How to Migrate your WordPress website with UpdraftPlus

How do you transfer your site using the no-cost UpdraftPlus

In this guide, we will refer to your source site and your destination site’. The source site is the one that you’d like to copy/migrate. It’s where you’re changing to.

1. Install and enable UpdraftPlus for both the origin site as well as the destination site

• Go to the menu ‘Plugins’ in WordPress to download.
• Choose “Add New to the list’ and then search for UpdraftPlus.
• After installation, click “Activate” to finish the installation.
• UpdraftPlus is found under Settings on the left right-hand side of the WordPress menu.

2. Pick a remote storage place within the site of origin

• Click the ‘Settings’ tab in UpdraftPlus.
• Choose from the locations of remote storage shown.
• The selection of a choice takes you on a journey of user, which will connect UpdraftPlus to the storage location on the other side.

Be aware that only the locations listed in the screenshot below are accessible in the free version of UpdraftPlus, i.e Dropbox, Amazon S3, Rackspace, Google Drive, FTP, OpenStack, DreamObjects, and email. To go back to alternative cloud storage choices, upgrade the version to Upgrade to Premium.

3. Make a backup

• Select the Backup/Restore tab.
• Click ‘Backup Now’. The progress bar should appear to show the progress of the backup.
• The script will tell you the section of your website that is being restored.

4. Start the destination site

• Check that you’ve installed the and activated UpdraftPlus plugin the same way you had done before.
• Choose that same distant storage site that you used before.

5. Backup the backup and be able to complete WordPress migration

• Scroll down to the end of the ‘Backup / Restore Tab.
• There should be the section titled “Existing backups’.
• If both sites are joined to the storage space, you can be able to see the backup you created of the source site in the site you want to access.
• Click ‘Restore’ just below it.

If your backup doesn’t appear Click ‘Rescan remote storage under ‘More Tasks’. This will show all backups from every site that are connected to the distant storage area.

6. The wizard will then start to help you navigate the remainder of the migration procedure.

• Simply mark the appropriate boxes to inform UpdraftPlus what it should restore e.g. themes, plugins uploads, plugins etc.
• Click Next, then ‘Restore’, and your restoration or migration process is complete.

Be aware that because the database of your source site has been transferred to another database, your sign-in credentials from the destination site won’t longer work, and you’ll have to use the credentials that you have from your source site in order to log in.

Although it’s true that the no-cost version of UpdraftPlus can make the process easier of transferring your website to a new domain it’s crucial to recognize that it can be a difficult procedure. In certain cases you may require some technical know-how could be required to solve any issues that might occur.

Need help

We can provide more assistance with UpdraftPlus Premium than can be provided by the free support offered on the WordPress support forums. We are able to make a copy of your website (minus the user’s data) to replicate any issues that you might be experiencing, or even access the server configuration.

How do you migrate your website to UpdraftPlus Premium

In contrast to the version that is free that is available, the premium version of UpdraftPlus allows users to completely customize the entire process of the migration up to the point that themes and plugins are transferred across. Another benefit is that you just have to connect two websites at once, and then perform multiple transfers in several clicks.

In this guide, we will continue to use the source site and the ‘destination site’. The source site is the one you’d like to copy or migrate. It’s where that you’re migrating to.

1. Install and purchase UpdraftPlus Premium on the source site and the destination site

• Purchase UpdraftPlus Premium. After that, you’ll be able to click an option to download the plugin, which you’ll also get via email.
• Go to the ‘Plugins’ menu within WordPress for installation.
• Select ‘Add New’ and then “Upload Plugin .
• After installation, click “Activate” to finish the installation.
• UpdraftPlus is found under Settings on the left right hand side in the WordPress menu.

If you have a free UpdraftPlus you’ll have to delete and deactivate it prior to installing Premium. Find here the complete procedure for installation.

2. Go to the ‘Migrate / Clone’ tab

• Scroll down to the ‘Migrate’ section near the lower right on the screen.
• Select the 3rd blue button ‘Receive an archive from a remote server ‘.

3. Create a key

• Enter a key’s name to identify the change. It is helpful to use a concise and clear key name so that you can be aware of the key is associated with which migration.
• Click ‘Create a key’.
• Choose (ctrl + A) and then copy (ctrl + X) the key you created.

Make sure to save it in a safe storage space. Also, when you exit this page, you won’t be able see the key.

4. Open UpdraftPlus Premium from the source website, and then go back to the ‘Migrate/Clone tab

• Scroll down to the bottom and then choose ‘Send backups to another website’.
• In the next section, click ‘Site Key’. paste in the site key that you copied from your new WordPress instance. Press “Add site’.
• Your website should now show on the menu drop-down beside the words “Send to site”.
• Click “Send” to begin the process of automatically transferring your WordPress website to the new site.

5. Set up your WordPress migration

• Choose the elements of your site you want to move.

It is generally advised to examine all boxes necessary for a complete transition, however there might be situations where the migration is unnecessary or unneeded. For example, if you already have a production database that you want to use for the new website and don’t want to replace it with the data of the old site.