Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration is a significant project. Magento 1 reached end-of-life in 2020 and no longer receives security patches – every day on Magento 1 increases your risk. But migration is not a simple upgrade; it is a rebuild that requires careful planning.
Illuminise delivers Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration services that UK businesses trust. We handle the complexity while minimising disruption to your trading operations.
Why Migrate from Magento 1
Staying on Magento 1 creates serious problems:
- No security patches – Adobe stopped supporting Magento 1 in 2020
- PCI compliance risk – Unpatched platforms may fail compliance requirements
- Extension support ending – Vendors focus on Magento 2
- PHP compatibility – Magento 1 needs old PHP versions
- Performance limitations – Magento 2 is significantly faster
- Feature gap – Modern capabilities only in Magento 2
Understanding the Migration
Magento 1 and Magento 2 are fundamentally different platforms. Migration involves:
Data Migration
Customer accounts, orders, products, categories, and configuration need migrating. Adobe provides migration tools, but custom data requires additional handling.
Theme Rebuild
Magento 1 themes do not work on Magento 2. Your frontend needs rebuilding for the new platform.
Extension Replacement
Magento 1 extensions do not work on Magento 2. Each needs a Magento 2 equivalent or custom rebuild.
Customisation Rebuild
Custom functionality needs recreating using Magento 2 architecture.
Integration Updates
External integrations (ERP, payments, shipping) need updating for Magento 2 APIs.
Our Migration Process
- Discovery – Document your Magento 1 setup, customisations, extensions, and integrations
- Planning – Design the Magento 2 architecture and create migration roadmap
- Environment Setup – Build Magento 2 development environment
- Data Migration – Migrate customer, product, order, and configuration data
- Theme Development – Build or adapt theme for Magento 2
- Extension Implementation – Install M2 extensions or build custom alternatives
- Customisation Rebuild – Recreate custom functionality
- Integration Updates – Connect external systems to Magento 2
- Testing – Comprehensive testing of all functionality
- Data Sync – Final data synchronisation before cutover
- Go Live – Cutover to Magento 2 with monitoring
Migration Timeline
Magento 1 to Magento 2 migrations typically take 3-6 months depending on:
- Complexity of your current store
- Number of customisations and extensions
- Integration requirements
- Theme complexity
- Data volume
Who Benefits from Migration
Our migration service suits businesses that:
- Still run Magento 1 and need to migrate
- Want to reduce security risk
- Need improved performance and features
- Lack in-house capability for migration
- Want careful planning and execution
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration take?
Typically 3-6 months. Simple stores migrate faster; complex stores with many customisations take longer.
Will we lose any data?
Core data (customers, orders, products) migrates cleanly. Custom data may need special handling.
Can we keep our design?
The visual design can be recreated, but the theme code must be rebuilt for Magento 2.
What about our extensions?
We find Magento 2 equivalents or build custom replacements for critical functionality.
How do we minimise downtime?
We build and test on Magento 2 while you continue trading on Magento 1. Final cutover is carefully planned.
Is it better to migrate or rebuild from scratch?
Migration preserves your data and historical orders. We recommend migration unless you want significant changes to how your store works.
Start Your Migration
Book a discovery call to discuss your Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration requirements.