Cloning sites using WordPress plugins
If your site is using WordPress and you don't have access to the WordPress Toolkit's cloning tool, e.g. you are using a Startup hosting plan or your site is hosted on CloudPanel dedicated servers, we suggest using a WordPress migration plugin.
These migration tools can help you back up sites and restore (clone) locally or to a new location, domain or subdomain.
As an example, we've used the popular tools, "All-in-One WP Migration and Backup" and "UpdraftPlus" to demonstrate the steps of cloning a WordPress site.
The process is straightforward, involving two main steps: backing up your site and then importing it to the new location.
Not confident using these tools or don't have the time? We can help clone your site.
If you'd like us to take care of a site clone for you, we'd be happy to assist.
Simply login to your WP Hosting account and visit the following URL for more information and pricing:
PLEASE NOTE: Our guide covers only the basic features of these plugins. Access to advanced features such as backup to/from cloud storage, or restore from URL extension, may require a fee or subscription costs.
Using All-in-One WP Migration and Backup
The steps below provide a general overview of the process. Please note that access to advanced features may require a fee or subscription, such as backing up directly to cloud storage or restoring from a URL extension. For additional information, you can visit their site at https://servmask.com/ or the support pages for AIO WP Migration at https://help.servmask.com/section/all-in-one-wp-migration.
Create a backup:
1. Log into your WordPress site.
2. Navigate to the 'Plugins' section and click on 'Add New Plugin.'
3. In the search box, type 'All-in-One WP Migration.' The plugin should appear at the top of the list. Click 'Install' to add the plugin.
4. Once the installation is complete, click 'Activate.'
5. Once the All-in-One WP Migration plugin is activated, click on the 'All-in-One WP Migration' menu to begin creating the backup.
6. Click on 'Backup.'
7. Click on 'Create Backup.'
8. A pop-up will appear showing the status of the backup process. Once it's complete, it will display the size of your website. Click 'Close' to begin downloading your backup.
9. You will now see the list of backups you just created. Click the 'More Options' button (three vertical dots) and select 'Download' to start downloading your AIO backup.
To Import/restore:
2. Navigate to the All-in-One WP Migration and click the 'Import' menu
3. Once you’re on the import site page, click the 'Import Now' button and select 'File.' A pop-up window will appear, and you can choose the file you just downloaded.
4. Once you select the backup file, the import process will begin. After analyzing, the 'Proceed' button will appear along with a caution statement about the import process. Click the 'Proceed' button to continue.
Using UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration
Create a backup:
1. Log into your WordPress site.
2. Navigate to the 'Plugins' section and click on 'Add New Plugin.'
6. Once you're on the UpdraftPlus page, locate the 'Next Scheduled Backups' section and click the 'Backup Now' button.
7. A backup wizard will then appear. Please click the 'Backup Now' button to begin the backup process.
8. A loading bar will appear in the 'Next scheduled backups' section, just below the 'Backup Now' button. Please do not refresh or click anything until the backup process is complete.
9. Once the backup is complete, scroll down to the 'Existing backups' section where your backup details will appear. Click on the Database, Plugins, Themes, Uploads, and Others buttons to start downloading your backup files.
10. After that, click the 'Download to your computer' button. All files will be downloaded as a zip file. Once the download is complete, your backup is finished, and you’ll have a copy saved on your local drive.
To Import/restore:
1. Log into your WordPress site.
2. Go to the 'UpdraftPlus' section and click on it.
3. Once you're on the UpdraftPlus page, scroll down to the 'Existing backups' section and click the 'Upload backup file' button.
4. Then a dropdown box will appear. Kindly drag and drop all the backups you recently downloaded to start uploading them to your site.
5. Once the backup files are successfully uploaded, the backup details will appear. Kindly check the box next to the date and click the 'Restore' button to begin the restoration process.
6. Next, the restoration wizard will appear. Please select all the components by checking each box one by one. Once you've selected everything, click the 'Next' button.
7. If you're restoring or cloning your site to a different domain, a notice will appear. However, if you're restoring it to the same domain, this notice will not be shown. The source domain of your backup will also be displayed, and the 'Search and Replace' checkbox for the database restoration process will be checked by default. Simply click 'Restore' to proceed to the next step.
8. Once the restoration process begins, do not refresh or click anything on the site to avoid interrupting the process.
9. Once the restoration is complete, you will see the activity log details along with a 'Restore successful!' message in green. Kindly click the 'Return to UpdraftPlus configuration' button to return to your site.
10. Finally, you will be logged out of your site. Please re-enter your credentials. If you're cloning the site, use the credentials from your source site. If you're restoring, you can log in with the same credentials you previously used.
