Description
Shiftbox packs your database, media, themes and plugins into one .shiftbox file. Download it, upload it to another site, and Shiftbox moves everything over and updates every link and file path to the new address.
No size cap
There is no built-in import limit. Your server’s upload limit does not matter either: Shiftbox sends the file in pieces that always fit what the server accepts. You can set your own import and backup limits in Settings (for example 10 MB, 10 GB or unlimited).
Uploads and downloads that resume
If your connection drops halfway through a 5 GB upload, Shiftbox continues from where it stopped, even after you reload the page. Downloads support HTTP ranges, so browsers and download managers can resume them too.
Your site stays up while restoring
Most migration tools overwrite your live database and files step by step, so a failure halfway leaves a broken site. Shiftbox unpacks files into a staging folder and loads the database into temporary tables. Your live site keeps working the whole time. Only the last step switches everything over, and it takes seconds.
Switching from All-in-One WP Migration?
Shiftbox restores .wpress backups too. Upload one on the Import page, or open Shiftbox > Backups: any .wpress files already saved on the site by All-in-One WP Migration are listed there with a Restore button. Compressed backups are supported; password-protected ones are not.
Restore is free
Restoring a backup from the list, or from a file you upload, is included. So are scheduled backups.
Built for shared hosting
- Work is done in short steps, so PHP time limits do not stop a large backup or restore.
- Three performance modes: Safe, Balanced and Turbo.
- An optional speed cap keeps transfers from slowing down your site for visitors.
- Upload pieces grow on fast connections and shrink when the server pushes back.
Careful with your data
- Links inside serialized data (widgets, page builders, theme options) are updated without breaking them. Serialized data is parsed, never unserialized, so no PHP objects are created.
- Moving between different table prefixes, and from MySQL 8 to MariaDB, is handled automatically.
- Cache drop-ins and hosting-specific must-use plugins are not copied to a new server.
- Backups are stored in a protected folder with long random file names.
- Every action checks permissions and a security token.
Features
- Full-site backup and restore
- Move to a new domain, server or local install
- Leave out media, themes, plugins, the database, inactive plugins or themes, post revisions and spam comments
- Daily or weekly automatic backups with retention
- Restores .wpress backups from All-in-One WP Migration
- Optional backup of the current site before every restore
- Import and backup size limits you control
- Works with PHP 7.4 and newer
Screenshots
Installation
- In your dashboard go to Plugins > Add New and search for “Shiftbox”.
- Install and activate it.
- Open Shiftbox in the admin menu.
To move a site: create a backup on the old site and download it. Install WordPress and Shiftbox on the new server, open Shiftbox > Move or restore, and upload the file.
FAQ
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Is there a file size limit?
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Shiftbox has no built-in limit. You can set your own limit under Shiftbox > Settings. Very large sites need enough free disk space on the server: about twice the backup size while restoring.
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My host limits uploads to 2 MB. Will it work?
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Yes. Files are uploaded in pieces smaller than your host’s limit.
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What happens if a restore fails?
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Your live site is not changed until the final step. If something goes wrong before that, the temporary files and tables are removed and your site keeps running as before.
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Do I need to log in again after a restore?
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Yes. The users come from the backup, so log in with an account from the site you restored.
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Does it support multisite?
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Not yet. Both sites must be single WordPress sites.
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Where are backups stored?
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In the
shiftbox-backupsfolder inside your uploads folder (usuallywp-content/uploads/shiftbox-backups). It is never included in your backups. The folder is blocked from web access on Apache and IIS, and file names contain a long random string. On Nginx, download backups and delete them from the server if you are concerned about storage. -
Can I restore a backup made with All-in-One WP Migration?
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Yes. Shiftbox reads
.wpressfiles, including compressed ones. Password-protected.wpressbackups cannot be read: create the backup again without a password. Backups from other plugins (UpdraftPlus, Duplicator) are not supported yet. -
About the name
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“Shiftbox” is a coined word for a personal project by Mayur Patil. It is not a registered company or brand. This plugin is not affiliated with or endorsed by All-in-One WP Migration or ServMask. That name appears only to describe which backup files Shiftbox can read, and belongs to its owner.
Reviews
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Contributors & Developers
“Shiftbox – Site Migration & Backup” is open source software. The following people have contributed to this plugin.
Contributors
Translate “Shiftbox – Site Migration & Backup” into your language.
Interested in development?
Browse the code, check out the SVN repository, or subscribe to the development log by RSS.
Changelog
1.0.0
- First release.