Checking your website before switching the domain

When you move a website to Twerple, it is a good idea to check that everything works before you point the domain to us. There are two ways to do this.

Option 1: the preview link

1. Sign in to HostPanel and go to Domains → Domain List.
2. Find your domain and click Preview in its row, or right-click the row and choose Preview.

Your website opens through the server's address, so you can browse it even though the domain still points to your old host. Some websites, especially WordPress, may redirect the preview to the real domain or show missing styles; in that case, use option 2.

Option 2: edit your computer's hosts file

This makes only your computer use the new server for your domain, so you see the website exactly as visitors will.

1. Find your server's IP address in the Quick Stats card on your HostPanel dashboard.
2. Open your hosts file as an administrator:
   • Windows: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts (open Notepad with Run as administrator, then open the file).
   • Mac and Linux: run sudo nano /etc/hosts in Terminal.
3. Add a line with the IP address and your domain:

   203.0.113.10   example.com www.example.com

4. Save the file and restart your browser.

When you have finished checking, remove the line again. If you forget, your computer will keep using that address even after the website moves.