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Use WordPress’s built-in WXR export when you are moving menus with other content: go to Tools → Export, choose All content, download the XML file, then run it through Tools → Import → WordPress on the destination site. This transfers menu data, not your theme, plugins, or complete site design, so verify links and theme-location assignments after the import.
Before you start
- Have administrator access to both WordPress sites.
- Keep the source and destination sites available while you check the result.
- Use a staging copy first if the destination already has menus or if you plan to replace or merge data.
- Record which theme locations the source menu uses; the destination theme may name or expose different locations.
Export a navigation menu with WordPress’s built-in tools
- Sign in to the source site’s WordPress dashboard.
- Open Tools → Export.
- Select All content. WordPress defines this choice as exporting “all of your posts, pages, comments, custom fields, terms, navigation menus, and custom posts.”
- Click Download Export File and save the resulting WXR XML file somewhere secure. The official procedure is documented at WordPress Tools Export documentation.
The native screen does not provide a menu-only export choice. Selecting a narrower content type will not give you a dedicated navigation-menu file.
Import the WXR file on the destination site
- Log in to the destination dashboard and open Tools → Import.
- Find WordPress. If the importer is not installed, install it, then select Run Importer.
- Choose the WXR XML file you downloaded and upload it.
- When prompted, map each exported author to an existing destination user or create a new user as appropriate.
- Select Download and import file attachments when you also need the importer to attempt to bring in referenced media.
- Allow the process to finish, then inspect the imported content and navigation menus. See the WordPress importer handbook for the documented importer flow.
Check the menu after importing
Confirm hierarchy and item order
Open the destination’s menu-management screen and verify that parent and child items, labels, and ordering match the source. A successful XML import is not a guarantee that every destination menu will look identical.
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Test every important link
Open the menu on the front end and test pages, custom links, archives, and any links to content that was not moved. Slugs, URL structures, deleted pages, and domain changes can make an imported URL point somewhere unexpected.
Reassign the menu to a theme location
Assign the imported menu to the destination theme’s header, primary, footer, or other available location. Location names and the number of locations are theme-dependent.
Use the interface that matches the destination theme
With a block theme active, navigation is managed in the Site Editor. WordPress says Site Editor navigation was introduced in WordPress 6.3 and requires an active block theme; open the navigation area described in the Site Editor navigation documentation. This documentation explains editing, not a separate file-based import format.
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What the native import does—and does not—move
| Item | Native WXR result |
|---|---|
| Navigation menus | Included when All content is selected. |
| Posts, pages, comments, terms, custom fields, and custom posts | Included in the documented All content export, subject to what exists and can be imported on the destination. |
| Theme files and appearance settings | Not included in the content transfer. |
| Plugins | Not included; install and configure them separately. |
| Exact menu-location compatibility | Not guaranteed; the destination theme may use different locations. |
Learn WordPress explains this boundary in its Tools: Import and Export tutorial: content export/import is not a complete site clone. Plan a separate migration for themes, plugins, settings, and design when those are part of your goal.
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When a menu-specific plugin is a better fit
If you need to move selected menus rather than all content, the WordPress.org listing for Import Export Menu describes a menu-focused workflow using a versioned JSON file. According to that listing, it can export one, several, or all menus; import them with create, replace, or merge behavior; assign a theme location; and remap items by slug, path, then title. It also describes preserving hierarchy, item order, CSS classes, and theme-location assignments.
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Those are vendor-described features, not an independent guarantee. The listing has reported version and compatibility details that can change (including version 3.0.0, WordPress 6.0 or higher, PHP 7.4 or higher, and tested up to WordPress 7.0.6 at the time shown). Check the current listing before installing. A user review there reports manual cleanup involving CSS classes, so test on staging and inspect the result before replacing or merging production menus. Keep an export so you can recover if the plugin’s advertised undo behavior or your chosen merge does not produce the expected result.
Command-line administration with WP-CLI
Administrators who already manage WordPress from a shell can use the documented WP-CLI wp menu commands to list, create, assign, and delete menus, together with related wp menu item commands for menu items. These commands are a management route, not evidence of a menu-only portable export format; use WXR or a suitable plugin when you need a file transfer.
Native WXR or menu plugin?
| Need | Better starting point |
|---|---|
| Move menus along with pages and other WordPress content | Built-in Tools → Export and Tools → Import → WordPress. |
| Export only one or a few menus | A menu-specific plugin such as Import Export Menu, tested on staging. |
| Remap items during transfer | The plugin listing describes slug, path, then title matching; verify the result rather than assuming every link resolves. |
| Move the whole site, including design and software | Neither menu workflow is a complete migration; handle themes, plugins, settings, and files separately. |
Troubleshooting checklist
- No menu appears: Confirm that the source export used All content, then inspect the destination’s menu or Site Editor navigation area.
- The menu exists but is invisible: Assign it to an available destination theme location or insert the navigation block where required by the block theme.
- Items lead to the wrong place: Check destination slugs, permalink settings, domain changes, and links to content that was not imported.
- Images or attachments are missing: Repeat the import with Download and import file attachments selected, then verify that the source media remains reachable.
- Existing menus were altered: Restore the pre-import export or staging copy and choose a controlled create, replace, or merge strategy instead of retrying blindly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I export only a navigation menu with WordPress core?
No. The built-in Tools → Export screen includes navigation menus when you choose All content, but it does not offer a menu-only export. Use a menu-specific plugin if you need a selected-menu file.
Will imported menu links automatically work on the new site?
Not always. Test each important link and check slugs, permalink structure, domain changes, missing content, and the destination theme’s menu assignment.
Does WordPress export my theme and plugins with the menu?
No. WXR transfers content; themes, plugins, and the site’s complete design require separate migration steps.
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