Generating a backup of your WordPress website using the All-in-One WP Migration plugin will create a file with the .wpress extension. If this file is larger than 256MB, you will need the premium version of the plugin, for example, to use it to manually migrate your website.
As an alternative, you can extract the .wpress file and upload its content to your hosting via FTP. For this, you will need the following:
The .wpress file
The Wpress-Extractor application (free)
A Windows, Mac, or Linux computer
Any third-party applications can present risks - make sure to download only from trusted sources and check for viruses or malware before installation.
Step 1 - Download and Extract the .wpress File
Create a folder anywhere on your local device and save the .wpress file inside it. Then, download wpress-extractor.exe in the same file path.
Next, extract the .wpress file. Expand to follow the instructions below according to your operating system:
Windows
Windows
Type CMD in the Windows search bar to open the command prompt
Navigate to your .wpress file location using the
cdcommand if neededEnter the following command:
wpress-extractor file.wpress
Replacing file.wpress with your backup file name
Linux or Mac
Linux or Mac
Open the Terminal application
Navigate to your .wpress file location using the
cdcommand if neededEnter the following command:
chmod +x wpress_extractor file.wpress
Replacing file.wpress with your backup file name
This will unzip the .wpress archive and extract all its files in the same location.
Step 2 - Install and Prepare Wordpress
Install WordPress on your hosting account by following this guide: How to Install WordPress Using Auto Installer.
Then, using the File Manager, navigate to the location of your WordPress installation, eg. your domain's public_html folder. Open the wp-content folder and delete its contents so that it is empty. You will replace it with your website file in the next step.
Step 3 - Upload Your Website Files
Connect to your account via FTP by following these steps: How to connect to your account using FTP.
On your FTP client, navigate to the wp-content folder on your hosting - it will be empty as you deleted the files in the previous step. If you're using FileZilla, it will be displayed on the right side.
On the left side, navigate to the path where the files and folders extracted from the .wpress file are located on your local device. Drag and drop all the files in the folder from left to right, with the exception of the following files:
database.sql - you will load the database in the next step
.wpress file - you already extracted this file's content, and it is no longer needed
wpress-extractor.exe - you already used this executable file to extract the .wpress file content. You don't need it in your hosting
Step 4 - Load and Connect the Database
Once all your website's files are uploaded, import the database by following these steps:
After importing the database, ensure that the database login credentials are properly set up on the wp-config.php file.
Once the process is completed, clear your browser cache and check your website - it should be restored.