WP Engine Site Migration to another WPE Account – After updating the DNS records at the registrar side (Domain Name provider), it’s time to look at the WordPress site plugins. But first, we will summarize the entire previous process.
You can download this entire step-by-step guide here. This series of blogs aim at helping you migrate / transfer your WordPress website from one WP Engine account to another WP Engine account.
Brief Overview of the Migration Process
Step 1: Site Migration
You can follow two methods, the Transfer Code method or the Site Migration Plugin.
Step 2: Updating the DNS Records
2.1- Adding your Domain Name
2.2- Updating the DNS Records
2.2.1- Find your WPE DNS Information
2.2.2- Update Your Registrar
Both the Transfer Code method and the Migration Plugin will move your theme and plugins, including multi lingual plugins (like WPML or G Translate) to your new WP Engine account. The appearance of the site will remain the same.
The Technical Reality vs. The Administrative Reality
1. The Short Term (Technical): Because you migrated the database, the physical letters and numbers of the license keys are still sitting in your WordPress settings. For right now, today, your premium plugins will likely continue to function with all their « Pro » features active.
2. The Long Term (Administrative): If the previous person or company bought those licenses under their own account (often called a developer or agenny license), they control those licenses, not you. Here is what usually happens when you leave an agency or previous manager:
- They Revoke the License: Most premium plugins (like WPML, Elementor Pro, Gravity Forms, etc.) have a central dashboard on their website. The previous company can log in to their account, and click « Remove Site » or « Revoke License » to free up a slot for a new client.
- The License Expires: Even if they don’t manually revoke it, the license is tied to their credit card. When it comes time for annual renewal, they will not pay for your site.
What Happens When a License is Revoked or Expires?
If the previous company cuts the cord, your website will not instantly crash. However, you will face two major issues:
- Loss of Updates: This is the biggest risk. Without a valid, active license, you will no longer receive updates for those plugins. If a hacker finds a security vulnerability in an outdated plugin, your WP Engine site becomes highly vulnerable. WP Engine is incredibly secure, but outdated plugins are the number one way WordPress sites get hacked.
- Loss of API Features: Some plugins rely on a live connection to their servers to function. For example, WPML’s automatic translation credits or advanced cloud-based features might stop working the moment the agency revokes the key.
What You Need to Do Next
To protect your site and ensure everything keeps running smoothly, you need to transition ownership of those licenses to yourself.
- Step 1: Perform a Plugin Audit. Go through your list of plugins and identify which ones are premium/paid (e.g., WPML, advanced form builders, premium sliders, SEO Pro plugins).
- Step 2: Ask the Previous Company. Send them a polite email asking for a list of which plugin licenses were covered under their agency account versus which ones you own directly.
Step 3: Buy Your Own Licenses. For the plugins they owned, you will need to go to the plugin developers’ websites, purchase your own licenses, and swap out the old agency keys with your new personal keys in your WordPress dashboard.
Read More: Guide to Migrate WordPress Site from WP Engine Account to Another WPE Account
