As your migration runs, it moves through a series of statuses. Knowing what each one means helps you tell normal progress from something that needs attention. Here’s the full progression.
The statuses explained
Pending
The migration is queued and waiting for the next processing cycle to pick it up. This is brief — usually under a minute.
Running
The system is connecting to your old host and building a backup of your account. For larger accounts this is the longest stage, because the backup has to be created and then verified as complete before moving on.
Restoring
The backup has been pulled to iWebVault and is being restored into your account. Your files, databases, and email are being put in place.
Completed
Done. Your account is fully migrated and ready. This is your cue to verify the new copy and then plan your DNS switch.
If you see ‘failed’
A failed status means a specific step didn’t succeed — often a credential or connectivity issue with the old host. The status carries a short reason, and you can retry. See the troubleshooting articles for the common causes.
Reading progress like a pro
The status and percentage tell a story once you know how to read them. A migration that sits at running for a while on a large account is building a big backup — entirely normal. One that moves quickly to restoring had a small, fast backup. The key signal is the status word, not the exact percentage, which is an estimate rather than a precise measure.
Why percentages can pause
During the backup stage, the percentage may sit at the same number for several minutes. That’s because the system can’t know in advance exactly how big the backup will be, so it holds steady while the backup builds, then advances once it’s confirmed complete. A paused percentage with a running status and no error is healthy progress, not a stall.
What ‘restoring’ involves
Once the status reads restoring, the heavy lifting on the old host is done — the backup is on iWebVault and being unpacked. Your files are written into place, databases are recreated with their original names, and email is restored. For most accounts this stage is quick relative to the backup.
Notifications
You don’t need to keep the status page open. The migration runs in the background and updates on its own; you’ll be notified when it completes or if it needs attention. Feel free to close the page and come back later.
From completed to live
Reaching completed is not the same as being live — your domain still points at your old host until you change DNS. Treat completed as your cue to verify the new copy and then plan the DNS cutover, covered in the related articles below.
A status-by-status game plan
Knowing what to do at each status removes all guesswork. At pending, do nothing — it’s about to start. At running, be patient, especially for large accounts; this is the backup stage and it’s the longest. At restoring, you’re nearly there; the data is on iWebVault and being put in place. At completed, switch into verification mode and run the post-migration checks. If you ever see failed, read the reason and consult the matching troubleshooting article. That’s the entire decision tree.
Why the system reports honestly rather than optimistically
Some tools show a progress bar that races to 90% and then stalls, which tells you nothing. iWebVault’s statuses describe the actual phase of work, and the percentage is a genuine estimate rather than theatre. A status that sits at ‘running’ on a multi-gigabyte account is honestly reporting that a large backup is still building — which is more useful than a fake bar pretending to move.
Notifications and walking away
Because the migration runs in the background, you’re free to close the page and get on with your day. You’ll be notified when it completes or if it needs attention. There’s no requirement to watch, refresh, or keep a tab open — the process is fully autonomous from submission to completion.
Connecting status to your next action
The statuses exist to tell you when to act. The only two that call for action on your part are completed (begin verification, then plan cutover) and failed (read the reason, fix, retry). Everything in between is the system working and you waiting. Internalising that keeps you calm through even a long, large-account migration.
Key takeaways
- Pending — queued, about to start; do nothing
- Running — building the backup; be patient, longest stage for big accounts
- Restoring — data is on iWebVault and being put in place; nearly done
- Completed — ready to verify, then cut over
- Failed — read the reason and consult the matching troubleshooting article
Only two statuses call for action: completed (verify, then switch DNS) and failed (read, fix, retry). Everything else is the system working and you waiting.
The percentage hasn’t moved in minutes — is it stuck?
Usually not. During the backup stage the percentage can hold steady for several minutes on a large account because the final size isn’t known in advance. A paused percentage with a running status and no error is healthy progress, not a stall.
What’s next
- What to Check After Your Migration Completes
- Migration Backup Seems Stuck
- “Source Pull Failed” — Causes and Fixes
Still stuck? Our team can run or finish the migration for you — open a support ticket and we’ll take it from there.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
