WordPress For Dummies, 8th Edition
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With the WordPress import script, you can import one WordPress site into another; this is true for both the hosted and self-hosted versions of WordPress. WordPress imports all your posts, comments, custom fields, and categories into your blog.

When you complete the export, follow these steps:

  1. Click the Install Now link below the WordPress title on the Import page, and install the plugin to import from WordPress.
  2. Click the Run Importer link.

    The Import WordPress screen loads, with instructions for importing your file.

    Import WordPress
    The Import WordPress screen.
  3. Click the Choose File button.

    A window opens, listing the files on your computer.

  4. Double-click the export file you saved earlier from your WordPress blog.
  5. Click the Upload File and Import button.

    The import script gets to work, and when it finishes, it reloads the page with a message confirming that the process is complete.

Importing from an RSS feed

If all else fails, or if WordPress doesn’t provide an import script that you need for your current site platform, you can import your site data via the RSS feed for the site you want to import. With the RSS import method, you can import posts only; you can’t use this method to import comments, trackbacks, categories, or users.

Create the file you need to import via RSS. Then follow these steps:

  1. On the Import page of the WordPress Dashboard, click the Install Now link below the RSS heading, and install the plugin to import from an RSS feed.
  2. Click the Run Importer link.

    The Import RSS screen loads, with instructions for importing your RSS file.

    Import RSS
    The Import RSS screen.
  3. Click the Choose File button on the Import RSS page.
  4. Double-click the export file you saved earlier from your RSS feed.
  5. Click the Upload File and Import button.
The import script does its magic and then reloads the page with a message confirming that the process is complete.

Finding other import resources

The WordPress Codex has a long list of scripts, plugins, workarounds, and outright hacks for importing from other platforms.

Note that volunteers run the WordPress Codex. When you refer to the Codex, be aware that not everything listed in it is necessarily up to date or accurate, including import information (or any other information about running your WordPress blog).

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book author:

Lisa Sabin-Wilson is cofounder of WebDevStudios, one of the largest WordPress design and development agencies in the world. She is a regular public speaker at national events on topics such as WordPress, development, design, CSS, and social media.

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