WP Staging Desktop
Turn a live WordPress site into a local development environment in minutes
Create local WordPress sites and restore downloaded WP Staging backups through a visual Docker-based app. Start free, then add cross-domain backup deployment or connected Developer and Agency workflows when you need them.
Available for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Requires Docker Desktop or Docker Engine. No WP Staging account is required to start.
Free restores a downloaded backup into a local site. Developer and Agency add remote URL restore and production pull.
Production → Backup → Local Production website → backup → local development
The Problem
The work starts with a live site, not a blank install
Most WordPress work begins with an existing production website. Getting that site onto your machine safely is the slow, error-prone part.
Manual database and file transfer
Exporting databases, copying files, replacing URLs, and fixing environment mismatches eats hours before any real work starts.
Testing directly on production is risky
One bad plugin update or PHP change on a live site can take down a store, a publication, or a client relationship.
Host staging does not provide a true local environment
Staging inside the hosting account stays remote, host-dependent, and out of reach for local debugging with your own tools.
Production to Local
Restore a production WordPress site locally
A .wpstg backup is a portable copy of a WordPress site. WP Staging Desktop turns a downloaded backup into a running local environment with its files and database.
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1
Create a backup
Create a portable .wpstg backup on the live site with the WP Staging plugin.
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2
Download the backup
Save the .wpstg file to your computer.
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3
Select it in Desktop
Add a site, choose Restore from backup, and select the downloaded file.
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4
Open the local site
WP Staging Desktop prepares the local environment and gives you access to the site and WordPress admin.
Developer and Agency
Skip the manual download and restore directly from a remote backup URL.
Requirements
Desktop handles the setup. Docker runs the sites.
WP Staging Desktop creates and manages the normal Docker-based WordPress environment for you. Docker Desktop or Docker Engine must already be installed and running.
The generated Docker Compose files remain available when you need direct control. The app keeps its site engine up to date. New Desktop releases are detected in the background and installed only once you approve them.
Free Version
Start free with a complete local WordPress workflow
The free version is a full local development tool, not a trial. Create blank WordPress sites and multisite networks, switch PHP and WordPress versions, and restore a downloaded .wpstg backup into a local site.
Create local WordPress sites
Spin up clean local WordPress installations, single site or multisite, without manually configuring Docker.
Switch PHP and WordPress versions
Test compatibility across PHP and WordPress versions per local site.
Restore a downloaded WP Staging backup
Bring an existing WordPress site to your computer from a local .wpstg file. Restore to any local domain, such as mysite.local.
Reusable Docker setup
Use Docker-based environments that are easier to understand, reuse, and transfer. The docker-compose files stay accessible.
Offline local work after installation
After installation, local site work can continue without relying on a remote service.
One-click site and WordPress admin access
Open the local site or jump straight into wp-admin with one-click auto-login.
Database and email tools built in
Open the database in Adminer with one click, and read every message your local sites send in the Mailpit inbox. No mail server, no accidental real email.
Work with multisite networks
Create multisite networks locally and restore multisite backups. A Sync Subsites action makes subsites added in wp-admin work in the browser.
Command line when you want it
A terminal for WP Staging CLI commands is built into the app, so you can move from clicks to scripts without leaving Desktop.
Nginx or Apache, MariaDB or MySQL
Every site chooses its own web server and database, and you can move an existing site to Apache later. Pick MariaDB 10.11, 11.4 or 11.8, or MySQL 8.4 and 5.7 at creation or reset, so a site matches the host it has to run on.
Ports and addresses you control
Change the HTTP, HTTPS, database and Mailpit ports and the container IP for each site. Desktop warns you before creating a site when another program holds port 80 or 443, and the Diagnose tab shows what is free.
Switch the side tools off per site
Adminer, the Mailpit inbox and wp-admin auto-login are separate switches on each site, so a site that should not expose a database user interface does not. Adminer itself opens already signed in.
No account required. Docker is required.
Ready to try it yourself?
Download the free desktop app and restore your first site locally today.
Compare Workflows
Start free. Upgrade when the workflow becomes connected.
Desktop Free covers visual local development from downloaded backups. WP Staging Pro adds cross-domain backup deployment. Developer and Agency add direct remote restore, production pull, push back to production, and CLI automation.
| Capability | Desktop Free | Any Pro Plan | Developer / Agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Create blank local WordPress sites | Included | Included | Included |
| Switch PHP and WordPress versions | Included | Included | Included |
| Docker-based local environments | Included | Included | Included |
| Adminer database UI and Mailpit inbox | Included | Included | Included |
| Restore a downloaded backup into a local site | Included | Included | Included |
| Restore a local-site backup to another domain | — | Included | Included |
| Restore directly from a remote backup URL | — | — | Included |
| Connect to production and pull data | — | — | Included |
| Push local changes back to production | — | — | Included |
| WP Staging CLI automation | — | — | Included |
| Support | Community | Priority | Priority |
Connected production workflows — remote URL restore, production pull, and push back to production — require Developer or Agency.
€239/year · €19.91/mo
For professionals and freelancers managing up to 25 sites.
Up to 25 sites · 1 support contact · 24-hour weekday SLA
€499/year · €41.58/mo
For teams managing 26–99 sites or needing faster multi-contact support.
Up to 99 sites · 3 support contacts · 12-hour weekday SLA
Paid Workflows
Upgrade when local development becomes a production workflow
Two clearly separated steps: any WP Staging Pro plan adds cross-domain backup deployment today, and Developer or Agency adds connected remote workflows.
WP Staging Pro
Deploy through the backup workflow you already trust
Create a backup of the local site and restore it to another domain with WP Staging Pro. This backup-based deployment workflow is available today.
Developer and Agency
Remove the manual handoff
Connect Desktop to a production site, restore directly from a remote backup URL, pull selected production data into the local environment, and push local changes back.
Developer and Agency
Restore from a remote backup URL
Import the backup directly in Desktop without downloading and selecting the file manually.
Developer and Agency
Pull selected production data
Connect through a connection key, then pull selected media, themes, plugins, or database data into the local site — started from the site’s Pull from production action.
Developer and Agency
Push local changes back to production
Send tested changes to the connected production site with Remote Sync, started from the local site. A safety backup is created before the push.
Developer and Agency
Automate with WP Staging CLI
Create repeatable local environments from local or remote backups through commands and scripts.
€239/year · €19.91/mo
For professionals and freelancers managing up to 25 sites.
Up to 25 sites · 1 support contact · 24-hour weekday SLA
€499/year · €41.58/mo
For teams managing 26–99 sites or needing faster multi-contact support.
Up to 99 sites · 3 support contacts · 12-hour weekday SLA
Developer and Agency
Pull production data into local development
Connect a local site to a production WordPress site with a revocable connection key, then choose which production data to pull into the local environment.
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1
Connect the production site with a connection key
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2
Choose media, themes, plugins, or database data
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3
Pull the selected data into the local site
1 Connect the production site with a connection key
2 Choose which production data to pull
Pull data from a live website, test changes locally, and push the result back to production with Remote Sync.
Production pull and push back to production are included with Developer and Agency. Remote URL restore requires the same license.
€239/year · €19.91/mo
For professionals and freelancers managing up to 25 sites.
Up to 25 sites · 1 support contact · 24-hour weekday SLA
€499/year · €41.58/mo
For teams managing 26–99 sites or needing faster multi-contact support.
Up to 99 sites · 3 support contacts · 12-hour weekday SLA
Push local changes back to production
Remote Sync sends selected data from the local site to the connected production site. A safety backup is created before the push, and every push needs a Developer or Agency license.
The Workflow
From production to local development and back to production
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Production WordPress site
Your live site
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WP Staging backup
Portable .wpstg file
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WP Staging Desktop
Restore locally
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Local development and testing
Develop, test, debug
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Pro
Deploy back to production
Remote Sync push or backup restore
Push back to production and cross-domain backup restore require Developer or Agency. A safety backup is created before a push.
AI-Ready CLI · Developer and Agency
Give Claude, Codex, and other AI coding agents a real WordPress sandbox
Use WP Staging CLI to create deterministic local WordPress environments that AI agents can inspect, modify, test, and recreate without touching production.
WP Staging CLI requires a Developer or Agency license.
Desktop is the visual workflow. WP Staging CLI is the repeatable and automated workflow for Developer and Agency customers.
WP Staging CLI turns a WP Staging backup into a fully working local WordPress site. It creates the Docker-based environment, imports the database, restores the files, configures WordPress, and makes the site available locally.
That gives AI coding tools a safe and repeatable workspace for real WordPress projects.
# Install WP Staging CLI on macOS, Linux, or WSL curl -fsSL https://wp-staging.com/install.sh | bash # Create a local WordPress site from a WP Staging backup URL (Developer/Agency) wpstaging add mysite.local --from=https://example.com/path/to/backup.wpstg # Or restore a backup into an existing local site wpstaging restore mysite.local --from=./backup.wpstg # Create a blank local WordPress site wpstaging add mysite.local # Create a site with specific versions wpstaging add mysite.local --php=8.4 --wp=6.2.1 --db-prefix=custom_
Now your AI coding agent can work inside a real local WordPress environment instead of guessing from static files.
The Pipeline
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Production WordPress Site
Your live site
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WP Staging Backup
Portable .wpstg file
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WP Staging CLI
Command-line automation
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Local WordPress Sandbox
Docker-based and isolated
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AI Coding Agents & Developers
Claude Code, Codex, Cursor
Deterministic Sandboxes
Create the same local WordPress environment again and again from the same backup source.
Safe AI Experiments
Let AI agents edit plugins, themes, database content, and configuration locally without touching production.
Real WordPress Context
Give AI tools an actual running WordPress site with plugins, themes, uploads, database, PHP version, and WordPress version.
Parallel Agent Workflows
Create multiple local copies for different approaches, agents, or experiments.
Parallel Agent Workflows
Spin up isolated copies of the same site so each agent — or each approach — works without colliding.
wpstaging add client-site-claude.local --from=https://example.com/backup.wpstg wpstaging add client-site-codex.local --from=https://example.com/backup.wpstg wpstaging add client-site-human.local --from=https://example.com/backup.wpstg
Create a local Docker-based WordPress site in about 60 seconds
See how WP Staging CLI creates a local WordPress staging site from the command line.
€239/year · €19.91/mo
For professionals and freelancers managing up to 25 sites.
Up to 25 sites · 1 support contact · 24-hour weekday SLA
€499/year · €41.58/mo
For teams managing 26–99 sites or needing faster multi-contact support.
Up to 99 sites · 3 support contacts · 12-hour weekday SLA
WP Staging CLI requires a valid WP Staging Pro Developer or Agency license.
Use Cases
Built for real WordPress work
Bring a client site to your local machine
Restore the client's production site from a downloaded backup and start working in minutes, without host access or host-specific staging tools. Developer and Agency can restore directly from a remote backup URL or pull production data.
Prepare WooCommerce updates safely
Work on a local copy before applying risky updates, then push the tested result back to production.
Test PHP compatibility
Switch PHP and WordPress versions and verify whether plugins, themes, and custom code are ready.
Debug production issues locally
Restore a backup locally and investigate without touching the live website.
Why Not Host Staging?
Host staging keeps you inside the hosting account
Staging tools from hosting providers are convenient, but they stay remote and host-bound. WP Staging Desktop gives you a workflow you own.
| Host Staging | WP Staging Desktop |
|---|---|
| Lives inside hosting account | Runs on your machine |
| Usually remote only | Fully local environment |
| Host-dependent | Host-independent |
| Limited local debugging | Full debugging capabilities |
| Harder to move between hosts | Portable backup workflows |
Reliability
Built on proven backup technology
WP Staging Desktop uses the same backup and restore engine as the WP Staging plugin, developed and tested for years on production WordPress sites.
2,000+
Automated Test Cases
The current WP STAGING test suites contain more than 2,000 automated test cases across unit, integration, and end-to-end coverage.
PHP 7.4–8.4
Version Coverage
Tested against the supported PHP versions WordPress runs on.
Multi-stage
Release Validation
Every public release goes through extensive automated and manual validation.
100,000+
Active WordPress Installations
The WP STAGING plugin currently has 100,000+ active installations on WordPress.org.
For Developers
Made for developers who need control
WP Staging Desktop uses Docker under the hood, but removes the repetitive setup work. You get a practical local WordPress environment without giving up portability or control.
- Docker-based
- Standard containers, with direct access to the docker-compose files.
- PHP and WordPress version switching
- Per-site PHP and WordPress versions, switched from the app.
- Reusable environment structure
- Environments you can understand, reuse, and transfer.
- Backup-based restore workflow
- Portable .wpstg files as the transport layer between environments.
- Host-independent
- Your local development workflow stays the same regardless of where your WordPress site is hosted.
- Developer tools on tap
- One-click wp-admin sign-in, the Adminer database UI, a Mailpit inbox for outgoing email, and a built-in terminal for WP Staging CLI commands.
services:
wordpress:
image: wpstaging/wordpress:php8.3
ports:
- "443:443"
volumes:
- ./wp-content:/var/www/html/wp-content
db:
image: mariadb:11
volumes:
- ./data/mysql:/var/lib/mysql
Know someone who still does this manually?
Still exporting databases, downloading files, and setting up local sites manually? Share this workflow with another WordPress developer.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
No. It is a local WordPress development application. It can create local WordPress sites and multisite networks, switch PHP and WordPress versions, and restore WP Staging backups in a local Docker-based environment.
Yes. WP Staging Desktop requires Docker Desktop or Docker Engine. The app creates and manages the normal Docker Compose setup, so you do not need to write the configuration manually for ordinary use.
No. WP Staging Desktop Free creates local sites and restores a downloaded backup into a local site. A WP Staging Pro plan is required to restore a local-site backup to another domain. Direct remote URL restore, production pull, and push back to production require Developer or Agency.
Yes. Create and download a WP Staging backup, then select the .wpstg file in Desktop. Developer and Agency can restore directly from a supported remote backup URL without downloading the file first.
The local Desktop app is host-independent. Backup creation and connected production workflows require the relevant WP Staging plugin and license on the WordPress site. Production pull and direct remote URL restore require Developer or Agency.
Yes. Both PHP and WordPress version switching are included in the free local development workflow. Switching WordPress replaces the core files in place, so the database, plugins, themes, and uploads are preserved.
Yes. Local development can continue offline after Desktop and Docker are installed and the site has been created. Remote backup restore and production-connected workflows require network access.
Yes. Create multisite networks locally and restore multisite backups. Subsites you add later in WordPress get a Sync Subsites action in Desktop, which wires their local addresses into the environment so they work in the browser.
WP Staging Desktop is a local WordPress development app. Its primary WP Staging advantage is the workflow between .wpstg backups, local environments, and WP Staging production workflows. Local development is only one part of the workflow.
Yes. Remote Sync pushes selected data from a local site to the connected production site. Desktop opens Remote Sync on the local site, a safety backup is created before the push, and the production site is then restored from the pushed backup. Push requires Developer or Agency.
WP Staging Desktop
Bring a real WordPress site to your computer
Download WP Staging Desktop, restore a WP Staging backup locally, and add connected Developer or Agency workflows when you need them.
Available for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Docker is required.
