How to Migrate to 3CX Hosted

Introduction

Customers running 3CX on-premise or in the cloud (e.g Google or Amazon, etc) can switch to 3CX Hosted and have us host your installation. Why should you do this:

  • We deploy your instance and automatically configure the firewall rules.
  • We manage the 3CX operating system, including security patches and version upgrades
  • We keep your 3CX on the latest non-beta update.
  • We monitor your 3CX system 24/7.

Requirements for 3CX-hosted instances:

  • You must use a SIP trunk; PSTN gateways are not supported.
  • You must use a 3CX FQDN.
  • IP phones must be run behind the 3CX SBC.
  • FXO and ISDN gateways are not supported.
  • No remote system-level (e.g. SSH) or web terminal access to the machine.
  • Failover mode is not available.
  • Paths for Recordings and local Backups cannot be changed.

Preparing for the Switch

From On-premise (or Self-Hosted) to 3CX Hosted

To transfer an on-premise installation into the cloud, complete the checklist below to ensure a smooth transition and minimize downtime and device re-provisioning. Note that this process assumes that your on-premise installation is already using a 3CX FQDN.

  1. Move to a SIP trunk (if you have a PSTN gateway) - If you are running PSTN lines in combination with PSTN gateways, first you need to move to a SIP Trunk. We recommend a 3CX supported SIP trunk provider. We also recommend that you configure and test run the SIP Trunk on your current (on-premise) installation prior to the switch.
  2. Install an SBC (if you are using IP phones) - If you are using IP phones, you must deploy a 3CX SBC using your 3CX FQDN. The IP phones need to be reconfigured to use the 3CX SBC. Installing the 3CX SBC is easy and free. You can use an existing Windows or Linux PC/VM or even a Raspberry Pi 5 and run the SBC as a standalone or failover cluster service. During the setup of the SBC, the PBX’s FQDN should be used to connect. Alternatively you can also use a Router Phone; find one here.
    Note: Now is the time to think whether you still need IP phones as in many cases our Web Client and smartphone apps are much more flexible and easier to maintain.
  3. Test run your system to ensure your SBC and SIP Trunk are working correctly with your on-premise installation. When you switch to “Hosted”, both your SIP trunks and your IP Phones will connect automatically.

Completing the Switch

  1. Download a configuration backup of your existing system and save it locally.
  2. From your 3CX Customer Account, go to "Systems" and find the instance you want to migrate.
  3. Select "Switch to Hosted".
  4. Click "Yes" to upload your configuration backup .
  5. Your 3CX-hosted instance should be up within 15 minutes (restore time depends on size and content).

Note: DNS Change Delay - After migration is completed, it can take up to 10 minutes for the DNS changes to propagate. Client-side or ISP-side caching may increase this delay.

Migration Support

Please note that this service does not include technical support and does not replace the need for a partner if you require support to configure 3CX.

See Also

Last Updated

This document was last updated on 3 August 2026

https://www.3cx.com/docs/switch-hosted-pbx/