Table of Contents
By Sandeep Dev, Editor
Last Updated: October 6, 2026, rewritten from Bluehost’s current help documentation, with a self-service method and a Support request template added.
Want to change the primary domain on Bluehost? There are two routes. Bluehost Support can change the account’s primary domain for you, which is the official method on Shared (cPanel), VPS and Dedicated plans. Or you can move your website to a new domain yourself using an addon domain, with no call to customer care.
This guide covers both, so you can pick the one that fits your goal.
New to it? Read our guide on what is Bluehost first.
Quick Takeaway: Use Support to change the account’s primary domain label. Use the addon domain method to put your website on a new domain by yourself.
What Is Bluehost, and What Is a Primary Domain?
Bluehost is a web hosting company that also registers domain names, with Shared, WordPress, VPS and Dedicated hosting plans. (New to it? Our guide to what is Bluehost is coming soon.)
Your primary domain on Bluehost is the domain tied to the root directory of your hosting account, which is the public_html folder. Changing it means updating the domain associated with that root directory.
Table 1: Bluehost domain terms explained
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Primary domain | The main domain of the hosting account, tied to public_html |
| Addon domain | An extra domain with its own website and folder on the same account |
| Temporary domain | A placeholder address used before you pick a real domain |
| Subdomain | A prefix on a domain, such as blog.example.com |
| Domain transfer | Moving a domain’s registration to a different registrar |
You can also read Bluehost’s own instructions on its primary domain change help page before you contact Support.
Bluehost Transfer Primary Domain vs Change Primary Domain
People search both phrases, but they mean different things:
- Change primary domain means making a different domain the main one on your hosting account. This is what this article covers.
- Transfer a domain means moving a domain’s registration from another registrar to Bluehost. Generally you unlock the domain at the old registrar and get an authorization code. Newly registered or recently transferred domains are often locked for 60 days. Bluehost’s transfer rules can change, so check its current domain help pages.
Quick Takeaway: Transferring a domain to Bluehost doesn’t make it your primary domain. You still need a separate change.
When Do You Need to Change Your Bluehost Primary Domain?
Bluehost says a change is generally only needed if you want users to log in with a new primary domain name, or if you use Google App Engine, which authenticates through accounts on the primary domain.
If you only want to host another website, add an addon domain instead. If you want a new name for your WordPress site, the DIY method below may be all you need.
What Changes When the Primary Domain Changes
Table 2: Effects of changing your Bluehost primary domain
| Item | What happens |
|---|---|
| New primary domain | Points to the public_html directory, like the current one |
| Old primary domain’s files | Should be moved to a subfolder inside public_html |
| Addon services on the old primary domain | Stop working; Bluehost’s blog says they must be canceled and repurchased for the new domain |
| Google Workspace users | Their primary email addresses and groups are not changed automatically |
| Weebly sites | Publishing breaks on both domains, and Bluehost advises against the change |
| Released old domain | Replaced by the new one, with no refund |
Before You Start: Checklist
- Make a full backup of files and databases.
- Register or add the new domain in your Bluehost account.
- Write down both domains: the current primary and the new one.
- List add-ons such as SSL, email and security tools tied to the old primary domain.
- Plan your folders. The new primary domain’s files belong in
public_html, and the old domain’s files in a subfolder.
Method 1: Change the Primary Domain With Bluehost Support
This is the official way to change the account’s primary domain.
- Contact Bluehost Support through chat or phone from your account.
- Give them your current primary domain and the new primary domain.
- Have your verification details ready. Bluehost’s help page mentions the last four of your password.
- Ask which add-ons will be affected before they proceed.
- After the switch, test both sites, SSL and email.
Template for chat:
“I’d like to change the primary domain on my hosting account from [old-domain.com] to [new-domain.com]. I have a full backup. Please confirm which add-ons will be affected before the change.”
Method 2: Change Domain Name on Bluehost Yourself (No Support)
You can’t rename the account’s primary domain label on your own. But you can make a new domain your main website using a Bluehost addon domain. Your site loads on the new domain, and the old primary domain stays on the account in the background.
Menu names differ between Bluehost’s newer dashboard and cPanel, so the steps below use general labels.
Step 1: Get the new domain into your account
Register it with Bluehost, or point the nameservers of a domain you own elsewhere to Bluehost. DNS changes can take a few hours.
Step 2: Add it as an addon domain
In your Bluehost account or cPanel, open the Domains section and add the new domain, giving it its own folder such as public_html/newdomain.com. Some plans limit the number of addon domains.
Step 3: Move your website
- New site: install WordPress in the new domain’s folder.
- Existing WordPress site: copy the files into the new folder, then export and import the database through phpMyAdmin, or use a migration plugin. Update
wp-config.phpif you created a new database.
Step 4: Update WordPress URLs
Go to Settings → General and change both the WordPress Address and Site Address to the new domain. If you’re locked out, set WP_HOME and WP_SITEURL in wp-config.php. Then run a database search-and-replace, with a plugin such as Better Search Replace, to fix old links in posts, images and menus.
Step 5: Install SSL
Enable the free SSL certificate for the new domain in your hosting dashboard and confirm the site loads over HTTPS.
Step 6: Redirect the old domain
Add a site-wide 301 redirect from the old domain to the new one, using the Redirects tool in your hosting panel or your .htaccess file.
Step 7: Set up email and Google
Create your email accounts on the new domain. In Search Console, add the new domain as a property, submit the sitemap, and use the Change of Address tool if you’re moving from an old verified site.
Step 8: Test everything
Check the homepage, inner pages, forms, images, SSL, email and the redirect. Keep your backup until you’re sure all of it works.
Table 3: Support method vs addon domain method
| Method 1: Support | Method 2: Addon domain | |
|---|---|---|
| Changes the account’s primary domain | Yes | No |
| Needs Bluehost Support | Yes | No |
| Effort | Low | Medium |
| Add-on breakage risk | Higher | Lower |
| Best for | Needing the official change | Moving a live site to a new name |
Quick Takeaway: Choose Method 1 if the primary domain itself must change. Choose Method 2 if you just want your site on a new domain.
After the Change: Quick Checks
Table 4: Post-change verification
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| New domain loads over HTTPS | SSL may need reinstalling |
| Old domain redirects correctly | Protects visitors and rankings |
| WordPress Site URL and Home URL | A mismatch causes redirect loops |
| Email addresses and forwarding | Mailboxes tied to the old domain may need rebuilding |
| Search Console | New property and sitemap submitted |
A WordPress forum thread describes a user whose second site vanished from the Bluehost dashboard and redirected to the first after a primary domain change, which Bluehost had to fix on its end. Keep your backup until everything is verified.
Does Changing Your Bluehost Domain Hurt SEO?
It can if your public website address changes without redirects. Use 301 redirects from old URLs to new ones, update internal links, and tell Google through Search Console. If only the account’s primary domain label changes while your live site’s address stays the same, the SEO risk is much lower.
FAQs
How do I change the primary domain on Bluehost?
Contact Bluehost Support to change the account’s primary domain. To put your site on a new domain yourself, add it as an addon domain and move your site there (Method 2).
Can I change my Bluehost primary domain without customer support?
Not the account’s primary domain label itself. You can make a new domain your main live website without Support by using an addon domain, a database update, SSL and a 301 redirect.
Does Bluehost transfer a primary domain?
Transferring a domain to Bluehost moves its registration. It doesn’t make that domain your primary domain, which is a separate change.
Will I lose my website?
Not if you back up and move the files correctly. Add-ons tied to the old primary domain stop working with Method 1.
How long does it take?
One third-party guide estimates 20 minutes to 5 hours for the Support method. Bluehost doesn’t publish a guaranteed time, so treat that as a rough guide. DNS and SSL for Method 2 can take a few hours.
Will Bluehost refund the old domain?
No. A released primary domain is replaced by the new one, without a refund.
Can I have two primary domains on Bluehost?
No. A hosting plan has one primary domain, but you can host more sites with addon domains.
Do I need to change my WordPress URL too?
Usually yes. Update the Site URL and Home URL, and replace hard-coded old links.
Still deciding whether Bluehost is the right host for your sites? See how Bluehost compares with Hostinger on price, speed and support before you commit.
Conclusion
To change the primary domain on Bluehost, you can ask Support to do it or move your site to a new domain yourself with an addon domain. Either way, back up first, check your add-ons, redirect the old domain, and test everything before you delete anything.