Import & Export

Import & Export

5 min read Updated Mar 3, 2026

Bulk import and export packages in WordPress Download Manager. Access from Downloads > Import & Export in your WordPress admin.

Overview

The Import & Export feature allows you to:

  • Migrate packages between WordPress sites
  • Bulk create packages from CSV files
  • Import files from server directories
  • Export packages for backup
  • Share package configurations

Export Packages

Export Options

Format Best For
CSV Spreadsheet editing, bulk updates
JSON Full data preservation, API use
XML WordPress import compatibility

What Gets Exported

Data CSV JSON XML
Title Yes Yes Yes
Files & URLs Yes Yes Yes
Categories & Tags Yes Yes Yes
Settings Partial Full Full
Meta Data Partial Full Full
Images URL only URL only URL only
Statistics No Yes Yes

How to Export

  • Go to Downloads > Import & Export
  • Choose export format
  • Click Create Export File button
  • Download the file

Batch Export

For large numbers of packages:

  • Export runs in batches
  • Progress bar shows status
  • File downloads when complete
  • Large exports may take time

Import from CSV

CSV Format

Required columns:

Column Description Example
title Package title My Download

Optional columns:

Column Description Example
description Package description Full description…
post_status Publish status publish, draft
url_slug URL permalink my-download
files Attached files (pipe-separated) file1.zip, file2.pdf
file_titles File display names File One, File Two
category Category names Category1,Category2
tags Tag names Tag1,Tag2,Tag3
access Allowed roles administrator,editor
version Package version 1.0.0
template Link template default
page_template Page template default
password_lock Enable password 0 or 1
password Lock password mypassword
email_lock Enable email lock 0 or 1
base_price Product price 29.99
icon Icon URL https://…

Sample CSV

title,description,files,category,access,version
"My First Package","A great download","/uploads/file1.zip","Software","subscriber",1.0.0
"Another Package","Description here","/uploads/file2.pdf|/uploads/bonus.zip","Documents","all",2.0.0

Import Steps

  • Prepare your CSV file
  • Go to Downloads > Import & Export
  • Click the Select CSV File tab
  • Select  and upload your file
  • Review import results

Column Mapping

If your CSV uses different column names:

  • After upload, the mapping screen appears
  • Match your columns to WPDM fields
  • Skip columns you don’t want to import
  • Save mapping for future imports

Import Options

Option Description Default
Update Existing Update if title matches Disabled
Create Categories Auto-create missing categories Enabled
Create Tags Auto-create missing tags Enabled
Set Status Override status for all Use CSV value
Author Assign all to author Current user

Batch Import

Large imports process in batches:

Setting Description Default
Batch Size Rows per batch 10
Delay Seconds between batches 0

Progress shows:

  • Current row
  • Success count
  • Error count
  • Time elapsed

Import from Directory

Directory Import

Import files directly from a server directory:

  • Go to Downloads > Import & Export
  • Select directory from the Select Directory list
  • Browse or enter directory path
  • Select files to import
  • Configure import options
  • Click Import Selected Files

File Browser

The file browser shows:

Column Description
Filename File name
Size File size
Type File extension
Modified Last modified date

Import Options

Option Description
Create Package Per File Each file = one package
Group Files Multiple files = one package
Use Filename as Title File name becomes title
Move vs Copy Move file or copy it
Target Directory Where to store files

Supported Locations

Location Path
Uploads /wp-content/uploads/
WPDM Files /wp-content/uploads/wpdm-files/
Custom Any accessible directory

Import from JSON/XML

JSON Import

  • Go to Import tab
  • Select JSON file
  • Review package data
  • Click “Import All” or select specific packages
  • Confirm import

XML Import

  • Go to Import tab
  • Select XML file
  • WordPress-compatible XML supported
  • Review and import

Handling Errors

Common Import Errors

Error Cause Solution
File not found Invalid file path Check file exists
Invalid CSV Malformed CSV Check formatting
Missing title No title column Add title column
Permission denied File not readable Check permissions
Memory limit File too large Increase PHP memory

Error Log

After import, review the error log:

  • Check error log file
  • See row-by-row issues
  • Download error report
  • Fix issues and re-import

Rollback

If import goes wrong:

  • Note imported package IDs
  • Go to Downloads > All Downloads
  • Filter by import date
  • Bulk delete if needed

Migration Between Sites

Full Migration

  • Source site: Export all packages (JSON recommended)
  • Export media: Note all file URLs
  • Target site: Import JSON file
  • Transfer files: Upload files to target
  • Update URLs: Fix file paths if needed

Partial Migration

  • Export specific categories
  • Export specific packages
  • Import to target
  • Reassign categories if needed

Post-Migration Checklist

Task Description
Verify counts Same number imported
Check files Files accessible
Test downloads Downloads work
Check categories Properly assigned
Review settings Package settings correct

Automation

WP-CLI Commands

# Export packages
wp wpdm export --format=csv --output=/path/to/export.csv

# Import from CSV
wp wpdm import /path/to/import.csv --create-categories

# Import from directory
wp wpdm import-dir /path/to/files --create-packages

Scheduled Exports

Set up automatic exports:

  • Go to Cron Jobs Settings
  • Create new job
  • Hook: wpdm_scheduled_export
  • Set schedule
  • Configure export path

Tips

  • Always backup before bulk imports
  • Test with small CSV first
  • Use JSON for complete data preservation
  • Check file paths in CSV are correct
  • Match column names exactly for smooth import
  • Review import log for any errors
  • Keep export files for disaster recovery

Related Documentation