I did the opposite (transferred all my stuff from a live site to an local install). It should, in theory, work as well. There may be other ways of doing this, but this what has worked for me.
First of all, you will need these two free plugins: All-in-One WP Migration and WP Reset.
1. Install the Migration plugin and the Reset plugin on your live site. You don’t need them now, but you will later.
2. Install the Migration plugin on the local install.
3. Once you get everything the way you want on your local install, use the Reset plugin on your LIVE site (this will set your database back to normal – as if you just installed it). This won’t remove the files of the installation, but it will reset the database.
4. Install onto your live site any plugins or themes that you have installed on your local copy (and that you want to use on your live site). Make sure all of these plugins and themes are activated PRIOR to completing the next step.
5. Use the Migration plugin to export the content from your local install. Save the file to your desktop for easy access.
6. Use the migration plugin to import the content to your live site.
Depending on the amount of data and other speed-related issues, the migration make take a few minutes to complete. The longest it has taken me is about an hour, but it was A LOT of stuff to transfer.
You may have to re-save permalinks as well. The images might be broken too. Adding them manually is a tedious option, but it works. Alternatively, add all of the images to Media, and use this other plugin on your live site to reconnect them. I have not used this plugin, TBH. But the reviews point to it doing what it’s supposed to do.
Happy site revamping!
