Written by Admin on 2025-05-06

How to Download Existing WordPress Site

If you want to download an existing WordPress site, there are several ways to go about it. In this article, we will discuss the most common methods of downloading a WordPress site and give you step-by-step instructions on how to do it.

Before we get started, it is essential to note that downloading a WordPress site will require some technical knowledge. It is not recommended for beginners unless you are comfortable with navigating and editing WordPress files. With that said, let's dive in.

Method 1: Downloading with cPanel

Most web hosting providers give you access to a control panel, where you can manage your website. cPanel is a popular control panel that allows you to download your WordPress site. Here's how:

1. Log in to your web hosting account and navigate to the cPanel dashboard.
2. Look for the "File Manager" option and select it.
3. Locate the folder that contains your WordPress installation (usually public_html) and double-click to open it.
4. Select all the files and folders in the WordPress installation folder by clicking the checkbox on the top left.
5. Click the "Compress" option at the top menu, and choose "Zip Archive".
6. Wait for the compression process to finish, and then download the zip file to your computer.

Method 2: Downloading with FTP

File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is an alternative method to access and download your WordPress files. Here's how to do it:

1. Download an FTP client (e.g. FileZilla) and install it on your computer.
2. Log in to your web hosting account and look for your FTP credentials. These should include an FTP hostname, username, password, and port number.
3. Connect to your web server using the FTP client by entering your credentials and clicking on "Quickconnect."
4. Navigate to the folder that contains your WordPress files and download all the files and folders to your computer.

Method 3: Exporting with WordPress Tools

WordPress comes with built-in tools to export your site. Here's how to use them:

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to the "Tools" section.
2. Click on "Export."
3. Choose the "All Content" option, and click on the "Download Export File" button.
4. Wait for the file to download to your computer.

Conclusion

Downloading an existing WordPress site can be a complicated process, but with these instructions, you should be able to do it with ease. Whether you use cPanel, FTP, or WordPress tools, be sure to backup your site regularly to avoid any loss of data.