Hosting WordPress on Amazon Lightsail is a cost-effective way to adopt the cloud and benefit from the security and scale of AWS.
Seahorse, a trusted AWS Partner, provide a simple seamless solution for migrating a WordPress site from an existing hosting provider (or localhost) to Amazon Lightsail. In addition, Seahorse provide a Management Console within WordPress to give users the ability to manage their AWS services. For users who operating at scale, a remote API Managemnt console is provided.
In this tutorial, we'll guide you through the process of how to launch a clone of a
WordPress website on Amazon Lightsail using the Seahorse software on a free to
use development environment: Click here to get a Free use licence.
Learning Objectives
- Learn how to install and operate Seahorse's software on a WordPress
website - Understand the process involved in migrating a WordPress website to
Amazon Lightsail - Discover the benefits of using Amazon Lightsail as a WordPress hosting
service by trying a demo of your WordPress website for free: Click here to get
a Free use licence
About this Tutorial | |
---|---|
Time | 10-20 minutes |
Cost | Free |
Use Case | Compute |
Products | Amazon Lightsail |
Level | 100 |
Last Updated | February 22, 2021 |
Step 1: Overview
In this tutorial you will complete the folowing steps:
Launch a clone of your WordPress Website on Amazon Lightsail. No AWS knowledge required
Simple and Intuative process from within your WordPress Adminstration Dashboard
There are no charges for using WP on AWS Plugin or Amazon Lightsail for this tutorial.
Your existing Website will not be affected and will remain in it's current location.
Step 1: Overview
Step 2: Sign in to the administration dashboard of your WordPress website
Step 3: Install the WP on AWS Plugin to your WordPress Site
Step 4: Get a License Key From The Service Provider
Step 5: Validate License
Step 6: Validate IAM Credentials
Step 7: Set AWS Region
Step 8: Prepare the Website's Database
Step 9: Prepare the Website's File System
Step 10: Clone the Prepared File System
Step 11: Launch your website on Lightsail
Step 2: Sign in to the administration dashboard of your WordPress website
Complete the following steps to sign in to the administration dashboard of your WordPress website.
If you are already signed-in, skip to step: Install Plugin.
2.1 — In a browser, navigate to your site: http://example.com/wp-login.php
(replace example.com with the URL of your WordPress website).
Step 3: Install the WP on AWS Plugin to your WordPress Site
Now you have logged-in to your WordPress Administration Dashboard, the required plugin can be installed.
3.1 — Download the Plugin zip file and upload it manually to your site. (Download WP on AWS Plugin here).
- Navigate to Plugin tab on the admintrator sidebar menu
- Select Add New
- Select Upload Plugin
- Select the downloaded zip file
- Click Install Now
3.2 — Install via the WordPress Plugin Repository Search
- Navigate to the Plugin tab on the admintrator sidebar menu
- Select Add New
- Type "wp migrate 2 aws" into the Search Plugins box
- Scroll to the Correct Item
- Click on Install Now
When the installation process is complete, click on Activate to activate the Plugin.
Step 4: Get a License Key From The Service Provider
A License Key is required to activate the installed Plugin.
4.1 — Request a license from the Service Provider: Seahorse Data
Step 5: Validate License
In this step, you will activate the License Key you received.
5.1 — Activate the License key you received from the service provider.
- Navigate to the WP on AWS Plugin interface
- Input the License Key received from the service provider and the corresponding email address when requesting the license key
- Click on Register License
- Valid License key is then confirmed.
Step 6: Validate IAM Credentials
Once the License Key is activated, you can validate your AWS IAM keys.
6.1 — Validate your AWS IAM Keys.
Did not receive keys from the Service Provider?
Complete the following steps to validate your AWS IAM keys:
- Go to the WP on AWS Plugin Interface
- Navigate to the AWS Setup section
- The IAM Key and the IAM Secret are pre-populated for the Free Trial Clone process
- Click on Save IAM Credentials

Step 7: Set AWS Region
In this step, you choose the AWS Region for your WordPress website.
Step 8: Prepare the Website's Database
In this step, you prepare the Database.
8.1 — Create an automated clone of your website's database. This clone will be used to import your website's content to AWS.
In the WP on AWS Plugin interface, complete the following steps:
- Navigate tot the Prepare Download Status section
- Click on Prepare Database
- The database download will then be confirmed and the database status then updates.
Step 9: Prepare the Website's File System
In this step, you prepare the website's file system.
9.1 — Create an automated clone of your website's file system. This includes your themes, plugins, images, etc, and will be used to display your website's content on AWS.
In the WP on AWS Plugin interface complete the following steps:
- Navigate to the File-System Preparation Status section
- Click on Prepare File System
Step 10: Clone the Prepared File System
Now that your website has been prepared, a copy can be uploaded to AWS.
10.1 — Upload the clone of your website
This includes your database, themes, plugins and images etc and will be used to create your cloned website on AWS.
In the WP on AWS Plugin interface, complete the following steps:
- Navigate to the Clone to AWS Status section
- Click on Clone to AWS
When complete, the Clone to AWS status will be updated. Progress duration may vary depending on the size of your file system and the server on which it is hosted.
Step 11: Launch your website on Lightsail
After a copy of your Website has been cloned to AWS, it can now be launched.
11.1 — Run a test Migration to view a clone of your WordPress website in Amazon Lightsail.
In the WP on AWS Plugin interface, complete the following steps:
- Navigate to the Launch a Clone of This Website on AWS section
- Click on Launch AWS
When the initial request is complete the IP address of your cloned website will
be displayed but the website is still being compiled.
Congratulations
You migrated your WordPress website to run on Amazon Lightsail using Seahorse!