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Multisite Support

How the plugin handles WordPress Multisite (network).

SL MigrationsUpdated 21 Oct 2026
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Multisite Support

Note: the current SL Migrations build declares Network: false in the plugin header, so it can only be activated per site and cannot be network-activated. The sections below describe how the backup core handles Multisite; test on a copy before applying it to a real network.

The plugin supports WordPress Multisite - back up the whole network or a single subsite.

Back up the full network

Network Admin → SL Migrations → Packages → Create New:

  • Tick Include all subsites
  • The plugin backs up:
    • The main site (wp_* tables)
    • All subsites (wp_2_*, wp_3_*, …)
    • wp_blogs, wp_site, wp_users, wp_usermeta
    • All of wp-content/uploads/sites/ or wp-content/blogs.dir/

Back up one subsite

Network Admin → SL Migrations → Packages → Create New → Components:

  • Choose Subsite Only
  • Pick the subsite ID from the dropdown
  • The plugin only backs up that subsite's tables and uploads

Benefit: a much smaller archive that can be restored into a standalone site.

Restore a subsite as a standalone site

A common pattern: split one subsite out into its own standalone WordPress.

  1. Back up the subsite (as above)
  2. On the destination server, install a fresh WordPress and the SL Migrations plugin
  3. Import the archive
  4. The installer asks "Convert multisite subsite to standalone?" → Yes
  5. The plugin automatically:
    • Renames the tables wp_2_* → wp_*
    • Updates wp-config (removes the multisite constants)
    • Searches and replaces URLs
    • Clears the cache

Restore a standalone site as a subsite in a network

The reverse - push a standalone WordPress in as a subsite of a network:

  1. Back up the standalone site (full mode)
  2. On the multisite, create a new empty subsite (say ID 5)
  3. Network Admin → SL Migrations → Import
  4. Upload the archive → choose Import as subsite ID 5
  5. The plugin renames the tables → wp_5_* and updates wp_blogs

Notes

  • Domain mapping: if the network uses domain mapping, make sure the domain mapper plugin is backed up too
  • Network plugins: for plugins active at the network level → backing up wp-content/plugins is fine
  • Users table: shared across the network, so do not restore it piecemeal → it can break post ownership

See also