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WordPress.com’s current documentation describes three routes: a content export, a full-site plugin export for eligible sites, and a downloadable full backup for eligible plans. They differ in what they carry and whether the destination can be overwritten.
Choose the migration method that fits your site
A WordPress.com export is not automatically a complete clone. Choose based on what must arrive at the new site and whether your WordPress.com plan and site size meet the route’s requirements.
| Method | What it transfers | Requirements and cautions |
|---|---|---|
| Content export (XML/WXR) | Posts, pages, comments, categories, tags, and links to media. The XML file does not contain the actual media files, theme design, customizations, or plugins. | Use the Tools → Export screen. The destination importer attempts to fetch media from the public source site. Content import adds material rather than deleting existing destination content. |
| Full-site plugin export | Content plus themes, plugins, and users, using All-in-One WP Migration. | WordPress.com documents this for plugin-enabled sites on eligible plans. Its guide lists free File export for sites under 2 GB; larger sites may require the paid Unlimited extension. Import can replace the destination site. |
| Downloadable full backup | A backup archive containing a wp-content folder and SQL database files, restored by moving files to the host and importing the database. |
WordPress.com documents downloadable full backups for Business and Commerce plans. Check your current plan entitlements and be prepared to perform the restore steps. |
The method comparison and overwrite distinction are described in WordPress.com’s migration guide. The content-export limits and media behavior are in its content export instructions. For a full-site plugin export, see the plugin export guide. These plan and size conditions may change, so confirm eligibility in your account before relying on a route.
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Choose content-only XML/WXR when the writing matters most
Use this route if you want to move posts and pages without carrying over the old theme, customizations, or plugins. The importer can copy media from the original site, but the export itself contains links rather than the media files. Keep the WordPress.com site public and accessible until that copying finishes, then compare media-library item counts on both sites.
WordPress.com says an export for a large site—roughly more than 1,000 posts or pages—may arrive as a ZIP containing several XML files. Import each XML file separately. Its export guide also recommends installing Jetpack on the self-hosted site if you want to retain Jetpack functionality; moving subscribers is a separate task.
Choose a full-site plugin export when design and plugins must come along
WordPress.com documents All-in-One WP Migration for transferring content, themes, plugins, and users. Its free File export is documented for eligible plugin-enabled WordPress.com sites under 2 GB; the guide lists a paid Unlimited extension for larger sites. Check the current plan eligibility and plugin limits before starting.
Export a .wpress file, install the same plugin on the destination, and import the file there. Treat the destination as replaceable: a full-site migration can overwrite it. If the domain changes, the plugin guide advises entering the old and new domains in its find-and-replace fields. If you are reusing the same domain, that step is unnecessary. Follow WordPress.com’s current plugin export steps.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsChoose a downloadable full backup when you need the archive and can restore it
A downloadable backup is a more hands-on option. WordPress.com’s archive includes site files and database data; restoring it involves extracting the archive, placing files on the host, importing the database, adjusting the site address if needed, and checking the restored site. See the download and restore instructions.
WordPress.com says downloadable full backups are available on Business and Commerce plans, while automated backups are not available on Free, Personal, or Premium plans. Plan features can change; verify the entitlement in your account. For plans without a full-backup download, WordPress.com advises exporting content and media separately for a local copy. Its backup overview describes plan availability.
Prepare the self-hosted WordPress destination
WordPress.org refers here to the WordPress software you run on a web host, not a hosting service supplied by WordPress.org. Select a host, set up an installation of WordPress, and make sure the destination can accommodate the site and its media. WordPress.com names Bluehost, SiteGround, and GoDaddy as examples of third-party hosts, not as a comparative endorsement. Compare migration support, backup and restore options, storage and upload limits, technical support, and renewal costs for your own workload; see WordPress.com’s migration overview.
Before exporting, make an inventory so you can check what needs attention after the move:
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- WordPress.com plan, site size, themes, plugins, media, and users.
- Subscribers, Jetpack features, and other WordPress.com-specific services you rely on.
- Which content, design, and functionality must be present on the new site.
Download an available backup or export before changing DNS. If you are using XML/WXR, consider removing unwanted drafts or spam first to reduce export size, but keep the original site online and public while the importer fetches media.
Export and import the site
For XML/WXR content
- In the WordPress.com dashboard, open Tools → Export.
- Choose all content or select the content types to export, then download the XML/WXR file. If the download is a ZIP with multiple XML files, extract it for import.
- In the self-hosted WordPress dashboard, use the importer for the export file. If prompted, assign imported content to the appropriate user and choose whether to import attachments.
- If the export contains several XML files, import each one. Leave the source site accessible until media copying has completed.
For the current export details and media caveat, use WordPress.com’s export guide.
For a full-site plugin export
- Confirm the WordPress.com site is plugin-enabled and eligible for this method, and check the current file-size limit.
- On WordPress.com, install or open All-in-One WP Migration, choose its File export, and download the resulting
.wpressfile. - Install the same plugin on the self-hosted WordPress destination and import the file. Use a fresh or expendable destination because the import may replace its contents.
- If you are changing domains, set the old and new domains in the plugin’s find-and-replace fields as directed by the plugin guide.
See the plugin export instructions for the current steps and eligibility details.
For a downloaded full backup
Follow the restore instructions for the backup archive: extract it, place the site files on the host, import the SQL database, and adjust the site address if necessary. The exact file-placement and database steps depend on the hosting environment; use your host’s documentation alongside WordPress.com’s restore guide.
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Check the new site before switching the domain
Do not treat a successful import message as proof that every part of the migration is complete. Review the new site while the original remains available:
- Open important posts and pages, including older content and any landing pages.
- Check menus, layout, theme behavior, and the functions supplied by plugins.
- Open images and downloadable files; compare media-library counts with the original site.
- Check internal links and the site-address settings, especially if the domain changed.
- Confirm administrator accounts and access.
- Check whether paid themes or plugins require separate licenses or setup; do not assume a license transfers with the site.
For XML/WXR imports, missing images can result when the original site is no longer accessible during media fetching. If media is incomplete, restore source access and investigate the missing files before retiring the old site.
Point the domain and finish separate migrations
Connect or transfer the domain
Decide whether to keep the domain registration where it is and point DNS records to the new host, or transfer the registration. These are different actions: DNS directs visitors to a site, while a registrar transfer changes where the domain is managed. The exact steps vary by registrar and host. Update records only after the destination is ready, and account for email and any other services that use the domain’s DNS.
If you are moving away from a WordPress.com subdomain, consider redirecting it to the new domain so visitors and existing links can reach the new site. WordPress.com covers migration and domain considerations in its site migration guide.
Move subscribers and confirm services separately
Subscriber migration is not included in the content XML export. WordPress.com documents a separate Subscriber Migration Tool for this task. If Jetpack features matter to you, install Jetpack on the self-hosted site and check which features you need to configure. Details are in the export guide.
Keep a rollback copy until the move is confirmed
Retain your downloaded export or backup while you test the new site and confirm the domain works as intended. Cancel or change WordPress.com subscriptions only after the new site, domain, and any important services have been verified.
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