WordPress Duplicator - Quick Start

1. Click "Duplicator/Pro" ❯ "Packages" ❯ "Create New"
2. Enter a package name
3. Check "Default" storage endpoint ❯ click "Next"
4. Let the scanner run and validate the results
5. Click the "Build" button to make a package

1. Link Dropbox to Duplicator Pro

1. Click "Duplicator Pro" ❯ "Storage" ❯ "Add New"
2. Enter storage name ❯ select "Dropbox" type
3. Click "Connect to Dropbox" ❯ click "Authorize Dropbox"
4. Click "Allow" & close authorization tab
5. Click "Finalize Setup" on the storage screen

2. Create Instant Package

Now build and upload a package to your Dropbox account.

1. Click "Duplicator Pro" ❯ "Packages" ❯ "Create New"
2. Enter a package name
3. Check "DropBox" storage endpoint ❯ click "Next"
4. Let the scanner run and click "Build"

At this point the package files will be automatically uploaded to Dropbox. You can then use the files to Install a Site. This process can also easily be replicated with Google Drive and all the other storage types.

1. Create Template

A template is a reusable package configuration that can be used in instant or scheduled package creation

1. Click "Duplicator Pro" ❯ Tools ❯ "Templates" ❯ "Add New"
2. Enter a template name & specifications ❯ click "Save"

2. Create Schedule

A schedule generates a package at a given frequency for easy automation

1. Click "Duplicator Pro" ❯ "Schedules" ❯ "Add New"
2. Enter schedule name, template, storage location(s) and frequency ❯ click "Save"

3. Test Schedule

To verify proper schedule operation

1. Click "Duplicator Pro" ❯ "Schedules" ❯ "Run Now" on the desired schedule
2. Click "Duplicator Pro" ❯ "Packages" ❯ menu to view running package build
3. Wait for the package to complete building

4. Database Only (Optional)

Schedule a backup of only the Database

1. Click "Duplicator Pro" ❯ Tools ❯ "Templates" ❯ edit template assigned to schedule
2. Open "Archive Section" ❯ check the 'Enable File Filter' checkbox
3. On the right side look for a link that says "[root path]" and click it
4. This will be the root path of your site excluding all files
5. Click "Save Template" and follow Step 3 above to validate.

The following describes how to restore a site in the same or new location using a Duplicator package (installer/archive). It's assumed you have created a package as described in the "Back up Site" section above and plan to install all files and the database contained in the package. * Items in green apply only to Duplicator Pro users.

1. Download package files to local computer

• Default: Click on the "Installer" and "Archive" buttons from the main packages screen to download.
• Dropbox*: Go to dropbox.com or use Dropbox client on your PC/MAC.
• Google Drive*: Go to drive.google.com or use Google client on your PC/MAC.
• Amazon S3*: Go to your Amazon AWS account
• FTP: This option is the least common and should only be used if your having issues with the "Default" option.
  FTP ❯ website root directory ❯ open "wp-snapshots" folder ❯ find matching [hash-code]_installer.php with [hash-code]_archive.zip and download.
  Note: With the FTP option you will need to rename the installer file from [hash-code]_installer.php to just "installer.php". The hash-code is simply a random series of number and letters to provide security on the file so it can't be downloaded by a random user.

2. Upload package files to target location

• Hosted Site
• Local Computer

3. Browse to installer.php and install

1. Open a web browser (i.e Chrome, Firefox, IE) and browse to the 'installer.php' file such as:
   http(s)://your-domain/installer.php or http(s)://your-domain/your-wp-directory/installer.php.
2. On Step 1 ❯ Click the next button
3. On Step 2 ❯ Enter database setup info ❯ test connection ❯ click next
   
   The vast majority of sitations require the 'server' field to be set to 'localhost'.
   If installing in an empty directory: On database setup enter information for an existing empty database with no tables and a user with full rights to that database. You can easily " Create A New Database and User" or contact your host to have them set those up for you. If you're not sure what information to use, just contact your host.
   If overwriting an existing site: When prompted to reuse database credentials, click Accept. This causes the database information from your existing site to be used in the install. Important: The database will be cleared so make sure you no longer need its data. If you need to preserve the old database then create a new one instead as explained here.
   The Action "Connect and Remove All Data" will delete all tables to the database you connect to. Be sure you're 100% of the sure of credentials used when choosing this action. For Duplicator Pro users consider using the "Connect and Back up any Existing Data" action if you're new to this process. This will back up all the existing tables with a new prefix.
4. On Step 3 ❯ Click the next button
5. On Step 4 ❯ Login remove installer files
6. Your site has been migrated

1. Classic install requires an empty directory with only the installer.php and archive.zip/daf files.
2. Overwrite install will replace any existing files and the Database of the current WordPress site.
3. Overwrite install automatically detects the existing site's database and pre-fills the database credentials.

Duplicator Lite Steps

1. Create a new package of the site you would like to install
2. FTP this package (installer.php and archive.zip/daf) to the root of the existing WordPress site you would like to overwrite.
3. Open a web browser and browser to the installer.php file of the location to which it was just FTP'd.
4. Step 1: The "Mode" in the right corner should show as "Overwrite Install" check the overwrite notice checkbox and continue.
5. Step 2: The Database inputs will be pre-filled from the existing wp-config.php settings. Check these values and continue.
6. Step 3/4: Continue through these steps and login to your newly overwritten WordPress site.

Duplicator Pro

In addition to the "Classic" site installs, Duplicator Pro includes Drag and Drop site overwrite installs. This is a handy feature for those who want to overwrite an existing WordPress site without the need for FTP or manual database creation. Simply "Drag" an archive from your PC desktop to the destination site's WordPress admin to overwrite the site.

See Drag and Drop Installs with Duplicator Pro for step-by-step instructions.

The following details how to back up only the database from "Site A" and deploy it to "Site B". Please note these steps will only move the database, so if your files are not in sync with the Database you will have issues. Please use the approach with caution and be sure that your files are not out of sync with the database.

1. Create New DB Only Package

1. Goto Duplicator ❯ Packages ❯ click "Create New" button
2. On Step 1 Setup ❯ Archive ❯ check "Archive Only the Database"
3. Build package then download installer and archive files

2. Transfer installer and archive to target location

1. Login to target location via FTP, cPanel or your host's control panel tools
2. Transfer installer and archive to target location
3. Open web browser and browse to http://yoursite.com/installer.php

3. Run Installer

1. Installer should have 'Database Only Mode' in upper right corner.
2. On Step 1 ❯ Click the next button
3. On Step 2 ❯ Enter database setup info ❯ test connection ❯ click next
   For the database setup enter in information on an empty database. You can easily create a new one or simply contact your hosting provider to have them set it up for you and have them give you the setup info. Some hosting providers have specific instructions for connecting to their databases, so be sure ask them what to use.
4. On Step 3 ❯ Click the next button
5. On Step 4 ❯ Login remove installer files
6. Only the database will be updated

• Add a new image/video/file to a page/post or media content
• Install a new plugin or theme
• Update a plugin setting that writes to files like the .htaccess file (i.e. security plugins)

The following procedure was developed for use tightly restricted hosts that prevent a zip archive from getting created. Note that this operation is valid for both Duplicator and Duplicator Pro but is usually not needed in Pro due to its support of the "DupArchive" format. DupArchive was specifically designed to get around limitations imposed by hosts related to zip.

PART 1: Manually copy WordPress files

*Website directories will likely be public_html, or public_html/sitename. If unsure about where site files are located talk to your host support.

PART 2: Copy the database with Duplicator

Also see:
Recommended hosting providers for Duplicator?