Moving WordPress Posts and Images: A Simple Solution
Transferring blog posts between WordPress websites can be tricky, especially when it comes to images. The standard WordPress export function often fails to include images when exporting only posts, leading to broken links and a lot of extra effort.
Fortunately, there’s a reliable way to ensure your images migrate along with your posts, minimizing manual work and maintaining your website’s visual integrity.
Essential Tools for a Smooth Migration
Before starting, make sure you have the following:
- WordPress:This guide assumes you are using the self-hosted version of WordPress (wordpress.org).
- Page Builder Framework (Optional):While not mandatory, Page Builder Framework is a recommended WordPress theme.
- Auto Upload Images Plugin:Install this crucial plugin on the *new* WordPress website (the one receiving the posts).
- Basic WordPress Knowledge:You should be comfortable installing WordPress plugins.
Exporting Posts from Your Old Website
Follow these steps on the *old* WordPress site (the source of the posts):
- Access Export Tool:Go to Tools > Export in your WordPress dashboard.
- Select Posts:Choose the “Posts” option to export only your blog posts.
- Keep Default Settings:Leave the default settings, which will export all posts.
- Download Export File:Click the “Download Export File” button.
- Locate XML File:Find the downloaded XML file on your computer.
Importing Posts to Your New Website
Now, switch to the *new* WordPress site (where you want the posts to appear):
- Access Import Tool:Navigate to Tools > Import in your WordPress dashboard.
- Run WordPress Importer:Click “Run Importer” under the “WordPress” heading. Install the WordPress Importer plugin if it’s not already installed.
- Select Export File:Click “Choose file” and select the XML file you exported from the old site.
- Upload and Import: Click “Upload file and import.”
- Assign Author:Assign the imported posts to an existing author or create a new user.
- Critical Step – Do NOT Check Attachment Option:*Do not* check the box that says “Download and import file attachments.” This is essential for the plugin to work correctly.
- Submit:Click “Submit.”
- Confirm Import: You should see a success message. You can also check your Posts page to confirm the posts have been imported.
Verifying Image Migration
The Auto Upload Images plugin should have automatically handled the image transfer. Verify this:
- Open Media Library:Go to Media > Library.
- Inspect Image:Click on an image that was part of an imported post.
- Check Image URL:Examine the image URL. It should now point to your *new* website’s address, not the old one.
Troubleshooting Image Issues
If some images are missing, try this troubleshooting step:
- Select Imported Posts:Go to Posts > All Posts and select all the newly imported posts.
- Bulk Edit:From the “Bulk Actions” dropdown menu, choose “Edit” and click “Apply.”
- Update Posts: Click the “Update” button. This can sometimes trigger the plugin to fetch any remaining images.
Handling Featured Images
It’s important to note that featured images are *not* automatically imported using this method. This is a known limitation.
You will need to manually set the featured images for each imported post on the new website.
Conclusion
The Auto Upload Images plugin provides a simplified and effective solution for migrating WordPress posts, including their images. Although manual featured image setup is still needed, the plugin significantly reduces the work involved in transferring content between WordPress sites. This technique is based on a solution from the WordPress Stack Exchange community, demonstrating its effectiveness in real-world scenarios.