How to Perform Search and Replace in WordPress? (4 Methods Explained)

Let’s start with a scenario. You have decided to rebrand a few aspects of your website. But manually searching through the pages and posts and replacing the text and images individually can be a nightmare. That’s where the magic of “Search and Replace” comes in.

Just like in Docs, this feature allows you to quickly and easily update your WordPress database with new information. You can update URLs, text, or code across your entire website with just a few clicks.

Through this blog, I’ll show you how the WordPress development experts implement the “Search and Replace” feature on their website. Let’s begin.

What is Search and Replace?

“Search and Replace” is a functionality that allows you to automatically find and replace specific text, code, or URLs across your entire WordPress website. It’s like the “Find and Replace” feature in a word processor, but on a much larger scale.

Here’s a breakdown

• Search: You specify the exact text string, code snippet, or URL you want to find within your website’s database. This could be anything from an old domain name to a misspelled word that appears multiple times.
• Replace: You provide the new text, code, or URL that you want to replace the old one with.
• Execute: With a single command, the tool scans your entire WordPress database, including posts, pages, custom fields, and even your theme files. It also replaces all instances of the search term with the replacement term.

Essentially, you can make bulk changes to your WordPress website without having to manually edit each individual piece of content.

When to Use Search and Replace in WordPress?

Search and Replace in WordPress is a powerful tool, but it’s important to know when it’s the right solution. Here are some common scenarios where using Search and Replace can be a huge time-saver:

• Website Migration: Updating all internal links after moving to a new domain.   
• Rebranding: Changing your company name or logo URLs throughout your website.
• Content Correction: Fixing recurring typos or outdated information across multiple pages.
• Code Updates: Replacing outdated code snippets with newer versions.
• Database Cleanup: Removing unwanted characters or formatting.

If you want help with any of these scenarios and require the search and replace feature, our expert WordPress developers will be helpful.

How to Implement Search & Replace in WordPress Websites?

Whether you’re moving to a new domain, rebranding your business, or simply need to correct a recurring typo, there are a few ways to go about it. Let’s take a look.

Using a WordPress Plugin

WordPress plugins are just about the easiest way to integrate new features and functionalities to a website. That includes implementing the Search and Replace feature as well.

Here’s how the process goes:

Step 1: Choose a Plugin: There are several Search and Replace plugins available in the official plugin directory. Two of the popular ones include:

• Search & Replace Everything by WPCode
• Better Search Replace

Consider factors like features, user reviews, and active installations when choosing the best WordPress plugin for your requirement.

Step 2: Install and Activate the Plugin: Log in to the WordPress admin dashboard and navigate to Plugins > Add New. Then search for the plugin and then “Install Now” and “Activate” it.

Step 3: Access the Plugin Settings: Once activated, the plugin will usually appear in your WordPress sidebar menu. Click on the plugin’s menu item to access its settings page.

Step 4: Configure the Search and Replace Options

• Search for: Enter the exact text string, code, or URL you want to find.
• Replace with: Enter the new text, code, or URL you want to replace it with.
• Select tables: Choose which database tables you want to search and replace within. Most plugins offer the option to select all tables.

If available, perform a “Dry run” to see the proposed changes without actually applying them. This helps you identify any potential issues.

Step 5: Execute the Search and Replace: Once you’ve configured the options, click the “Replace” or “Execute” button to start the process. The plugin will scan your database and replace all instances of the search term with the replacement term.

Step 6: Review the Results: After the process is complete, the plugin will usually display a summary of the changes made. Review your website to ensure the changes have been applied correctly.

If you’re making extensive changes, consider starting with a smaller, less critical section of your website to test the process.

Using the WP-CLI

WP-CLI is a powerful command-line tool for managing WordPress installations. It allows you to perform a wide range of tasks, including search and replace operations, directly from your server’s terminal.

Step 1: Access WP-CLI: You’ll need to access your server via SSH (Secure Shell) to use WP-CLI. This typically involves using a terminal application and entering your server credentials.

Once connected, navigate to the root directory of your WordPress installation using the cd command. 

Step 2: Use the Search-Replace Command: The core command for search and replace in WP-CLI is wp search-replace. Here’s the basic syntax:

wp search-replace 'old-string' 'new-string' --all-tables

• Replace ‘old-string’ with the text you want to find.
• Replace ‘new-string’ with the text you want to replace it with.
• –all-tables tells WP-CLI to search and replace in all database tables.

Step 3: Refine the Search and Replace: You can specify particular database tables to search within:

wp search-replace 'old-string' 'new-string' wp_posts wp_postmeta

You can do a dry run ro test the changes before applying them:

wp search-replace 'old-string' 'new-string' --all-tables --dry-run

Here are a few other useful options:

• –precise: Matches only whole words.
• –recurse-objects: Searches and replaces within serialized data.
• –skip-columns: Excludes specific database columns from the search.

Make sure you backup your WordPress website before performing any search and replace operations with WP-CLI.

Using phpMyAdmin

phpMyAdmin lets you directly interact with the WordPress database. While you get better control, it’s important you pay great caution and have the basic understanding of databases and SQL. Here’s how the method goes:

Step 1: Access phpMyAdmin: Most WordPress hosting providers offer phpMyAdmin access within their control panels (e.g., cPanel, Plesk). Look for a link or icon labeled “phpMyAdmin” and click it to open the interface.

Step 2: Select Your Database: In the left-hand sidebar, you’ll see a list of databases. Select the database associated with your WordPress website.

Step 3: Choose the Relevant Tables: Once you’ve selected your database, you’ll see a list of tables within it.

You need to determine which tables contain the data you want to modify.

• wp_posts: Stores content for posts, pages, and other post types.
• wp_options: Stores website settings, widget data, and other options.
• wp_postmeta: Stores custom fields and metadata associated with posts.
• wp_comments: Stores comments on your posts.

Step 4: Construct the SQL Query: To perform a search and replace, you’ll use the SQL UPDATE statement with the REPLACE function. Here’s the basic structure:

UPDATE table_name SET field_name = REPLACE(field_name, 'old-string', 'new-string');

Replace the following:

• table_name: The name of the database table you want to modify (e.g., wp_posts).
• field_name: The name of the column within the table that contains the data you want to change (e.g., post_content).
• old-string: The exact text or code you want to search for.
• new-string: The text or code you want to replace it with.

Example query:

UPDATE wp_posts SET post_content = REPLACE(post_content, 'old-domain.com', 'new-domain.com');

Step 5: Execute the SQL Query: Click the “SQL” tab in phpMyAdmin to open the SQL query editor, paste the query as shown above, and click “Go”.

Make sure to take the backup of your WordPress website before executing this approach as it works on the core of the platform.

Using Hosting Provider Tools

Some hosting providers offer built-in search and replace tools as part of their hosting packages. These tools can be a convenient option, especially if you’re not comfortable with command-line interfaces or want more control over the process. Here’s how you execute this process using the hosting cPanel:

Step 1: Access the cPanel: Log in to your hosting account and access your control panel (e.g., cPanel, Plesk, DirectAdmin).

Step 2: Find the Tools: Look for features or tools related to databases or website management. The naming and location of these tools can vary significantly between hosting providers. Some common names include:

• “Search and Replace”
• “Database Search and Replace”
• “SQL Tool”
• “Database Manager”

Step 3: Access the Tool: Once you’ve located the tool, open it. You’ll typically be presented with a user-friendly interface.

Step 4: Configure the Tool: Configure the search and replace options offered by the tool.

• Select Database: Choose the database associated with your WordPress website.
• Search for: Enter the exact text string, code, or URL you want to find.
• Replace with: Enter the new text, code, or URL you want to replace it with.
• Select Tables: Choose which database tables you want to search and replace within. Most tools will allow you to select all tables or specific ones.
• Dry Run: If available, perform a dry run to preview the changes before applying them.

Step 5: Execute the Search and Replace: Once you’ve configured the options, click the “Replace” or “Execute” button to start the process. The tool will scan your database and replace all instances of the search term with the replacement term.

Step 6: Review the Results: After the process is complete, the tool will usually display a summary of the changes made. Review your website to ensure the changes have been applied correctly. If not, you can undo them from the tool.

Although this method offers convenience, you may not find it on all hosting platforms and there may be some limitations in options and flexibility.

If you need help changing anything on your database, consult with our WordPress development experts. We will help you out.

FAQs on Search and Replace WordPress

To Summarize

Whether you’re migrating your site, rebranding your business, cleaning up your database, or simply fixing recurring typos, having a search and replace option can be an excellent option. It gives you the ability to efficiently replace text, code, or URLs across your entire website, saving you immense time and effort.

To that end, you can either go for a WordPress plugin like “Search & Replace Everything by WPCode”, add an SQL query, or use the tools offered by the hosting cPanel.But if you need any additional changes in the database, hire our WordPress professionals today!