Duplicator moves a WordPress site by packaging its files and database into an archive, then restoring that package on the destination server. In the classic workflow, you create and download a package, upload the archive and installer.php, run the installer, enter the destination database details, review URL updates, test the restored site, and remove the migration files. A Duplicator Pro Import Install can instead replace an existing WordPress site from a local archive or an archive URL.
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What Duplicator actually moves
A Duplicator package contains the source site’s WordPress files and database. The companion installer.php file starts the restoration process on the new server. The archive normally uses the archive.zip name; packages created with the DupArchive engine use archive.daf. The plugin’s workflow is documented at Duplicator’s plugin workflow guide.
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This is a full-site migration rather than a theme-only or media-only export. Content, uploads, active plugins, settings, and the database are carried into the restored installation. The installer then handles deployment, database installation, data updates, WordPress configuration, plugin activation and settings, and a final test-site stage, as described in the installer guide.
As Richard McAdams, an expert web developer quoted on the WordPress.org Duplicator listing, puts it: “Duplicator provides an easy to use tool to make backups of your site, or to transfer it to another location.”
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Check compatibility before you build the package
Both the source and destination environments should meet Duplicator’s published requirements:
| Requirement | Minimum | Recommended or required detail |
|---|---|---|
| PHP | 7.4 or newer | The destination must run a compatible PHP version. |
| WordPress | 5.3 or newer | Applies to the WordPress installation being migrated. |
| Operating system and PHP build | 64-bit | Use a 64-bit operating system with a 64-bit PHP build. |
| MySQL | 5.6 or newer | MySQL 8.0 or newer is recommended. |
| MariaDB | 10.1 or newer | MariaDB 10.6 or newer is recommended. |
These versions come from the official system requirements. You also need a destination hosting account or cloud server with enough storage for both the archive and the extracted site, plus permission to create or use a database. Check the destination PHP and database versions before beginning; a package can be valid while the new server is still incompatible.
Choose the migration method
There are two practical Duplicator paths. Choose before creating the package because the destination preparation is different.
| Approach | Best fit | Destination setup | Transfer method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic installer | Moving to a fresh directory or server | Create the destination directory and database. A preinstalled WordPress copy is not normally required; the host guide for this workflow recommends creating the destination site without preinstalling WordPress. | Upload installer.php and archive.zip or archive.daf with FTP or a file manager. |
| Duplicator Pro Import Install | Replacing an existing WordPress site | Import Install can overwrite the existing site, so verify the database and destination before confirming. | Supply a local archive or an archive URL from inside WordPress. |
Import Install requires a Basic-or-higher Duplicator Pro license and is not available in Duplicator Lite. Its documented behavior is covered in Duplicator’s Import Install guide. The free Lite edition is distributed through WordPress.org; Pro adds commercial features such as Import Install.
Classic migration: complete procedure
1. Prepare the source site
- Log in to the source WordPress dashboard.
- Install and activate Duplicator.
- Use the plugin’s package or backup workflow to create a new package. Let the checks complete before downloading anything; resolve a reported requirement or archive error rather than transferring a partial package.
- Keep the source site online while you build and download the package. Do not change DNS yet.
The resulting download consists of two files: installer.php and the archive. Save both together and do not rename one without also knowing the filename the installer expects.
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2. Prepare the destination directory and database
- Create or identify the document-root directory that will serve the new domain or subdomain.
- Create a database on the destination server, or obtain the credentials for an empty database supplied by the host.
- Record the database name, username, password, database host, and port if the host uses a nonstandard port. The installer will validate these values during deployment.
- Confirm that the directory can receive the archive’s full size. Large packages can fail when a file manager or PHP upload limit is smaller than the archive.
For a classic package install, follow the destination host’s directory and database instructions rather than installing a second WordPress copy first. The migration package supplies the WordPress files and database data.
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3. Upload both package files
- Use FTP or the hosting file manager to upload
installer.phpandarchive.ziporarchive.dafinto the destination document root. - Keep both files in the same directory. If the domain points to a subdirectory, upload them to that exact directory rather than the account’s general home directory.
- Wait for the transfer to finish and compare the archive’s uploaded size with the local copy. An interrupted upload is a common cause of extraction errors.
4. Open the installer
- Visit the installer URL in a browser, using the destination domain or temporary host address followed by
/installer.php. - Follow the deployment checks shown by Duplicator. Correct permission, PHP, or archive problems before proceeding.
- When prompted, enter the destination database credentials and run the connection test. A successful connection confirms that Duplicator can reach the database; it does not by itself confirm that the account has every permission required for installation.
The exact screen sequence can vary by Duplicator version, but the installer separates deployment, database installation, data updates, WordPress configuration, plugin activation and settings, and the test-site stage. Work through each stage rather than jumping directly to the final screen.
5. Review the database and URL settings
Use the database settings page to select the destination database and confirm the connection. Then review the URL and search-replace settings carefully. For a move to a new domain, replace the old site URL with the new one; for a move into a different directory, include the new path. Check both the primary site address and any configured home address before applying the update.
Do not approve an overwrite until you have verified the domain, directory, and database. A wrong database can replace another site, while a wrong URL can leave links, media references, redirects, and login paths pointing to the old address.
6. Complete the data update and WordPress configuration
- Allow Duplicator to extract the package and install the database.
- Review the data-update results and continue to the WordPress configuration section.
- Confirm the destination site URL, administrator details when requested, and other configuration values shown by the installer.
- Let Duplicator process plugin activation and settings. If a plugin is intentionally disabled for the move, note that decision so it can be restored after testing.
7. Test before changing DNS
Use the installer’s test-site stage and a temporary destination address if your host provides one. Check the restored site while the old site is still serving visitors. A migration is not finished when the home page loads; it is finished when the site’s important paths and integrations work on the new server.
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- Open the home page, representative posts, pages, categories, and search results.
- Open media-library items and images in older posts.
- Sign in and out of the WordPress dashboard, then verify that the administrator account works.
- Submit each important form and confirm that the expected notification or storage integration responds.
- Check navigation menus, internal links, redirects, custom post types, and any membership or ecommerce flows used by the site.
- Inspect browser developer-console and server error logs for failed requests, PHP errors, or blocked assets.
- Check HTTPS, canonical URLs, robots settings, and the destination site’s permalink behavior.
Keep the old site available until these checks pass. If the destination fails, you can correct the package or server without taking the production site offline.
8. Remove migration artifacts
After the restored site is confirmed, delete installer.php and the archive from the destination server. These files contain or expose migration material and should not remain publicly reachable. Removing them is part of the migration, not optional housekeeping.
9. Change DNS and retire the old site deliberately
Only after testing and cleanup should you point the domain’s DNS records at the new server. Keep the old hosting account long enough to observe traffic and confirm that the new site remains stable. Once DNS has propagated and you have a current backup of the destination, retire the old installation according to your host’s process.
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A domain change is more than copying files. During the installer’s URL/search-replace stage, enter the complete new address, including the correct protocol and any subdirectory. Review the resulting configuration before applying it. Then test links and media from both recent and older content, because a site can appear healthy while legacy references still use the former domain.
After DNS changes, verify that the new domain serves HTTPS, that login and logout return to the new address, and that redirects lead to the intended destination rather than forming loops. Recheck forms, feeds, sitemap output, and third-party integrations whose callback or webhook URLs may contain the old domain. Update those services separately when their settings are outside WordPress.
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Using Duplicator Pro Import Install
Import Install is designed for a different starting point: an existing WordPress site that you intend to replace. It avoids the classic FTP upload and manual database-entry sequence by accepting a local archive or a URL to an archive.
- Install and activate a Basic-or-higher Duplicator Pro license on the destination WordPress site.
- Open the Import Install feature and select the local archive or enter the archive URL.
- Let Duplicator validate the package and display the intended installation details.
- Verify the destination database settings and the site you are about to overwrite.
- Confirm the import only after checking that the archive is the correct source backup and that the destination can be restored if needed.
- Run the resulting site checks, including URLs, media, logins, forms, redirects, and integrations.
- Remove any installer or archive artifacts that remain after the import completes.
Because Import Install replaces an existing site, a database mistake is more consequential than in a new empty directory. Take a separate backup of the destination before confirming the overwrite.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting the common failure points
The installer cannot connect to the database
Recheck the database name, username, password, host, and port exactly as supplied by the hosting account. Confirm that the user is assigned to that database and has the permissions required for installation. If the host uses a separate database server, do not assume localhost is correct.
The archive will not extract or the upload is incomplete
Compare the server copy with the local archive size, upload again if necessary, and verify available disk space. Confirm that the destination PHP version meets Duplicator’s requirements and that the archive format matches the package you created: archive.zip for the ZIP engine or archive.daf for DupArchive.
The restored site redirects to the old domain
Return to the installer’s URL/search-replace settings and verify the complete new URL and path. Then clear any caching layer and test in a private browser window. Check plugin settings and external services for separately stored callback URLs.
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Images, styles, or scripts are missing
Confirm that the uploads and theme directories were included in the package, that the destination permissions allow the web server to read them, and that the browser is requesting the new HTTPS URL rather than an old or mixed-content address. Re-save permalinks in WordPress only after the restored site is accessible and the URL is correct.
The destination site is broken after an Import Install overwrite
Stop making additional changes, verify that you imported the intended archive, and restore the destination backup you made before confirming the overwrite if the package or database target was wrong. Import Install is an overwrite operation, so destination verification is the key safeguard.
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Use the classic installer when the destination is a new directory, a new hosting account, or a server where you can upload files and create a database. It gives you explicit control over the document root, database credentials, URL replacement, and testing sequence.
Use Pro Import Install when a WordPress installation already exists and you want Duplicator to replace it from a local package or archive URL. It is faster operationally, but the overwrite confirmation and database verification deserve extra care. Lite users must use the classic package workflow because Import Install is a Pro feature.
Migration checklist
- Source and destination meet PHP, WordPress, 64-bit, and database requirements.
- A complete package has been created and both
installer.phpand the archive have been downloaded. - The destination directory and database are identified, with credentials recorded.
- The archive and installer are uploaded to the correct document root for a classic install.
- Database credentials pass the installer test.
- The destination URL and any directory path are correct in the URL/search-replace settings.
- Pages, posts, media, logins, forms, redirects, and integrations have been tested.
installer.phpand the archive have been deleted after success.- DNS is changed only after the destination passes testing.
The Bottom Line
For a fresh destination, Duplicator’s classic installer is the dependable path: package the source, upload installer.php and the archive, configure the destination database and URL, test every important function, then delete the migration files. Choose Pro Import Install only when you deliberately want to replace an existing WordPress site and have verified the overwrite target.
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