How to Migrate from Media Cloud to Upcasted S3 Offload in WordPress

Introduction
Migrating from one media offload plugin to another can be daunting. If you’re using Media Cloud to offload your WordPress media library to Amazon S3 and want to switch to Upcasted S3 Offload, you’re in the right place. This tutorial will guide you through the migration process, ensuring your media files remain accessible without disruptions.

Why Migrate to Upcasted S3 Offload?

Upcasted S3 Offload offers a robust and seamless solution for offloading your WordPress media library to Amazon S3. With its efficient setup, streamlined workflow, and full compatibility with existing S3 structures, it’s a powerful alternative to Media Cloud.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Create a Website Clone for Testing

Before making any changes to your live website, create a staging or cloned environment to test the migration. This ensures that any potential issues do not impact your live site. Use tools like WP Staging or your hosting provider’s staging setup feature.

2. Disable Media Cloud

On your cloned website, deactivate the Media Cloud plugin. You can do this from the Plugins section in your WordPress admin dashboard.

3. Install and Set Up Upcasted S3 Offload

Download and install the Upcasted S3 Offload plugin from the WordPress plugin repository.
Configure the plugin with your Amazon S3 bucket details.

4. Verify the Folder Structure in S3

WordPress uses a specific folder hierarchy for storing media files in the S3 bucket. Your S3 bucket should follow this structure for a seamless transition:

/uploads/year/month/filename.ext

For example, an image uploaded in November 2024 would typically be stored as:
bash

/uploads/2024/11/image-name.jpg

Check your S3 bucket to ensure this structure is followed. If the folder structure differs, you may need to adjust it before proceeding.

5. Update Media Metadata

To ensure all media references are correctly linked to your bucket, add the following snippet to your theme’s functions.php file. Replace “YOUR_BUCKET_NAME” with your actual bucket name:

$assets = get_posts([
  'post_type'=>'attachment',
  'numberposts' => -1
]);

foreach($assets as $asset) {
  $meta = wp_get_attachment_metadata($asset->ID);
  $meta['bucket'] = 'YOUR_BUCKET_NAME';
  wp_update_attachment_metadata($asset->ID, $meta);
}

This script updates the metadata of all media files to associate them with your S3 bucket.

6. Remove the Code After Execution

Once you’ve confirmed that the metadata updates were successful, remove the snippet from functions.php. Keeping the code in place after its purpose has been served can lead to unnecessary overhead or conflicts.

7. Test the Migration

Check your media files on the cloned website to ensure they load correctly. If any issues arise, recheck the folder structure and metadata.

8. Go Live

Once you’re confident everything works as expected on your cloned site, replicate the steps on your live website.

Conclusion

Migrating from Media Cloud to Upcasted S3 Offload is straightforward when you follow these steps. Remember to always test changes on a clone before going live to minimize risks. With your media library successfully transitioned, you can now enjoy the benefits of Upcasted S3 Offload!

Have questions or need assistance? Reach out to us in the comments or via our support channel.