Having trouble with multisite network using Duplicator Pro? This guide provides practical solutions to troubleshoot and resolve the general multisite issues effectively.

To begin with, make sure you are using the latest version of Duplicator Pro. Please check the changelog and system requirements.

Duplicator Lite

Duplicator Lite version does not support Multisite; It is designed to be a fast solution for single WordPress websites.

Upgrade to Duplicator Pro for Multisite

For a smoother Multisite migration and access to advanced features, consider upgrading to Duplicator Pro. To learn more about its capabilities and how to use the Multisite features, check out the following articles:

• How does Duplicator handle Multisite support?
• Duplicator Pro Multisite Backup User Guide

Access Duplicator Pro Main Menu

Duplicator Pro is only available from the main administrator dashboard and cannot be accessed from a subsite menu.

To access the plugin options, navigate to WordPress Admin » My Sites (top left) » Network Admin » Dashboard » Duplicator Pro (main menu).

Certainly, Duplicator Pro operates at the top network level in a WordPress multisite setup. This means that backups and restores can only be managed from the network level, not directly from the subsites.

.htaccess Rules for Subfolder vs. Subdomain Networks

WordPress multisite generates different .htaccess rewrite rules depending on whether your network uses subfolders (example.com/site2) or subdomains (site2.example.com). If subsites return 404 errors or fail to load after migration, confirm your .htaccess file matches the network type you’re actually using, a subfolder network with subdomain-style rewrite rules (or vice versa) will break subsite routing entirely.

Multisite Must Be Configured Before a Full Install

If you’re using the “Full install multisite network” option to set up a brand-new destination, the destination WordPress installation must already have WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE enabled and network setup completed (via Tools » Network Setup) before running the installer. Duplicator Pro configures your site as a multisite using this existing network setup, it doesn’t enable multisite from scratch on a standard WordPress install.

Redirect Loop Problem

To fix redirection loops that may occur when migrating a Multisite website, check the variable below and ensure it matches your database entry:

define( 'DOMAIN_CURRENT_SITE', 'www.example.com' );

For more details, please visit this article

Subsite Import Requires WordPress 4.6+

If you’re importing a subsite into a multisite network and the import fails or is blocked, check that the destination site is running WordPress 4.6 or later. Duplicator Pro requires this minimum version for subsite imports, older WordPress installations on the destination will prevent the import from completing.

Duplicator Pro makes site migration and backups easy with extra care. For a smoother experience, use Duplicator Pro. Follow best practices to avoid issues and ensure a successful transfer.

If you’re working with a large network specifically (many subsites, large tables, or many users), see How to resolve issues with large Multisite networks for additional guidance.