Title: Overwrite existing site?
Last modified: September 2, 2020

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# Overwrite existing site?

 *  Resolved [jamiek47](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jamiek47/)
 * (@jamiek47)
 * [5 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/overwrite-existing-site/)
 * Hi,
 * I have an existing WordPress site and have built a new site on a subdomain on
   another domain/host whilst building it.
 * Do I need to delete the existing WordPress install files/database before running
   the Duplicator install? Or will the Duplicator overwrite everything?
 * Also, is there anything special I need to do during the install to change from
   the subdomain URL to the new domain URL?
 * Thanks,
    Jamie

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

 *  [Cory Lamle](https://wordpress.org/support/users/corylamleorg/)
 * (@corylamleorg)
 * [5 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/overwrite-existing-site/#post-13351008)
 * Hey [@jamiek47](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jamiek47/),
 * It’s recommended to always start with an empty directory (just backup/move the
   files you have now to another location), this way you don’t have to worry about
   possible read/write conflicts or legacy files being intermixed with the archive
   files. Step 3 of the installer is where you can enter the information for updating
   the URL of the site.
 * Hope that helps~
 *  [webrightnow](https://wordpress.org/support/users/webrightnow/)
 * (@webrightnow)
 * [5 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/overwrite-existing-site/#post-13362706)
 * Very disappointed to discover that Duplicator won’t overwrite an existing WP 
   site. You say it’s an easy plugin to use but you expect normal users to create
   a database, a user, give the user the right permissions, find out their FTP details…
   This is too advanced for most people! The average user will use the host’s built-
   in installer to create a blank WP installation, onto which they would then install
   a duplicator plugin and move things really easily that way, without having to
   know anything about databases or FTP. But that’s only available in your Pro version.
   So unless you are an advanced user with FTP and database access, the free plugin
   is useless.
    Bring back WP Clone! That really WAS a simple plugin to use.
 *  Thread Starter [jamiek47](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jamiek47/)
 * (@jamiek47)
 * [5 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/overwrite-existing-site/#post-13362873)
 * Thanks [@corylamleorg](https://wordpress.org/support/users/corylamleorg/)
 * [@webrightnow](https://wordpress.org/support/users/webrightnow/) I agree it’s
   not “simple”, it’s likely just as easy/quick to download everything, reupload
   it and import the database.
 * Though I suppose that’s why they create a pro version, it is a business after
   all 😀
 *  [Cory Lamle](https://wordpress.org/support/users/corylamleorg/)
 * (@corylamleorg)
 * [5 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/overwrite-existing-site/#post-13372786)
 * Thanks, [@jamiek47](https://wordpress.org/support/users/jamiek47/),
 * We are working to improve the product. 🙂

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

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## Tags

 * [overwrite](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/overwrite/)

 * 4 replies
 * 3 participants
 * Last reply from: [Cory Lamle](https://wordpress.org/support/users/corylamleorg/)
 * Last activity: [5 years, 8 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/overwrite-existing-site/#post-13372786)
 * Status: resolved