How to Clone a WordPress Website in 2025

Hey WordPress fans! Sumit Dangashiya from Vision Infotech here, guiding you on how to clone a WordPress website in 2025. Cloning creates an exact copy of your site—perfect for testing updates, building a staging site, or launching a new project. With WordPress powering 43% of the web, cloning saves time and stress. Let’s walk through the steps to clone your site safely and easily.

Why Clone a WordPress Site?

Cloning lets you experiment without risking your live site. Want to test a new theme? Redesign for a client? Move hosts? A clone is your sandbox. In 2025, tools make cloning faster, but mistakes like missing files can break things. Follow these steps for a smooth process.

Back Up Your Site

Before cloning, back up everything—files, database, plugins. Use plugins like UpdraftPlus or Duplicator, updated for WordPress 6.5 in 2025. Save backups to Google Drive or Dropbox, not your server, to avoid crashes. A backup ensures you can restore if cloning goes wrong.

Choose a Cloning Method

You’ve got two options: manual or plugin-based. Manual cloning (via FTP and phpMyAdmin) is techy but free. Plugins like All-in-One WP Migration or CloneWP (new in 2025) are easier, handling files and databases in clicks. For beginners, plugins save hours—Vision Infotech often uses Duplicator for speed.

Install a Cloning Plugin

Let’s use Duplicator—it’s reliable and supports 2025’s WordPress updates. Install it on your live site via Plugins > Add New. Activate, then go to Duplicator > Packages > Create New. It’ll bundle your site’s files (themes, plugins) and database into a zip file and installer.php—download both to your computer.

Set Up the Clone Location

Decide where your clone lives:

• Local Computer: Use LocalWP or XAMPP for offline testing.
• Subdomain: Create “test.yoursite.com” via your host’s cPanel.
• New Host: Upload to a different server for migration.

For a subdomain, add it in your hosting panel (like SiteGround’s 2025 dashboard). Upload the zip and installer.php to the clone’s root folder via File Manager or FTP.

Run the Cloning Process

Visit “test.yoursite.com/installer.php” in your browser. Duplicator’s 2025 wizard guides you—connect to the new database (create one in cPanel’s MySQL Databases). Enter your live site’s database details if migrating, or leave blank for local setups. The plugin extracts files, updates URLs, and sets up your clone in minutes.

Test the Clone

Log into your cloned site’s admin (same credentials as the original). Check pages, posts, plugins, and links—2025’s block themes like Twenty Twenty-Five can glitch if URLs aren’t updated. Test mobile responsiveness, as 60% of users browse phones. Fix errors (e.g., missing images) by re-uploading files from your backup.

Secure and Maintain

Change the clone’s admin password to avoid overlap with your live site. If online, add a “noindex” tag via Yoast SEO to hide from Google. Update plugins on the clone—WordPress 6.5 patches security holes in 2025. Delete temporary files (zip, installer.php) to keep things tidy.

Boost Your Business with Visionary Solutions – Let’s Talk!

Let’s Talk!

Need Cloning Help?

Cloning a WordPress site can be tricky—let’s make it painless! Book a free 1:1 consultancy with me at Vision Infotech to clone your site right. Visit visioninfotech.net now!

Manual Cloning Note

If you skip plugins, use FTP (FileZilla) to download files and phpMyAdmin to export your database. Upload to the new location, edit wp-config.php with new database details, and update URLs in the database. It’s complex—plugins are safer unless you’re a pro.

Common Pitfalls

Don’t skip backups; one glitch can wipe data. Avoid cloning on a live server without a subdomain—mixing files risks crashes. Beginners often miss database updates, breaking links. Vision Infotech can handle these for you, ensuring a perfect copy.

Why Clone in 2025?

Cloning is essential with WordPress’s rapid updates—6.5 brings AI blocks and accessibility tools. Testing on a clone prevents live site downtime, critical as 20% of visitors bounce from broken sites. It’s also a time-saver for developers scaling projects.

Wrapping Up

Cloning a WordPress site in 2025 is straightforward with the right steps: backup, choose a method, use a plugin, set up the clone, run the process, test, and secure. Whether tweaking designs or migrating, cloning keeps your site safe. Vision Infotech is here to make it a breeze.

Don’t risk your live site—book your free consultancy at visioninfotech.net today. Let’s clone your WordPress website development like pros!

Read Also:- 10 Best WordPress Membership Plugins for 2025