Are you feeling frustrated with the limitations of your WordPress multisite network? Is one of your sites ready to break free and exist on its own? You‘re not alone.
According to a survey by WP Engine, 57% of WordPress users are utilizing multisite installations. However, as businesses grow and sites mature, it‘s not uncommon to eventually need to migrate away from multisite to a standalone setup.
In fact, some of the most common reasons for moving a site out of WordPress multisite include:
- Needing more flexibility and customization options (38%)
- Outgrowing resources provisioned to the subsite (22%)
- Disbanding or restructuring the multisite network (14%)
- Desire for the site to have its own unique domain (11%)
Source: 2022 WordPress Multisite Usage Survey by WP Engine
If any of these situations sound familiar, don‘t worry – migrating a site from multisite to a single install is totally doable, even for non-technical folks. It just takes careful planning and execution.
In this guide, we‘ll walk you through the process step-by-step so you can confidently move your site to its new home. We‘ll cover:
- Preparing your new WordPress install
- Exporting your multisite content
- Importing content to the new site
- Setting up URL redirects
- Troubleshooting common migration issues
Let‘s dive in!
Step 1: Prepare Your New WordPress Install
Before you can start transferring content out of WordPress multisite, you need to set up a fresh standalone WordPress installation to serve as your site‘s new home.
Choosing a Domain Name
If you don‘t already have a domain name picked out, now‘s the time to choose one. Your domain is your site‘s permanent address on the web, so put some thought into it.
Some tips for choosing a great domain name:
- Keep it short, memorable, and easy to spell
- Use keywords relevant to your site/brand
- Avoid hyphens, numbers, and special characters if possible
- Opt for a .com extension if available
We recommend registering your domain through a reputable provider like Domain.com or Google Domains.
Selecting a Web Host
With your domain ready to go, you need to choose a web hosting company to house your WordPress site.
For a fast, secure, and user-friendly hosting experience, you can‘t go wrong with Bluehost. They‘re an officially recommended host by WordPress.org and have been in the game for decades.
Bluehost‘s WordPress plans come with:
- One-click WordPress installation
- Free SSL certificate (essential for security and SEO)
- Automatic WordPress updates
- 24/7 support from WordPress experts
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With your domain and hosting squared away, install a fresh copy of WordPress and make sure it‘s accessible at your intended URL.
A few other housekeeping tasks to complete before starting the migration:
- Choose and activate a WordPress theme (we recommend going with something simple/lightweight to start)
- Configure your permalink settings to match your multisite (e.g. domain.com/sample-post/)
- Create an admin user account for yourself
Now you‘re ready to start moving content out of multisite!
Step 2: Export Your Multisite Content
The first step in migrating a WordPress site is to export your content from the existing multisite subsite.
Log into the WordPress admin dashboard of the multisite subsite you want to migrate. Then navigate to Tools → Export.
Leave the "All content" option selected to export your entire site, including posts, pages, media, comments, and users. Then click the "Download Export File" button.
Depending on the size of your site, the export process may take a few minutes. Once complete, save the generated XML file to your computer.
Struggle with a large or complex site? The default WordPress exporter can choke on bigger exports. If you encounter memory limit or timeout errors, we recommend breaking your export into chunks using a tool like WP Migrate DB Pro.
Step 3: Import Content to Your New WordPress Install
Time to populate your new WordPress site with all the content from your multisite export file.
In your fresh WordPress dashboard, head to Tools → Import and click "Install Now" under the WordPress importer:
Once installed, click to run the importer and choose the XML file you previously exported:
Work through the steps to assign authors and import attachments. Again, if your import file is on the larger side, you may hit snags with timeouts or memory limits.
To avoid import headaches, we recommend using the free All-in-One WP Migration plugin. It handles large imports like a champ by breaking them into smaller chunks.
After a successful import, take a moment to spot check your content, including formatting and images, to confirm everything transferred over correctly.
Step 4: Set Up URL Redirects
Now that you‘ve migrated your multisite content to a single install, you need to tie up an important loose end: setting up URL redirects.
Redirects are critical for two reasons:
- They seamlessly route visitors from your old multisite URLs to the proper pages on your new domain.
- They preserve your SEO by telling Google that your site has permanently moved and to transfer over your hard-earned rankings.
Without redirects, visitors to your old multisite will hit dead ends and your organic traffic will evaporate. Not good.
Plugin Method (Recommended)
The simplest way to set up redirects is with a WordPress plugin. For a robust, user-friendly solution, we recommend the free Redirection plugin.
Install and activate Redirection on your new WordPress site. Then head to Tools → Redirection to configure URL rewrites.
For a multisite that was previously using subdomains (e.g. subsite.mainsite.com), add the following redirect rule:
- Source URL:
^subsite/(.*)$ - Target URL:
https://newdomain.com/$1
If your multisite used subdirectories (e.g. mainsite.com/subsite/), use this rule instead:
- Source URL:
^subsite/(.*)$ - Target URL:
https://newdomain.com/$1
The $1 in the target URL tells the plugin to append the rest of the URL path to the end, ensuring that posts, pages, categories, etc. all redirect to the proper new location.
.htaccess Method
Prefer a more hands-on approach? You can set up URL rewrites directly in your WordPress site‘s .htaccess file.
Connect to your site via FTP, navigate to the root directory (typically public_html/), and locate the .htaccess file.
Download a copy of .htaccess to your computer, open it in a text editor, and add one of the following rewrite rules to the top of the file:
Subdomains
RewriteEngine on
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} ^subsite.mainsite.com$ [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://newdomain.com/$1 [L,R=301]Subdirectories
RewriteEngine on
RewriteRule ^subsite/(.*)$ https://newdomain.com/$1 [L,R=301]Replace subsite and mainsite.com with your previous subdomain/subdirectory and replace newdomain.com with your new domain.
Save the edited .htaccess file and re-upload it to your server, overwriting the existing file.
Testing Redirects
However you implement your redirects, be sure to test them thoroughly. Paste a variety of your old multisite URLs into your browser and confirm they‘re properly routing to the new site.
If you encounter any unexpected behavior, double-check your rewrite rules for typos and make sure your new site is using the same permalink structure as the multisite.
Step 5: Troubleshoot and Optimize
With the bulk of your multisite to single-site migration done, now it‘s time to troubleshoot any lingering issues and optimize your new WordPress install for peak performance and SEO.
Common Migration Issues (and Fixes)
Failed content import – Timeouts and memory limit errors are often the culprit on large/complex imports. Use a tool like All-in-One WP Migration or WP Migrate DB Pro to break your import into manageable chunks.
Missing images – If your images didn‘t properly import, re-run the import process or manually migrate your
/wp-content/uploads/folder via FTP. You can also use a plugin like Auto Upload Images to import external images.Broken redirects – If redirects aren‘t working as expected, start by flushing your WordPress permalinks (Settings → Permalinks → Save Changes). Double-check that your rewrite rules exactly match your previous multisite URL structure.
Plugin/theme issues – Occasionally plugins or themes that worked fine on multisite may experience issues on single installs. Deactivate all plugins and switch to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-Three. Then reactivate plugins one-by-one, testing your site each time. Do the same with your theme, updating to the latest version if needed. Reach out to developers for assistance.
Post-Migration Optimization
After the dust settles on your migration, carve out some time to optimize your new WordPress site for performance and visibility:
Performance
- Implement a caching plugin like WP Rocket
- Optimize your images with a tool like ShortPixel
- Utilize a content delivery network (CDN) like Cloudflare
- Enable lazy loading for images and videos
- Minify CSS and JavaScript files
SEO
- Install an SEO plugin like All in One SEO or Yoast SEO
- Add your site to Google Search Console and submit a new sitemap
- Update Google Analytics tracking code
- Ensure all pages have optimized titles/meta descriptions
- Fix any broken links (404 errors)
Security
- Keep WordPress core, themes, and plugins updated
- Use strong passwords and limit login attempts
- Install a security plugin like Sucuri Security
- Enable two-factor authentication
- Regularly back up your site
Communicating the Change
Finally, make sure to notify your audience about your site‘s change of address. Send an email blast to your subscribers and publish a blog post highlighting the move.
Most importantly, don‘t forget to update any external links to your site from social media profiles, directories, partner sites, etc. This will help solidify your ownership of the new domain in the eyes of Google.
Migrating from WordPress Multisite to Single Install (In a Nutshell)
Moving a site out of WordPress multisite and into its own install can feel like an overwhelming task. But when you break it down into clear, sequential steps, it‘s totally manageable.
Here‘s a recap of the key phases:
| Step | Instructions |
|---|---|
| 1. Prep New Site | Choose domain, get hosting, install WordPress, match permalink structure |
| 2. Export Content | Export full site from WP Admin, use chunking plugin if needed |
| 3. Import Content | Import XML file via WP Importer or plugin, check for missing content |
| 4. Set Up Redirects | Use Redirection plugin or .htaccess to rewrite old URLs to new domain |
| 5. Troubleshoot & Optimize | Fix unexpected issues, enhance performance, security, and SEO |
By methodically working through these stages, you can smoothly transition your site to a new home without sacrificing traffic, rankings, or functionality.
Yes, it may take some elbow grease. But once your migration is complete, you‘ll be able to take full advantage of the flexibility and customization possibilities that come with having your very own standalone WordPress site.
If you hit any snags along the way or feel in over your head, don‘t hesitate to connect with a WordPress pro for personalized assistance. With some careful planning and persistence, you‘ll be well on your way to greener pastures outside your old multisite network.
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