For a WordPress export (WXR), use WP-CLI when you can: it can create smaller export files and import one or more WXR files without using the browser upload form. If you already have a large export, split it with a WXR-aware tool so each file remains valid. There is no universal file-size limit that guarantees an import will work; hosting and PHP limits vary. Before retrying a failed import, check whether it left content behind.
Confirm the XML file is a WordPress export
The WordPress importer accepts WordPress eXtended RSS (WXR) files. An XML file exported from another platform is not necessarily WXR, and may need conversion rather than splitting. See the WP-CLI import command reference and export command reference.
Choose a method that fits your access
| Approach | Access needed | Useful when | Main consideration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raise PHP memory or ask your host | Host configuration access or provider support | The current server limit is the main obstacle | Limits and available changes depend on the host. WordPress Importer guidance recommends consulting the host when needed. |
| Split an existing WXR file | A WXR-aware splitter | You already have one oversized export | Preserve valid XML and WXR structure; inspect the site for partial imports before retrying. WordPress import documentation discusses splitting oversized files. |
| WP-CLI import or export | Shell access and WP-CLI | Browser upload limits are a problem, or you can create a fresh chunked export | Files must still be valid WXR, and the server still needs enough resources to process them. Import and export references. |
Create smaller files with WP-CLI
If you can run WP-CLI on the WordPress site that contains the content, set a maximum size for each generated WXR file with --max_file_size:
wp export --max_file_size=<MB>
For example, to request a 10 MB maximum per export file, run wp export --max_file_size=10. This is an export setting, not an import limit or a guarantee that the destination host can handle files of that size. The command reference documents a 15 MB default for this option; it does not establish 15 MB as a universally safe chunk size.
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WP-CLI can generate one or more WXR files. Its export command also has options to include selected export sections only in the first file. If the export is split, check the command reference for the exact behavior of those options and account for shared terms or navigation data in your migration plan.
Split an existing WXR export safely
Do not divide the file at arbitrary byte positions. A raw cut can break XML markup or separate records from the WXR structure the importer expects. Use a WXR-aware splitter that produces independently valid import files. WordPress documentation mentions a splitter utility, but that reference does not establish whether the utility is currently maintained or suitable for every export.
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There is no documented universal chunk size or performance-based rule for choosing one. If a split file still fails, consider the host’s configured memory and upload limits, and ask the provider what size and method it supports rather than assuming a particular threshold will work.
Import with WP-CLI when shell access is available
WP-CLI’s importer accepts one or more WXR files, and its command reference also allows directories. This can avoid the browser upload route, but it does not remove server memory or processing constraints.
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wp import /path/to/export-part-1.xml /path/to/export-part-2.xml --authors=
Use the actual paths to your files. The --authors= option is only an example of an available import control; choose author mapping that matches your migration rather than copying it blindly. Consult the import command reference for supported options.
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WP-CLI also documents options to skip attachment import or image resizing, rewrite old-site URLs in imported content, and use a local directory for attachment files already available on the server. These choices affect the result: skip attachments or resizing only if that matches your migration plan, and use URL rewriting only when the old and new site addresses require it.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When the browser importer runs out of room
Large imports can fail when they exhaust PHP memory. WordPress’s handbook gives an example error: Fatal error: Allowed memory size of 8388608 bytes exhausted. That example describes a memory failure; it is not a universal size threshold. Browser uploads may also be constrained by host-specific upload or execution settings, so file size alone cannot predict success.
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If you cannot change the relevant settings, ask your hosting provider whether it can raise the PHP memory limit or run the import using a supported method. WordPress advises consulting the host when the configured limit cannot be adjusted safely.
Check for partial content before retrying
An import that reports an error may already have created records. WordPress warns that repeating the import after fixing an error can create duplicates. Review the destination site for partially imported posts, pages, or other content, and remove or otherwise account for those records before trying again.
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