Migrating a large WordPress site can feel overwhelming. When you’re dealing with 100,000+ files, multi-gigabyte databases, and thousands of images, traditional migration methods often fail with timeout errors, memory exhaustion, or incomplete transfers. But it doesn’t have to be complicated. Migratico Lite was specifically designed to handle large WordPress sites with ease.
What Makes a WordPress Site “Large”?
Before we dive into the migration process, let’s define what we mean by a “large” WordPress site:
– 10,000+ files – Typical for sites with extensive media libraries
– Database over 100 MB – Common with WooCommerce stores or membership sites
– Total size 1 GB+ – Including all themes, plugins, and uploads
– 100+ database tables – Sites with multiple plugins and custom post types
If your site fits any of these criteria, you need a migration solution that can handle the load without timing out or failing midway.
The Migratico Lite Approach
Migratico Lite uses a chunked processing approach that breaks your large site into manageable pieces. This means:
Automatic File Splitting
Instead of trying to create one massive ZIP file (which often fails), Migratico Lite automatically splits your files into smaller chunks:
– Customizable chunk size – Set your preferred maximum ZIP size (default: 500 MB)
– Automatic splitting – Plugin handles the splitting automatically
– Sequential numbering – files_001.zip, files_002.zip, files_003.zip, etc.
– No file loss – Every file is tracked and verified
Example: A 5 GB WordPress site with 120,000 files gets split into:
– database.sql.zip (150 MB)
– files_001.zip (500 MB)
– files_002.zip (500 MB)
– files_003.zip (500 MB)
– … and so on
Batch Processing with Auto-Resume
The export process runs in batches with automatic timeout protection:
Export Process:
1. Scan Phase – Catalogs all files (500 files per batch)
2. Database Export – Exports tables in chunks (5 tables per batch)
3. Files Export – Adds files to ZIP (50-100 files per batch)
4. Auto-Resume – If timeout occurs, automatically continues from where it stopped
This means you can export a 10 GB site even on shared hosting with strict time limits.
Progress Tracking
Unlike plugins that leave you wondering what’s happening, Migratico Lite provides real-time progress updates:
– Visual progress bar – See exactly how far along you are
– File count tracking – “Exported 45,000 of 120,000 files”
– Size tracking – “Processed 2.3 GB of 5.8 GB”
– Time estimates – “Estimated time remaining: 5 minutes”
Step-by-Step Migration Guide
Step 1: Install Migratico Lite
1. Download Migratico Lite from WordPress.org
2. Upload to `/wp-content/plugins/` or install via WordPress admin
3. Activate the plugin
4. Navigate to Migratico Lite in your WordPress admin menu
Step 2: Create Your Package
1. Go to Migratico Lite > Create Package
2. Enter a package name (e.g., “mysite-migration-2025”)
3. Set maximum ZIP size:
– Shared hosting: 200-300 MB (conservative)
– VPS/Cloud: 500 MB (balanced)
– Dedicated server: 1000 MB (fast)
4. Click Start Scan
Pro Tip:Start with a smaller ZIP size on shared hosting to avoid server limits.
Step 3: Review and Filter (Optional)
After scanning completes, you’ll see:
– Total files count
– Total size
– Database size
You can optionally exclude directories:
– Cache directories (often regenerated)
– Backup directories (no need to backup backups)
– Large media folders (if you’re migrating them separately)
Step 4: Export
Click Start Export and let Migratico Lite work its magic:
– Dailes export- Depends on size, but progress bar keeps you informed
– Automatic resume – If your browser closes, just return and it continues
Real Example: A 6.2 GB site with 116,000 files exported in approximately 45 minutes on shared hosting.
Step 5: Download Your Package
Once export completes, download all files:
– `migratico.php` – Installation wizard
– `database.sql.zip` – Your database
– `files_001.zip` through `files_XXX.zip` – All your files
mportant: Download all files before proceeding. Missing even one ZIP file will cause installation to fail.
Step 6: Upload to New Server
Upload all downloaded files to your new server’s public_html (or equivalent) directory using:
– SFTP (recommended) – FileZilla, Cyberduck, or similar
– FTP (if SFTP unavailable)
– cPanel File Manager** (for smaller sites)
Step 7: Run Installation Wizard
1. Open `https://your-new-domain.com/migratico.php` in your browser
2. Step 1: Environment check – Verifies server requirements
3. Step 2: Database settings – Enter your new database credentials
4. Step 3: Site settings – Set new URL and admin credentials
5. Step 4: Installation – Watch the progress bar as your site is restored
The installation wizard handles:
– Extracting all ZIP files (with progress tracking)
– Importing database (with transaction safety)
– Updating URLs (all occurrences, including serialized data)
– Updating wp-config.php (with automatic backup)
– Creating/updating admin user
Step 8: Clean Up
After successful installation:
1. Click Delete Installation Files button
2. Verify your site works correctly
3. Delete the backup from your old server
Handling Common Large Site Challenges
Challenge 1: Shared Hosting Timeouts
Problem: Shared hosting often has 30-60 second execution limits.
Solution: Migratico Lite’s batch processing runs in 25-second chunks, well under most limits. If a timeout occurs, the plugin automatically resumes on the next request.
Challenge 2: Memory Exhaustion
Problem: Large sites can exhaust PHP memory limits.
Solution: Migratico Lite processes files in small batches and uses streaming for large files (>5 MB), keeping memory usage minimal.
Challenge 3: Incomplete Transfers
Problem:Traditional methods might miss files or corrupt data.
Solution: Migratico Lite verifies every step:
– Critical files check before export
– ZIP integrity verification after creation
– File count validation after extraction
– Database import verification
Challenge 4: Serialized Data Corruption
Problem:WordPress stores some data in serialized format. Simple find-replace breaks this.
Solution: Migratico Lite uses Duplicator-inspired search-replace that:
– Detects serialized data automatically
– Updates string lengths correctly
– Handles nested serialization
– Preserves data integrity
Performance Optimization Tips
For Faster Exports:
1. Exclude unnecessary directories:
– `/wp-content/cache/`
– `/wp-content/backup/`
– `/wp-content/ai1wm-backups/`
2. Increase ZIP size on powerful servers:
– VPS/Cloud: 500-1000 MB
– Dedicated: 1000-2000 MB
3. Run during off-peak hours:
– Less server load = faster processing
For Shared Hosting:
1. Use conservative settings:
– ZIP size: 200-300 MB
– Let auto-resume handle timeouts
2. Disable caching plugins temporarily:
– Reduces file count
– Speeds up scanning
3. Monitor server resources
– Check hosting control panel for limits
Real-World Success Stories
E-commerce Store (WooCommerce):
– 156,000 files
– 8.4 GB total size
– 2,400 products
– Migration time:Â 10 minutes
– Result: Zero data loss, all orders preserved
Membership Site:
– 89,000 files
– 3.2 GB total size
– 450 MB database
– Migration time: 5 minutes
– Result:** All user data intact, subscriptions working
News Portal:*
– 210,000 files
– 12 GB total size
– 15 years of content
– Migration time: 25 minutes
– Result: Complete archive migrated successfully
The Bottom Line
Migrating a large WordPress site doesn’t have to be a nightmare. With Migratico Lite’s intelligent chunking, automatic resume, and progress tracking, you can confidently migrate sites of any size.The plugin handles all the technical complexity behind the scenes, letting you focus on what matters—getting your site up and running on the new server.Ready to migrate your large WordPress site? Download Migratico Lite today and experience stress-free migration.