# Export option not available on local site
**URL:** https://community.localwp.com/t/export-option-not-available-on-local-site/12635
**Category:** Uncategorized
**Created:** [June 7, 2019, 5:42pm UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/export-option-not-available-on-local-site/12635 "2019-06-07T17:42:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@dfreker](https://community.localwp.com/u/dfreker)
#### Post date: [June 7, 2019, 5:42pm UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/export-option-not-available-on-local-site/12635/1 "2019-06-07T17:42:55Z")
I’m trying to clone a site and cloning is resulting in an error. One of the posts mentioned exporting and then importing a site to a new name. I am now trying that but when I right click on a Local Site, the export option is shown but in light gray and not available to click. Is there something I need to configure to enable it? Any help appreciated.
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### Author:  [@ben.turner](https://community.localwp.com/u/ben.turner)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2019, 7:41pm UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/export-option-not-available-on-local-site/12635/2 "2019-06-10T19:41:37Z")
Hey @dfreker –
A couple of things to verify –
- Is the site turned on? Exporting or cloning the site requires the site to be turned on so that the database can be exported.
- Do you have the specific error that is being mentioned when cloning the site?
- Can you please provide your `local-by-flywheel.log` file? See
“[https://local.getflywheel.com/community/t/how-do-i-retrieve-locals-log-file/3720](https://local.getflywheel.com/community/t/how-do-i-retrieve-locals-log-file/3720)” for instructions on how to do so.
Let us know a little more about this and we should be able to point you in the right direction!
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### Author:  [@dfreker](https://community.localwp.com/u/dfreker)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2019, 10:18pm UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/export-option-not-available-on-local-site/12635/3 "2019-06-10T22:18:49Z")
Hi Ben -
Ok, I’m slightly embarassed. :-/ Looks like the site wasn’t turned on. I think we can all this closed. Thank you for your response. I really appreciate it!
Dave
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### Author:  [@ben.turner](https://community.localwp.com/u/ben.turner)
#### Post date: [June 10, 2019, 10:20pm UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/export-option-not-available-on-local-site/12635/4 "2019-06-10T22:20:23Z")
No worries @dfreker – I’m only aware of this little UI/UX bug because I’ve been bitten by it before too! It doesn’t come up often, but it can be a little bit of a head-scratcher when you first see it.
Have a great day!
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### Author:  [@madlon](https://community.localwp.com/u/madlon)
#### Post date: [October 30, 2025, 11:58pm UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/export-option-not-available-on-local-site/12635/5 "2025-10-30T23:58:07Z")
I just wanted to say that, over 6 years later this thread helped me when I was having the same issue. So at least one other person had the same problem as you (and the UX bug is still there)! Thank you.
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### Author:  [@Nick-B](https://community.localwp.com/u/Nick-B)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2025, 2:21pm UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/export-option-not-available-on-local-site/12635/6 "2025-10-31T14:21:37Z")
Hey @madlon! Could you elaborate on what you ran into here? Was it that the site needed to be turned on to export it, or did you have another issue/error when cloning?
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### Author:  [@madlon](https://community.localwp.com/u/madlon)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2025, 2:40pm UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/export-option-not-available-on-local-site/12635/7 "2025-10-31T14:40:37Z")
Sure! It was the site needing to be running to be able to export it. I’m sure that there’s a good reason for that to be necessary, but it took stumbling across this old post for me to consider it.
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### Author:  [@Nick-B](https://community.localwp.com/u/Nick-B)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2025, 2:42pm UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/export-option-not-available-on-local-site/12635/8 "2025-10-31T14:42:45Z")
Ah okay that is actually some intended functionality which we outline in our help doc here as well:
> **[Import/Export a WordPress Site](https://localwp.com/help-docs/getting-started/how-to-import-a-wordpress-site-into-local/#export-a-site)**
>
> This help document will walk you through how to import and export a site to and from Local. It will also go over how to restore from only Local site files. Table of Contents: Local is pretty flexible…
Glad to hear you were able to find what you need and get things working!
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### Author:  [@Nick-B](https://community.localwp.com/u/Nick-B)
#### Post date: [October 31, 2025, 2:42pm UTC](https://community.localwp.com/t/export-option-not-available-on-local-site/12635/9 "2025-10-31T14:42:54Z")