Scope: Prime Mover Free / Pro version
What is the complete list of files that have been migrated or backed up?
Please check out this answer.
Does Prime Mover allow for automatic or scheduled backups?
Yes, but you must upgrade to Prime Mover PRO 2.0 or higher. This new feature is compatible with both multisite and single-site WordPress environments. Refer to the documentation to learn how it works and how to use it effectively.
Can this migrate or back up the multisite main/primary site?
Since Prime Mover version 1.2.2, it can now support backup and migration on the multisite main site. This is only available with the PRO version.
However, please note that the free version allows backup and migration for an unlimited number of multisite sub-sites.
Can this be used to migrate an entire multisite network?
No, the Prime Mover plugin can only import one site or subsite at a time. This feature will be added in a future release.
Is there a way to speed up the export and import process?
Yes, sure, you can enable turbo mode, which works for both export and import. Please note that not all hosts can support this feature.
What are Prime Mover’s technical requirements?
Please refer to the plugin’s minimum technical requirements.
How do you restore large packages using the Free version?
Please read this tutorial for details.
When migrating a multisite to another multisite, do the source subsite and target subsite blog IDs need to match?
Please read this FAQ.
I am unable to activate the license due to errors.
Please read this tutorial for details.
The Prime Mover plugin gets deactivated every time I activate it. Is this normal?
Yes, Prime Mover ensures that it can only be activated on sites that meet the minimum requirements. Therefore, it will automatically deactivate if it detects missing requirements. You should be able to determine the missing requirements, as it will output an admin notice error. You can resolve the issue (e.g., check for permission issues) or contact your web host. If you have not received an administrative error notice, please contact us to check on the status.
I want to purchase; how many licenses do I need?
Please read our licensing guide for details.
Does this plugin work on localhost?
Yes, of course. You can migrate or do backups at localhost. And then migrate to a remote server and vice versa.
When downloading my packages, I got a “Secure Connection Failed” error in Firefox.
Try downloading the packages using the Chrome browser. Alternatively, you can download your package via SFTP or use your hosting file manager.
I’m unable to download the WPRIME package because it hangs or encounters errors. Is there any other way?
Yes, please look into this guide. You can also download the package via SFTP or a file manager.
Does this plugin work with any hosting companies?
Yes. This plugin also supports both Linux and Windows server environments. If you find a host that does not work with Prime Mover, please submit a bug ticket so we can investigate the issue immediately.
How do you cancel ongoing exports and try again?
To correctly cancel an ongoing export and try the export again, please read this detailed tutorial.
Do I need to adjust my PHP upload parameters for large packages?
Updated solution: Please check out this recent tutorial.
This is not required. Prime Mover is designed to cope with limited PHP upload parameters. So, even if your package size is 60 MB and your server’s PHP max upload file size is only 2 MB (the PHP default, and you are on shared hosting—this cannot be changed), Prime Mover will still work.
Prime Mover will automatically slice your package into 2MB upload sessions until it is uploaded completely. It even checks if you have a slower connection and adjusts the slice accordingly, as your connection can only handle a certain amount of data without sending too much to the server.
I encountered the runtime error “Main extraction failed: No error” in Windows/Microsoft IIS. What’s the workaround?
This is caused by a Windows limitation relating to the number of characters in the file path (the path inside the package is included). Please read this guide for the complete workaround and solution.
I want to take advantage of a free trial or purchase a license. How many licenses do I need?
For detailed guidance, please refer to this guide.
Should I adjust my server timeout settings to export or restore large sites?
It depends on your server timeout settings.
I received an error stating that the wp-config file is not writable.
Since Prime Mover version 1.2.7, you can manually add constants to the config file (provided by your host or any other means to add those constants manually) if wp-config.php is not writable by the plugin.
Then, you should be able to re-activate and usually use Prime Mover. Please review this documentation using the plugin on sites that restrict access to the wp-config.php file.
What is a debug package?
The debug package is a Prime Mover package without media uploads, simplifying migration. It is ideal for developers needing to clone/migrate a site for WordPress debugging.
The debug package is not recommended for migrating complete sites (which means working/stable images, etc.). It does not handle images as it did in stable sites. It is only used for debugging/troubleshooting purposes.
What is the WPRIME file extension / archiving format?
Since version 1.1.5, Prime Mover archives using WPRIME file extension. This derivative of the Linux tarball (.tar) format follows its specifications. It’s customized to meet Prime Mover’s specialized archiving needs, including encryption, decryption, file integrity checks, and storing specific metadata used during the archiving process.
This more robust archiving format outperforms the previous zip archiving format.
Will the free version be able to handle huge sites?
Yes, but it depends on your server specifications.
Is there any way to speed up the migration process for default upload restoration?
Updated solution: Check out this recent tutorial!
If your package is hosted on third-party sites, such as other websites or cloud services like Dropbox or Google Drive, you can use the PRO feature “Remote URL restore.” This will speed up the process since it will fetch the package URL directly from the source and download it directly to your site. No need to download to your Desktop and upload again!
Will the free version restore encrypted packages created by the Pro version?
No, you need the PRO version to restore encrypted packages.
Why am I only able to restore by uploading or via the backup page
You are using the Free version. In the Pro version, you should be able to restore the package via uploads and remote URLs, as well as restore it as a backup within your server or from Dropbox.
How can I exclude some plugins from being included in the migration package?
The free version does not include a plugin exclusion feature, which is only available in the PRO version. This is the complete documentation of this feature.
How can I exclude some media files from the migration package?
The free version does not include a media files exclusion feature, which is only available in the PRO version. This is the complete documentation of this feature.
I encountered a runtime restore/import error on Windows: ‘Failed to open the stream, no such file or directory exists.’
Your package might contain invalid file names in Windows.
Is my package secure?
The free version saves the package path in your Prime Mover backup directory with randomized file names. The package is also protected with .htaccess in Apache, so there is no direct way for anyone to download it. However, the free version does not support encryption, so anyone with access to your package can read the database and media files.
In the Pro version, optional encryption support is available to protect your database, media files, plugins, and theme files. Also, in the Pro version, you can move the backup directory outside the web root. This is highly recommended if data security is a concern.
How does this work in multisites?
Prime Mover supports multisite migrations (including FREE versions). This is done only on the network administration pages by super-administrators. The free and pro versions do not support giving this privilege to ordinary subsite administrators.
The migration mode can support (available in both Free and Pro versions):
- Single-site migration to Single-site
- Single-site migration to Multisite sub-site
- Multisite sub-site migrate to another Multisite sub-site (even using different blog IDs)
- Multisite sub-site migrates to a single site.
Why must a blog ID be provided for a single-site to multisite migration?
Prime Mover uses this blog ID to validate the site restoration. Without the blog ID, it is impossible to detect the target subsite in a multisite.
Are there any limitations to using this plugin?
It can be prolonged if you are on shared hosting and migrating huge sites. The resources provided by your shared host (CPU, memory, requests, etc.) limit the plugin. Sometimes, these shared hosts are very restrictive in terms of resources, which makes them unable to complete exports, imports, or even any migration plugins. Even WordPress core operations themselves, such as installing or updating large plugins from the repository, can result in errors.
Is this PHP 8.3 + compatible?
Yes, PHP 8.3+ is fully supported and highly recommended if your plugins and themes also support it. However, if you have doubts, Prime Mover is fully compatible with PHP 7.4 / 8.0 / 8.1, ensuring that all your site’s plugins/themes/custom code can support it (which is unusual if it doesn’t).
Prime Mover could still reliably run PHP 5.6+ (provided you are still usinancientld/outdated plugins/themes or have an ancient site that still supports it). We added this support so users can still migrate old sites to newer installations. We no longer recommend using PHP 5.6 – PHP 7.3, as it’s outdated, slow, and not supported by WordPress Core.
While restoring a site, it freezes and no longer provides progress. Is this normal?
Your internet connection might have been disconnected while you were doing an export or restore. As a result, the JS progress update is cut off (as it communicates from your browser to the server). Please clear your browser and ensure your connection is stable; then try again.
I saw some errors being logged during migration. Do I need to panic?
No. Due to the complex nature of restoration, you may encounter random errors as the site is not yet fully migrated. This is usually normal if the site does not encounter fatal runtime errors. It is recommended to wait until the migration is complete and then check the site’s visual and functional results. If the site appears to be broken, it’s time to investigate these errors in detail.
I saw some 404 errors after the migration. Do I need to worry?
No. You need to refresh the permalink by logging in to your WordPress admin, then navigating to Settings > Permalinks. Click save (do not change any settings). This should resolve most 404 issues.
If you are using Litespeed servers with built-in caching + Cloudflare, you will experience incompatibility issues. To fix this, please check this tutorial.
The site got locked in maintenance mode. How to get out of maintenance mode?
In version 1.0.3 and later, we added a link for administrators to turn off maintenance mode. Pasting the link in the browser address bar is no longer necessary. If you happen to be logged out, you should manually delete the option prime_mover_maintenance in the WordPress database options table.
If you are on a multisite, manually delete the .maintenance file like any stalled WordPress updates.
Error: Wrong import site package! Please check that the import package is correct for this site.
Please read this tutorial.
Who is Freemius? Can I deactivate or remove Freemius?
Learn more about our partnership with Freemius here and why this cannot be deactivated or removed.
How can I get support?
The free version of Prime Mover has community support in the WordPress.org forum. PRO and Free Trial customers can get faster/dedicated technical support through email. This can be done using the contact form within the plugin admin settings. If you wish to send sensitive details to the plugin author only, please use our contact page.
You can also obtain support directly from your WordPress admin panel. Head to Prime Mover -> Contact Us and send us a message or submit details. Please ensure that you include all necessary information (such as the link to download the package and WordPress logins) to help us resolve the issue quickly.
What is your support policy?
What is your refund policy?
Please read the refund policy.
Where can I ask Pre-sales Questions?
You can ask questions before making a purchase. Please click the link to our pre-sales questions page or our contact page for more information.
Last updated: August 27, 2025