How to Upgrade Your Portfolio Website to PhotoBiz 9

Overview

Upgrade your Portfolio website to PhotoBiz 9 while keeping your current website online. The PhotoBiz AI Website Creator helps you get started with a new design, pages, and text using your images and business information. You can reuse content from your Portfolio website, make changes at your own pace, and review your new website before it replaces your current site. This guide walks you through preparing your replacement website, making it live, and enabling SSL so it loads securely using HTTPS.

Your Current Website Stays Online While You Work

Starting your new website does not replace your current Portfolio website. Visitors continue to see your existing website while you prepare its replacement behind the scenes.

You can edit your pages, change images, and preview the new design before making the switch. You decide when your new website is ready.

If you need help along the way, our Passionate Support Team can walk you through the process.

Why Upgrade to PhotoBiz 9?

PhotoBiz 9 is the latest version of the PhotoBiz Website Builder. It includes updated design tools, mobile-responsive layouts that adjust to different screen sizes, and SSL encryption at no additional cost.

SSL allows your website to load securely using HTTPS. The older Portfolio product does not support SSL, so upgrading to PhotoBiz 9 is required before you can enable it.

Before You Begin

Have the following ready:

Your PhotoBiz account login.
At least 25 images if you plan to use the PhotoBiz AI Website Creator.
Your business name, location, and a description of your services.
Your logo in JPG or PNG format, if you have one.

Your new website will be a fresh design. The PhotoBiz AI Website Creator does not automatically copy your Portfolio website’s exact design, pages, or text. You can reuse existing content and customize the new website before launching it.

Already started PhotoBiz 9? If you previously started a trial or began building a PhotoBiz 9 website, you can continue editing it or create a fresh Draft Website using the PhotoBiz AI Website Creator. See How to Create and Publish a Draft Version of Your PhotoBiz Website.

If you already have a draft you want to replace, review it before resetting it. Resetting permanently deletes the current draft’s content and customizations and cannot be undone.

STEP ONE

Log in to your PhotoBiz account. On the control panel Home screen, scroll to the bottom and locate LEGACY PRODUCTS. Click PORTFOLIO SITE to open your existing Portfolio builder.

Review the pages, text, and images you want to keep. Copy important text into a document so you can add it to your new website later.

To reuse Portfolio images, open an image gallery, select the images, and drag them into the CLIPBOARD. If you have newer, larger versions of your original photographs, consider using those instead. Older Portfolio uploads may be smaller or more compressed.

STEP TWO

Click WEBSITE in the left-side menu to open PhotoBiz 9.

If you have not started a PhotoBiz 9 website, begin the guided setup. If an existing website opens instead, you can continue editing it or use the Draft Website option described under Before You Begin.

If you are unsure which option applies to your account, contact the Passionate Support Team.

STEP THREE

On the SELECT YOUR TEMPLATE screen, review the available designs and click SELECT beneath the template you want to use. Your choice will display SELECTED.

To use the PhotoBiz AI Website Creator, click CONTINUE on your selected template or in the right-side panel. Then proceed to STEP FOUR.

If you prefer to build the website yourself, click SKIP SETUP in the right-side panel and confirm your choice. Your selected template will load with placeholder content for you to replace. Add your text and images, customize your pages, and enter your SEO information. When your website is ready to review, continue to STEP NINE.

You can change your template later. Either option lets you prepare your new website while your Portfolio website stays online.

STEP FOUR

On the UPLOAD YOUR LOGO screen, click ADD FILES to choose a JPG or PNG logo from your computer. You can also drag your logo file into the upload area.

If you do not have a logo ready, you can continue without one. PhotoBiz will use your business name instead, and you can add a logo later.

Click CONTINUE in the right-side panel to move to UPLOAD YOUR IMAGES.

STEP FIVE

On the UPLOAD YOUR IMAGES screen, click ADD FILES to choose photographs from your computer. You can also drag your images into the upload area.

Upload at least 25 images. The PhotoBiz AI Website Creator requires this minimum to generate the initial version of your new website. Choose photographs that represent your work and the services you offer.

You do not need to upload your entire portfolio now. You can add or replace images after your website is created.

Once your uploads finish, click CONTINUE in the right-side panel to move to ADD YOUR BUSINESS PROFILE.

STEP SIX

On the ADD YOUR BUSINESS PROFILE screen, enter YOUR BUSINESS NAME as you want it to appear on your website. Under LOCATION, enter the city and state where you are based or serve clients.

In SPECIALTY / SERVICES, describe the work you offer, such as wedding photography, family portraits, or headshots. Under YOUR STYLE / APPROACH, explain what makes your work and client experience unique.

Select a BRAND VOICE to set the tone of your website text. Then select the LANGUAGE you want PhotoBiz AI to use when creating your content.

You do not need to write perfect website copy here. Describe your business in your own words so PhotoBiz AI has useful details to work with. You can edit the generated content later.

Review your information, then click CREATE WEBSITE in the right-side panel. Generating the website uses 25 AI requests.

This begins creating your new website behind the scenes. Your Portfolio website is not replaced by this action.

STEP SEVEN

After you click CREATE WEBSITE, the CREATING YOUR SITE screen appears. PhotoBiz will begin building your new website using the template, images, and business information you provided.

This usually takes about 12 minutes. You can stay on this screen, explore other areas of your account, or step away. PhotoBiz will send you a confirmation email when your new website is ready.

Your Portfolio website stays online during this process.

STEP EIGHT

When your website is ready, open the preview and review the initial design. Then open the Website Builder to begin customizing your pages.

If you left the creation screen, click VIEW MY WEBSITE in the confirmation email. On the success screen, click PREVIEW WEBSITE to inspect your website or GO TO BUILDER to start editing.

Review each page and make it your own. Add text you saved from Portfolio, adjust images, and correct any generated information that does not accurately describe your business.

You can save your work and return later. Your Portfolio website remains at your regular website address while you prepare its replacement.

STEP NINE

Review your new website on a computer and phone before making it live. Use the checklist below to confirm that it is ready for visitors.

If you created a Draft Website, check the website selector to confirm which version you are editing. Before switching your main domain, contact the Passionate Support Team for help confirming that the PhotoBiz 9 version you prepared is ready to launch.

Before You Go Live

Business information: Check your business name, phone number, email address, location, and footer details.
Text and images: Remove placeholder content, review image crops, and proofread your pages.
Navigation and links: Test menus, buttons, social links, and links to galleries, booking, or shopping.
Contact forms: Submit a test inquiry and confirm that you receive it.
Additional features: Review any ECommerce products, Client Galleries, Scheduler services, Blog posts, or Marketing tools you plan to use. AI website creation does not configure every account feature.
SEO information: Review page titles, meta descriptions, and image alt text for accuracy.
Existing page addresses: Compare important Portfolio page addresses with your new pages. Set up appropriate 301 redirects for changed addresses so visitors using old links can reach relevant replacement pages.
Tracking: Add any Google Analytics or other tracking code you want to continue using.

If you use a Draft Website, tracking codes and 301 redirects from the existing PhotoBiz 9 website do not automatically carry over. Review those settings before publishing.

Some account content is shared between PhotoBiz 9 website versions. Changes to existing products, forms, galleries, or other shared content may affect other places where that content is used.

STEP TEN

Complete this step only when you are ready for visitors to see your new website.

Click DOMAINS in the left-side menu, then click EDIT MAIN.

Select PhotoBiz 9 as the website product for your main domain. Click SAVE CHANGES to switch your domain from Portfolio to PhotoBiz 9.

Your regular website address will now display your PhotoBiz 9 website. For additional help, see Switching Your Main Domain to a New PhotoBiz Website.

STEP ELEVEN

Once your PhotoBiz 9 website is online at your domain, locate the SSL activation section in DOMAINS.

Select the checkbox acknowledging that the change is not reversible and takes effect immediately. Click ENABLE SSL to begin generating your SSL certificate.

Activation can take 24–72 hours. During this time, your website may temporarily display a security warning, and the control panel preview may be unavailable. Your website content remains saved.

See How to Activate SSL Encryption on Your PhotoBiz Website for complete instructions.

FINAL STEP

After SSL activation is complete, open your regular website address using https://. Confirm that your PhotoBiz 9 website appears and loads securely.

Test your navigation, contact forms, and any booking or checkout features once more.

Your upgrade is complete when your domain displays your new PhotoBiz 9 website and it loads securely. You can continue making updates through WEBSITE in the left-side menu.

If the wrong website appears or a security warning remains after the activation period, contact the Passionate Support Team.

What Your Visitors See

While you prepare your new website, visitors continue to see your Portfolio website at your regular web address.

After you switch your main domain to PhotoBiz 9, that same address displays your new website. Once SSL activation is complete, visitors can access it securely using HTTPS.

Prefer Help with Your Website Design?

If you would like professional help creating your replacement website, explore PhotoBiz Custom Website Design.

For help finding your Portfolio content, using the builder, or completing the switch, contact our Passionate Support Team.

NEED HELP?

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866.463.7620 • Phone, Live Chat & Support Ticket

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Watch: How To Create A New Website with Draft Websites

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