This guide explains why you may see the message ‘An installation already exists at https://staging.example.com as per our records. To clone the application at this location please uninstall the existing installation!’ when creating a staging site in WordPress Manager. It also shows how to remove an old staging installation or choose a different staging URL so you can continue.
Why this error appears
When you create a staging site, WordPress Manager checks whether a WordPress installation already exists at the URL you’ve chosen (for example: https://staging.example.com).
If it detects an existing installation, even one created previously or no longer in use, it shows this error:
An installation already exists at https://staging.example.com as per our records. To clone the application at this location please uninstall the existing installation!
This protection is intentional. It helps prevent accidental overwriting of an existing WordPress site.
What you should do
You have two options:
- Use a different staging URL
Choose a new subdomain or directory (for example, https://stage.example.com or https://example.com/stage). - Remove the old staging installation
If you no longer need the existing installation, you can safely uninstall it using the steps below.
How to uninstall the existing WordPress installation
- Log in to your Ecenica Dashboard.
- Click Manage next to your hosting service.
- Click WordPress Manager.
- Find the staging website listed at the conflicting URL and click the arrow to expand its options.
- Scroll down and click Uninstall.
- Click Remove Installation to confirm.
Wait for the removal to complete, then refresh the page to confirm the installation has been deleted.
Create your new staging site
Once the old installation is removed, or you have chosen a new staging URL, you can create your staging site again.
Follow the steps in:
How to create your WordPress staging site
