All-in-One WP Migration and Backup

Yes, with one thing to know. Download your backup, then go to All-in-One WP Migration > Import and upload it. Your hosting company decides how large a file you can upload – the Import screen shows that number, and we have no say in it. If your backup is bigger than that, your host can usually help, or you can follow our guide to uploading larger backups .

If you would rather skip the file-size question entirely, the paid Unlimited Extension adds one-click Restore from the Backups page and uploads that get around your host’s restrictions. That is how we fund the free plugin.

Install All-in-One WP Migration on your current site and click Export . The plugin creates a single .wpress file containing your entire WordPress site – database, media, themes, and plugins. Then install a fresh copy of WordPress on your new host, install the plugin there as well, and use the Import feature to upload the .wpress file. The plugin will migrate everything automatically, including updating all URL references and handling serialized data safely. You can migrate between any hosting providers – from shared hosting to dedicated servers.

Before you migrate, we recommend lowering your DNS TTL to 300 seconds at least 48 hours in advance, and keeping your old host active for 7–14 days as a safety net in case you need to roll back.

To create a backup, go to All-in-One WP Migration > Export and choose your backup destination – local download or cloud storage. The plugin creates a complete backup of your entire WordPress site in a single .wpress file. To restore a backup, go to All-in-One WP Migration > Import and upload or select your .wpress backup file. The plugin will restore your database, themes, plugins, and media files automatically. After restoring a backup, clear all caches and re-save your permalink settings under Settings > Permalinks .

For best results, use a hybrid backup strategy: cloud storage for automated daily backups and local copies for fast recovery. Follow the 3-2-1 rule – maintain three copies of your data across two different storage types, with one stored off-site.

Yes. The Multisite Extension allows you to migrate an entire WordPress multisite network as a single .wpress file. You can also extract a single subsite – when you migrate a subsite, the plugin automatically converts table prefixes and reorganizes media file paths. Multisite migrations require special handling because the network uses shared database tables for users and per-site tables with unique prefixes. We recommend at least 512 MB of PHP memory for large multisite migrations.

The upload limit is set by your hosting company, not by the plugin (see “Is restoring free?” above). If you are comfortable editing server configuration, you can raise the PHP upload limit by adding php_value upload_max_filesize 512M and php_value post_max_size 512M to your .htaccess file, or set client_max_body_size 512m for Nginx servers. Some hosts override these settings, so if the change does not take effect, ask your host. The paid Unlimited Extension works around host file size restrictions without any server changes.

You can migrate a WooCommerce store the same way you migrate any WordPress site – export on your current host and import on the new one. However, after you migrate a WooCommerce store, you should immediately verify that payment gateway API keys are configured correctly, update any webhook URLs to reference your new domain, and run a small real transaction to confirm checkout works end-to-end. We recommend enabling maintenance mode on your old server after DNS propagation to prevent split orders during the transition. See our full WooCommerce migration guide for detailed steps.

If you migrate to the same domain on a new host, your SEO rankings should remain intact because All-in-One WP Migration preserves all your content, URLs, and metadata exactly as they were. If you migrate to a new domain, set up proper 301 redirects mapping every old URL to its new equivalent and use Google Search Console’s “Change of Address” tool. A temporary ranking fluctuation of 10–20% in the first 1–2 weeks after a domain migration is normal. Keep your redirects active for at least one year. See our SEO migration checklist for a complete guide to preserving your rankings when you migrate.

The most common issues after you migrate and their solutions:

• White screen : Enable WP_DEBUG in wp-config.php to see the actual error. Verify PHP version compatibility between your old and new servers.
• Database connection error : Check that DB_NAME , DB_USER , DB_PASSWORD , and DB_HOST in wp-config.php match your new server’s settings.
• 404 errors on all pages : Re-save permalinks under Settings > Permalinks to regenerate rewrite rules.
• Broken images : Verify the wp-content/uploads/ directory transferred completely with correct permissions (755 for directories, 644 for files).
• Import stuck or frozen : Increase PHP max_execution_time and memory_limit . With the Unlimited Extension, you can also restore from the command line via WP-CLI: wp ai1wm restore backup.wpress .

For a comprehensive list of migration troubleshooting tips, see our migration troubleshooting guide .

Yes, All-in-One WP Migration supports cross-database migration between MySQL, MariaDB, and SQLite. This is especially useful when you migrate sites to or from WordPress Playground, which uses SQLite. The plugin handles all database schema differences automatically – you simply export from one environment and import into the other.

Yes, with the Unlimited Extension . WP-CLI commands are not included in the free plugin – running them without the extension only prints a notice. With the extension installed, use wp ai1wm backup to create a backup and wp ai1wm restore backup.wpress to restore or migrate from a backup file. This is ideal for developers who need to migrate sites in automated workflows, CI/CD pipelines, or scheduled backup scripts. Combined with cron jobs, WP-CLI lets you automate your entire backup strategy without touching the WordPress dashboard.