Create Snapshots
Snapshots are pre-designed layouts that include plugins, themes, and site pages to determine the appearance and structure of a WordPress website. InstaWP allows you to create and manage Snapshots, which save the current files and database snapshots of an active site so that when you create a site based on the Snapshot later, you will have the exact same site.
In this documentation, we will explore how to:
Create a New Snapshot
Delete a Snapshot
Sync Snapshot from Parent Site
Let’s get started 🚀
InstaWP allows you to create a new Snapshot through any of the following two methods:
Step 1: Go to the Snapshots page and click on the Add Snapshot button to create a new Snapshot. A new modal window will appear with a site list from which you can create Snapshots.
Step 2: Select a site you want to create your Snapshot with. Then, click Next.
Step 3: You will now be prompted to save the Snapshot by filling out the following fields:
Now, enter Snapshot name, and other options according to your preference and click Save. Your Snapshot will be created within a few moment.
Initially, the state of the Snapshot is in progress. It takes some time to be ready. Once the Snapshot status is changed to ready then the user can create the site from this Snapshot but not before.
Step 1: Go to Sites and click on the Template/Snapshots button from the site you want to make the Snapshot with.
Step 2: Enter Snapshot name, select Snapshot from the option, and other options according to your preference and click Save. Your Snapshot will be created within a few moment.
👉 Note: If a Snapshot based on this site already exists, you will find "Save As New" or "Overwrite Existing" radio buttons on the top. To test, you can create a new Snapshot from the same site from the site page.
👉 Note: Once you've created your Snapshot, you can delete the parent site from which you choose to generate it.
To delete a Snapshot, you can follow the steps from the demonstration below:
Step 1: Go to Snapshots page and click on the vertical ellipsis button from the Snapshot you want to delete. Select Delete from the options.
Step 2: A confirmation window will appear. Click the Delete button from the window.
InstaWP allows you to sync changes from the parent site to the content of your Snapshot, which can be useful for product firms to keep their demos up to date. To do that follow the steps from the demonstration below:
👉 Note: Changes are updates made to a user's WordPress site using the WP Admin panel, such as adding a new page or a new plugin.
Go to the Snapshots page and click on the vertical ellipsis button from the site you want to sync from parent site. Select Sync from Site from the options.
A dialog window will appear, asking you to sync changes from the parent site to the content of your Snapshot by the following methods:
Manual
Automatic
It allows you to manually sync the changes made on the parent site to Snapshot, otherwise nothing will reflect on the Snapshot. To do that, click on the Sync Now button.
👉 Note: You can sync the PHP Configuration from parent site by checking the 'Sync Parent Site PHP Configurations' option.
It allows you to sync changes automatically from the parent site to Snapshot. For example, when you set frequency 4 hour, then changes made in parent site will be automatically synced to Snapshot in every 4 hour.
👉 Note: The "Automatically Sync Changes" feature is only accessible on paid plans.
💡 Did you know - You can connect Git deployment to your private template only, allowing you to create a new site whenever a change occurs in your Git branch. Learn how to connect a template.
In this documentation, we will explore how to:
Create a New Snapshot
Delete a Snapshot
Sync Snapshot from Parent Site
Let’s get started 🚀
Create a New Snapshot
InstaWP allows you to create a new Snapshot through any of the following two methods:
Method 1
Step 1: Go to the Snapshots page and click on the Add Snapshot button to create a new Snapshot. A new modal window will appear with a site list from which you can create Snapshots.
Step 2: Select a site you want to create your Snapshot with. Then, click Next.
Step 3: You will now be prompted to save the Snapshot by filling out the following fields:
| Fields | Description |
|---|---|
| Snapshot Name | Name of the Snapshot |
| Description | Description of the Snapshot |
| Snapshot Type | Select Private Snapshot or Shared Snapshot that can be used by you or your team. |
| Instant Snapshot | When you create a new site from the Snapshot, it takes about 5-7 secs of time, selecting this option will instantly create a new site. Only available for premium accounts. |
Now, enter Snapshot name, and other options according to your preference and click Save. Your Snapshot will be created within a few moment.
Initially, the state of the Snapshot is in progress. It takes some time to be ready. Once the Snapshot status is changed to ready then the user can create the site from this Snapshot but not before.
Method 2
Step 1: Go to Sites and click on the Template/Snapshots button from the site you want to make the Snapshot with.
Step 2: Enter Snapshot name, select Snapshot from the option, and other options according to your preference and click Save. Your Snapshot will be created within a few moment.
👉 Note: If a Snapshot based on this site already exists, you will find "Save As New" or "Overwrite Existing" radio buttons on the top. To test, you can create a new Snapshot from the same site from the site page.
👉 Note: Once you've created your Snapshot, you can delete the parent site from which you choose to generate it.
Delete a Snapshot
To delete a Snapshot, you can follow the steps from the demonstration below:
Step 1: Go to Snapshots page and click on the vertical ellipsis button from the Snapshot you want to delete. Select Delete from the options.
Step 2: A confirmation window will appear. Click the Delete button from the window.
Sync Snapshot from Parent Site
InstaWP allows you to sync changes from the parent site to the content of your Snapshot, which can be useful for product firms to keep their demos up to date. To do that follow the steps from the demonstration below:
👉 Note: Changes are updates made to a user's WordPress site using the WP Admin panel, such as adding a new page or a new plugin.
Go to the Snapshots page and click on the vertical ellipsis button from the site you want to sync from parent site. Select Sync from Site from the options.
A dialog window will appear, asking you to sync changes from the parent site to the content of your Snapshot by the following methods:
Manual
Automatic
Manual
It allows you to manually sync the changes made on the parent site to Snapshot, otherwise nothing will reflect on the Snapshot. To do that, click on the Sync Now button.
👉 Note: You can sync the PHP Configuration from parent site by checking the 'Sync Parent Site PHP Configurations' option.
Automatic
It allows you to sync changes automatically from the parent site to Snapshot. For example, when you set frequency 4 hour, then changes made in parent site will be automatically synced to Snapshot in every 4 hour.
👉 Note: The "Automatically Sync Changes" feature is only accessible on paid plans.
💡 Did you know - You can connect Git deployment to your private template only, allowing you to create a new site whenever a change occurs in your Git branch. Learn how to connect a template.
Updated on: 27/05/2025
Thank you!