You can import content from other another WordPress site or service using Tools > Import in your site’s dashboard.

This imports all pages, posts, comments, files.  You will need to manually set up your theme and widgets.

These instructions are for importing from a WordPress hosted service. Please email support for assistance importing from Blogger, Drupal, Weebly or other services.

The steps to import content from another site are:

  1. Create the export file using Tools > Export inside the dashboard of the original site.
  2. Import the export file into the new site using Tools > Import.
  3. Set up the theme and widgets.
  4. Import the blogroll using Tools > Import.

Create Export File

Before you can import your content, you’ll first need to export the other site’s content into a file you can upload to WordPress.

For WordPress powered sites you need to:

1.  Log into your original site dashboard.

2.  Go to Comments and permanently delete any unnecessary comments such as spam comments.

High numbers of spam comments can make the export file too large and you shouldn’t import spam comments into a new site.

3.  Go to Settings > Reading

Settings > Reading

4.  If the site is using a private site option, change privacy to “Discourage search engines from indexing this site”

This is necessary on both the original site and the new site otherwise the import won’t work.

Change privacy

You can switch back to a private setting once the import is complete.

5.   Go to Tools > Export.

Tools > Export

6.  Select All Content, click on Download Export file and save the XML (WXR) file onto your computer.

Download export file

Import Export File

If the site you are importing from has Custom Post Types you must activate the same theme, or any necessary plugins, before importing otherwise your custom post types won’t import. Advanced Custom Field Pro plugin should be activated on the new site if it is used on the original site.

1.  Log into your new site dashboard.

2.  Go to Users > Add New and add all users who have added any content to the original site as a user to the new site. All content must be assigned to a user.

Don’t create new users during the import process.  Assign all posts to the admin user during the import process if you don’t want to create their user accounts.

3.  Go to Settings > Reading

Settings > Reading

4.  Change privacy to “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” if the site is using a private site option.

This is necessary on both the original site and the new site otherwise the import won’t work.

Change privacy

5. Activate any plugins that were being used in the original site if they are needed.

6. Go to Tools > Import.

Tools > Import

7. Click on “Run Importer” under Advanced WordPress.

Advanced importer

The Advanced WordPress importer uses our out of band importer to import your content in the background allowing you to continue working on your new site while the import is running. It’s designed to handle importing larger sites and is the recommended method for importing all WordPress sites. The WordPress importer option located at the bottom of the import list requires the browser tab to be left open while importing and is only suitable for importing small sites. If you get a Failed status with the Advanced WordPress importer try again with the WordPress Importer.

8. Click on Browse and browse to locate the Export file you saved on your computer.

9. Click on Upload file and import.

Upload File and import

10.  Assign all posts and pages to existing users and then click Submit.

Assign authors

11. How long the import takes depends on the size of the original site. We recommend checking about 1-4 hours later.

You can continue working on the site to set up the theme and widgets while your content is importing. You check the import status in Tools > Import > Advanced Importer.

Here’s what the status looks like when the file is still being processed:

Changes from Pending – Runnable, to Pending – Started to Run.

Import started

Here’s what the status looks like when the file has been processed.

Import finished

12. Once import status has changed to succeeded we recommend you compare Posts > All Posts, Pages > All Pages, Media > Library, and any custom post types on your new site with your original site to confirm all content has been imported.

This imports all pages, posts,  comments, files.  You need to manually set up your theme and widgets.

If you get a Failed status with the Advanced WordPress importer try again using the WordPress Importer.

WordPress importer

If you use the WordPress importer you need to select “Download and import file attachments” after you’ve assigned authors and then click on Submit. Leave your browser tab open until it completes importing and you see “All Done.  Have Fun!”

Import Blogroll

You can import links from into your new site via Tools > Import as follows:

1.  Go to Tools > Import

wordpress menu tools > import

2.  Click Run Importer under Blogroll on the Import screen.

Click on Run importer under blogroll

3.  Specify your OPML URL or upload your OPML file from your computer.

Your OPML URL is located at the following URL:

  • http://yourblogtitle.edublogs.org/wp-links-opml.php
  • http://yourblogtitle.wordpress.com/wp-links-opml.php
Import blogroll

4. Select category to assign links and then click the Import OPML File button.

If there are no categories listed you can create a category in Links > Link Categories before importing your blogroll.

You can export your links by visiting http://yourblogtitle.edublogs.org/wp-links-opml.php and then use the Save File option in your web browser, usually by clicking File -> Save As…