Written by Admin on 2025-05-06

How to Download a Full WordPress Site

Have you ever wanted to save a local copy of your WordPress site? Perhaps you want to create a backup, transfer your site to a new host, or work on it offline. With a few simple steps, you can download a full copy of your site and preserve its content and structure.

Step 1: Choose the Right Tools

To download a WordPress site, you need two things: an FTP client and a text editor. An FTP (File Transfer Protocol) client enables you to connect to your web hosting server and download files from it. Some popular FTP clients are:

• FileZilla
• WinSCP
• Cyberduck

A text editor is needed to modify the downloaded files, if you want to make any changes. You can use any plain text editor, such as:

• Notepad (Windows)
• TextEdit (Mac)
• Sublime Text
• Atom

Step 2: Connect to Your Server

Before you can download your site, you need to connect to your server via FTP. You can obtain your FTP credentials from your web hosting provider. Typically, you will need the following information:

• Hostname or IP address
• Username
• Password
• Port (usually 21)

Once you have your credentials, open your chosen FTP client and enter them to log in to your server.

Step 3: Navigate to Your Site's Root Directory

After you have connected to your server, you should see a list of files and folders on the remote server. Navigate to the root directory of your WordPress site. This is usually the public_html or www directory, depending on your web hosting setup.

Step 4: Download the Site Files

To download the site files, you need to select all the files and folders in the root directory and download them to your local computer. To select all the files, you can press Ctrl+A (Windows) or Command+A (Mac).

Once you have selected all the files, right-click and select the option to download the files. Your FTP client will begin transferring the files.

This may take some time, depending on the size of your site and the speed of your internet connection. Be patient and let the transfer complete.

Step 5: Export the Site Database

In addition to the site files, you also need to download a copy of your site's database. The database contains all the site's content, including posts, pages, settings, and user information.

To export the database, you need to log in to your site's dashboard and go to Tools > Export. Select the option to export all content, and download the resulting XML file to your local computer.

Step 6: Combine the Files and Database

Once you have downloaded both the site files and the database, you need to combine them in order to have a full copy of your site. To do this, you need to import the database into a local installation of WordPress and copy the site files to the appropriate directory.

First, create a new database in your local server and import the downloaded database using the phpMyAdmin tool. Then, copy the site files to the local web server directory, typically localhost or htdocs.

Finally, modify the wp-config.php file with the database credentials of your local server and launch your local web server. You should now be able to access your local copy of the WordPress site.

Conclusion

Downloading a full WordPress site is a relatively simple process, requiring only a few tools and steps. By following this guide, you can create a backup of your site and work on it locally without the need for an internet connection. Happy downloading!