Softaculous

Import an existing WordPress site into Softaculous

Make Softaculous manage a site you installed manually or migrated: import from the same account or from another server, then enable backups and auto-upgrades.

IntermediatecPanel hosting2 min read

Softaculous only manages apps it knows about. If you installed WordPress by hand, restored it from a backup or moved it from another host, it will not appear in All Installations, so you cannot use one-click backups, staging or auto-upgrades. The Import feature fixes that in a minute.

Before you start

  • The site works and its configuration file is in place (for WordPress, wp-config.php with valid database details).
  • Know the exact URL and folder of the site.

Import from this account

  1. Open cPanel → Software → Softaculous Apps Installer.
  2. Open the app's page, for example WordPress, and click the Import tab.
  3. Choose From this server.
  4. Choose Protocol and Choose Domain to match the site.
  5. In Directory: leave empty if the site is at the domain root, or enter its folder.
  6. Click Import. Softaculous reads the configuration and adds the installation.

Tip: Softaculous can also scan for all manual installs at once: in All Installations or the top menu look for Scan / Import options, depending on the version.

Import from another server

Softaculous can copy a site from another host over FTP or SFTP.

  1. On the Import tab choose From Remote Server.
  2. Enter the source details: domain, FTP server, FTP username and password, FTP port and the path to the site on the old server. Choose the protocol (FTP, FTPS or SFTP).
  3. Enter the destination: protocol, domain and directory on your MdmHost account.
  4. Click Import. Softaculous downloads the files and database through the old server and sets everything up here.
  5. When finished, test the site using a hosts-file entry or a temporary URL, then point the domain's DNS to MdmHost.

Remote import works best for small to medium sites on hosts that allow PHP and FTP access. For large sites, Softaculous backup and restore, a migration plugin, or MdmHost's free migration help are more reliable. Open a ticket to ask.

After importing

  1. Open All Installations and confirm the site is listed with the right version.
  2. Click Edit details and set auto-upgrades and automated backups.
  3. Fill in the admin username so the one-click admin login works.

Troubleshooting

  • "Could not find the configuration file": wrong folder. Check where wp-config.php lives.
  • "Could not connect to the database": details in the config file are wrong; the site itself would show a database connection error too.
  • Remote import fails: the old host blocks FTP from external servers, or the path is wrong. Use a backup file instead.

Next steps

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