Everything you need to know about WordPress multisite installations and how to set them up

1, 2, or even 10 WordPress sites all in one place. Tempted? That’s the idea behind a WordPress multisite network.

Thanks to this feature, all your sites can be grouped together in a single dashboard, right at your fingertips.

The time savings can be considerable when it comes to handling the maintenance of your WordPress sites, but this is not necessarily the main reason that leads a webmaster to use multisite.

So, what exactly is this type of network used for? Who is it intended for? And, most importantly, how do you set it up on your WordPress site?

You’ll find answers to these questions—and to many others—in this comprehensive guide that tells you everything you need to know about the topic. 

What is WordPress multisite?

A native feature for managing a group of sites

A WordPress multisite network includes a set of websites (business site, e-commerce site, blog, etc.) on the same WordPress installation. They are all managed from the same dashboard, and each site/blog can be customized individually.

It is a native feature, meaning it has been built into the WordPress Core—the files and folders you download during installation—since the release of version 3.0 of the CMS (Content Management System).

The multisite option is activated by adding a line of code to the wp-config.php file—we’ll come back to this in detail—whether on a website that is already online or on a brand-new installation.

But ultimately, what does a network of sites look like? To stay within the WordPress theme, the most obvious example is WordPress.com.

Find the differences between WordPress.org and WordPress.com in our dedicated article.

The parallel with WordPress.com

Thanks to this hosting solution, anyone can create an online site/blog. Let’s say that WordPress.com manages the entire global infrastructure of the network: in a way, it is the network’s main website.

Alongside this, there are millions of sites, each owned by an individual, that make up the network.

To illustrate, each site in the WordPress.com network would correspond to the collection of sites that you would add to your own network (your WordPress installation), from your dashboard (site 1, site 2, site 3, site 4, etc.).

As the WordPress documentation sums it up, “end users of the network can create their own sites on demand, just as end users of WordPress.com can create blogs on demand.”

Another example: many authoritative sites/blogs in the education sector (universities, grandes écoles, etc.) often run as multisite. 

In short, so that everything is perfectly clear for you: 

• The network corresponds to your basic WordPress installation.
• Each time you add a website to your basic WP installation, it becomes part of the WordPress multisite network. 

What are the specific features of a multisite network?

Although it shares many things in common with a standard WordPress site/blog, a WordPress multisite network still has certain specific features: 

• In multisite, a new user role appears: the Super Admin. This person, and only this person, has the power to administer the entire network.
• At the same time, the permissions of the admin role are reduced. “By default, administrators cannot install new themes or plugins and cannot add or modify accounts on their site”, the WordPress documentation states.
• By default, all accounts added to the network will have a subscriber role on all sites.
• Each website has different directories for uploaded media (they do not have their own directory on the server). Each site in the network has its own folder containing the uploaded media in the uploads directory.
• The WordPress admin interface includes new custom content types (custom post types) and new settings menus. 
• Each site in the network has separate tables in your database.

What are the different types of multisite networks?

This is also a specific feature of a WordPress multisite network, but given its technical importance, let’s devote a dedicated subsection to it. 

In practice, you will have the choice between two types of multisite networks when activating your network: 

1. A WordPress multisite network organized into subdomains. In this case, each site has a different subdomain. For example: https://site1.exemple.com and https://site2.exemple.com.
2. A network organized into subdirectories (also called subfolders or paths). Here, each site has a separate subdirectory. For example: https://exemple.com/site1/ and https://exemple.com/site2/

Subdirectory or subdomain: which setup should you choose?

Whichever option you choose – more details in the section dedicated to setting up your network – first understand that each site in the network will have a different URL within its domain name.  

Next, technically speaking, installation in subfolders is easier for a beginner to set up and manage.

However, the WordPress documentation states that if your WP installation was carried out more than a month ago, you will not be able to choose installation in subfolders.

If you prefer to opt for a network organized into subdomains, you will need to point your different domain names to the same server folder where WordPress is installed. 

To do this, and without going into detail, one possible method is to configure wildcard subdomains. If you are interested, you will find detailed explanations in this resource.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a multisite network on WordPress?

Like any feature, multisite has advantages and disadvantages, detailed just below.

Advantages of a WordPress multisite network

• Managing updates (WP core, plugins and themes) is made easier, since all your sites are grouped together on the same dashboard.
  You no longer need to log in to each site individually and you save time.
• The installation of your themes and plugins is centralized: they can be activated all at once on all the sites of your choice.
• Each site has its own administrator and, as Super Admin, you have control over all user roles to manage the permissions granted on each site. 
• You save money on WordPress hosting. Instead of hosting each site individually, you use a single hosting server for all the sites in your network.

Disadvantages

• Setting up a WordPress multisite network can prove complex for inexperienced users. Especially if you want to configure your network of sites using subdomains. In addition, debugging when a problem occurs can also be complicated.
• If your network includes many sites, you will need high-performance hosting. Naturally, more installed sites means more server resources consumed, which can cause performance issues (slower page loading speed).
  In this case, shared hosting can quickly become insufficient. Dedicated hosting, like what Kinsta offers, which we recommend, may then prove essential.
• Since all sites share the same server resources, if one site becomes unavailable, your entire network will be affected. The same applies in the event of a traffic spike or hacking (all sites will be affected at the same time).
• Multisite is not supported by all WordPress plugins, nor by all web hosts (it’s quite rare, but it can happen).
• Customization is less straightforward than with a standard installation, since all sites share the same theme and the same plugins.

You now have a clearer understanding of what multisite is on WordPress. Before showing you step by step how to set it up on your installation, let’s make sure you really need it!

When should you create a WordPress multisite?

Even if the advantages of a WordPress multisite appeal to you, this type of network may not be suitable for your needs.

On the one hand, let’s say it makes sense to use it if you want to create several sites with very similar designs and features.

This is the case for some restaurant chains, educational institutions, banks, NGOs, community portals, news websites, etc.

A WordPress multisite can also be useful for bringing together all your personal sites/blogs.

On the other hand, it is better to avoid creating a multisite network if: 

• You host client sites that have no connection with one another. If one of them decides to change hosting provider, you’ll be in trouble because their website will share the same database as the other sites in the network. 
• Your future network must host sites that are very different in terms of design, themes and plugins to install (for you or your clients). 
• Your hosting provider does not offer the server requirements essential for running your network.
• You have an urgent need for one or more plugins that are not compatible with the multisite feature.
• You do not have access to your server to configure certain key files, such as the wp-config.php and .htaccess files.
• You need an IP address for each site in your network.
• Each site in your network must have its own database. 
• You do not want to get your hands into the code of certain WordPress files. 

If you simply want to take advantage of centralized and simplified management for maintaining your WordPress websites, rely instead on:

• A specialized provider like Maintenance WP, which will take care of everything for you (updates, security, backups, etc.).
• Dedicated tools such as Manage WP or WP Umbrella, but you will need to devote time to them. 

Does a WordPress multisite network seem to match your expectations and needs? Now see how to set it up. 

How to install multisite on WordPress?

For the purposes of this tutorial, we will manually install a WordPress multisite network from an already existing (live) WordPress installation. But remember, it is entirely possible to do this when installing WordPress for the first time. If that applies to you, check out our tutorial explaining how to create a WordPress site. 

Step 1: Make sure you meet the prerequisites

First, make sure you meet certain prerequisites:

• You must be the administrator of the main website (your future network).
• You need to be able to access the wp-config.php and .htaccess files using FTP software (File Transfer Protocol). This allows you to send files from your computer to your hosting server.
• You will need a code editor (Brackets, Sublime Text) to edit your files.  
• The configuration of your hosting server must be compatible with setting up a multisite network. In principle, there should not be any problems with this with most quality hosting providers. To be sure, ask their customer service team.
• Use a high-performance and secure hosting provider.  
• Check that optimized permalinks work.
• Disable all active plugins. The WordPress documentation states that “you will be able to reactivate them after creating the network”.

Some hosting providers like Kinsta, which we recommend, offer an option to automatically enable multisite on your hosting space.

Step 2: Back up your site

Are all your tools ready on your computer? Move on to step 2 of creating a WordPress multisite network.

To protect yourself in case of a bug when setting up your network (e.g., incorrect handling of the .htaccess file), we recommend backing up your site before taking action.

To do this, there are two main ways to proceed: 

• Either use the backup service offered by your hosting provider.
• Or use a free backup plugin like UpdraftPlus. The latter is very easy to use, and you can configure your backups automatically from your dashboard.

Whichever solution you choose, make sure you back up both your files and your database. You need to have both of these elements (especially your database) in order to restore your site if something goes wrong.

As soon as your site is safely backed up, get started by enabling multisite. 

Step 3: Enable the WordPress multisite feature

To enable the network creation menu, you need to add a small line of code to your wp-config.php file. In detail, here is what you need to do.

Log in to your FTP software

Start by opening your favorite FTP software (Filezilla, Cyberduck, Transmit, etc.). Here, we will use Filezilla, one of the best-known options (free).

Log in to your site using the credentials provided by your hosting provider (by email). You need to enter the following details: 

• Host.
• Username.
• Password.
• Port.

Once connected, locate the wp-config.php file. It is located in your site’s root folder (e.g.: www, public, public_html).

Add the code snippet to enable the WordPress multisite network

Open this wp-config.php file: right-click it and choose View/Edit.

Before the comment /* That’s all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */, add the code snippet below: 

/* Multisite */
define( 'WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true );

In practice, you should end up with this: 

Once this has been done, refresh your browser. You can now install and create a multisite network on your WordPress website. 

Step 4: Install the site network

To do this, go to the Tools > Network Setup menu. This last link (“Network Setup”) was activated by adding our piece of code to the wp-config.php file:

On the page that has just opened, enter a name for your network (e.g.: Maintenance WP Network) and your email address, then click the “Install” button:

You will have more or fewer options on this page on your end. For the purposes of this test, we are working locally (on our computer) and not on an online server. The options are therefore limited. For example, we can only create a network based on subdirectories. 

Step 5: Activate the network

Finally, you need to activate the site network. This is done in two steps:

1. Adding a new piece of code to the wp-config.php file.
2. Adding network configuration rules to the .htaccess file.

The code to add to each file is generated automatically by WordPress. For our example, it looks like this:

Warning: Do not copy these pieces of code on your own site! They are customized for our setup, which will not necessarily be the same as yours. Use the ones provided by WordPress when configuring your network, and everything will be fine.
Before making any changes, back up your existing wp-config.php and .htaccess files.

Adding the activation code to your wp-config.php file

If we follow the stated instructions, start by adding the first piece of code to your wp-config.php file. 

Place it:

• Above the line /* That’s all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */.
• Right after the piece of code used to enable the multisite feature (see step 3). 

In practice, you should end up with this:

Adding the configuration rules to the .htaccess file

If you already have a .htaccess file, it should be located at the root of your website, like the wp-config.php file.

If you do not see it, create it at the same level as your wp-config.php file (in the same directory, therefore).

To do this, in FileZilla: 

• In your site’s root folder, right-click and click “Create new file”.
• Name it .htaccess.
• Add the configuration rules inside it, replacing the existing WordPress rules.

Once these steps are complete, you will need to log in to the dashboard again using the link provided at the bottom of the screen.

WordPress states that “you may need to clear your browser cache and cookies in order to log in.”

If everything worked correctly, you will see a new menu item called “My Sites” appear at the top left of your screen:

Your WordPress multisite network is now active. Now, let’s see how to configure and manage it. 

How do you manage your network of sites?

How do you access your main site and your network of sites?

Activating a WordPress multisite network changes the organization of your dashboard a little. Here’s how it works from now on. 

The administration interface for your main site can be accessed by going to My Sites > Name of your site (“Multisite” in this test) > Dashboard:

You will then find yourself with a classic dashboard, as is customary with a site that does not have multisite enabled.

Now, to access the dashboard of your network of sites, go to My Sites > Network Admin > Dashboard.

You will notice that the settings sidebar has fewer options than on a “classic” site (non-multisite). 

For example, you have options to manage all the sites, accounts, themes, and plugins installed on your network. 

You can also update your entire network all at once:

How do you configure the settings of your WordPress multisite network?

Beyond that, specific settings are provided to configure your network. Find them under My Sites > Network Admin > Settings.

You can act on the following elements: 

• Registration settings: among other things, you can manage who can register on your site network, or block site creation for certain people whose email address is not linked to a specific domain name.
• New site settings : lets you configure the welcome messages sent to new site owners when a new account is created, etc. 
• Upload settings : here, you can set the size limit for files that can be uploaded. By default, the setting is 100 MB. You can lower this limit if you notice that your site network is starting to struggle a little in terms of loading speed. It is also possible to choose the type of files uploaded by your users, as well as their maximum size.
• Language settings allow you, as the name suggests, to change the main language used on your WordPress multisite network. 
• Menu settings: if you check the “Plugins” box on the screen below, your users will be able to enable/disable plugins but will not be able to add any.

Remember to click the “Save Changes” button to save your new settings.

How do you add a new site to your multisite network?

For now, your network only has one site: your main site (called “Multisite” in our example):

That’s a bit light for a site network, so let’s see how to make it grow a little. 

To add a  new site, go through the following menu: My Sites > Network Admin > Sites. Then click the “Add” button, as shown on the screen below:

Then fill in the fields and settings below: 

• Site web address (URL), with the name of your subdirectory in lowercase, unaccented letters. You can add numbers and hyphens.
  In our case, the chosen site address is localhost/multisite/site1.
• Site title.
• Site language.
• Administrator email.

Finish by clicking the “Add Site” button on your administration screen.

Your new site is now available in Sites > All Sites:

How to add a theme?

To manage your site’s appearance, you need a theme. To add one to your network of sites, go to My Sites > Network Admin > Themes > Add. 

Select the theme of your choice on the screen, then enable it on your administration interface. It will then be available to the site administrators in your network, who will need to activate it manually to make it the default theme on the relevant site.

To do this, simply go to the dashboard of the relevant site, by following this path for example: My Sites > Network Site 1 > Dashboard > Appearance > Themes:

For your information, as an administrator, you can find the list of themes for your network under Themes > Installed Themes. If you want to enable one on your network, click “Network Enable” on your screen.

The principle is the same for deactivating one, that is, for making it unavailable for administration on your network by users. 

To improve the loading speed of your pages, a crucial point on a WordPress multisite network, we recommend using a lightweight and fast theme. Here are a few to choose from: Astra, Kadence, Blocksy, GeneratePress or Neve. Each offers site templates that can be activated with one click from your admin interface. Feel free to test their free version to see which one best suits your needs. 

How do you add a plugin?

After themes, it’s time for plugins. As you’ll see, the process is the same. To add a WordPress plugin to your network, administrators must go to My Sites > Network Admin > Plugins.

Click the “Add New” button, then add the plugin of your choice. For this example, we’re choosing WordFence, a security plugin for WordPress:

Once activated, the WordPress plugin will be active on all the sites in your network, for all your users. By default, you will not be able to deactivate it on a case-by-case basis on each site. You can only deactivate it across the entire network.

However, if you want to activate a specific plugin on one site or another in your network, it is possible thanks to a small trick.

When you add a plugin to your entire network (My Sites > Network Admin > Plugins), do not activate it.

Then go back to the plugins page of the site of your choice (e.g.: Network Site 1), and activate it at that point in the available settings!

Which plugins should you use on a WordPress multisite network?

Speaking of plugins, here are a few that could be useful on your network of sites: 

• WordFence Security or SecuPress, to strengthen the security of your installation. If you use a subdomain structure, remember to activate an SSL certificate on each of your domains in order to switch your sites to HTTPS. Most hosting providers will offer this to you free of charge.
• SEOPress, to optimize the organic search engine optimization (SEO) of your WordPress website. 
• User Switching, to switch from one user account to another in one click.
• Akismet, to fight spam.
• WP Rocket (paid), to enable caching on your site (and speed up its loading time) with settings that are easy for administrators and users to configure.
• Imagify, to reduce the size of images across your site network.
• All-in-One WP Migration, to migrate one of your sites to another destination (new server, local, etc.).
• UpdraftPlus, to back up your sites.
• Members, to customize the capabilities of a user role.
• WP Activity Log, to monitor activity across your site network (especially users).

How to add a user?

As an administrator, you can add new users to your network. To do so, go through the following menu: My Sites > Network Admin > Dashboard > Users > Add New.

On the page displayed, in the settings section, then enter a username and an email address for this user:

Now, how do you add a new user to one of the sites in your network? Simply go to the dashboard of the site in question, then add the relevant user via the Users menu. 

For a new account, the administrator will need to provide: 

• A username.
• An email address.
• The user’s role (subscriber, contributor, author, editor, administrator). The administrator has the most permissions, while the subscriber has the fewest.
• Whether you want the user to receive a confirmation message by email.

It is also in each site’s interface that you can manage each user’s roles (administrator, editor, contributor, etc.) and modify their privileges.

How do you grant the Super Admin role to a user on your WordPress multisite network?

If needed, you can also give a user the Super Admin role. Please note, however: this option should be handled with care because the Super Administrator has all permissions on your WordPress multisite network.

As for the procedure, you need to go to your network’s administration interface. 

In the “Users > All Users” menu, click the “Edit” link for the user of your choice. Then, on the page displayed, check the “Grant this user super-admin privileges for the Network” box:

How do you update the sites in your network?

As you discovered while reading these lines, a multisite network makes it easier to manage updates for your sites (blog, ecommerce, etc.).

For example, it is possible to update all the sites in your network at the same time (here, this only concerns the WordPress Core).

To do this, administrators can click the “Update Network” button in the site network dashboard:

At the same time, you can of course update the WordPress themes and plugins installed on the sites in your network via the “Updates” menu.

When you update a plugin, for example, the change will take effect on all the sites in your network. 

How do you enable domain mapping?

To conclude this series of mini tutorials, let’s cover a slightly more technical point that may prove important, depending on the situation: domain mapping.

Known as domain mapping, this native WordPress feature (since version 4.5) allows sites in a WordPress network to “ be mapped to top-level domains that are not part of the network,” according to the WordPress documentation.

In practical terms, this means that you can use the domain name of your choice — provided you own it — on each of the sites in your network. This applies whether you have chosen a subdomain or subdirectory structure.

To “map” a domain name, you must first point its DNS (Domain Name System) to your server. Next, make sure that all your domains have an SSL certificate installed. 

Continue by updating the site or blog to which you want to assign a new domain name, then add its domain name to its settings. To do this, go to My Sites > Network Admin > Sites > All Sites. Click the “Edit” link for the relevant site/blog. 

In the info tab, add the domain name of your choice under the “Site Address (URL)” option:

Remember to save the changes. 

In the event of an error about blocked cookies when you try to log in to the network dashboard, or if login fails without an error message, the WordPress documentation recommends adding the line of code below after the code you added to create your network (in the wp-config.php file):

define('COOKIE_DOMAIN', $_SERVER);

WordPress multisite: the recap

Throughout these lines, you have discovered the subtleties of a WordPress multisite network. In summary, we covered the following points: 

• What multisite is used for.
• What are its specific features?
• The different types of multisite networks you can set up.
• The advantages and disadvantages of multisite.
• How to install a WordPress multisite network and how to administer it.
• How to enable domain mapping on one or more sites.

Even though it has advantages (e.g., easier update management), a multisite network also has its share of disadvantages.

One of them concerns, for example, the technical aspect of its implementation, which can prove complex and intimidating.

If you’re hesitant to take the plunge, call on a team of professionals to carry out the operation properly and respond very quickly in the event of a problem.

The Maintenance WP experts are available 7 days a week to provide you with tailored support in setting up a multisite network (among other things). Contact us to learn more.