How to Migrate a WordPress Site Free
Here is the training so many have asked me to share on how to migrate a WordPress Site free.
Once you learn this secret trick, you can literally move your website to another host in 10 minutes! If you are still having trouble and would like my 1-on-1 coaching, try out my awesome online community for FREE and I can help there.
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Introduction: How to Migrate a WordPress Site Free
Today I will show you the simplest and fastest method I've ever seen to move a website. All using a FREE tool combined with a few hidden legal tricks!
I had to learn this the hard way as this week I needed to move a website for my client who is a well-known film maker FAST and EFFECTIVELY to meet a project deadline.
The move was from WA to Go Daddy, the client's hosting service. This was after Go Daddy's in-house migration tool failed, and they had no other solutions to offer me.
It took me many hours of research and several trial and error failures to get to what appears here in this training to be a very simple solution. Believe me, it was not. Particularly to get around the FREE size limitation.
LEARN WHY Wealthy Affiliate IS MY #1 RECOMMENDATION
So now what has taken me many hours to figure out, I want to save you days of aggravation by sharing with you my Dear Friends this very simple easy to follow training of how to migrate your WordPress site free.
Don't Forget to Backup Your Website
Don't forget to FIRST save a backup of your entire website using a plugin such as WP Clone or do an FTP, and to also do a Tools > Export in your WP Dashboard to back up your Database just in case something goes wrong.
Here is excellent training on how to go about doing this, simply click the links below.
How to Migrate a WordPress Site Free: What You Will Be Doing
To be very clear, you will be moving your website from an Originating Host (your “From” Site”) to a Destination Host (your “To” Site).
First before you begin, here is what you will need to have Ready:
Your WP-Admin Login and Password for your “From” site
Your WP-Admin Login and Password for your “To” site
This is by far the simplest and least time consuming FREE method of moving a website I've ever seen - and is much simpler and faster than any other plugin I've used or by doing an FTP.
And it's been very effective for me.
There are affiliate links within this post. What this means is that if you decide to purchase anything through one of my links, I'll be rewarded with a small commission at absolutely no extra cost to you. This small commission helps me run and maintain my website.
Overview: Moving Your Website in 10 Minutes!
This training will be broken down into the following lessons:
Here's some radical yet simple and highly effective training on how to Move Your Website in 10 minutes!
(*Quick Note: "10 minutes" refers to the time it should take you to implement all of the following simple steps to completion once you are completely familiar with the process without considering file loading times; actual loading times for your files will vary depending on the speed of your computer).
Are you ready?
If so, Go to Lesson 1.
Lesson 1: Using All in One WP Migration
YES this Plugin Does WORK!
1. Open up 2 separate Browser windows SIDE-by-SIDE on your screen (as shown below)
(*Note: You should now see BOTH Word Press Dashboards for each hosting account on BOTH sides.).
2. Go to Plugins > Add New for BOTH hosting accounts, and type in All in One WP Migration in the Search Bar on BOTH sides.
Once the plugin comes up in BOTH places, select and install the All in One WP Migration plugin on BOTH sides (your "From" account on the Left, and your "To" account on the Right) by clicking Install and then Activate.
The All in One Migration plugin should now show as being active for BOTH hosting accounts.
When you are ready, go to Lesson 2.
Lesson 2: Export Website to Your Computer
Now you will use the power All in One WP Migration to export (archive) your existing website (which is really just a boatload of files) to a temporary place - from the host server to a hard drive on our computer, or to an external drive that we choose.
You see, unlike most other FREE migration plugins, when All in One WP Migration does its job, it moves the "whole kit and caboodle" - meaning it migrates ALL your website information including all the files, the database, etc., to your NEW hosting accounts WordPress install.
When All in One WP Migration exports (archives) your files, it converts all of your files into one .wpress file. What the heck is a .wpress file you might ask?
YES, at first I asked that same question - but no need to worry!
All that matters is that it gets the job done, and when you migrate your website (as a .wpress file) to your NEW hosting account (the "RIGHT" side account) you can backup your website once again later when you are there.
3. Go to All in One WP Migration > Export on Left side (in your "From" account)
4. To begin the export, click on 1) Export To and then 2) File
5. While files are exporting (archiving), dialog box indicates progress.
6. Dialog Box indicates all files total size of 1 GB
7. Click Box reading "Download (Domain Name)" when Exporting is complete to begin download. When it's ready to download files to your computer, the box will turn Green.
8. Check your hard drive or external drive (Left Side) to confirm your WordPress website has now been downloaded on your computer as a .wpress file.
There is now your downloaded" .wpress file which is your entire website circled in "Red". Its total size is 1.12 GB.
In your next lesson, your will import your entire website (as a.wpress file) to your Destination Host on the "RIGHT" side (your "To" account).
When you are ready, go to Lesson 3.
Lesson 3: Import Your Website from Your Computer to New Host
Now you will upload the .wpress file currently "living" on your computer (which is your entire website) from your computer (on the RIGHT) to your NEW Hosting account, which is your "To" account (on the LEFT).
9. Go to All in One WP Migration > Import on the Right side in your "To" account.
A box showing "Import Site" will next appear in your Hosting account WP dashboard on the Right side of your screen.
10.
Drag 'n Drop the .wpress file (1.12. GB) that IS your website from your computer (Left Side) into Import Site box to upload onto your NEW Hosting account (Right Side).
11. OH NO!!!!!!! We have a major problem!
When we attempted to upload our website (.wpress file) to our NEW hosting account, we received a pop-up box reading this:
The file you are trying to import is over the maximum upload size limit of 512 MB. You can remove this restriction by purchasing our Unlimited Extension.
So THAT'S how that get ya, huh?!!
They "dangle the carrot" to get you to download their FREE plugin, only to reject you at the door???? That's WRONG!!
Well, not really. If you read the fine print of the plugin, it DOES state that there is a 512 MB limit for the FREE plugin. If you go Premium (Paid $99) you can get unlimited size access.
Have no fear, Ladies and Gents!
I have found the perfect work-around solution, that's SIMPLE. is completely legal, and it WON'T break your site or cause any problems with your upload!!!
This is what I spent hours researching and found out - not only to solve my dilemma to get the website up by the deadline, but also so I can share these gems with YOU My Friends so you won't have to jump through 9 different hoops like I had ti do!
This next lesson (Lesson 4) is what makes this entire tutorial worth its weight in GOLD.
Are you ready?
Now go to Lesson 4.
Lesson 4: Solving the Size Limit Problem
12. Go to Plugins > Editor on BOTH sides (your "From" account, and your "To" account"
13. On the top right of BOTH accounts, select 1) All in One WP Migration and then 2) click "Select"
14. In the far right column of BOTH accounts, select Constants.php
15. In Constants.php, 1) scroll down the page (beyond Line 250) unto you locate the line item called 2) "MAX FILE SIZE" (Line 284, my vary)
16. On BOTH sides, change from 512 MB by replacing with 9 digit number starting with "5" times a multiplier of 20 (i.e., 536870912 * 20).
After the change, this will make our NEW Max File size at approx. 10 GB.
(*Note: You can use a multipler of 20, 30,40, etc...there is no limit, but in this case * 20 was more than sufficient)
Also changing the max. file size this way does not violate any internet law or regulations.
17. Scroll down to the bottom of the page on BOTH sides, and Click Update File.
18. Confirm File Edited Successfully (Both Sides)
Now go to the last lesson Lesson 5.
Lesson 5: How to Migrate a WordPress Site Free - Success!
19. Go to All in One WP Migration > Import on the NEW Hosting side only (Right Side)
20. Read below NEW Host Site Import Box on Right Side. Maximum Upload file size has now increased to 10 GB...SUCCESS!!
21. Go back into your computer (Left Side) and Drag 'n Drop the previous 1.12 GM file you saved into the Import Upload Box in your NEW Hosting Account ("To" account on Right Side)
22.
Wait for the Upload to Complete as indicated by the "Green Bar"
(*Note: Uploading time may vary based on the speed of your computer)
23. When upload completes, you will be issued a healthy warning message in a dialog Box in your New Hosting Account that you will overwrite any existing website in your NEW Hosting account including the database, media, plugins, and themes,
If you had content at the New Host already, this might still be acceptable. Since you have NOTHING in your new Hosting account, it doesn't matter.
Go ahead and Click Proceed
24.
Your Data has been Imported Successfully!
Awesome!
Your FINAL step will be to click Permalinks Settings on the NEW Hosting account (Right Side) as you must save your permalinks structure twice.
25. Now you must Re-Login into your NEW Hosting
(Right Side) account in order to save the Permalink structure twice.
*******When you re-login to WordPress on your New Hosting account (Right Side), you must USE YOUR LOGIN AND PASSWORD FOR YOUR CURRENT "ORIGINATING" HOSTING ACCOUNT (LEFT SIDE)******************
This is why I told you from the beginning they you need to keep your login and password for BOTH accounts accessible within quick reach and recall.
Once you are re-logged in, it will take automatically take you to the Permalinks Page on the NEW Hosting account (Right Side).
26. Scroll down to the bottom of the Permalinks page (New Hosting account, Right Side) and Click Save "Save Changes" 2x.
27. Click "Visit Site" after scrolling over Site Title at the Top Left of each Dashboard (Both Sides) to view Both websites in tandem.
28.
SUCCESS !!!
Both your Originating Hosting "From" account WEBSITE (Left Side) and the NEW Hosting "To" account WEBSITE (Right Side) are IDENTICAL.
(*Note: You only see 2 different photos only because there is a slideshow on the Homepage.....BOTH websites are indeed identical. Btw, YES, that is Pierce Brosnan standing next to my client on the right!)
MIGRATION HAS BEEN A TOTAL SUCCESS........
And it was all done for FREE!!
With this AMAZING Easy-to-Use Plugin (BUT only when you KNOW how to get around the obstacles).....All in One WP Migration!!
And NOW you DO!!
I hope you learned a Great deal from this training, and you will use this Amazing Migration Tool to "Move Your Websites in 10 Minutes" whenever you need them!
Please feel free to leave your comments below.
Don't forget Kaju first told you so!