Overview
Better Search Replace is a powerful and user-friendly plugin that allows you to search and replace text in your WordPress database. It’s especially useful when migrating a site, updating URLs, or modifying large volumes of content across multiple database tables.
Plugin Details
- Version: 1.4.10
- Type: Database Management Utility
- Dependencies: None
Purpose
This plugin is designed to help administrators safely perform bulk search and replace operations across the WordPress database without needing direct access to phpMyAdmin or SQL tools. It’s commonly used during domain changes, content updates, or database cleanup tasks.
How to Configure
No advanced configuration is required. Once activated, the plugin is ready to use.
To access the plugin:
- Go to Tools > Better Search Replace in the WordPress dashboard.
Usage Instructions
- Go to: Tools > Better Search Replace
- Enter the search string you want to find in the “Search for” field
- Enter the replacement string in the “Replace with” field
- Select the tables you want to target for the operation
- Optional: Check “Run as dry run?” to preview changes without applying them
- Click “Run Search/Replace” to execute the operation
Note: Always run a dry run first to preview the number of changes and avoid unintended replacements.
Key Notes
- Useful for URL updates (e.g., http to https, domain changes)
- Supports serialized data handling (safe for widgets, options, etc.)
- Built-in dry run feature helps test before committing changes
- Can be used across all tables or selected ones only
- No coding or SQL knowledge required
