There are following ways to migrate a WP website: 1. Via FTP, download all files under public_html and export full database to local computer, and then upload the two to client's shared hosting server. 2. Migrate via plugin, but it doesn't always work, or I may not be using the right plugin. 3. Install another fresh installation (from wordpress) of Wordpress at client's shared hosting and move the exported database and wp-content folder to client's server.
I want to know the quickest, most efficient and userfriendly way, that saves bandwidth (means less size of movable data), to migrate the wordpress website to client's folder.
Also if somebody can suggest me the best plugin to do so. I'd prefer to do it by moving database and wp-content folder only, is it the right way to migrate Wordpress website?
There are following ways to migrate a WP website: 1. Via FTP, download all files under public_html and export full database to local computer, and then upload the two to client's shared hosting server. 2. Migrate via plugin, but it doesn't always work, or I may not be using the right plugin. 3. Install another fresh installation (from wordpress) of Wordpress at client's shared hosting and move the exported database and wp-content folder to client's server.
I want to know the quickest, most efficient and userfriendly way, that saves bandwidth (means less size of movable data), to migrate the wordpress website to client's folder.
Also if somebody can suggest me the best plugin to do so. I'd prefer to do it by moving database and wp-content folder only, is it the right way to migrate Wordpress website?
Share Improve this question edited Oct 18, 2016 at 18:51 fuxia♦ 107k39 gold badges255 silver badges461 bronze badges asked Oct 18, 2016 at 18:20 YogieYogie 1332 bronze badges 04 Answers
Reset to default -1I use All-in-one WP Migration. It handles the database search/replace automatically, and lets you specify what parts of the site to export.
Upload can be troublesome sometimes, but if you ftp the .wpress file to /wp-content/ai1wm-backups/ you can import from the backup instead of uploading through the plugin interface.
I do the transfer with below steps-
- First zip the
wp-contentfolder or directory and download it. - Then backup the database.
- After backing up the database, download the database after cleaning the
WordPressserialized data. I use this tool. And it works pretty well. You can also do that after downloading the database with any text editor. But the first way is pretty safe causeWordPresssaves many serialized data in database. - Then install fresh copy of
WordPressin your new server with a fresh database. - Then replace the new installation
wp-contentfolder with your previously downloaded one. - After that delete all the table from new database and import the downloaded database. May be some time you also will be needed to delete the new database then create another one with the same name and downloaded database
SQLfile. But it depends how you downloaded the database. - Lastly you need login to the
wp-admin, then have to go toSettings >> Permalinksand then have to hitSave Changes. It will re-generate your.htaccessfile.
All-in-one WP Migration
If you face import/upload very slow or timeout. You can move the "backupfile.wpress" to wp-content/ai1wm-backups and then restore the backup from the dashboard.
By my experience, and I tried all of mentoined plugins here an couple more - BackupBuddy is far more the best on market. That is my personal experience.