All-in-One WP Migration Stuck on Restoring Database? Here’s the Simple Fix

WordPress migrations can be daunting, and when your All-in-One WP Migration gets stuck at restoring the database, the anxiety only intensifies. 

Your site sits in maintenance mode, time ticks away, and progress halts. This pause is costing you traffic, threatening deadlines, and leaving you puzzled about the cause. 

Fortunately, we’re here to explain the reasons behind this issue and guide you through tested solutions. These steps will help get your migration back on track.

Your first instinct might be to panic or immediately dive into complex server configurations. But often, the simplest fixes work best. Let’s start with the easy solutions before moving to more technical approaches.

Quick fixes

Refresh the page or try a different browser

Sometimes the migration is completed, but your browser didn’t get the memo. The progress bar might be stuck while everything finishes successfully in the background.

Refresh your browser to see if the process updates. If that doesn’t work, open another browser and check the import status there. You can also try incognito or private browsing mode to avoid any cached data interfering.

Clear your browser cache and cookies

Old cached files can make the plugin display outdated information or cause it to behave unpredictably.

Go to your browser settings and clear the cache and cookies. This forces your browser to load fresh data from the server. Once cleared, restart the migration process from the beginning.

Understanding and fixing All-in-One WP Migration stuck on restoring database

If none of the fixes above have resolved the issue, let’s try deeper troubleshooting:

1. Fix server time and memory limits

Your server has built-in limits that can kill long-running processes like database restoration. When these limits are too low, your migration simply times out.

Access your hosting control panel and open the File Manager or you could do this via FTP.

Edit your .htaccess file:

• Find the .htaccess file in your site’s root folder. This is often public_html or www. Next, add the following lines of code: 

php_value max_execution_time 300 

This gives you 5 minutes instead of the default 30 seconds

php_value memory_limit 512M 

This sets your server’s memory limit to 512MB

Edit your wp-config.php file:

• Find this file in the same root folder and add the following line:

define('WP_MAX_MEMORY_LIMIT', '512M'); 

This tells WordPress it can use up to 512MB for admin tasks like migrations

2. Disable conflicting plugins

Other plugins can interfere with the migration process. Disabling them can help.

Log in to your WordPress dashboard and go to Plugins and then, Installed Plugins. Deactivate all plugins except All-in-One WP Migration. This eliminates any potential conflicts that are being caused by plugins.

Attempt the migration again. If it works, you can reactivate your plugins.

3. Split large backups into smaller parts

Massive backup files can overwhelm your server’s processing power and get stuck during the restoration phase.

Use the plugin’s Advanced options under the Export section to create a smaller backup. Exclude media files, plugins, or other large folders to reduce file size. Import these smaller files in batches rather than trying to import everything at once.

4. Use the FTP upload method (Risky)

If the web-based import keeps failing, you can manually upload the backup file via FTP and then restore it through WordPress. Keep in mind that this method is risky and proceed with caution.

Before starting, make sure you were able to generate an export file. If the export process itself is failing, refer to our detailed post on fixing the All-in-One WP Migration export stuck issue.

Generate an export file: Go to All-in-One WP Migration > Backups on your source site and create a new export file. Once done, download the .wpress file to your computer for manual upload.

Switch to an older plugin version: On your new site, downgrade the plugin to version 6.7, which allows manual file uploads.

Connect to files using FTP: Use an FTP client like FileZilla or Cyberduck to connect to your new site’s files.

Find the backup folder: In your FTP client, navigate to the wp-content/ai1wm-backups folder within the public_html or www root directory.

Upload your file: Upload the .wpress file you downloaded into the ai1wm-backups folder.

Restore through WordPress dashboard: On your new site, navigate to All-in-One WP Migration > Backups in the WordPress dashboard.

Click RESTORE on your uploaded backup, accept the overwrite warning, and click PROCEED. Allow the process to complete before checking your migrated site.

5. Switch to a different migration plugin

If All-in-One WP Migration continues to fail, consider using an alternative like Migrate Guru. Unlike other migration plugins that depend on your server’s resources, Migrate Guru runs the entire migration on BlogVault’s powerful servers. 

This means it can handle WordPress sites up to 100GB without running into the memory and timeout issues. Different plugins handle server limitations and large databases differently, so what fails with one might work perfectly with another.

Best practices to prevent this error

Nobody wants to deal with a frozen migration when you’re under pressure. These practices will save you from the headache of stuck database restorations in the future.

Backup before migration

Always create a backup of your site before starting any migration. If something goes wrong, you can restore your original site quickly instead of scrambling to fix a broken one.

Check hosting requirements

Verify your hosting plan can handle your site’s size and complexity. Contact your host to confirm memory limits, execution time limits, and file upload restrictions before you start the migration.

Limit plugin use

Deactivate unnecessary plugins. Active plugins can interfere with the migration process and create conflicts that cause the restoration to hang.

Optimize your database

Clean up your database before migration. Remove spam comments, old revisions, and unused plugins. A lighter database transfers faster and has fewer chances of timing out during restoration.

Use reliable internet connection

Migrations can take hours depending on your site size. A spotty internet connection can interrupt the process and corrupt your backup file. Use a stable, fast connection for the entire process.

Choose off-peak hours

Schedule migrations during low-traffic periods when your server has more available resources. This reduces the chance of server overload causing the process to fail.

Regular maintenance

Keep your WordPress core, themes, and plugins updated. Regular maintenance prevents compatibility issues that can cause migration failures and keeps your site running smoothly.

Use trusted sources

Only download migration plugins from official sources like the WordPress repository. Sketchy plugins from unknown sources can contain malware or buggy code that breaks your migration.

Parting thoughts

This issue may seem daunting, but it’s always fixable. Your site and data remain intact. In our experience, increasing PHP limits resolves about 80% of stuck database restorations.

Once migration succeeds, verify your site by visiting a few pages. Check the admin dashboard, test contact forms, and ensure plugins work properly. If problems persist, it may be worth exploring All-in-One WP Migration alternatives that handle larger sites and complex databases more efficiently

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Written by

Shivani M

Shivani enjoys crafting guides that make every aspect of using WordPress simple and easy to follow. When she's not glued to her laptop, you can find her buried in a good book or occasionally, painting.