[New] Introducing Duplicator’s Sleek Redesign: New Look, Same Great Features
We simplified backups and migrations with Duplicator's fresh new look. Dive into our redesigned interface, backup presets, helpful tooltips, and…
[New] Introducing Duplicator’s Sleek Redesign: New Look, Same Great Features
Joella Dunn
Joella Dunn
John Turner
John Turner
A clone is a fully functional duplicate of your site, living on a different server or domain. Same looks, same functionality, but invisible to anyone but you.
You could set up a cloned copy of your site on a server you want to migrate to. You’ll have time to get everything set up in the new location while your old site is still up.
Cloning can also be useful for staging and development. Design agencies use it to work on clients’ sites without affecting their live visitors.
You might think cloning is complex, but you can do it in just a few minutes!
Cloning involves saving a copy of your website in a new location. This is an exact copy that is fully operational.
Although this might seem similar to a backup, there is an important difference.
When you back up your site, you’ll save a dormant, inactive copy. If you accidentally break something on your live site, you can restore this saved backup.
A clone is an exact duplicate of the WordPress site, except it’s independent and fully functional. You can change the site clone without affecting your live website.
On a cloned staging site, you can perform a complete redesign, install updates, add new software, and edit files without breaking your live site.
If you’re moving to a new web host or domain, you can clone the original site and set up the cloned version on the new server. This prevents any downtime that could harm your User Experience (UX).
Website clones can also be helpful for web developers.
Instead of working on the live site, you can clone your client’s website to a subdomain. Using this staging environment, you’ll be able to make changes safely.
As a beginner, cloning may seem like a difficult process. Don’t worry, we’ll walk you through every step of the way!
To start cloning your website, we’d recommend installing Duplicator. With over 1.5 million active installations, this plugin is the most popular option for WordPress cloning.
Using Duplicator, you can copy your WordPress site to a different domain, web host, or local environment.
You won’t have to manually download or upload data. Plus, you won’t suffer from any downtime.
First, choose your preferred license for Duplicator Pro. Although you can download a free version, the premium subscriptions include drag-and-drop migrations, cloud storage, automatic backups, and much more.
Once you download Duplicator, install it in your WordPress dashboard.
During checkout, you’ll get a license key for Duplicator Pro. Before you start using the plugin, go to Duplicator Pro » Settings » General.
Paste your key into the License Key settings.
After activating Duplicator, you’ll need to create a backup. This will bundle together your plugins, themes, database, and other WordPress files.
Once you compile all your data into a zip file, you can easily migrate it to a different location.
First, find Duplicator » Backups » Add New.
On the next page, give the backup a name. Then, choose a storage location.
With Duplicator Pro, you can connect third-party providers like:
In the Backup section, choose which site components you want to include. For a fully cloned copy, select Full Site.
After you click Next, Duplicator will scan your website. You’ll receive evaluations for your WordPress setup, files, and database.
Even if you see a notice, you can continue with the build process. Hit Create Backup.
On the Backups page, you’ll see an Installer file and an Archive zip file. Before you move on to the next step, download both of these.
Once you have a copy of your WordPress site, it’s time to upload it to a different location.
If you’ve already installed WordPress, open your dashboard and install Duplicator Pro. Then, find the Import Backups page and upload your backup’s archive file.
However, you don’t have to have WordPress installed!
Using Duplicator, you can upload your backup to a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) client or cPanel. This will allow you to install the site on a completely empty directory.
If you choose to use an FTP client, we’d recommend FileZilla. This free software makes it easy to connect to your site files and start editing them.
At the top of the FileZilla window, enter your host name, username, password, and port number. Usually, you can find this information in your WordPress hosting dashboard.
After you hit Quickconnect, you’ll see your site files on the right-hand side. Next, open the root directory, which is the public_html folder. Here, upload your Duplicator backup files.
You should see both an installer.php file and a zip file containing your WordPress data. Be sure to delete any other files from your public_html folder.
After you’ve uploaded your cloned files, it’s important to create a new database to store its data. This will allow Duplicator to move information from your old database to the new one.
Your web host will likely allow you to edit your database from your control panel. For example, Bluehost has a setting for MySQL Databases.
After clicking on this, look for the option to create a new database. Give it a name and click on Create Database.
Now, you’ll need to add a new user to the database. In the MySQL Users section, enter a new username and password.
You’ll also need to assign that user to the new database.
For the next step, be sure to remember your database information!
Finally, open a new browser window. In the search bar, enter your full web address followed by ‘installer.php’. Here’s an example:
https://yourdomain.com/installer.php
On the Duplicator installation page, find the Setup section. Here, enter your new host name, database name, username, and password.
Then, scroll to the bottom and hit Validate. Duplicator will test your database connection. If everything is working correctly, select the terms and notices checkbox and click Next.
At this stage of the cloning process, Duplicator will import your database and finish the installation. If it is successful, you’ll see an Admin Login button.
With one click, you can log into the WordPress dashboard for your new site! This new WordPress installation will look and function exactly like the original website.
Yes, you can duplicate a WordPress site. First, install a cloning plugin like Duplicator Pro. Then, build a backup of your site and download it. Finally, upload this backup to a new server and run the installer to duplicate your existing site.
You can download a full WordPress site by logging into that site’s dashboard and installing Duplicator Pro, a backup and migration plugin. Next, create a new backup and include all of the site’s data. Lastly, download both files.
To clone a WordPress site without plugins, you’ll have to use an FTP client or cPanel to download a copy of your site’s files. Then, upload these files to the destination server. You’ll also need to export your old database in phpMyAdmin and import it into the new location.
First, be sure to create the staging area using local software like LocalWP, MAMP, WAMP, or XAMPP. You could also use your web host’s staging service. Then, create a backup of your production site with Duplicator and import it into the staging site.
For more details, check out our guide on how to create a WordPress staging site.
To migrate your WordPress site with Duplicator Pro, create a new backup. Then, download the backup’s archive file. Once you install Duplicator on your new website, go to the Import page and upload the archive. This will launch the Duplicator migration wizard, which will walk you through the installation.
If you want to clone your WordPress site to a new domain, create a backup of your original site with Duplicator Pro. Then, download the backup’s archive and installer files. Upload these to the new server.
In a new browser, visit https://yournewdomain.com/installer.php
In the top-right corner of the installer wizard, select the Advanced view.
Now you’ll be able to update your domain during the migration. Simply enter your old domain in the Search field and the new one underneath it.
Duplicator will automatically import all of your old data into the new site. Plus, it’ll search your database for the old domain and update it with the new one.
By now, you can clone your WordPress site to a new staging environment, domain name, or server!
While you’re here, you may like these extra WordPress tips, tricks, and guides:
Are you ready to clone your existing website? Download Duplicator Pro to quickly create copies of your site and move them wherever you need to!
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