Import WordPress Content: Transfer Posts, Pages, Media and XML Files Correctly

Import WordPress Content: Transfer Posts, Pages, Media and XML Files Correctly

WordPress offers an integrated import tool that allows you to take over content from other WordPress installations or certain external platforms. The import is used especially often when posts, pages, comments, categories, tags or media references from an old website need to be transferred to a new WordPress installation.

The import is practical, but it does not replace a complete website migration. It mainly transfers content – not automatically the complete design, all plugin settings, theme options, user roles, caching rules or server configurations. It is therefore important to prepare the import properly and check everything thoroughly after the process.

Import and export belong together

If you want to take over content from another WordPress website, the process usually starts with an export on the old website. This creates an XML file in WXR format. You then upload this file in the new WordPress installation via the import tool.

The typical process:

1. Export content on the old website.
2. Save the XML file locally.
3. Prepare the new WordPress website.
4. Install WordPress Importer.
5. Upload XML file.
6. Assign authors.
7. Optionally import file attachments.
8. Check and revise the import.

• Related guide: Export WordPress content

When is the WordPress import useful?

The import is useful if you want to take over content into an existing or new WordPress installation. It is particularly suitable for editorial content and partial moves.

Typical use cases:

• take over posts from an old WordPress site,
• import pages into a new installation,
• transfer comments together with posts,
• take over categories and tags,
• import content from a staging environment,
• take over blog articles from a relaunch project,
• migrate individual author posts,
• import content from platforms such as Blogger, provided a suitable importer is available.

However, if you want to move a complete website including theme, plugins, database, media, settings, user accounts, shop data and SEO configuration, a complete migration is usually more suitable.

Import is not a complete migration

A common mistake is confusing the WordPress import with a complete website move. The import can take over many contents, but not automatically the entire technical website structure.

1. Open the import tool

You can find the import tool in the WordPress dashboard under:

Tools > Import Data

Depending on the WordPress version and installed extensions, you will see various import options there. For content from another WordPress installation, use the WordPress Importer.

If the WordPress Importer is not yet installed, you can install it directly from this view.

2. Choose the right importer

Depending on the available import function, WordPress can take over content from various sources. The most important option is the WordPress importer for XML files.

Possible import sources:

• WordPress: Import of WXR/XML files from another WordPress installation.
• Blogger: Import of Blogger content, if the corresponding importer is available.
• Tumblr: Import via a suitable importer, if supported.
• RSS: Import of certain post data from feeds.
• Other systems: Depending on plugin or migration tool.

For most customers, the WordPress importer is the most important option.

3. Prepare the XML file

For a WordPress import, you normally need an XML file that was previously exported from another WordPress installation. This file contains structured information about posts, pages, categories, tags, comments and media references.

Check before importing:

• Was the XML file downloaded completely?
• Is the file not damaged?
• Does it come from the correct website?
• Does it contain only the desired content?
• Is the file not too large for the upload limit?
• Was the file stored securely?

If the file is very large, it can make sense to export content from the old website in several parts.

4. Upload the XML file

After installing the WordPress Importer, you can upload the XML file.

Proceed as follows:

1. Open Tools > Import Data.
2. Select WordPress.
3. Install or start the WordPress Importer.
4. Click Choose File.
5. Select the XML file from your computer.
6. Click Upload file and import.

If WordPress does not accept the file, check file size, file format and upload limits.

5. Assign authors correctly

After uploading, WordPress asks which authors the imported content should be assigned to. You can import old authors, create new users or assign content to an existing user.

Options:

• create old author as a new user,
• assign content to an existing administrator,
• assign content to an editorial account,
• assign authors individually and appropriately.

For business websites, it is often useful not to automatically assign content to arbitrary old user accounts, but to deliberately choose a suitable author.

6. Import file attachments and images

During import, WordPress often offers an option such as Download and import file attachments. If you activate this option, WordPress tries to download images and other media files from the old website and add them to the new media library.

This only works reliably if:

• the old website is still online,
• the media files are publicly accessible,
• no access block is active,
• no hotlink protection blocks access,
• the URLs in the XML file are correct,
• the import does not fail due to server limits.

If images are missing, additionally back up and transfer the wp-content/uploads/ folder from the old installation.

7. Import limits and PHP settings

With large XML files, the import can fail because of server limits. Common causes are upload limit, memory limit, maximum execution time or connection interruptions.

Relevant PHP values can include:

• upload_max_filesize
• post_max_size
• memory_limit
• max_execution_time
• max_input_time

At CURIAWEB, many PHP settings can be managed directly in cPanel depending on the hosting package.

• Guide: Manage PHP versions and PHP settings in cPanel

If the import still fails despite adjusted values, export content in several smaller files or use professional migration tools.

8. Split import of large websites

For extensive websites, a single large XML import is often impractical. It is better to split export and import.

Possible splitting:

• import posts by year,
• import posts by category,
• import pages separately,
• transfer media separately,
• import author content separately,
• take over comments only if needed.

This reduces timeouts and makes troubleshooting easier if an import process breaks off.

9. After the import: Check content

After importing, you should carefully check the website. A successfully completed import does not automatically mean that everything was transferred perfectly.

Check:

• Are all posts present?
• Are all pages present?
• Were categories transferred?
• Were tags transferred?
• Are comments present?
• Are featured images visible?
• Are images in posts visible?
• Are authors and publication dates correct?
• Are menus still correct?
• Do internal links work?

Open several random posts and pages, not just the homepage.

10. Correct internal links after import

After an import, internal links often still point to the old domain. This happens when links in posts were stored as absolute URLs.

Example:

• Old link: https://old-domain.ch/example-article/
• New link: https://new-domain.ch/example-article/

Such links can be corrected with a suitable search-and-replace plugin or a database tool. A well-known tool for this is Better Search Replace. Work carefully and create a backup beforehand.

11. Check media paths and featured images

Media are one of the most common problem areas during import. Even if the text was imported correctly, images may be missing or still point to the old website.

Check:

• Are featured images set?
• Are images visible in content blocks?
• Do image URLs point to the new domain?
• Were PDF files and downloads transferred?
• Are alt texts present?
• Were image sizes generated correctly?
• Do thumbnails need to be regenerated?

For larger moves, it can be useful to regenerate thumbnails and additionally optimize images.

12. Check SEO data after import

SEO data is not always transferred completely. This depends on which SEO plugin was used on the old website and whether the target website uses the same plugin.

Check after importing:

• Are SEO titles present?
• Are meta descriptions present?
• Were canonical URLs transferred correctly?
• Are there old domain references?
• Are redirects necessary?
• Was the sitemap updated?
• Are category and tag archives correct?
• Are there 404 errors?

If SEO data is missing, it must be transferred manually or with special import/migration tools.

13. Import of WooCommerce data

For WooCommerce shops, the normal WordPress importer is only suitable to a limited extent. Products can partly be treated as content, but a shop consists of significantly more data.

WooCommerce data can include:

• products,
• product variations,
• product images,
• categories and attributes,
• customer data,
• orders,
• coupons,
• tax rules,
• shipping zones,
• payment settings.

For shops, WooCommerce-specific export/import tools or a complete migration are recommended. A simple XML import is often not sufficient here.

14. Import of page builder content

If the old website was created with a page builder such as Elementor, Divi, Beaver Builder or WPBakery, you should be especially careful. Many page builders store content in special structures, shortcodes or meta fields.

Check:

• Is the same page builder installed on the target website?
• Are required add-ons available?
• Were templates transferred?
• Do global elements work?
• Are shortcodes rendered correctly?
• Are CSS files or icons missing?

Without the matching plugins, imported page builder content may appear faulty or incomplete.

15. Data protection during import

Import files can contain personal data. Comments, author information, customer data, form content or internal metadata in particular may be relevant for data protection.

Therefore check:

• What data does the XML file contain?
• Who has access to the file?
• Are personal data transferred to a new environment?
• Is the target website sufficiently protected?
• Are old user accounts still necessary?
• Should comments or customer data really be transferred?

Delete import files after successful migration if they are no longer needed.

16. Common WordPress import mistakes

• Import confused with complete move: Themes, plugins and settings are missing.
• Images not imported: Old website was not reachable or media were not transferred.
• Authors assigned incorrectly: Content appears under the wrong user.
• Internal links point to old domain: Search-and-replace was forgotten.
• SEO data missing: SEO plugin data was not fully transferred.
• XML file too large: Import fails because of server limits.
• Page builder missing: Layouts are displayed incorrectly.
• WooCommerce underestimated: Shop data requires special migration.
• Import file stored insecurely: Data protection risk due to included personal data.

17. SEO and GEO after the import

An import can support SEO and GEO if content is transferred cleanly and technically revised correctly. It becomes problematic if links, images, metadata or structure information are missing.

Check for SEO:

• permalinks,
• internal links,
• redirects,
• metadata,
• sitemap,
• indexing,
• images and alt texts,
• 404 errors.

Check for GEO:

• clear heading structure,
• complete content,
• working internal links,
• correct categories,
• visible FAQ sections,
• no old staging or source-domain links,
• consistent author and company information.

Recommended approach

1. Clarify the goal: Partial import or complete website move?
2. Create a backup: Back up the target website before import.
3. Check XML file: Check source, size and content.
4. Install importer: Under Tools > Import Data.
5. Upload file: Select and import XML file.
6. Assign authors: Deliberately choose existing users or new authors.
7. Import file attachments: Activate the option if media should be transferred.
8. Check content: Check posts, pages, categories, tags and comments.
9. Check media: Test images, featured images, PDFs and downloads.
10. Correct links: Clean up old domain references via search-and-replace.
11. Check SEO: Check metadata, sitemap, permalinks and redirects.
12. Clear cache: After completion, consider WordPress, server and browser cache.

Frequently asked questions about WordPress import

Where do I find the import in WordPress?

In the WordPress dashboard under Tools > Import Data.

Which file do I need for the WordPress import?

For content from another WordPress installation, you normally need an XML file that was previously created with the WordPress export tool.

Are images imported automatically?

Only if you activate the option to import file attachments and the old website is reachable. For larger moves, you should additionally back up the uploads folder.

Why does my import fail?

Common causes are files that are too large, PHP limits, timeouts, memory limits or unreachable media sources.

Can I move a complete website with the import?

Only partially. The import mainly transfers content. For complete moves including plugins, themes, settings and database, a complete migration is better suited.

What do I need to check after the import?

Check content, images, featured images, categories, tags, authors, internal links, SEO data, permalinks and old domain references.

Can I transfer WooCommerce with the normal importer?

Partly for simple products, but not reliably enough for complete shop data. WooCommerce shops should be migrated with special tools or completely.

Can CURIAWEB help with the import?

Yes. If manual import is too risky for you or if it is a complete migration, CURIAWEB will gladly support you with the move.