X

XML Import

WordPress 4 min read Entry 70 of 78
Definition

An XML import moves posts, pages and their metadata from one WordPress site into another using WordPress’s own export file.

In plain English

Tools, Export gives you one XML file, sometimes called a WXR. Tools, Import on the other site reads it back and recreates the content.

It carries content, not design. Posts, pages, categories, tags, comments and custom post types come across; your theme settings and page builder layouts largely do not.

Why it matters

It is the simplest way to move a blog between sites, split one site into two, or seed a fresh install with the content from an old one.

It is also a portable backup of your writing that is readable without a database, which is worth having whatever else you use.

How it works

  1. You export from the old siteEverything, or just one post type.
  2. You install the WordPress importerOffered on the Import screen the first time.
  3. Authors are mappedExisting users, or new ones created during the import.
  4. Attachments are optionalTick the box and it fetches the images from the old site, which needs it to still be online.

It is not a site migration

For a whole site, including the design, the plugins and the settings, use a migration plugin or copy the files and database. An XML file will leave you rebuilding every layout.

BackupTaxonomyQuick EditPlugin