I had the chance to utilize UpdraftPlus for a website transfer and recovery assignment, and I have to admit, it made a significant impact. UpdraftPlus is an effective WordPress tool that streamlines the task of creating backups, recovering, and transferring your website. In this piece, I will walk you through the step-by-step procedure of utilizing UpdraftPlus to recover and transfer your website.
Step 1: Install and Activate the UpdraftPlus Plugin
The first step is to install and activate the UpdraftPlus plugin on your WordPress website. You can do this by navigating to the “Plugins” section in your WordPress dashboard, clicking on “Add New,” searching for “UpdraftPlus,” and then clicking on the “Install Now” button. Once the plugin is installed, click on the “Activate” button to activate it.
Step 2: Perform a Backup of Your Website
Before you can restore or migrate your website using UpdraftPlus, you need to have a backup of your website. To perform a backup, go to the “Settings” section of the UpdraftPlus plugin and click on the “Backup/Restore” tab. From there, click on the “Backup Now” button to start the backup process. UpdraftPlus will automatically backup your website files and database.
Step 3: Download the Backup Files
Once the backup process is complete, UpdraftPlus will provide you with a list of backup files that you can download. Click on the “Download” button next to each file to download them to your local machine. Make sure to keep these backup files in a safe place as they will be used later for restoration or migration.
Step 4: Install WordPress on the New Server
If you are migrating your website to a new server, you will need to install WordPress on the new server. This can usually be done through your hosting provider’s control panel or by using a one-click WordPress installer. Once WordPress is installed, make sure to note down the database credentials as you will need them in the next step.
Step 5: Upload and Restore the Backup Files
To restore or migrate your website, go to the “Settings” section of the UpdraftPlus plugin on your new WordPress installation. Click on the “Backup/Restore” tab and then click on the “Upload Backup Files” button. Select the backup files that you downloaded in Step 3 and click on the “Upload” button. UpdraftPlus will then restore your website files and database from the backup files.
Step 6: Update the Website URLs
After the restoration or migration process is complete, it’s essential to update the website URLs to reflect the new location of your website. To do this, go to the “Settings” section of the UpdraftPlus plugin and click on the “Advanced Tools” tab. From there, click on the “Replace” button next to the “Site URL (URL)” option. Enter the old URL and the new URL, and click on the “Replace URLs” button. UpdraftPlus will then update all the references to the old URL with the new URL in your website’s database.
Conclusion
Using UpdraftPlus to restore and migrate your website is a straightforward process that can save you a lot of time and effort. With its user-friendly interface and powerful features, UpdraftPlus makes it easy to backup, restore, and migrate your WordPress website. Whether you are moving your website to a new server or restoring it from a backup, UpdraftPlus has got you covered.