Written by Admin on 2025-05-06

How to Download an Entire Public WordPress Site

If you are looking to create a backup of your WordPress site or you need to download someone else's site for reference purposes, downloading an entire public WordPress site can be a daunting task. However, with the right tools and some basic knowledge of WordPress, downloading a site can be a straightforward process.

In this article, we will discuss how you can download an entire public WordPress site using the WordPress Exporter and the HTTrack utility.

WordPress Exporter

The WordPress Exporter is a built-in tool that allows you to export your posts, pages, comments, custom fields, categories, and tags in an XML file format. While the WordPress Exporter does not export the entire site, it's a good starting point for downloading a site's content.

1. To access the WordPress Exporter, log in to the WordPress dashboard, go to Tools > Export.
2. Select "All content" and click on the "Download Export File" button.
3. The XML file containing all the site's content will then be downloaded to your computer.

While the WordPress Exporter is an easy way to export your site's data, it does not include your site's themes, plugins, media files, and other files. To download these files, you will need to use a web scraping tool such as HTTrack.

HTTrack

HTTrack is a free and open-source web scraping tool that can download an entire website, including its files and images. It works by cloning a website onto your computer, allowing you to browse the site even without an internet connection.

Here's how you can use HTTrack to download an entire public WordPress site:

1. Download and install HTTrack on your computer.
2. Open HTTrack and click on "Next" to start the site cloning process.
3. Enter the URL of the WordPress site you want to download, and then click on "Next".
4. Choose the destination folder where you want to save the cloned site and select other options as per your preference.
5. Click on "Finish" to start the downloading process.

Depending on the size of the site and the number of files to download, the process can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. After the cloning process is complete, you'll have a locally saved copy of the site, which you can browse or edit as per your need.

Conclusion

Downloading an entire public WordPress site may seem challenging, but with the right tools and some basic knowledge of WordPress, it can be a straightforward process. The WordPress Exporter and HTTrack are two useful tools that can help you create a backup of your site or download someone else's site for reference purposes. Keep in mind that downloading someone else's site without their permission may be illegal, so make sure you have the necessary rights or permissions before proceeding.