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To move a WordPress site with Duplicator, create a package on the old site, download its archive and installer.php, upload both to the new server, run the installer, connect it to the destination database, review the URL updates, test the restored site, and remove the migration files. The classic package installer normally works in an empty destination directory; you do not have to install WordPress there first, although your host’s directory and database instructions still apply.

What Duplicator moves and what you receive

Duplicator bundles the source site’s WordPress files and database into one package. The package contains the site data in an archive and a separate installer.php file that starts the deployment process. Depending on the package engine, the archive is commonly named archive.zip; when the DupArchive engine is used, it can be an archive.daf file. The plugin workflow and file roles are described in the Duplicator plugin workflow documentation.

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The installer is more than an unzip utility. Its stages cover deployment, database installation, data updates, WordPress configuration, plugin activation and settings, and a final test-site stage. That matters when changing hosts or domains because the database contains links and settings that must be made consistent with the new location. The stage layout is documented in The ultimate guide to the installer.

Duplicator Lite is the free WordPress.org edition. Duplicator Pro adds commercial features, including Import Install. Richard McAdams, identified as an expert web developer on the WordPress.org Duplicator listing, describes the plugin as a tool for backing up a site or transferring it to another location.

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Check compatibility before creating the package

Confirm these requirements on both the source environment and the destination server before you start. They come from Duplicator’s current system requirements.

Requirement Minimum or supported value Why it matters
PHP PHP 7.4 or newer The installer and WordPress runtime must be able to execute on the destination.
WordPress WordPress 5.3 or newer This is the WordPress version baseline listed for the plugin.
Operating system and PHP build 64-bit operating system and 64-bit PHP The host must provide a compatible 64-bit runtime.
Database minimum MySQL 5.6+ or MariaDB 10.1+ The destination database must meet at least one of these minimums.
Database recommendation MySQL 8.0+ or MariaDB 10.6+ These versions are the recommended database targets in the requirements guidance.
Destination access A hosting account or cloud server with a writable site directory and a database You need somewhere to place the archive and installer and somewhere to restore the tables.

Also make sure you can obtain the destination database name, user, password and host value. Those credentials are entered during installation, not embedded in the files you download from the source.

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Choose the migration method

There are two materially different Duplicator workflows. Select one before you upload anything, because the destination preparation is different.

Situation Recommended workflow Destination state Important caution
Moving to a new host or an empty site directory Classic package installer Upload installer.php and the archive, then let the installer deploy the site WordPress does not normally need to be preinstalled for this path; follow the host’s directory and database instructions.
Replacing an existing WordPress site Duplicator Pro Import Install Import a local archive or an archive URL into the existing installation Import Install overwrites the existing site. Check the database settings before confirming.
Using Duplicator Lite Classic package installer Manual file upload and browser-based deployment Import Install is not available in Lite.
Using an archive already reachable by URL Pro Import Install Provide the archive URL instead of manually uploading it This option still requires a Basic-or-higher Pro license.

The Pro license and feature limits are stated in Duplicator’s Import Install documentation. If the destination is genuinely empty, the classic route gives you the clearest separation between uploading the package and restoring it. If a live WordPress installation must be replaced, Import Install removes much of the FTP and database setup but makes the overwrite confirmation a critical checkpoint.

Prepare the source WordPress site

1. Install and activate Duplicator

In the WordPress dashboard on the source site, install Duplicator and activate it. Use the edition that matches the route you selected. Before building a package, record the site’s current domain, administrator login, important integrations and any custom server settings so you can verify them after restoration.

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2. Create a package

Start a new backup or package from Duplicator’s package screen and allow the plugin to scan the site. Resolve any compatibility notices that would prevent files or database tables from being included. Give the package a descriptive name that identifies the source site and date; this is especially useful when several archives are stored on your computer.

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3. Download both required files

When the build completes, download the archive and installer.php to your local computer. Do not download only the PHP launcher: it cannot restore the site without the matching archive. Conversely, an archive without the installer requires a different restoration procedure and is not the normal classic workflow.

Keep the two files together and do not rename one in a way that makes it difficult to identify the matching pair. If you create more than one package, verify that the archive and installer came from the same package build.

Prepare the destination host

Create the target directory

Point the new domain or temporary test address at the directory where the restored site will live. For the classic installer, the destination can be an empty directory. A host-specific migration guide from Infomaniak recommends creating the destination site without preinstalling WordPress when using the package installer. That is a hosting recommendation rather than a universal rule: use the directory structure required by your own provider.

Create or identify the database

Create a blank MySQL or MariaDB database, or identify an existing database that the migration is allowed to replace. Note the database name, user name, password and host. A database can be created before the files are uploaded; it does not need to contain a WordPress installation for the classic deployment.

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Check permissions and access

Confirm that the directory accepts file uploads and that PHP can execute the installer. You will need FTP, SFTP or the host’s file manager for the classic method. If you cannot create a database or change the site’s document root, ask the host to perform those specific tasks before opening the installer.

Classic migration: upload and run the installer

The following sequence follows Duplicator’s Classic Installation workflow.

1. Upload the package

  1. Connect to the destination directory with FTP, SFTP or the hosting file manager.
  2. Upload installer.php and the matching archive, such as archive.zip or archive.daf, into the directory that serves the new site.
  3. Wait for each upload to finish. A partially transferred archive can appear in the directory but cannot produce a complete restoration.

2. Open the installer

Visit the installer URL in a browser by placing installer.php after the destination domain or temporary address, for example https://new-example.com/installer.php. Use the exact directory path if the site is being installed in a subdirectory. If the browser shows a 404, the file is not in the directory served by that URL; if it downloads the PHP file instead of executing it, PHP is not configured correctly for that directory.

3. Complete deployment checks

Follow the installer’s deployment stage and accept the archive and extraction settings only after checking that the destination path is correct. The deployment must not point at a directory containing another site unless you intentionally chose an overwrite.

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4. Enter and validate database credentials

At the database step, enter the destination database name, user, password and host. Use the installer’s validation control before proceeding. A failed validation normally means that one of those values is wrong, the database user lacks permission, or the host supplied a nonstandard database hostname. Correct the credentials in the hosting panel or installer rather than trying to edit the archive.

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5. Review URL and configuration updates

Review the source URL, destination URL and any search-and-replace or configuration settings shown by the installer. This is the point at which a domain change must be handled carefully. Confirm the HTTPS scheme, hostname and any subdirectory path; an incorrect value can leave internal links, media references or redirects pointing to the old address. Do not replace text unrelated to the site URL.

6. Let the installer update WordPress and plugins

Continue through the data-update, WordPress-configuration and plugin stages. Check the selected site options and plugin activation settings before accepting them. The installer’s staged design separates database restoration from these configuration tasks, so do not close the browser between stages unless the interface explicitly says the process is complete.

7. Use the test-site stage

Open the restored site through the new address and work through the verification checklist below. Keep the old site available while you test. Do not change DNS or cancel the old hosting account merely because the home page loads.

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8. Remove migration artifacts

After the restored site is confirmed, delete installer.php and the archive from the destination server. Those files contain the migration material and should not remain publicly accessible. Also remove any temporary installer reports or package copies that the host exposes in the web directory.

Pro Import Install: replacing an existing WordPress site

Import Install is a Duplicator Pro feature. It accepts an archive stored locally or an archive available at a URL and can replace an existing WordPress site without the classic FTP upload and manual database setup. The feature requires a Basic-or-higher Pro license and is unavailable in Duplicator Lite, as documented in Importing a Backup using Duplicator Pro.

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  1. Install and activate Duplicator Pro on the WordPress site that will be replaced.
  2. Open the Import Install workflow and choose a local package or provide the archive URL.
  3. Allow the package to be checked, then review the destination and database settings shown by the wizard.
  4. Confirm that you have a recoverable copy of the current destination site. Import Install is an overwrite operation, so accepting the final confirmation can remove the site currently in that location.
  5. Run the import and wait for the deployment, database, URL-update and configuration stages to finish.
  6. Sign in at the restored site, test it, and remove any temporary import material when the workflow indicates it is safe.

The key decision is not whether Import Install is faster; it is whether replacing the existing destination is acceptable. If the destination contains content that must be retained, use a separate directory or a different migration plan instead of confirming an overwrite.

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Moving to a new domain without breaking URLs

A host migration keeps the domain the same, while a domain migration changes the value stored throughout the WordPress database. Treat those as separate checks even when they happen together.

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Before running the installer

  • Write down the exact old and new URLs, including https:// and any www choice.
  • Decide whether the site will be installed at the domain root or in a subdirectory.
  • Make sure the new domain resolves to the destination directory for testing, or use the temporary address supplied by the host.

During the URL update stage

Enter the new URL in the installer’s URL or search-and-replace fields and inspect the proposed values before applying them. The goal is to change references that belong to the site while leaving unrelated text untouched. If the installer presents a configuration value that you do not recognize, stop and verify it with the host or the site administrator rather than guessing.

After restoration

Test both navigation and content that is commonly missed by a home-page check: images in older posts, menus, downloadable files, embedded media, forms, login links, redirects and integrations. Search the rendered pages for links that still use the old domain. Keep the old site online until these checks pass; then update DNS or the domain’s document-root assignment and repeat the checks through the public hostname.

Verification checklist before DNS cutover

Use a private browser window as well as a logged-in administrator session. Record each result so a failed check can be traced to the relevant migration stage.

Area Test Pass condition
Home page and key pages Open the home page, a representative page, a post and a category or archive. Pages load on the intended hostname with no mixed old-domain links.
Media Open images, PDFs and other files uploaded before the move. Files display or download instead of returning 404 errors.
Navigation Use menus, internal links, breadcrumbs and search. Links stay on the new host and reach the expected content.
Forms Submit each important contact, sign-up or checkout form with a test address. The submission succeeds and the notification or stored entry appears.
Accounts Sign out, sign in again and test password-reset links. Authentication works at the new URL.
Redirects Open representative old paths and changed-domain URLs. Redirects lead to the correct destination without loops.
Integrations Check analytics, email delivery, payment or other connected services used by the site. Connections still authenticate and report the correct callback or site URL.
Administration Open the dashboard, edit a draft and upload a small test image. WordPress can write files and save content on the destination.

Only after these checks should you point DNS at the new server or retire the old installation. DNS propagation behavior varies by provider, so keep the old environment available while users may still reach it.

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Common problems and practical fixes

Symptom Likely point to check Fix
installer.php returns 404 The files were uploaded to a different directory than the domain serves. Find the document root in the hosting panel and move both package files there, then reopen the matching URL.
The installer downloads as text PHP is not enabled for the destination directory or domain. Ask the host to enable a supported PHP 7.4-or-newer runtime and retry.
Database validation fails Database name, user, password or host is incorrect, or the user has insufficient privileges. Recheck each value in the hosting control panel, grant the required access, and validate again.
The site shows the old domain The destination URL or search-and-replace values were not reviewed correctly. Return to the installer’s URL settings when possible, or correct the site URL using the restored WordPress configuration before testing links again.
Images or downloads are missing The archive may not have been transferred completely, or the destination cannot read the restored files. Compare the local archive with the uploaded copy, re-upload it if necessary, and check directory permissions with the host.
A plugin is inactive or misconfigured Plugin activation and settings were not accepted during the installer stage. Open the WordPress plugins screen, activate the required plugin and re-enter settings or license keys that are tied to the domain.
The process stops partway through A hosting execution, upload or resource limit may have interrupted the deployment. Check the host’s PHP and server logs, confirm that the archive is intact, and ask the host whether a higher execution or upload limit is available before restarting.
The existing destination site disappeared after import Import Install was confirmed as an overwrite. Restore the destination’s own backup, or repeat the migration into a separate directory after verifying which content must be retained.

Security and cleanup after a successful move

  • Delete installer.php and the archive from the public destination directory.
  • Remove temporary installer logs or reports that expose paths, database details or package information.
  • Change any temporary database or hosting credentials that were shared during the move.
  • Confirm that the destination uses the intended HTTPS certificate and that administrator accounts still belong to the correct people.
  • Keep an offline copy of the original package and a separate backup of the newly restored site, but do not leave either copy in a web-accessible directory.
  • After DNS changes, monitor forms, login attempts, redirects and error logs for the first day of normal traffic.

Which Duplicator route should you use?

Use the classic installer when you are moving to a new host or an empty directory and can upload two files manually. It works with the free edition and makes the destination database and URL review explicit. Use Pro Import Install when a Pro Basic-or-higher license is available and you deliberately want to replace an existing WordPress site from a local archive or archive URL. In either case, the migration is not finished when the installer reports success: it is finished after the new site passes content, account, form, redirect and integration checks and the installer artifacts have been removed.

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