Softaculous Clone makes an independent copy of an installation at another address. Unlike staging, the clone is not linked to the original, so it is the right tool to move a site from example.com/wp to example.com, to change a site to a new domain on the same account, or to reuse a finished site as a template.
Before you start
- The source site is listed in Softaculous → All Installations.
- The destination domain or subdomain is already added in cPanel and points to MdmHost. See add a domain.
- The destination folder is empty.
- Enough disk space and database allowance for a second copy.
Clone the installation
- Open cPanel → Software → Softaculous Apps Installer → All Installations.
- Click the Clone icon next to the site.
- Choose Installation URL:
- Protocol:
https://orhttps://www. - Domain: the destination
- In Directory: leave empty for the domain root, or enter a folder
- Protocol:
- Database Name: a new database is suggested; keep it.
- Click Clone Installation. Softaculous copies the files, duplicates the database and updates the site URLs.
The clone appears as a new row in All Installations with its own admin link, backups and update settings.
Move a site from a subfolder to the root
- Clone
example.com/wptoexample.comwith an empty directory. The root must not contain another site; move or delete old files first. - Test the new address thoroughly.
- Add a 301 redirect from
/wpto the root so old links and search rankings follow. - When everything works, remove the old installation (without removing the redirect rule).
Tip: After cloning WordPress, log in to the clone and save Settings → Permalinks once to rebuild rewrite rules, then purge LiteSpeed Cache.
Cloning to another server or account
Clone only works within the same cPanel account. To move a site to a different account or server, use Softaculous Backup on the source and Restore on the destination, a migration plugin, or ask MdmHost support for help with a migration.
Clone vs staging
| Clone | Staging | |
|---|---|---|
| Linked to original | No | Yes, can push back to live |
| Typical use | Move to new URL, templates, duplicates | Test changes before going live |
Troubleshooting
- Clone has broken images or links to the old URL: some plugins store URLs in serialised data. Run a search-replace; see WordPress search and replace.
- "Database limit reached": delete unused databases or upgrade the plan.
- Login to the clone loops: clear cookies; both sites use the same admin account names but different cookies per domain.