A WordPress content export lets you transfer selected posts, pages and supported content records to another WordPress installation. Use it when the destination will have its own theme and settings, or when you need to move a defined collection of content rather than reproduce the entire website.
IN THIS ARTICLE
01 Choose the export scope
Decide whether to transfer everything supported by the exporter or a particular content type, author or date range. Record the approximate numbers of published items, drafts and media you expect. Custom post types depend on the plugins that register them, so document those dependencies before changing the source site.
02 Create and protect the export
- Sign in with permission to export content and open Tools > Export.
- Select All content or the relevant content filter. Check dates and status filters carefully so draft material is not included unintentionally.
- Download the export file and give it a name that identifies the source and date. WordPress uses an XML format called WXR.
- Keep the original file unchanged. Transfer it through a private channel to the person responsible for the destination.
- Keep the source website and its media available until the destination import and verification are complete.
Does the export include uploaded files?
The WXR file contains content records and attachment references, not a complete collection of the uploaded image and document binaries. Importing attachments normally requires the destination to retrieve them from the source. If the source is disappearing or protected by authentication, preserve the actual uploads separately and plan a migration method that can transfer them.
Is an export a complete backup?
No. It does not reproduce the whole installation, theme files, plugin files and configuration, or every plugin's custom database tables. For disaster recovery or an identical site move, create a coordinated files-and-database backup instead. A Site Editor theme export is also a different artifact.
03 Check the result before deleting anything
Import into a test destination first, then compare item counts and inspect images, internal links, authors, featured images and custom fields. Keep a list of omissions and resolve them while the original site still exists. An XML file downloading successfully proves that a file was created, not that the entire intended website can be recovered from it.