WordPress Workflow

Cloning a WordPress Site to a New Domain or Folder

Duplicate an entire WordPress install — theme, plugins, content and database — onto a new domain or subdirectory to reuse as a template or test copy.

2 files

Package Duplicator creates: installer + archive

NVMe

SSD storage for fast package creation and restore

Free

Migration help if a clone needs a hand

24/7

Human support for restore issues

In short

Cloning a WordPress site means copying its files and database in full to a new location — a different domain, a subdomain, or a subdirectory — so the copy runs independently with the same theme, plugins and content as the original. The most common tool is Duplicator, which packages the whole site into an installer file and a data archive that a fresh WordPress location can unpack and restore in a few steps.

This differs from staging: a clone is meant to become its own independent site (a client project, a reusable template, a spare test copy), not a temporary testing area that gets pushed back to the original.

Agencies building similar sites for multiple clients, site owners reusing a design they've already built, and developers who want a disposable sandbox all run into the same need: an exact copy of an existing WordPress site, files and database included, running somewhere new. Rebuilding that setup by hand — reinstalling every plugin, recreating every page, reapplying every setting — wastes hours a clone avoids entirely.

Duplicator is the plugin most WordPress users reach for because it handles both halves of the job: it packages the site into two files (an installer and an archive), and then a small script on the new location unpacks them and rewrites the site's internal URLs to match. The result is a working copy in the new location without touching the original site at all.

Before You Clone: Where Is the Copy Going?

Decide the destination first, because it changes a couple of steps later on. A new domain (moving a client project live, or launching a second brand) needs its own hosting account or add-on domain and a fresh database. A subdirectory on the same domain (yoursite.com/test) is common for a quick sandbox copy. Either way, you need a destination with WordPress's minimum requirements met and a blank database ready to receive the clone's data.

If you're cloning to reuse as a client template repeatedly, it's worth keeping one 'master' clone of your standard setup — theme, page builder, core plugins already configured — so future clones start from that instead of the live production site, keeping test data and client-specific content out of new copies from the start.

Building the Package with Duplicator

Install the Duplicator plugin on the site you're cloning, then start a new 'package' from its dashboard. Duplicator scans the site's files and database, flags anything unusually large (a media library with years of uploads is the usual culprit), and then builds two files: an installer.php script and an archive.zip containing everything else. Download both once the package finishes building.

On a large site this step can take a while since it's compressing the entire uploads folder and exporting the full database — NVMe SSD storage keeps this from becoming a bottleneck compared to slower disk-based hosting, where a big media library can turn package creation into a lengthy wait.

Restoring the Package at the New Location

Upload both the installer and archive files to the new domain or subdirectory via FTP or File Manager, then visit installer.php in a browser at that location. Duplicator's setup wizard walks through validating the archive, asking for new database credentials, and importing the site's tables into that fresh database. It also handles the URL rewrite automatically — every internal reference to the old domain gets updated to the new one, which is the step that trips people up most when done manually.

Once the wizard finishes, log in to the new site's wp-admin using the original site's credentials (they carry over with the clone) and check permalinks, uploaded media links, and any hardcoded URLs in page builder content. Delete the installer.php file and the Duplicator installer folder afterward — leaving it in place is a known security exposure since it can potentially be used to overwrite the site again.

Common Uses and Things to Watch For

Agencies use cloning to spin up a new client site from a proven starting template rather than building from scratch each time; developers use it to create a disposable local or subdirectory sandbox for testing risky changes outside of staging; site owners use it to launch a near-identical second site on a new domain. In every case, the clone becomes independent immediately — updates to one site never affect the other, unlike a staging setup with a push-to-live link.

Watch for plugin license keys and API keys that are tied to a specific domain — some premium plugins and services deactivate or need re-authorization when they detect a URL change, so budget time to re-enter those on the new copy. Also confirm free SSL is issued for the new domain or subdomain before sending real traffic to it, since a clone technically starts with no certificate of its own.

How to Clone a WordPress Site (Duplicate It)

Reuse What You've Already Built

A proven WordPress setup shouldn't have to be rebuilt from zero every time you need it somewhere new — cloning turns hours of setup into a package-and-restore job.

Hosting Cheap's NVMe SSD infrastructure keeps package creation and restores fast even on media-heavy sites, with free managed migration support if a clone needs help landing on a new domain.

Package a full site (files + database) with Duplicator in minutes
Restore to a new domain, subdomain, or subdirectory
NVMe SSD speed for large media libraries
Free SSL issued automatically on the new domain

Why Hosting Cheap

What you get

Fast package creation

NVMe SSD storage keeps Duplicator's file compression and database export quick, even with large media libraries.

Add-on domains supported

Host multiple cloned sites, client projects, or template copies under one account.

Free SSL on new domains

A cloned site gets its own auto-renewing SSL certificate as soon as it's pointed at hosting.

Free managed migration

Get help moving a cloned site onto its new hosting account if the restore needs a hand.

Daily backups

Both the source site and the new clone are covered by daily backups once hosted.

24/7 human support

Real people can help troubleshoot a stuck restore, database import, or URL rewrite issue.

How It Works

Get set up in a few steps

Package the source site

Install Duplicator and build a package containing the site's files and full database export.

Upload to the new location

Transfer the installer and archive files to the new domain, subdomain, or subdirectory via FTP or File Manager.

Run the installer and clean up

Complete Duplicator's setup wizard to restore the database and rewrite URLs, then delete the installer files.

Included

Everything you need, on every plan

A destination (new domain, subdomain, or subdirectory) ready with a blank database
Duplicator installed and a package built from the source site
Installer and archive files uploaded to the new location
Database credentials entered correctly during the setup wizard
Permalinks, media links and hardcoded URLs checked after restore
Installer files deleted from the new site once restore is complete
Plugin and API license keys re-activated for the new domain
Free SSL confirmed active before sending traffic to the clone

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How to clone a WordPress site to a new domain for free?

Install the free version of Duplicator, build a package of the site's files and database, then upload and run the installer at the new domain. Duplicator's setup wizard handles the database import and URL rewrite without needing a paid add-on for a single clone.

Can I clone a WordPress site into a subdirectory instead of a new domain?

Yes, Duplicator supports restoring into a subdirectory like yoursite.com/test just as easily as a separate domain. The main difference is entering that subdirectory path during the setup wizard's URL configuration step.

Why does my cloned site show broken images or links?

This usually means the URL rewrite step didn't catch every reference, often because content was built with a page builder that stores URLs in a non-standard format. Running a manual search-and-replace on the database for any remaining old-domain references usually resolves it.

Is cloning the same as staging a WordPress site?

No. A clone becomes an independent site with no link back to the original, useful for templates or new projects. Staging keeps a working connection to the live site so tested changes can be pushed back to it.

Do I need to reinstall plugins after cloning a WordPress site?

No, Duplicator's package includes all installed plugins and their settings, so they carry over automatically. You may need to re-enter license keys for premium plugins that are tied to the specific domain.

How big can a WordPress site be and still clone successfully?

Duplicator can handle most sites, but very large media libraries can produce a large archive file that takes longer to build and upload. Fast NVMe SSD storage on both ends reduces how much that size slows the process down.

Ready to Launch Your Cloned Site?

Host it on NVMe SSD with free SSL and free migration help, from $4.19/mo.

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