Clone a database

You can duplicate a database to rehearse an update or prepare a test website. The copy includes the data you select; it does not clone the application's files or change its credentials.

If there are writes in progress, agree how to get a consistent copy before you start. Also check that there is enough space to keep both source and destination.

Create the destination database

cPanel requires databases to be created first, so you cannot duplicate a database directly from phpMyAdmin.

1. Log in to cPanel
2. Go to Manage My Databases
3. In the "Create New Database" section, create a new database:
   • Enter the name for the new database
   • Click "Create Database"

Create the user and assign permissions

For a test website, create a different user with access only to the clone. Reusing the production user would make it easier for a wrong configuration to change the source.

1. On the same MySQL® Databases page:
   • Create a new user or select an existing one
   • Add the user to the new database
   • Grant the privileges the application needs on that database

Copy from phpMyAdmin

1. In cPanel, find the "Databases" section
2. Click "phpMyAdmin"
3. Open the original database, "Operations" tab
4. You will find the "Copy database to" option
5. Enter the full name of the database you created, including the account prefix (for example, usuario_nueva, not just nueva).
6. Select "Structure and data"
7. Untick "CREATE DATABASE before copying" and check the rest: the destination must be empty and you do not need to drop existing tables.
8. Check the source and destination names once more, click "Go" and wait for the result.

phpMyAdmin makes this copy within a web request. If the database is large and the process exceeds its time limits, export and import with mysqldump and mysql from the terminal instead of repeating the operation from the browser.

Validate the copy

Check the tables, their counts with COUNT(*) and the objects the application needs, such as views, triggers or routines. Some options depend on your permissions. If the operation fails halfway, do not repeat it over the partial destination without checking it.

Configure the website clone with the new database name, user and password. Turn off emails, payments, webhooks and scheduled tasks that could act on production services. Test logging in, searches and a test write, and confirm the original database has not changed.