All-in-One WP Migration exports an entire site into a single file and restores it somewhere else. It works well, until the file gets large, and then it runs into two different limits, which show up with different symptoms.
Limit 1: file size
The free version restricts import size. On top of that, WordPress and the server have their own upload ceiling. The symptom is clear: the screen shows the maximum size and refuses before it even starts.
the All-in-One WP Migration Unlimited Extension is in the catalog. It’s the author’s own extension that removes the import limit from the free version.
upload the file via FTP, not through the browser. Place the .wpress file in wp-content/ai1wm-backups/ on the destination site. Open All-in-One WP Migration > Backups and it will be listed there, ready to restore, without going through any upload limit.
It’s the most direct path and the one that depends least on convincing the server of anything.
Limit 2: execution time
Here the symptom is different: the import starts, the bar moves, and then it stops midway, always around roughly the same percentage. This is max_execution_time.
Raise max_execution_time to 300 and memory_limit to 300M. Where to set this is in server requirements. If your host won’t let you change it, restore during low-traffic hours: a shared server under load gives up sooner.
Shrink the file before exporting
Much of the weight doesn’t need to travel. On the export screen, use the advanced options to exclude:
- the uploads folder, if you can copy it separately via FTP, which is usually the bulk of the file;
- comment spam and post revisions;
- cache, which rebuilds itself on the destination.
A 4 GB site often turns into 300 MB this way, and 300 MB gets through almost anywhere.
After restoring
Two things, always, in this order:
- Save permalinks. Go to Settings > Permalinks and click save, without changing anything. This is what regenerates the URL rules: without it, the homepage loads and everything else returns a 404.
- Log in again. The restore brings in the users from the source site, so your password is now the one from there.
If the destination is a copy for testing, it’s worth reading how to set up a test environment, especially the part about blocking the copy from being indexed.
