Staging environments on Kinsta
How to create, use, and push a staging environment on Kinsta, including selective push options for files and database.
Kinsta provides a staging environment for every site — a private copy where changes can be tested before going live. Kinsta's staging includes a useful option to selectively push only files, only the database, or both.
Quick summary
Every Kinsta site includes one staging environment. We use it to test changes safely before they reach your live site. Once changes are verified, we push from staging to live. Kinsta lets us choose exactly what gets pushed — files, database, or both — which reduces risk.
What staging is on Kinsta
Kinsta's staging environment is:
- A full copy of your live site — same theme, plugins, content, and settings at the time it was created.
- Password-protected — not accessible to the public.
- Blocked from search engines — won't appear in Google.
- On a separate URL — something like
yoursite.kinsta.cloudor a similar staging subdomain.
Creating a staging environment
Log in to MyKinsta and open your site.
Navigate to the Staging section. It's usually a tab or sidebar item in the site dashboard.
Click "Create staging environment" (or similar). Kinsta will copy your live site's files and database.
Wait for the copy to complete. This usually takes a few minutes.
Note the staging URL. It's shown in the staging section of MyKinsta.
Pushing staging to live
After testing on staging:
Open the Staging section in MyKinsta for your site.
Click "Push to live" (or "Deploy to live" — labels may vary).
Choose what to push. Kinsta gives you three options:
- Files only — pushes theme and plugin files, but keeps the live database intact.
- Database only — pushes content changes, but keeps live files intact.
- Files and database — a full push (most common for major changes).
Confirm the push. Kinsta will warn you that the live environment will be overwritten.
Verify the live site. Open your website in a fresh browser tab and check everything looks correct.
Full pushes overwrite the live site completely
When pushing files and database from staging to live, all changes made directly on the live site since the last staging copy will be lost. Coordinate with us before a full push to avoid overwriting new content.
Selective push: when to use each option
| Push type | Use when |
|---|---|
| Files only | You changed theme or plugin code, but content was added to the live site since staging was created |
| Database only | You updated content or settings on staging, and the code on live is already up to date |
| Files and database | You did a full rebuild on staging and want to completely replace the live site |
Refreshing staging from live
To update staging with the latest live site content:
Open the Staging section in MyKinsta.
Look for an option to "Copy live to staging" or "Refresh staging."
Confirm. Existing staging content will be overwritten.
Common questions
Related guides
- What is a staging site?
- The MyKinsta dashboard explained
- Backups on Kinsta
- Staging sites on Flywheel
- Staging on WP Engine
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