To duplicate a WordPress database in phpMyAdmin, export the source database’s WordPress tables as an SQL file, then import that file into a separate destination database. Back up first and verify the database and tables you select: importing into a populated or incorrect database can overwrite data. This copies database content only—not themes, plugins, uploads, or other WordPress files.
Before you start: identify the database and back it up
Find the database name and table prefix in the source site’s wp-config.php. The $table_prefix value should match the beginning of that installation’s WordPress table names. If the database is shared with another application or WordPress installation, use the prefix to identify the correct tables rather than exporting unrelated data. See WordPress’s wp-config.php documentation and guidance for test-driving WordPress.
Make and retain a database backup before copying or changing anything. WordPress’s database backup instructions explain the export process. An SQL export includes database content such as posts, pages, comments, and settings; it does not include themes, plugins, uploaded media, wp-config.php, or other files. Keep a separate copy of the WordPress files if you need a full-site backup or clone.
Export the WordPress tables from phpMyAdmin
- Sign in to the hosting control panel and open phpMyAdmin. Select the source WordPress database from the database list.
- Open the Export tab. For a straightforward copy of all tables in a database containing only this WordPress installation, use the Quick option and choose SQL as the format.
- If the database contains other applications or installations, choose Custom and select only the tables that belong to this WordPress installation, identified by the prefix in
wp-config.php. Review the export settings, then start the export and save the downloaded SQL file somewhere safe.
phpMyAdmin’s labels and layout can differ by version and host. WordPress describes the Quick and Custom export approaches in its database backup documentation.
Prepare a separate destination database
Create a new database through your hosting control panel, or select the destination database already provided for the copy. For a straightforward restore, WordPress recommends an empty destination with no tables. Before proceeding, verify its name in phpMyAdmin: importing into the source or another populated database can replace existing tables or data, depending on the dump and import settings.
Import the SQL file
- In phpMyAdmin, select the destination database—not the source database.
- Open the Import tab and use its file-selection control to choose the SQL export you downloaded.
- Start the import and wait for phpMyAdmin to report whether it completed successfully. If it reports an error, do not assume the copy is complete; check the message and the destination tables before trying again.
The available upload control and maximum file size depend on the phpMyAdmin installation and host configuration, so there is no universal upload limit. WordPress recommends using direct MySQL or MariaDB commands when a database is too large for phpMyAdmin’s practical capacity; its backup guidance covers that alternative.
Configure and verify the copied WordPress installation
The copy must connect to the destination database with its own database credentials, and its $table_prefix must correspond to the names of the imported tables. If the destination installation uses a different prefix, WordPress will look for different tables. Changing prefixes is not just a matter of renaming tables: WordPress also cautions that related keys in the usermeta table may need corresponding changes. Make such changes only with a backup and careful validation; see the WordPress migration guidance.
- Confirm that the expected WordPress tables appear in the destination database.
- Check that the copied site’s configuration uses the destination database name, username, password, and host supplied by the host.
- Confirm that the configured table prefix matches the imported table names.
- Test that the copied installation can connect to its database. If this is a test copy or a site move, assess separately whether files and environment-specific settings also need to be copied or adjusted.
What this database copy does—and does not—duplicate
An SQL export and import duplicates the selected database tables. It does not by itself produce a complete WordPress clone: media files, themes, plugins, and other site files live outside the database and must be handled separately if the goal is to reproduce the whole site. For a large database or a full-site move, choose a method suited to the required scope and the host’s limits rather than treating a database-only copy as a complete migration.
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