{"id":139324,"date":"2023-01-19T16:33:47","date_gmt":"2023-01-19T22:33:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/?p=139324"},"modified":"2025-05-14T13:31:23","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T18:31:23","slug":"import-any-wordpress-site-into-local-from-anywhere-for-free-with-wp-migrate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpengine.com\/case-studies\/import-any-wordpress-site-into-local-from-anywhere-for-free-with-wp-migrate\/","title":{"rendered":"Import Any WordPress Site Into Local\u00a0(From Anywhere, for Free) With WP Migrate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Spinning up a new website with Local<\/a> is just about as easy as it gets. But what happens if you\u2019re picking up a project that isn\u2019t so fresh?\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the latest and greatest from Local<\/a> and WP Migrate<\/a>, it\u2019s easier than ever to import a site into Local, even a live site with an active database and a bunch of published content.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are two pieces that make this all possible:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Full Site Exports<\/strong><\/a>: <\/strong>Version 2.6<\/a> of WP Migrate Lite (a free plugin available on WordPress.org<\/a>) now lets you bundle up your entire site and download it as a .zip file. That\u2019s your database, media, themes, plugins, and everything else you need all wrapped up in a nice little package. You can even configure what is and isn\u2019t included.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Local<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong> The latest release of Local now has the ability to consume and parse this .zip file and spin up an exact copy of the site in Local, in seconds, allowing you to get to work faster than ever.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    No connection keys, no deploy pipelines, just a few simple clicks. Export the file -> import the file and boom, you\u2019re done!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you\u2019re more of a visual person, we\u2019ve created a quick video walkthrough<\/a> to help you get started. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    But first, let\u2019s zoom out and get a better understanding of Local, WP Migrate, and how the two work together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"Promotional<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Local Development With Local<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    With more than a million active users, Local<\/a> is one of the most beloved developer tools in the WordPress community. Anyone who builds sites with WordPress can use Local for speed and simplicity, allowing them to create new sites and test changes and updates in a stress-free local environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Some favorite features found in Local include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n