=== WP STAGING - WordPress Backup, Restore, Migration & Clone ===

Contributors: WP-Staging, WPStagingBackup, ReneHermi, lucatume, lucasbustamante, alaasalama, fayyazfayzi
Donate link: https://wp-staging.com/backup-wordpress
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html
Tags: backup, wordpress backup, restore, move, transfer
Requires at least: 3.6
Tested up to: 7.0
Stable tag: 4.9.2
Requires PHP: 7.0

WordPress backup, restore & migration in minutes. Clone or duplicate your site and test updates safely on a staging copy. 100% unit-tested.

== Description ==

<h3>WordPress Backup, Restore, Staging, Cloning & Migration — All in One</h3>

WP STAGING is the all-in-one WordPress backup, restore, staging, cloning, and migration plugin, built for professional workflows with 100% unit-tested code, thousands of automated tests, and extensive end-to-end testing across supported PHP versions.

Create a full backup or an exact clone or copy of your website in minutes. Use it to duplicate your site, test plugin and theme updates safely, restore your site when needed, move or migrate WordPress to another server, transfer your site to a new host, or build a staging copy before making changes.

WP STAGING reliably backs up, clones, and migrates WooCommerce stores too, including orders, products, and customer data.

WP STAGING is developed in Germany and designed for agencies, developers, and businesses that need reliable WordPress backup, recovery, staging, restore, and migration workflows.

[WP STAGING | PRO](https://wp-staging.com/backup-wordpress "WP STAGING - Backup & Cloning") also includes advanced workflows such as [Remote Sync](https://wp-staging.com/docs/pull-a-wordpress-site-from-one-server-to-another/ "Remote Sync - Pull a WordPress Site from One Server to Another"), which lets you pull a WordPress site securely from one server to another using an API key, and [WP STAGING CLI](https://wp-staging.com/cli/upgrade "WP STAGING CLI - Local Docker Development for WordPress"), which can turn a WP STAGING backup into a local Docker-based development site.

All data stays on your server unless you choose a transfer or remote storage workflow. WP STAGING is designed for speed, reliability, and low-resource environments, including shared hosting.

WP STAGING automatically performs search and replace for links and paths during cloning, backup, restore, and migration workflows.

**This staging and backup plugin can clone your website quickly and efficiently, even if it is running on a weak shared hosting server.**

[vimeo https://vimeo.com/999447985]

== Frequently Asked Questions ==

= Why should I use a staging site and backup workflow? =

Plugin updates, theme changes, and custom code should be tested before they reach your live site. A staging workflow lets you clone your production website, test changes safely, and keep a working backup ready in case something goes wrong. Safe updates and update testing on a staging copy protect your live site from broken releases.

Usually, it is best to run the staging site on an environment as close as possible to the production server. That is the best way to catch compatibility issues before they affect your live site.

WP STAGING combines backup, restore, staging, and migration in one workflow, so you can protect your live website, reduce downtime risk, and ship changes with more confidence.

= Is WP STAGING a backup plugin? =

Yes. WP STAGING started as a staging plugin and grew into a complete WordPress backup plugin, with restore, staging, cloning, and migration in one tool.

Even the free version lets you create backups and restore them when needed. [WP STAGING | PRO](https://wp-staging.com/backup-wordpress "WP STAGING - Backup & Cloning") adds more advanced backup workflows, cloud storage destinations, migration tools, and developer-focused features.

= How is WP STAGING different from other backup plugins? =

WP STAGING combines backup, restore, staging, cloning, and migration in one workflow. While many backup plugins focus mainly on archive-based backups or simple migration, WP STAGING also helps you create a working staging copy, test updates safely, and restore your site when needed.

Some backup plugins focus mainly on creating backup archives, while WP STAGING also creates working staging copies for safer testing and rollback workflows. This is especially useful when you want production-like validation before pushing changes live.

Some backup plugins may not fully support custom tables in all scenarios. WP STAGING is designed to work reliably with staging workflows and custom table prefixes used by its own cloned environments.

[WP STAGING | PRO](https://wp-staging.com/backup-wordpress "WP STAGING - Backup & Cloning") also includes advanced workflows such as [Remote Sync](https://wp-staging.com/docs/pull-a-wordpress-site-from-one-server-to-another/ "Remote Sync - Pull a WordPress Site from One Server to Another") and [WP STAGING CLI](https://wp-staging.com/cli/upgrade "WP STAGING CLI - Local Docker Development for WordPress"), which can turn a backup into a local Docker-based development site. That makes WP STAGING especially attractive for developers, agencies, and site owners who want more than a basic backup plugin.

= How do I back up and restore a WordPress site? =

After installing WP STAGING, go to the backup section in the plugin and create a full-site backup. You can then restore that backup if a plugin update, theme change, deployment, or unexpected issue breaks your site.

WP STAGING is designed to make backup and restore simple, even on shared hosting and large WordPress installations.

= What is Remote Sync in WP STAGING Pro? =

Remote Sync is a Pro feature that lets you pull a WordPress site securely from one server to another using an API key. Instead of manually exporting databases and copying files, you connect the two sites and start the sync from inside WP STAGING.

This is especially useful for agencies, developers, and site owners who want a faster and more reliable workflow for moving content between WordPress installs.

Learn more:
[Remote Sync: Pull a WordPress Site from One Server to Another](https://wp-staging.com/docs/pull-a-wordpress-site-from-one-server-to-another/ "Remote Sync - Pull a WordPress Site from One Server to Another")

= How can I turn a backup into a local Docker development site? =

[WP STAGING | PRO](https://wp-staging.com/backup-wordpress "WP STAGING - Backup & Cloning") includes access to [WP STAGING CLI](https://wp-staging.com/cli/upgrade "WP STAGING CLI - Local Docker Development for WordPress"), which can turn a WP STAGING backup into a local Docker-based WordPress site with one command.

This is ideal for debugging, QA, development, and reproducing client issues locally. It helps you create repeatable local environments without building custom Docker setups for every project.

Learn more:
[WP STAGING CLI – Upgrade Now](https://wp-staging.com/cli/upgrade "WP STAGING CLI - Upgrade Now")

= How do I move, migrate, or transfer a WordPress site to a new host? =

[WP STAGING | PRO](https://wp-staging.com/backup-wordpress "WP STAGING - Backup & Cloning") includes migration and transfer workflows that help you move a WordPress website to another host, transfer your WordPress site to a new host, change the domain, or move to another server. You can move your website between hosts without manual database exports.

If you want a guided step-by-step walkthrough, see:
[How to Migrate Your WordPress Site to a New Host](https://wp-staging.com/docs/how-to-migrate-your-wordpress-site-to-a-new-host/ "How to Migrate Your WordPress Site to a New Host")

= How do I duplicate or clone a WordPress site? =

WP STAGING works as a WordPress duplicator: it can duplicate or clone a WordPress site in a few clicks and create an exact copy of your site for testing, development, or as a safety net. Duplication runs in the background, so you can duplicate even large WordPress sites on shared hosting. If you have used a plugin like Duplicator before, WP STAGING covers the same clone and copy workflows and adds backup, restore, and staging.

= Why do I need a backup plugin at all? =

Consistent website backups are the foundation of a robust disaster recovery strategy. They protect your website against failed updates, user mistakes, malware cleanup, hosting issues, hardware failures, software malfunctions, and data loss.

Backups should include website files, databases, user data, and configuration data. A combination of full backups and incremental backups can improve storage efficiency while keeping restore points current.

If your website generates leads, sales, traffic, or customer trust, regular backups are not optional. A reliable backup, restore, and recovery workflow lets you roll back your WordPress site and can save hours of downtime and expensive recovery work.

= Can I activate permalinks on the staging site? =

Permalinks are disabled on the staging site after the first cloning process.

Read this guide to activate permalinks on your staging site:
[Activate Permalinks on the Staging Site](https://wp-staging.com/docs/activate-permalinks-staging-site/ "Activate Permalinks on the Staging Site")

= I cannot log in to the staging or backup site =

If you use a security plugin such as Wordfence, iThemes Security, All In One WP Security & Firewall, or a plugin that hides the default WordPress login URL, make sure you are running the latest version of WP STAGING.

If you still cannot log in, go to WP STAGING > Settings and disable WP STAGING extra authentication. Your admin dashboard will still remain protected.

= Can I just use my local WordPress development system for testing and backup? =

You can always test your website locally, but if your local hardware and software environment is not an exact clone of your production server, there is no guarantee that every aspect of your local copy will behave the same way.

Differences in PHP version, server stack, memory, CPU performance, and filesystem behavior can all lead to unexpected results on production. That is why staging on infrastructure close to production remains valuable.

[WP STAGING | PRO](https://wp-staging.com/backup-wordpress "WP STAGING - Backup & Cloning") also gives you a more advanced local workflow through [WP STAGING CLI](https://wp-staging.com/cli/upgrade "WP STAGING CLI - Local Docker Development for WordPress"), which can turn a backup into a local Docker-based development site.

= Is WP STAGING available in multiple languages? =

Yes. WP STAGING is available in multiple languages, and several translations are already complete or nearly complete.

You can view translated plugin pages here:

[English](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-staging/ "WP STAGING on WordPress.org")
[French](https://fr.wordpress.org/plugins/wp-staging/ "WP STAGING en Français")
[German](https://de.wordpress.org/plugins/wp-staging/ "WP STAGING auf Deutsch")
[Spanish](https://es.wordpress.org/plugins/wp-staging/ "WP STAGING en Español")
[Croatian](https://hr.wordpress.org/plugins/wp-staging/ "WP STAGING na hrvatskom")
[Dutch](https://nl.wordpress.org/plugins/wp-staging/ "WP STAGING in het Nederlands")
[Finnish](https://fi.wordpress.org/plugins/wp-staging/ "WP STAGING suomeksi")
[Greek](https://el.wordpress.org/plugins/wp-staging/ "WP STAGING στα Ελληνικά")
[Hungarian](https://hu.wordpress.org/plugins/wp-staging/ "WP STAGING magyarul")
[Indonesian](https://id.wordpress.org/plugins/wp-staging/ "WP STAGING dalam Bahasa Indonesia")
[Italian](https://it.wordpress.org/plugins/wp-staging/ "WP STAGING in Italiano")
[Persian](https://fa.wordpress.org/plugins/wp-staging/ "WP STAGING به فارسی")
[Polish](https://pl.wordpress.org/plugins/wp-staging/ "WP STAGING po polsku")
[Portuguese (Brazil)](https://br.wordpress.org/plugins/wp-staging/ "WP STAGING em Português do Brasil")
[Russian](https://ru.wordpress.org/plugins/wp-staging/ "WP STAGING по-русски")
[Turkish](https://tr.wordpress.org/plugins/wp-staging/ "WP STAGING Türkçe")
[Vietnamese](https://vi.wordpress.org/plugins/wp-staging/ "WP STAGING bằng Tiếng Việt")

If you want to help improve translations, please get in touch with us through the support forum.

= Can I give feedback for WP STAGING? =

Yes. If something does not work as expected, please open a support request and describe the issue in as much detail as possible.

We continuously improve WP STAGING based on user feedback, real-world hosting environments, and developer use cases.

Open support:
[WP STAGING Support Forum](https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/wp-staging/ "WP STAGING Support Forum")

== WP STAGING FREE - BACKUP & STAGING FEATURES ==

* Clone the entire production site into a subdirectory like example.com/staging-site.
* High-performance backup and cloning, even for websites with very large databases.
* Create full or partial backups — full-site backup, database-only, or files-only backups.
* Scheduled backups with automatic daily backups.
* Easy to use: create a clone or backup in one click.
* Efficient background processing without slowing down your website.
* No Software as a Service and no external account required.
* All your data stays on your server. Your data belongs to you only.
* No server timeouts on huge websites or weak servers.
* Fast backup, clone, and restore workflows depending on site size and server resources.
* Use the clone as part of your backup and update strategy.
* Only administrators can access the cloned or backup website.
* SEO-friendly staging sites with login protection and no-index handling.
* The admin bar on the staging / backup website is orange colored and shows when you work on the staging site.
* Extensive logging features.
* Supports Apache, Nginx, Microsoft IIS, and LiteSpeed Server.
* Every release passes extensive automated tests to keep the plugin robust, reliable, and fast.
* Fast and professional support team.

== WP STAGING | PRO - BACKUP & STAGING FEATURES ==

The features below are available in [WP STAGING | PRO](https://wp-staging.com/backup-pro-features "WP STAGING | PRO Features").

* Remote Sync - Pull a WordPress site securely from one server to another.
* WP STAGING CLI - Turn a backup into a local Docker-based development site.
* Migrate and transfer WordPress to another host or domain.
* Push staging changes to production (staging to live), including plugins, themes, and media files, with one click.
* Clone a backup or staging site to a separate database.
* Choose a custom directory for a backup or cloned site.
* Select a custom subdomain destination like dev.example.com.
* Define user roles for accessing the clone or backup site. This can be clients or external developers.
* Multisite support for migration, backup, and cloning.
* Schedule recurring backups by time and interval.
* Download and upload backups to another server for migration and transfer.
* Backup retention settings.
* Custom backup names.
* Email notifications if a backup cannot be created.
* WordPress multisite backup and restore.
* Cloud backup, offsite backup, and remote backups to external storage providers.
* Backup to Google Drive.
* Backup to Amazon S3.
* Backup to (S)FTP.
* Backup to Dropbox.
* Custom backup folder destinations for cloud storage providers.
* Priority support.

== DOCUMENTATION ==

<strong>How to Backup and Restore WordPress</strong>
[Backup and Restore WordPress](https://wp-staging.com/docs/how-to-backup-and-restore-your-wordpress-website/ "Backup and Restore WordPress")

<strong>Backup & Transfer WordPress Site to Another Host</strong>
[How to Migrate Your WordPress Site to a New Host](https://wp-staging.com/docs/how-to-migrate-your-wordpress-site-to-a-new-host/ "How to Migrate Your WordPress Site to a New Host")

<strong>Remote Sync</strong>
[Pull a WordPress Site from One Server to Another](https://wp-staging.com/docs/pull-a-wordpress-site-from-one-server-to-another/ "Remote Sync - Pull a WordPress Site from One Server to Another")

<strong>Local Docker Development with WP STAGING CLI</strong>
[WP STAGING CLI – Upgrade Now](https://wp-staging.com/cli/upgrade "WP STAGING CLI - Local Docker Development for WordPress")

<strong>All Backup Guides</strong>
[All Backup Guides](https://wp-staging.com/docs/category/backup-restore/ "All Backup Guides")

<strong>Working with Staging Sites</strong>
[Working with Staging Sites](https://wp-staging.com/docs/category/working-with-wp-staging/ "Working with Staging Sites")

<strong>FAQ for Backup & Cloning</strong>
[FAQ for Backup & Cloning](https://wp-staging.com/docs/category/frequently-asked-questions/ "Backup & Cloning FAQ")

<strong>Troubleshooting Backup & Cloning</strong>
[Troubleshooting Backup & Cloning](https://wp-staging.com/docs/category/troubleshooting/ "Troubleshooting Backup & Cloning")

== WP STAGING BACKUP & CLONING TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS & INFORMATION ==

* Works on latest version of WordPress
* Minimum Supported WordPress Version 3.8
* Cloning and Backup work on all webhosts
* No extra libraries required
* Backup & cloning supports huge websites
* Custom backup format is much faster and smaller than any tar or zip compression
* Backup & cloning works in low memory & shared hosting environments

== SUPPORT ==

[WP STAGING Backup & Cloning](https://wp-staging.com/backup-wordpress "WP STAGING Backup & Cloning")

== Installation ==

= Installation via admin plugin search =

1. Go to Plugins > Add new. Select "Author" from the dropdown near search input.
2. Search for "WP STAGING".
3. Find "WP STAGING - WordPress Backup, Restore & Migration" and click the "Install Now" button.
4. Activate the plugin.
5. The plugin should be shown below settings menu.

= Admin Installer via zip =

1. Visit the Add New plugin screen and click the "Upload Plugin" button.
2. Click the "Browse..." button and select the zip file of our plugin.
3. Click "Install Now" button.
4. Once uploading is done, activate WP STAGING - WordPress Backup, Restore & Migration.
5. The plugin should be shown below the settings menu.

== Screenshots ==

1. Create new WordPress staging / backup site (Dark Mode)
2. Create new WordPress staging / backup site (Lite Mode)
3. Select name for staging / backup site (Lite Mode)
4. Create Full Site Backup (Dark Mode)
5. Create Full Site Backup (Lite Mode)
6. Cloning / backup processing (Dark Mode)
7. Backup Complete (Dark Mode)
8. Login to staging site
9. Staging demo site

== Changelog ==

= 4.9.2 =
* Enh: Add accessible labels to Pro upgrade badges and buttons. #5337
* Enh: Improve the first-time staging experience by removing the redundant "Create Staging Site" button, sharing a single CTA between the listing and empty state. #5266
* Enh: Route every in-plugin upgrade link to the wp-staging.com pricing table, localized to the current admin language (de, it, es, fr, pt, pl, ja), with unique UTM tags so each click is identifiable in analytics. #5337
* Enh: Standardize Pro badge wording across the plugin — small locked controls now read "Pro", section badges "Available in Pro", and the upsell button "Upgrade to Pro". #5337
* Enh: Suppress the dismissed CLI notice server-side instead of via localStorage, so it no longer briefly flashes before being hidden. #5266
* Enh: Turn the Pro feature badges in the Create Staging Site modal and other upgrade prompts into links to the pricing table. #5337
* Fix: 404 error when accessing a staging site created with a name containing spaces or special characters. #5321
* Fix: A backup no longer fails when it hits a file outside the standard WordPress folders. The file is skipped and noted in the log instead of aborting the whole backup. #5325
* Fix: Allow staging site names up to 100 characters while keeping the generated directory name capped at 16 characters. #5321
* Fix: Broken auto login to the staging site when the staging site name contains spaces or special characters. #5321
* Fix: Fatal error on the staging site caused by an invalid destination path when the site name contains spaces or special characters. #5321
* Fix: Improve remote backup downloads when the remote file size cannot be detected. (Pro) #5222
* Fix: Prevent backup restore from writing files outside the restore folder. #5299
* Fix: Prevent site fatal error when plugin files are partially updated or missing during an upgrade. #5309
* Fix: Prevent the loading bar from staying visible after a successful backup extraction, and improve the “Show logs” button styling. #5306
* Fix: Prevent unsafe push when staging and production WordPress versions are incompatible. (Pro) #5286
* Fix: Remove the security alerts popup from the welcome page. #5336
* Fix: Sanitize the staging site directory name and URL so spaces and special characters no longer produce a broken path. #5321
* Fix: Stop remote cloud upload immediately when user cancels instead of continuing in background. (Pro) #3891
* Fix: Temporarily disable the Next-Gen staging engine to prevent staging-site data corruption (postmeta keys). Users are automatically reverted to the Classic engine and warned when they may have staging sites created with the Next-Gen engine. #5346
* Fix: Temporary folders left by the restore tool are no longer included in backups when "Backup Other WP Root Folders" is enabled. (Pro) #5158
*  Tweak: Refresh backup content icons and improve their light and dark mode styling. #5315
* Dev: Avoid lowering PHP memory limit when loading the restore tool as a library. (Pro) #5345
* Dev: Streamline the release pipeline's test phase to avoid a long-running idle CI job that wasted runner time on every release. #5142

WP STAGING Backup & Cloning | Full changelog:
[https://wp-staging.com/wp-staging-changelog](https://wp-staging.com/wp-staging-changelog)

== Upgrade Notice ==

Compatible up to WordPress 7.0.
Many improvements for reliability and bug fixes. Please update to the latest version!
