How To Move WordPress Site From Multisite To The Single Site Install?
January 5th, 2017 | by Ravi Chahar || 4 Comments |
There are many people who are running multiple sites with the same WordPress installation.
But when they try to find out the separate ways then it’s important to move WordPress site from multisite to the single site install.
In this tutorial, you will learn the easiest way to split your single site from the multisite installation.
Before you go further, it’s recommended to backup your website and database.
A Step By Step Guide to Move WordPress Site From Multisite.
There are some necessary steps to complete this process. You should follow each and every step carefully.
Step 1:- Export the whole data of your single website.
Login to your single site and go to tools>>export.
You will see the options to choose the content to export. Choose “All content” and click on “Download Export File“.
The download will finish according to the size of your website.
Step 2:- A New WordPress installation.
To split your single site from the multisite installation, you have to install WordPress separately.
You can install WordPres using cPanel manually or use the software like Softaculous.
Step 3:- Import The Data To The New WordPress Installation.
You have installed WordPress at a different place.
Now, you have to export the data of your single website you have downloaded in the first step.
Go to tools>> import and choose “WordPress” from the list.
A new plugin will get installed. Activate and run the WordPress Importer and choose the XML file you have download in the first step.
Click on “Upload File And import” button.
Now, WordPress will ask you to choose the user name to which all the posts and pages are about to assign.
Choose from the list. If you want to import all the users then do that. The choice is yours.
NOTE:- Don’t forget to check the box to download and import the file attachments.
Click on the submit button and the import process will begin.
You have to wait for its completion. The time varies according to the size of your website’s data.
You will get the notification after the completion of the process. You have successfully transferred the data from your multisite to the single site.
Step 4:- Setting The Permalinks.
To maintain the SEO of your website, you have to use the same permalink structures which were used on your multisite.
It’s because if you change, many 404 errors will get generated in the Google Search Console and you would lose your visitors.
Step 5:- Redirection.
If the single was installed as a subdomain in the multisite then you have to redirect it to the new single site installation.
Add the code in the multisite .htaccess file.
Options +FollowSymLinksRewriteEngine on
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^subdomain.example.com$ [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*) http://www.example.com/$1 [L, R=301]
This is called 301 redirect which is the permanent redirect.
You should replace the www.example.com and the subdomain part with the actual domain name and the sub-domain.
NOTE:- If you were using the custom domains for each of your websites then no need to redirect.
Step 6:- Solve Common Issues If Any.
The work to move WordPress site from multisite to the single site has been finished. But if you get common errors in WordPress then you should fix them.
It’s possible that you can see the broken image links.
If everything goes perfect, you don’t need to touch anything. Otherwise, it would be great to have an eye on the site URL.
Sometimes, it may also conflict.
Can You Now Split A Single Site From The Multisite Installation?
The above-mentioned steps will do the job for you.
But remember, this tutorial doesn’t consist any database stage so, you should understand that the tutorial is about splitting the single site install.
It doesn’t mean, you can set up it as a stand alone website.
I hope, now you can understand the concept. Can you move WordPress site from multisite to the single site?
Hi Ravi,
That’s an important tutorial for any WordPress user out there. Simply thanks for sharing this amazing tutorial.
have a good year ahead.
Hey Robin,
I am glad that you found it helpful. It would help the people who are running the multisite with the single WordPress install.
Thanks for stopping by.
Enjoy your day.
~Ravi
Hey Ravi,
It is really a very interesting and informative post. I’ve seen, you always comes with amazing tutorials with simplicity. They are informative as well as easy to digestible for anyone with your effective images.
Moving a single to its own domain is a challenge that a lot of multi-site admins come across. While running a multi-site network has its own advantages, sometimes a single site may outgrow the network and need its own space. Eventually, thanks for sharing your worthy information with us.
With best regards,
Amar kumar
Hey Amar,
I just try to simplify the things which seem hard to people.
WordPress is easy if you try to engage more with its features. Multisite can be effective but sometimes people want the separate place to handle a single website.
They can do that by following this method.
Thanks for your support.
~Ravi