Table of contents
Why export WordPress posts3 methods What data is included?How to include images and media filesExporting to CSV, Excel, or other formatsExporting custom fields and metadataTroubleshootingGetting startedAdditional resources
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WordPress Guide → Post → Export

How to export WordPress posts

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Exporting WordPress posts is a task you’ll run into when you’re moving content, creating backups, or planning to repurpose your blog posts elsewhere. Fortunately, there are several ways to do it—from built-in tools to powerful export plugins.

Let’s walk through each method, what data gets included, and how to avoid common issues.

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Why you might need to export WordPress posts

There are a variety of reasons to export posts:

  • Migrating blog content to a new site or staging environment
  • Creating a backup archive of your published content
  • Editing or auditing posts in a spreadsheet
  • Repurposing blog content into newsletters or PDFs
  • Sharing posts with a client or collaborator offline

Depending on your goals, some methods are better suited than others. A basic XML export works well for migrations, but a plugin is better for detailed or formatted exports.

3 methods for exporting WordPress posts

WordPress gives you a few solid options to get your post content out. These include using built-in features, plugins, or direct database access if you’re comfortable with that level of control.

1. Export posts using the built-in WordPress export tool

This is the easiest way to export your blog posts without adding any plugins.

  • Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
  • Navigate to Tools > Export.
  • On the export screen, choose Posts.
  • Use filters to narrow the export if needed:
    • Categories
    • Authors
    • Start and end dates
    • Post status (Published, Draft, etc.)
  • Click the Download Export File button.

This generates a .xml file (also called a WXR file) containing your selected posts and metadata. It’s ideal for importing into another WordPress site, but not great if you want to edit in a spreadsheet or access specific custom fields.

If you want to export other types of content like Media, Pages, or Custom Post Types, you can select those from the same screen.

To export just your media library, choose the Media option and click download—though note that it doesn’t include the actual image files, only their metadata.

2. Use a plugin to export WordPress posts to CSV, Excel, or JSON

If you want more control over what gets exported or need a file format like CSV, Excel, or JSON, a plugin is the way to go.

Two of the best options:

WP All Export gives you a drag-and-drop interface, supports custom fields, and lets you schedule recurring exports. Here’s how to use it:

  1. Install and activate WP All Export.
  2. Go to All Export > New Export in your WordPress dashboard.
  3. Choose Post Type: Posts.
  4. Use filters to narrow your export by category, author, post status, or date.
  5. Select the exact fields you want to include:
    • Title, content, slug, post date
    • Featured image URL
    • Custom fields (like ACF, SEO data, etc.)
  6. Choose your format (CSV, Excel, XML, or JSON).
  7. Click Confirm & Run Export.
  8. Download the export file or set it to run on a schedule.

WP Ultimate CSV Importer is another good choice, especially if you plan to re-import the data after editing. It supports many post types and can handle SEO fields, WooCommerce products, and more.

3. Export posts manually via phpMyAdmin (for advanced users)

If you’re comfortable working directly with your WordPress database, you can export post data using phpMyAdmin. This method gives you access to all content but requires some understanding of how WordPress stores data.

  1. Log in to your hosting control panel (like cPanel).
  2. Open phpMyAdmin.
  3. Select your WordPress database.
  4. Find the wp_posts table. (Your table prefix may vary.)
  5. Use the “Export” tab to export the data as a SQL or CSV file.

The wp_posts table includes all post types, so you’ll need to filter by post_type = ‘post’ to get only blog posts. You may also want to export related tables like wp_postmeta, wp_term_relationships, and wp_terms to get full taxonomy and custom field data.

This is the most powerful method, but also the easiest to mess up. Avoid unless you’re doing complex migrations or working with developers.

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What data is included when you export posts?

Here’s what you can expect to get:

Using WordPress Export Tool (XML):

  • Post title
  • Content
  • Author
  • Slug
  • Date published
  • Status (Published, Draft, etc.)
  • Categories and tags

Using a plugin like WP All Export:

Everything above, plus:

  • Featured image URLs
  • Custom fields (ACF, Yoast SEO, etc.)
  • Custom taxonomies
  • Excerpts
  • Comment counts

Using phpMyAdmin:

  • Raw database values (IDs, timestamps, slugs, serialized data)

How to include images and media files

Here’s the key thing: most export tools do not include the actual image files.

You have a few options:

  • The WordPress export tool includes media references, but not the files themselves.
  • Plugins like WP All Export can include the URLs of featured images.
  • To export the full media library:
    • Use FTP or File Manager to download /wp-content/uploads/
  • Or use a backup plugin like UpdraftPlus to export your entire site

Exporting to CSV, Excel, or other formats

WordPress core doesn’t support this, but plugins do:

  • WP All Export lets you export to CSV, Excel, or JSON
  • CSV and Excel formats are ideal for editing in spreadsheet tools

This is great for bulk editing, auditing, or re-importing later.

Exporting custom fields and post metadata

If you use plugins like Advanced Custom Fields (ACF), Yoast, or Rank Math, those custom fields won’t be included in the default XML export.

Plugins like WP All Export let you:

  • Export any custom field by name
  • Rename fields for spreadsheet clarity
  • Choose which meta keys to include or exclude

This is essential for ecommerce, membership, or content-heavy sites using lots of post meta.

Troubleshooting common export issues

It’s not always perfect. Here are some common problems:

  • Export file is empty: Double-check your filters. You may have selected a category or date range with no posts.
  • Missing custom fields: Use a plugin that supports custom fields, like WP All Export.
  • Exported CSV file has formatting errors: 
    • Open with a UTF-8 compatible editor (Google Sheets, Notepad++, etc.)
    • Save/export as UTF-8 encoded CSV
  • Export times out or crashes:
  • Split export into smaller batches
  • Use a plugin with batch support and background processing

Exporting other content types

You can also export:

  • Pages
  • Media metadata
  • Custom post types like Products, Courses, Portfolios
  • WooCommerce data (orders, customers, etc.)

Plugins like WP All Export Pro or WP Ultimate CSV Importer support these post types. Just choose the content type you need from the export screen.

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