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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteUse WooCommerce’s built-in CSV importer and exporter at Products > All Products. For imports, review the column mappings before running the job. To include images, provide image URLs that resolve directly to image files or use images already in the Media Library; in the core importer, the first image listed becomes the featured image and later images become gallery images.
What the built-in WooCommerce CSV tool can do
The core importer and exporter handle product data through CSV files. They are suitable when the columns in WooCommerce’s product CSV schema cover the fields you need. The import flow includes a mapping review; export lets you select columns and narrow results by product type or category. A CSV exported from the store is a useful starting template for a later import.
The built-in tool’s image support has specific limits: images must already be in the Media Library or available online, the first image reference determines the featured image, and the core CSV importer cannot set or update image alt text.
Prepare the CSV and image files
Start with a compatible CSV
You can export existing products, use WooCommerce’s sample CSV, or assemble a file using the documented product schema. Save it as UTF-8. After editing in a spreadsheet app, inspect the saved file: spreadsheet software can change encoding, quoting, dates, or other values in ways that affect import.
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- Quote values that contain commas so they remain a single CSV field.
- Use
1and0for Boolean values. - Enter dates in the store’s local timezone.
- For hierarchical taxonomy terms, use
>between levels; commas separate terms. - To identify an existing product, use its SKU or a value in the form
id:<product id>.
Check image references and order
WooCommerce’s documentation states: “Images need to be pre-uploaded or available online to import to your store.” For an online image, use a URL that opens the image itself, not a share page or redirect script. Test each URL in a browser before importing. You can also refer to an image by its existing Media Library filename.
In the core importer’s Images field, list the intended featured image first, followed by any gallery images. The core CSV workflow does not create, edit, or update image alt text; handle that separately if your catalog needs it.
Import products, including images
- In the WordPress dashboard, go to Products > All Products and select Import.
- Choose the CSV or TXT file. If the file is already on the server, use the advanced option to specify its server-side path.
- Select Continue to open the column-mapping screen.
- Check WooCommerce’s proposed mapping for every relevant column. Correct a mapping if needed, or select Do not import for a field you want to ignore. Unrecognized columns are not imported by default.
- Continue through the importer to run the import.
- Open a representative set of products and verify the product fields, featured image, and gallery assignments.
For variable products, WooCommerce’s current documentation notes that, starting with WooCommerce 11.1, placing a parent row before its variation rows allows those products to be imported in one import. Check the guidance for the version installed on your store if you rely on this behavior.
Export products to CSV
- Go to Products > All Products and select Export.
- Choose the columns to include and, if needed, filter by product type or category. Leave the defaults to export all products.
- Enable custom metadata export if required. The documented metadata column format uses the
meta:prefix. - Select Generate CSV and download the file. You can also select particular products in the product list and export those selections.
Review an export before using it as an import file, especially if it has been edited in a spreadsheet. WooCommerce documents cases where exported variation names may omit attribute values when multiple attributes are involved; developers can use a filter to change that behavior.
Core importer or an import/export extension?
Keep extension-specific instructions separate from the built-in workflow. The separately documented Import Export Suite for WooCommerce describes an image process that uses a pipe (|) separator, can map multiple input columns to an Images/Gallery field, and assigns the first image as featured. Those rules apply to that extension’s workflow, not to the core importer’s CSV instructions.
WooCommerce also documents a premium Product CSV Import Suite as a separate extension. Before choosing any extension, check its current listing and documentation against your installed WooCommerce version and the specific fields or image-mapping behavior you need.
Quick Recap
| Workflow | What the documentation establishes | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in WooCommerce CSV tool | Core-schema CSV import with a mapping review; export by columns, product types, or categories; direct image URLs or existing Media Library images. | Routine product imports and exports when core fields and image ordering meet the requirement. |
| Import Export Suite for WooCommerce | Extension-specific image mapping, including multiple input columns and pipe-separated image references. | When the extension’s documented mapping workflow is needed; verify current availability and compatibility first. |
| Premium Product CSV Import Suite | A separate WooCommerce extension; the details and current availability should be checked in its current listing. | When core import/export does not cover a required field or workflow and the extension documentation confirms it does. |
Troubleshoot common import problems
- An image is missing: confirm its URL loads the image directly rather than a cloud-sharing page or redirect. Check that an existing Media Library filename is valid.
- The wrong image is featured: reorder the core
Imagesvalues so the intended primary image comes first. - Alt text did not import: the core CSV image importer does not set or update it; use a separate metadata workflow.
- Fields are blank or misplaced: revisit the mapping screen. Core recognizes documented columns automatically; unrecognized columns are ignored unless mapped where supported. Custom metadata headers use the
meta:prefix and may need explicit mapping. - Values changed after spreadsheet editing: check UTF-8 encoding, quotation around comma-containing values, Boolean values, date/time assumptions, and taxonomy separators in the saved CSV.
- Repeated imports create duplicate images: the core importer copies images from URLs into the Media Library. Reimporting the same URL can therefore create duplicates; consider using existing Media Library files where appropriate.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
