Choose the restore route that matches the destination. For a new or empty server, upload the matching Duplicator archive and installer.php, then complete the browser wizard. To replace an existing WordPress installation, Duplicator Pro’s Import Install can bring in a .daf or .zip backup from the dashboard. For a rapid rollback, use a locally stored, eligible Recovery Point. In every case, preserve a rollback copy, verify the restored site before changing DNS, and remove backup artifacts after testing.
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Choose the right Duplicator restore method
The destination’s current state determines the safest workflow. Do not start by uploading files until you know whether you are restoring into an empty directory, replacing a working WordPress site, or rolling back the same site after a failure.
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| Situation | Method | Interface | License or feature requirement | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New host or empty destination directory | Classic installation | Browser-run installer.php |
Classic/Lite workflow | Extracts the archive, installs the database, and configures WordPress in the destination. |
| Existing WordPress site that must be replaced | Import Install | Duplicator Pro dashboard | Basic or higher Duplicator Pro license | Imports a .daf or .zip archive and performs a full install over the destination. |
| Returning the same site to an earlier state | Disaster Recovery with a Recovery Point | Duplicator recovery wizard | Duplicator Pro/Elite recovery feature | Overwrites the current site with a qualifying local backup. |
A classic backup normally has two matching files: the archive, usually archive.zip or archive.daf, and installer.php. Keep both from the same backup build. A mismatched installer and archive can produce validation or extraction problems even when each file is valid on its own.
Prepare safely before restoring
Confirm the backup and keep a second copy
- Identify the intended site and backup date before touching the destination.
- Keep a separate copy of the archive away from the server. If the restore fails or the destination is overwritten incorrectly, that copy is your rollback source.
- For a live replacement, schedule a maintenance window and preserve a rollback copy of the current destination as well.
Check the destination environment
The WordPress.org listing consulted for Duplicator states PHP 7.4 or newer and WordPress 5.3 or newer. Confirm that the destination host provides a compatible PHP version and that you can create or access a MySQL-compatible WordPress database. You also need a way to transfer files, such as FTP or the hosting file manager, for the classic workflow.
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Plan the domain and database changes
- Have the destination database host, database name, database user, and password ready before opening the installer.
- Know the table prefix used by the destination database. Confirm it carefully before committing changes.
- Decide whether the restored site will use a temporary URL or its production domain. Update DNS only after the restored copy is verified.
- Make sure you can access the destination’s HTTPS settings. A restored site can load while still pointing to an old domain or an incorrect secure-URL configuration.
Classic installation on a new or empty destination
Use this path when the destination directory is empty or when you intentionally prepared a clean location for the restored site. It is the most manual method, but it does not require a dashboard import on the destination.
1. Build and download the complete backup
On the source WordPress site, create a complete Duplicator package. Download the archive and the matching installer.php file. Do not begin until both downloads finish and you have retained an off-server copy of the archive.
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Create or obtain the destination hosting account and the directory that will serve the site. The directory should be empty before extraction. If another site currently occupies it, stop and use a rollback copy or choose the Pro Import Install workflow instead. Mixing old files with restored files is a common cause of partial migrations.
3. Upload the two package files
Using FTP or the hosting file manager, upload installer.php and the matching archive.zip or archive.daf into the destination directory. Keep the names unchanged unless the package instructions specifically require otherwise. A large archive may take time to transfer; confirm that the server-side size matches your local copy before continuing.
4. Open the installer
Open the installer address for the destination in a browser and follow the Duplicator wizard. The wizard detects the old site URL and physical path. Read those values rather than accepting them automatically: an old domain, staging path, or nested directory can make the restored links point to the wrong place.
5. Choose the archive action deliberately
The installer presents an archive or extraction action. Select the option that matches the destination state. Extracting over current files can leave a combination of old and restored files, so do not use an overwrite-style action in a directory that has not been backed up or deliberately emptied.
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6. Validate requirements and warnings
Run the validation step and inspect every notice. Resolve environment, file, or database warnings that would prevent a complete install. A warning is not automatically harmless: if it concerns available resources, paths, or database access, correct the underlying destination setting before proceeding.
7. Enter destination database details
Supply the destination database host, name, user, and password. Confirm the database is the one created for this restored site and that the credentials have permission to create or update the required tables. Recheck the table prefix and any URL or path values shown by the installer before finalizing.
8. Test the restored site before cleanup
When the wizard completes, open the front end and administration area. Log in with the restored site’s credentials and test the items that matter to your operation:
- Homepage, key pages, navigation, and internal links.
- Images, downloads, and other media.
- Theme layout and active plugins.
- Contact forms and other transactional forms.
- Permalinks and pages that previously returned errors.
- Scheduled jobs, such as publishing, backups, or notification tasks.
- Domain, HTTPS, and redirects when the site is being moved to a new URL.
If links or assets are broken, clear applicable caches and regenerate WordPress permalinks, then test again. Do not change DNS until the restored copy works on its destination address.
9. Remove installation artifacts
After the migration is confirmed successful, delete installer.php and the archive from the server. Duplicator’s classic installation documentation gives the same security instruction: “Once your migration is confirmed successful, delete the installer.php and archive files from your server.” Keep your separate offline archive if you may need another restore.
Replace an existing site with Duplicator Pro Import Install
Import Install is designed for a destination that already contains WordPress. It avoids a separate FTP upload and manual database setup by importing the package from the Duplicator Pro dashboard, but it still replaces the destination, so treat it as a destructive operation.
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1. Create a Recovery Point first
Before replacing the destination, set a Recovery Point if your Pro installation provides that feature. This gives you a defined way back if the imported package is not the version you intended or the replacement fails.
2. Open Import Backups
In the Duplicator Pro dashboard, open Import Backups. Upload the archive or provide its archive link, using either a .daf or .zip package. Confirm that the package identifies the site and date you selected.
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3. Launch a full single-site install
Launch the installer and select Full install single site when the goal is to replace the destination with the imported site. Click Validate, read the notices, accept the terms, and continue only after the destination and package are correct.
4. Confirm database settings before finalizing
Review the database settings shown by the import process. Verify the destination database, credentials, and table prefix before approving the replacement. A full install replaces the destination contents; it is not a merge that preserves unrelated files, plugins, or database tables.
5. Verify and clean up
Use the same front-end, administration, media, forms, permalink, HTTPS, and scheduled-job checks used for a classic restore. Clear caches or regenerate permalinks when necessary. Keep the Recovery Point or rollback copy until the replacement has operated normally through the maintenance window.
Use Disaster Recovery and Recovery Points for a rollback
Disaster Recovery is intended to return a site quickly to a previous state. It is different from importing an arbitrary archive: the backup must qualify as a Recovery Point.
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Eligibility requirements
- The backup must be complete.
- It cannot use file filters or database-table filters.
- It must be stored locally on the site. A remote-only backup does not qualify.
Recovery procedure
- Assign the qualifying local backup as the site’s Recovery Point.
- Launch the recovery wizard.
- Check the selected site and backup date carefully.
- Proceed only when you understand that recovery overwrites the current site.
- After completion, log in and run the full verification checklist before restoring normal traffic.
Because recovery overwrites the current state, retain another copy of any newer content you may need before launching it. The feature is for returning to a known prior snapshot, not for combining two different site versions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Restore a WordPress multisite network
Full multisite recovery is a Pro/Elite feature, and the cited multisite guide requires Duplicator Pro 4.0.3 or later on both sides. The destination’s network state determines which install choice is correct.
| Destination state | Install choice | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Already configured as a WordPress multisite network | Restore multisite network | Restores the network into the existing multisite configuration. |
| Not currently multisite | Full install multisite network | Configures multisite during installation. |
Do not select the existing-network restore option for a single-site destination and expect it to create multisite automatically. Conversely, do not use the network-creation option when the destination’s multisite configuration is already established without first confirming the intended replacement behavior.
Post-restore verification checklist
Use a deliberate checklist instead of stopping when the homepage appears. A restore can look successful while still carrying old URLs, stale caches, broken forms, or disabled scheduled work.
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- Sign in to WordPress administration and confirm the expected users and roles are present.
- Open representative pages, posts, categories, and menus.
- Load media from several dates and check downloads.
- Submit each important form and confirm the expected delivery or storage behavior.
- Check the active theme, plugins, and their settings.
- Test pretty permalinks and regenerate them if any route fails.
- Review the site URL and WordPress URL, domain redirects, and HTTPS behavior.
- Clear page, object, CDN, and browser caches that could serve pre-restore content.
- Confirm scheduled jobs and any site-level backup task are present and running.
- Only after these checks, point DNS or production traffic at the restored destination.
Troubleshooting common restore failures
The installer cannot find the archive
Confirm that the archive is in the same destination directory as installer.php, that its filename was not changed unexpectedly, and that the upload completed. Re-upload a damaged or incomplete transfer from the separate copy.
The wizard reports environment warnings
Read the validation notice literally. Check the PHP version against the stated PHP 7.4-plus requirement, verify the destination path, and correct permissions or resource limits identified by the wizard before continuing.
Database connection fails
Re-enter the database host, name, user, and password supplied by the destination host. Check that the user has access to that database and that the table prefix is the intended one. Do not substitute source-host credentials for destination credentials.
The site loads but links or images are broken
Look for an old domain or physical path in the installer values and WordPress settings. Clear caches, regenerate permalinks, and test HTTPS redirects. If the site is on a temporary address, keep DNS unchanged until those URL checks pass.
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This usually follows extraction over a non-empty directory. Stop treating the result as a clean restore. Preserve the current state, compare it with your rollback copy, and repeat the installation in an empty directory or use a controlled Pro replacement workflow.
The restore succeeded but forms or scheduled tasks do not work
Check plugin configuration, domain and HTTPS settings, cron or scheduled-job status, and cache layers. A restored database can contain the correct settings while the destination environment still points to an old URL or lacks a required service.
A Recovery Point cannot be selected
Check that the backup is complete, has no file or database-table filters, and is stored locally on the site. A remote-only package is not eligible for Disaster Recovery; use an appropriate import or classic installation route instead.
When each method is the better choice
- Choose classic installation when you have a clean directory and can transfer files manually. It provides direct control over extraction and database entry.
- Choose Import Install when an existing WordPress site must be replaced and you have Duplicator Pro Basic or higher. Set a Recovery Point first and use the full single-site option for a complete replacement.
- Choose Disaster Recovery when the same site needs to return to a known earlier state and the backup meets the local, complete, unfiltered requirements.
- Choose the multisite workflow only after confirming both the Pro version requirement and whether the destination is already a multisite network.
The safest restore is the one whose destination state, package type, and overwrite behavior you have verified before clicking the final install or recovery button.
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