2-Way Sync
InstaWP's sync feature allows you to merge WordPress site content changes between InstaWP Staging sites and staging sites provided by your hosting provider. With 2-way sync, you can synchronize content changes from live to staging and vice versa, ensuring updates like new pages and modifications are reflected across both environments. Any changes made directly to files or database are not visible to our plugin and WILL NOT be synced.
👉 Note: The 2-Way-Sync feature currently supports the following tested plugins and themes. Any plugins or themes using the default Custom Post Types (CPT) for their data will be supported by default, however, thorough testing may be required.
⚙️Plugins: WooCommerce, ACF, Bricks Builder & Elementor.
⚙️Themes (Customizer Settings): Astra, Hello Elementor, Twenty Twenty-Four, Twenty Twenty-Three, Twenty Twenty-Two, Twenty Twenty-One & Twenty Twenty.
⚙️Core: All features are supported, except Navigation Menu (coming soon..).
In this documentation, we will explore:
Navigation to Sync Option
Using InstaWP for Staging
Using Hosting Panel for Staging
Let’s get started 🚀
👉 Note: We are presuming that you are using the InstaWP connect plugin and have it configured for your site. If not, refer to this Add Connect Plugin to Site document.
Launch your created Staging site WP panel by clicking on the Auto Login button from the Live site's WP admin panel.
Step 1: Go to Tools > InstaWP from the left interface and click the Magic Login icon from the Staging Sites options. It'll take you to the staging site's dashboard.
👉 Note: If the "InstaWP" option is not available in the WP panel of your Staging site, you must add the InstaWP Connect - 1-click Staging and Migration plugin to your Live site.
Step 2: Go to Tools > InstaWP from the staging site and select the Sync (Beta) tab from the navigation bar.
InstaWP allows you to sync changes made on your Staging site, which are then reflected on your Live site without overwriting them.
To Sync changes, you can follow the below steps:
Step 1: Toggle the Sync button to start recording the changes.
Step 2: For example, here we have added a new page to the staging site. Go to Page > Add Page and title it as New Page. Click Publish.
It is added on Pages list.
Step 3: Now, go to the Sync option by clicking Tools > InstaWP or simply click on the red blinking InstaWP icon.
Step 4: Here, you will find the list of recorded events (changes) on your Staging site. Click Sync All button and a new window will appear. Then select the destination live site for syncing changes and click Sync button.
Now, you can see the modifications replicated on the live site from where you built the staging site.
For more information, please refer to the Create staging site document.
InstaWP allows you to sync changes from the staging site that is created on your hosting panel to the live site.
Once your live (production) and staging sites are connected. You can follow the below steps:
Step 1: Go to Manage and click on the horizontal ellipsis from your live site. Click Staging Sites from the option. A new section will appear from the right side of your screen.
Step 2: Click on Link Staging Site button and another new window will appear with the list of staging sites. Select the staging site which you want to link with the live site and click the Link button.
The site will be added on the list instantly with a message.
👉 Note: Both of your sites should be on “connected” mode.
👉 Note: The user needs to keep the beta mode “On” in able to access the 2 Way Sync feature. For more information, you can refer to Beta mode document.
👉 Note: You can also use InstaWP APIs to link your production and staging sites. For more information, refer to the Link Two Sites Programmatically document.
Now, you can make changes to the staging site (make sure the recording is ON) and push the changes to your live (production) site. For example, here we've changed the post title.
Step 1: Change the post title and click Update.
Step 2: Now, go to Tools > InstaWP and click Sync All button. Select the destination live site and Sync.
Go to the live site and see the modification replicated from the staging site.
đź’ˇ Did you know - You can also sync changes from the template's parent site to the content of your template. Learn about Sync template from parent site.
👉 Note: The 2-Way-Sync feature currently supports the following tested plugins and themes. Any plugins or themes using the default Custom Post Types (CPT) for their data will be supported by default, however, thorough testing may be required.
⚙️Plugins: WooCommerce, ACF, Bricks Builder & Elementor.
⚙️Themes (Customizer Settings): Astra, Hello Elementor, Twenty Twenty-Four, Twenty Twenty-Three, Twenty Twenty-Two, Twenty Twenty-One & Twenty Twenty.
⚙️Core: All features are supported, except Navigation Menu (coming soon..).
In this documentation, we will explore:
Navigation to Sync Option
Using InstaWP for Staging
Using Hosting Panel for Staging
Let’s get started 🚀
Navigation to Sync Option
👉 Note: We are presuming that you are using the InstaWP connect plugin and have it configured for your site. If not, refer to this Add Connect Plugin to Site document.
Launch your created Staging site WP panel by clicking on the Auto Login button from the Live site's WP admin panel.
Step 1: Go to Tools > InstaWP from the left interface and click the Magic Login icon from the Staging Sites options. It'll take you to the staging site's dashboard.
👉 Note: If the "InstaWP" option is not available in the WP panel of your Staging site, you must add the InstaWP Connect - 1-click Staging and Migration plugin to your Live site.
Step 2: Go to Tools > InstaWP from the staging site and select the Sync (Beta) tab from the navigation bar.
Using InstaWP for Staging
InstaWP allows you to sync changes made on your Staging site, which are then reflected on your Live site without overwriting them.
To Sync changes, you can follow the below steps:
Step 1: Toggle the Sync button to start recording the changes.
Step 2: For example, here we have added a new page to the staging site. Go to Page > Add Page and title it as New Page. Click Publish.
It is added on Pages list.
Step 3: Now, go to the Sync option by clicking Tools > InstaWP or simply click on the red blinking InstaWP icon.
Step 4: Here, you will find the list of recorded events (changes) on your Staging site. Click Sync All button and a new window will appear. Then select the destination live site for syncing changes and click Sync button.
Now, you can see the modifications replicated on the live site from where you built the staging site.
For more information, please refer to the Create staging site document.
Using Hosting Panel for Staging
InstaWP allows you to sync changes from the staging site that is created on your hosting panel to the live site.
Once your live (production) and staging sites are connected. You can follow the below steps:
Step 1: Go to Manage and click on the horizontal ellipsis from your live site. Click Staging Sites from the option. A new section will appear from the right side of your screen.
Step 2: Click on Link Staging Site button and another new window will appear with the list of staging sites. Select the staging site which you want to link with the live site and click the Link button.
The site will be added on the list instantly with a message.
👉 Note: Both of your sites should be on “connected” mode.
👉 Note: The user needs to keep the beta mode “On” in able to access the 2 Way Sync feature. For more information, you can refer to Beta mode document.
👉 Note: You can also use InstaWP APIs to link your production and staging sites. For more information, refer to the Link Two Sites Programmatically document.
Now, you can make changes to the staging site (make sure the recording is ON) and push the changes to your live (production) site. For example, here we've changed the post title.
Step 1: Change the post title and click Update.
Step 2: Now, go to Tools > InstaWP and click Sync All button. Select the destination live site and Sync.
Go to the live site and see the modification replicated from the staging site.
đź’ˇ Did you know - You can also sync changes from the template's parent site to the content of your template. Learn about Sync template from parent site.
Updated on: 16/04/2025
Thank you!