Customers often start by adding extra sites as addon domains in one cPanel account. When one of those sites grows, gets sold or needs its own login, you can move it into a separate cPanel account. WHM's Convert Addon Domain to Account does it without a manual migration.
Before you start
- WHM access with the privilege for this tool. On MdmHost reseller plans, if you do not see it, open a ticket and we can convert it for you.
- Enough free accounts and disk in your allocation for the new account (see reseller limits).
- A recent backup of the original account.
Convert the domain
- Go to WHM → Account Functions → Convert Addon Domain to Account.
- Find the addon domain in the list and click Convert.
- Enter a username and contact email for the new account, and choose a package.
- Choose what to copy:
- Home directory files (the addon domain's document root).
- MySQL databases and users used by the site.
- Email accounts, forwarders and autoresponders for the domain.
- DNS zone entries, SSL certificate, FTP accounts, web disk accounts as needed.
- Click Start Conversion and follow the progress log.
Note: Databases are copied, not moved. Choose to copy the databases the site actually uses; the tool may let you rename them with the new username prefix.
Update the site configuration
If database names or users changed prefix, update the app's configuration, for example DB_NAME and DB_USER in wp-config.php (see wp-config.php explained).
Check the new account
- Open the site in a private window.
- Log in to Webmail for a mailbox of the domain and confirm messages are there.
- Run AutoSSL for the new account (see AutoSSL).
Clean up the old account
Once everything works, remove the addon domain from the original account in cPanel → Domains → Domains, and delete its old files, databases and mailboxes to free space. Keep a backup until the customer confirms.
Troubleshooting
Conversion fails with "domain exists"
The conversion handles the existing addon domain itself; this error usually means a leftover zone or a parked domain elsewhere. Ask support to check.
Email missing after conversion
The email option was not selected. Copy mailboxes with an IMAP migration or rerun with email selected on a fresh conversion.
Frequently asked questions
Does the conversion cause downtime?
The site keeps running from the old account until DNS and the web server point to the new account, which the tool handles at the end. Expect at most a short interruption.
Can I convert a subdomain?
The tool is for addon domains. Subdomains can be moved by creating a new account and migrating the files and database manually.
Who owns the new account?
You, as the reseller performing the conversion, under the package you choose.
Can the customer do this in cPanel?
No. The conversion is a WHM function for resellers and root. Customers ask you to run it.