How to Migrate WordPress with UpdraftPlus

UpdraftPlus handles migration as a backup followed by a restore at a new location. The workflow is simple: create a full backup set, make it available to the destination, restore every component.

The one thing that matters is completeness. UpdraftPlus backs up the database, plugins, themes, uploads, and other files as separate pieces. Keep the full set together or the restore will be incomplete.

Follow the official UpdraftPlus migration guide for the current workflow.

Before You Start

Confirm you can access both WordPress dashboards. Make sure the destination has enough storage for the compressed backup plus the restored site.

Check whether the domain is changing. Moving to a new URL requires a WordPress-aware search-and-replace. Skip it and stored links keep pointing to the old site.

Back up the destination if it has anything you need. Restoring the source database replaces users, settings, posts, and other records there.

Step 1: Install UpdraftPlus on Both Sites

Install and activate UpdraftPlus on the source and destination. The main screen is under Settings → UpdraftPlus Backups.

On the source, connect a remote storage location if you want the destination to pull the backup from the cloud. You can also download the files and upload them manually.

Step 2: Create a Complete Source Backup

Open the Backup/Restore tab. Click Backup Now. Include both the database and files.

Wait for every component to finish. Then check Existing Backups and confirm it includes:

• Database
• Plugins
• Themes
• Uploads
• Other files used by the site

Download the components or confirm they reached remote storage. Don't rely on a backup with missing sections.

Step 3: Make the Backup Available at the Destination

On the destination, connect UpdraftPlus to the same remote storage. Click Rescan remote storage if the backup doesn't appear.

For a manual transfer, go to Existing Backups → Upload backup files and upload every file in the set. UpdraftPlus also documents placing files in wp-content/updraft by SFTP and rescanning the local folder.

Premium users can use site-to-site migration keys. The destination creates a receiving key. The source uses it to send a backup directly. Availability depends on your license.

Step 4: Restore the Website

Find the source backup at the destination. Click Restore. For a full migration, select the database, plugins, themes, uploads, and other files.

If the site is moving to a different URL, enable Search and replace site location in the database when it's offered. This updates stored references without breaking serialized WordPress data.

Let the restore finish. Don't refresh the page. Large media libraries take time even when the database restores fast.

Step 5: Use the Source Login

Once the source database is restored, the destination's temporary users are gone. Sign in with the source site's admin credentials.

Go to Settings → Permalinks and save the existing structure. Clear all cache layers: plugin, host, CDN, and browser.

Step 6: Verify the Migration

Check the restore log. Then test:

• Pages, posts, and navigation
• Media files and downloadable documents
• Admin and customer logins
• Contact forms and email delivery
• Scheduled actions and background jobs
• Cart, checkout, payments, and account pages (if WooCommerce)

If the domain changed, search the database for the old hostname using a serialization-aware tool. A missed URL often hides in a page-builder widget, CSS file, redirect rule, or plugin setting.

If the Restore Fails

Compare the WordPress and PHP versions on both servers. Temporarily disable caching, security proxies, and server-level interference when the official troubleshooting guidance recommends it.

If site-to-site transfer fails, download the source backup and upload components manually. This slower route separates a transfer problem from a restore problem.

After confirming the site, use UpdraftPlus's option to remove old restoration folders. Keep a separate off-site backup. Don't leave temporary recovery files on the server indefinitely.

Before You Point DNS

UpdraftPlus is a good migration choice when the site already uses it for backups. Check that the backup set is complete. Restore every required component. Update stored URLs. Test the new site thoroughly before directing visitors to it.

Keep the source site and the backup until the destination has been stable for several days.