propagation takes time

Optional: DNS Made Easy Add-on

Click here to read the full article.

Manage DNS directly from Cloudways Platform with features like:

  • Failover support

  • TTL control

  • Global coverage

  • 2.5 million queries included per month

6. Installing SSL Certificate & Enabling HTTPS

Step 1: Install Let’s Encrypt SSL

Read the complete article: How to Install Let's Encrypt SSL Certificate

Important: Wait until your domain is pointing to your server (DNS has propagated) before installing SSL.

  1. In the Cloudways Platform, navigate to your application

  2. Under Application Management, select SSL Certificate

  3. Click on the Let's Encrypt tab

Step 2: Choose Certificate Type

For Single Domain:

  • Enter your domain: example.com

  • Click Install Certificate

For Multiple Domains (Recommended):

  • Enter all domains and subdomains separated by commas:

  • Click Install Certificate

For Wildcard Certificate:

  • Use if you have many subdomains: *.example.com

  • This covers all subdomains automatically

  • Click Install Certificate

Read the complete article: Let's Encrypt SSL Certificates Limitations

Important Limitations:

  • Maximum 5 certificates per domain per week

  • One SSL certificate per application

  • Up to 100 domains/subdomains per certificate

  • Certificates valid for 90 days (auto-renewed)

Step 3: Wait for Installation

  • The SSL certificate will be installed in a few minutes

  • You'll receive a notification when complete

Step 4: Enable HTTPS Redirection

After SSL installation:

  1. A prompt will appear asking to enable HTTPS redirection

  2. Click Enable to force all HTTP traffic to HTTPS

  3. Alternatively, go to Application Settings > HTTPS Redirection and toggle it on

Manual Check:

  • Verify HTTPS redirection is enabled in your application settings

  • This creates a 301 permanent redirect from HTTP to HTTPS

Read the complete article: How to Redirect HTTP to HTTPS

Step 5: Verify SSL

  1. Visit your website using https://yourdomain.com

  2. Check for the padlock icon in the browser address bar

  3. Click the padlock to verify certificate details

Optional: Enable HSTS (HTTP Strict Transport Security)

For enhanced security:

  1. Connect to your server via SSH

  2. Edit your .htaccess file

  3. Add the following code:

Header always set Strict-Transport-Security "max-age=31536000; includeSubDomains; preload" env=HTTPS

Read the complete article: How to Enable HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) Policy

Custom SSL Certificate

If you have a purchased SSL from providers like DigiCert, Namecheap, or Comodo:

  1. Navigate to SSL Certificate > Custom Certificate

  2. Upload your .crt, .key, and CA bundle files

  3. Click Install

Read the articles:

7. Setting Up Breeze Cache Plugin

Read the comprehensive articles:

You can also find out relevant articles on the Breeze Subcollection link.

Understanding Breeze

Breeze is Cloudways' free WordPress caching plugin designed to:

  • Speed up page load times

  • Reduce server load

  • Improve user experience

  • Integrate seamlessly with Varnish server-level caching

Note: Breeze comes pre-installed and pre-configured with Cloudways-optimized WordPress applications.

Step 1: Verify Breeze Installation

  1. Log in to your WordPress Admin Panel

  2. Go to Plugins > Installed Plugins

  3. Look for Breeze in the plugin list

  4. If not installed, click Add New > Search for "Breeze" > Install and Activate

Step 2: Access Breeze Settings

  1. In WordPress Admin, go to Settings > Breeze

  2. You'll see multiple tabs for configuration

Step 3: Configure Basic Settings

Cache Settings:

  • Enable Cache System: ON (stores static versions of pages)

  • Enable Mobile Cache: ON (separate cache for mobile devices)

  • Browser Cache: Leave at default (525600 minutes)

Exclude URLs from Cache:

  • Add URLs you don't want cached (e.g., /checkout/, /cart/ for WooCommerce)

  • One URL per line

Never Cache Cookies:

  • Pre-filled with WordPress cookies

  • Don't change unless you know what you're doing

Step 4: Configure Varnish

Varnish Tab:

  • Auto Purge Varnish: ON (automatically clears cache when you update content)

  • This ensures visitors see the latest version after you:

    • Publish or update posts/pages

    • Switch themes

    • Update plugins

    • Change customizer settings

Manual Purge:

  • Use Purge Varnish Cache button after major changes

Read the article: How to Use Breeze Varnish Settings to Improve WordPress Performance

Step 5: Configure File Optimization

File Optimization Tab:

HTML Options:

  • Minify HTML: ON (removes unnecessary spaces and comments)

CSS Options:

  • Minify CSS: ON

  • Group CSS Files: ON (combines multiple CSS files)

  • Optimize CSS Delivery: ON

  • Exclude CSS Files: Add any CSS that breaks when minified

JavaScript Options:

  • Minify JavaScript: ON

  • Group JavaScript Files: ON

  • Include Inline JavaScript: Use with caution (may break some features)

  • Move JavaScript to Footer: ON (improves page load speed)

  • Exclude JavaScript Files: Add scripts that break when moved (e.g., jQuery if needed in header)

Recommended Exclusions:

jquery.min.js
jquery.js

Step 6: Configure CDN

Enable CDN and add your CDN URL.

CDN Tab:

If you're using a CDN (Content Delivery Network):

  • Enable CDN: ON

  • CDN CNAME: Enter your CDN URL (e.g., cdn.example.com)

Supported CDNs:

  • Cloudflare Enterprise

  • MaxCDN

  • KeyCDN

  • Amazon CloudFront (as Pull CDN)

CDN Content:

  • CDN for images: ON

  • CDN for CSS: ON

  • CDN for JS: ON

Read the complete articles:

Step 7: Configure Advanced Settings

Lazy Loading:

  • Lazy Load Images: ON (loads images only when visible)

  • Lazy Load iFrames: ON (defers loading of embedded content)

Performance Optimizations:

  • Remove Emojis: ON (reduces external requests)

  • Remove Query Strings from Static Resources: ON

  • Preload Links: ON (prefetches pages on hover)

Heartbeat Control:

  • Set to Standard or Conservative to reduce server load

Step 8: Database Optimization

Database Tab:

  • Clean Post Revisions: ON

  • Clean Trash Posts: ON

  • Clean Spam Comments: ON

  • Clean Trash Comments: ON

  • Clean Expired Transients: ON

  • Clean All Transients: ON

Optimization Schedule:

  • Select Weekly for automatic database cleanup

  • Click Optimize to run immediate cleanup

Step 9: Save All Settings

After configuring each tab:

  1. Scroll down and click Save Changes

  2. Clear all caches to apply new settings

Step 10: Test Your Configuration

  1. Visit your website in an incognito/private browser window

  2. Check page load speed using:

    • Google PageSpeed Insights

    • GTmetrix

    • Pingdom

  3. Navigate through multiple pages to ensure everything works correctly

  4. Test forms, checkout (if WooCommerce), and interactive features

Troubleshooting Breeze

If pages aren't updating:

  1. Go to Settings > Breeze

  2. Click Purge All Cache button

  3. Also click Purge Varnish Cache

If JavaScript features break:

  1. Go to File Optimization tab

  2. Add the problematic JavaScript file to Exclude JavaScript Files

  3. Save changes and clear cache

If CSS looks broken:

  1. Disable Group CSS Files temporarily

  2. Or add specific CSS files to exclusion list

Alternative: Using Breeze with Autoptimize

For enhanced minification:

  1. Install Autoptimize plugin for file optimization

  2. Use Breeze for caching only

  3. Disable minification features in Breeze to avoid conflicts

Read Article:How to Use Autoptimize & Breeze for Your WordPress Site

8. Optimizing Performance

Enable Object Cache Pro (Recommended)

Object Cache Pro provides Redis-powered database caching:

  1. In Cloudways Platform, ensure Redis is enabled on your server

  2. Go to your application > Application Settings > WordPress Settings

  3. Toggle Enable Object Cache Pro: ON

  4. The plugin will be automatically installed and activated

Benefits:

  • Reduces database queries

  • Speeds up dynamic content

  • Essential for WooCommerce stores

  • Works alongside Breeze

Note: Object Cache Pro comes pre-installed with WordPress, WooCommerce, and Multisite applications.

Read Article: Speed Up Your WordPress Application Using Object Cache Pro

Configure Server Settings

In Cloudways Platform:

  1. Navigate to your server > Settings & Packages > Basic tab

  2. Optimize these settings based on your needs:

    • Execution Limit: 300 seconds (increase for large imports)

    • Upload Size: 256 MB (increase for media uploads)

    • Max Input Time: 60 seconds

    • OPcache Memory: 128 MB (for better PHP performance)

    • Timezone: Set for MySQL

Read Article: How to Manage Your Server Settings

Customize PHP Settings

For specific application needs:

  1. Go to your application > Application Settings > PHP-FPM Settings

  2. Adjust PHP directives as needed

  3. Use php_flag, php_value, php_admin_flag, or php_admin_value

Read Article: How to Customize PHP Settings for Your Application

Enable SafeUpdates (Optional)

Automate WordPress updates safely:

  1. Go to your application > SafeUpdates

  2. Click Activate SafeUpdates

  3. Configure schedule for automatic updates

  4. Enable visual regression testing to catch issues

Read Article: How to Automate Your WordPress Updates Using SafeUpdates

Use WP-CLI (Optional)

Manage WordPress from command line:

  • Update plugins and themes

  • Manage users

  • Run database operations

  • Execute commands via SSH

Read Article: How to Manage WordPress With WP-CLI

9. Final Checklist

Before launching your site, verify:

Server & Application

  • Server and WordPress application successfully launched

  • Can access WordPress admin panel

  • Updated admin password to something secure

  • Applied for a 2GB+ server for production sites

Migration (if applicable)

  • Site successfully migrated using Migrator Plugin or Managed Migration

  • All content, plugins, and themes migrated correctly

  • Database migrated completely

  • Media files transferred

  • Site tested on temporary Cloudways URL

Domain & DNS

  • Domain added to Cloudways Platform

  • Primary domain set correctly

  • A Records created at domain registrar

  • DNS propagation complete (check at whatsmydns.net)

  • Website accessible via your domain

Security & SSL

  • Let's Encrypt SSL certificate installed

  • HTTPS redirection enabled

  • Website shows padlock icon in browser

  • All pages load over HTTPS (no mixed content warnings)

  • Optional: HSTS policy enabled

Breeze Configuration

  • Breeze plugin installed and activated

  • Cache System enabled

  • Varnish auto-purge enabled

  • File optimization configured (HTML, CSS, JS minification)

  • Lazy loading enabled for images and iFrames

  • CDN configured (if using one)

  • Database optimization scheduled

Performance

  • Object Cache Pro enabled (if needed)

  • Redis service enabled on server

  • Server settings optimized

  • Page speed tested (aim for 90+ on PageSpeed Insights)

  • All pages load quickly

  • No JavaScript or CSS errors in browser console

Optional Enhancements

What’s Next?

You're now ready to build, customize, and grow your WordPress website confidently on Cloudways.

Next Steps:

  1. Install your preferred WordPress theme

  2. Add essential plugins (SEO, forms, security, etc.)

  3. Create your content

  4. Set up regular backups

  5. Monitor performance and adjust settings as needed

  6. Consider staging environment for testing changes

Performance Optimization Resources:

  • Lighthouse Audits (available in Cloudways Platform)

  • Google PageSpeed Insights

  • GTmetrix

  • Pingdom Website Speed Test

Happy building!

That’s it! We hope this article was helpful.

Need Help?

If you need assistance, feel free to:

We're here 24/7 to help you!

Did this answer your question?