Do you want to move your blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org? Many beginners often start with WordPress.com soon realize its limitations and want to switch to the self-hosted WordPress.org platform. In this step by step guide, we will show you how to properly move your blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org.
Why Move from WordPress.com to WordPress.org
WordPress.com allows anyone to start a blog by creating an account. However, beginners soon realize that there are a lot of limitations on their free WordPress.com blog like limited ability to monetize, can’t install plugins, third-party ads on your users, etc.
This is why users soon switch to the more powerful and popular self-hosted WordPress.org platform.
To understand the differences between the two platforms, see our full comparison of WordPress.com vs WordPress.org.
We recommend using WordPress.org, because it gives you complete ownership of your website and freedom to control all its features. To learn more about all these features, see our complete WordPress review with pros and cons.
That being said let’s take a look at how to properly migrate your blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org.
Things You Need Before You Start
To start with self-hosted WordPress.org, you’ll need a WordPress hosting account and a domain name.
We recommend using Bluehost because they are one of the largest hosting companies in the world, and they are an officially recommended WordPress hosting provider.
They are also offering WPBeginner users a free domain name and 60% discount on web hosting. Basically, you can get started for $2.75 / month (and this also includes free SSL).
→ Click Here to Claim This Exclusive Bluehost Offer ←
If your WordPress site already has a custom domain name, then you will still need web hosting. Go ahead and signup with Bluehost and under the domain step, add your blog domain. We will show you how to keep the same domain while transferring from WordPress.com to WordPress.org without losing search rankings in the later steps.
Aside from the hosting account, you will of course need access to your WordPress.com account, so you can easily move all of your posts, pages, images, comments, and other data over to your self-hosted WordPress site.
Bonus Free Offer: Since a lot of you asked for this, we are now offering free migration service from WordPress.com to WordPress.org as part of our free WordPress blog setup service. This means one of our expert team member will do the entire migration for you (100% free). This means you can switch from WordPress.com to WordPress.org without any risk.
However if you are someone who likes learning and doing things yourself, then you can follow our step by step tutorial below.
Step 1: Exporting Data from WordPress.com
First you need to sign in to your WordPress.com account and go to your blog’s dashboard. From the left column, you will need to click on the WP Admin link to open your blog’s admin area.
Next, you need to visit the Tools » Export page.
Clicking on the Export tool will take you to a new page where you will be asked to choose between Free or Guided Transfer. You need to choose the free option by clicking on the ‘Start Export’ button.
On the next screen, you will be asked which data you want to export. Select “All Content” and press the Download Export File button.
The exporter will now download an XML file in your computer. This file will have all of your posts, pages, images, comments, custom fields, categories, tags, navigation menus, and other information.
Step 2: Setting up WordPress
Now that you have exported your WordPress.com data, the next step is to set up a fresh WordPress install on your web hosting.
WordPress is very easy to install, and it only takes a few clicks. If you signed up with Bluehost like we mentioned above, then WordPress will be automatically installed for you.
Alternatively, you can follow our step-by-step tutorial on how to install WordPress within 5 minutes.
Once you have installed WordPress, it is time to import your content into your new self-hosted WordPress website.
Step 3: Importing Content into Self Hosted WordPress Site
To import your old content from WordPress.com to your new WordPress.org site, you will need to login to your freshly installed WordPress website’s admin area. From here you need to visit the Tools » Import page and click on the ‘Install Now’ button below WordPress.
WordPress will now install the WordPress importer for you. Once it’s done, you need to click on the ‘Run importer’ link to continue.
It will take you to a screen where you will be asked to upload your WordPress.com XML file that you downloaded in step 1 of this tutorial.
Note: if your file size is larger than 2MB, then you have two options. One is to ask your web hosting company to increase that limit temporarily, so you can get on with the process. The other option would be to split your file by using a WXR file splitter.
When you start importing, you will have the option of assigning imported content to a current user or create a new user. You’ll also have the option of importing your old attachments. It is very important that you check this box, so your image files are imported properly.
Step 4: Importing Your Blogroll Links
If you had been using the Links feature on your WordPress.com blog to store blogroll or other links, then you need to follow these instructions to import them. Users who were not using this feature can skip to Step 5.
Blogroll links are exported in OPML format. It is an XML format which allows you to export and import your links and link categories. Your WordPress.com links have an OPML file located at an address like this:
http://example.wordpress.com/wp-links-opml.php
Replace example with your WordPress.com blog’s subdomain. If you are using a custom domain with your WordPress.com blog, then your OPML file can be accessed by visiting a URL like this:
http://www.example.com/wp-links-opml.php
Your OPML file will open in your browser window, and you need to save it to your desktop. Press CTRL+S (Command+S on Mac) to save the file on your computer.
Now that you have a backup of your WordPress.com links, the next step is to import them into WordPress. However, self hosted WordPress does not have a link manager enabled by default.
You will need to install and activate the Link Manager plugin. The plugin’s page says that it hasn’t been updated in last two years. That’s because it didn’t need updating, and you can confidently install this plugin.
Upon activation, the plugin will add a new menu item in your WordPress admin bar labeled ‘Links’.
Your WordPress site is now capable of managing blogrolls, and you can safely import them. Visit Tools » Import and click on Blogroll to install the OPML importer.
Upon installation, you will be redirected to the importer. Where you need to upload the OPML file you saved earlier and click on import OPML file button.
WordPress will now import your links and link categories from the OPML file. You will be able to see the progress and on completion you will see the success message.
Step 5: Setting your WordPress.com blog to private
Now if you don’t want to redirect your old users to your new site, then this will be your final step.
You need to go to the Settings » Reading page on your WordPress.com blog’s admin area. Under the ‘Site Visibility’ section, select the last option “I would like my blog to be private, visible only to users I choose”.
Attention: If you have been writing for some time, and you have a loyal audience, then it does not make sense to leave them hanging.
Furthermore, if your blog has been out there for a while, then chances are that it is indexed in Google and other search engines. You can keep all the search engine rankings and easily redirect your old users to your new blog by following Step 6 (highly recommended if your site is established).
Step 6: Redirecting Visitors and Preserving SEO
Redirecting users to new location with the 301 header is a standard solution to keep search rankings while moving a site from one location to another. Since you don’t have access to .htaccess on WordPress.com, you cannot make any changes by yourself to retain search engine rankings. However, WordPress.com offers a paid upgrade feature called, Site Redirect, which provides this functionality.
Simply go to WordPress.com blog’s dashboard and click on the Settings menu item. Under the ‘Site Address’ option, click on the ‘redirect’ link.
On the next screen, you will be asked to provide the domain name where you want visitors to be redirected. Enter your new WordPress.org site’s domain name and click on the go button.
Note: Site redirect is a paid upgrade and costs $13 per year. It will add a 301 redirect which redirects your WordPress.com blog’s visitors and search engines to your new site.
Some of you will ask how long should I keep paying for this Offsite redirect feature? The answer is for as long as you want to. However, we personally think that 2 years would be enough time for your old users to memorize your new domain name.
If you are changing domains, then another thing you want to do is update all in-post URLs. If you ever inter-linked your posts, then those links have to be updated. You can use our article on how to update URLs when moving your WordPress site.
If you had a custom domain on WordPress.com, then you don’t have to worry about anything. Simply change the DNS record to your host, and you will retain all the SEO benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
We wrote the first version of this article in January 2013. Since then we’ve received tons of great questions. A lot of which we’ve answered via email or in comments, so we thought it would be nice to compile the popular ones at one place where everyone can see them.
What happens with my WordPress.com Subscribers?
Thankfully, WordPress.com allows you to migrate your subscribers with one condition. You must use their Jetpack plugin which adds the same subscriber functionality that you had at WordPress.com. Once you install and activate the Jetpack plugin, you would need to contact the WordPress.com team and ask them to migrate the subscribers for you. Our hope is that in the later versions of Jetpack, this will become easier and users will be able to do it themselves.
Can you help me transfer from WordPress.com to WordPress.org for FREE?
Absolutely. We offer migration from WordPress.com as part of our free WordPress blog setup service. If you need our assistance, then simply signup. It’s free 
What are the costs of switching to WordPress.org?
WordPress is free. However, there are some minimal web hosting costs. We recommend that you read this article on: Why is WordPress free? What are the costs and what is the catch?
I already paid WordPress.com, can I get a refund?
Yes, you can. If you recently purchased a custom domain or a paid plan from WordPress.com, then you can ask them for a full refund.
Note: Domain registrations can be canceled within 48 hours of registration. Plans and other purchases can be canceled within 30 days of purchasing.
Will my images break?
No they will not. When you transfer using the import file, all attached images are downloaded and the link is updated. However there is one caveat that we noticed. If your image URL starts with files.wordpress.com, then they will not be converted. If you notice that the image URL has not changed and still points to WordPress.com, then we recommend that you use import external images plugin, and it will take care of that.
I registered my domain through WordPress.com, can I still move?
Yes you can. WordPress believe in empowering users and giving them full control of their content. If you already have a domain name through WordPress.com, then all you need is a web hosting account. We recommend that you setup with Bluehost or any of these other WordPress hosting providers. During the signup phase, you will be asked do you have a domain or want to register a new one. Simply select the option that I have a domain name, and insert the domain that you registered at WordPress.com. Next thing you would have to do is change the nameservers to point to the hosting provider. We’re able to assist with this as part of our free setups service. You can also ask your web hosting provider for support.
Will my website go down when I switch?
If you do it correctly, then NO. The method we’ve suggested above will ensure that your website never goes down. If you’re worried, then know that we are here to help. You’re welcome to use our free setups service at anytime.
We hope this article helped you properly move your blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org. You may also want to see our checklist of the most important things you need to do after installing WordPress.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
Hey, if we go with your discount, do they charge monthly or do I need to pay the full sum right away?
Regards
Unless I hear otherwise, it is a one time fee rather than monthly charges. You would want to reach out to the host for clarification
Hi, I’m wondering if you could help. We migrated from .com to .org and followed the instructions for moving the subscribers/followers. Note, we have the domain name registered with .com.
For some reason, even after the .org site is set up, subscribers are still showing up in the .com version and not the new site. I’ve spoken to .com and they can’t figure it out. I’m wondering should we shut down the .com site completely? Move the domain name over to our new host and cut ties with the old blog? I personally feel like jetpack is getting its wires crossed. Have you ever come across this issue?
If you’re still getting subscribers, they could be from the WordPress.com reader if you’re not using the site redirect from WordPress.com and it is allowing them to see the old site’s posts through that method.
Great Post ! Just bought my domain and registered with .com. After reading your post and all the comments I’ve decided to move before I gets traffic. I don’t want to do redirects. Will my new post be directed to the old .com ? What’s the way forward.
Thanks.
If you move your site to WordPress.org then the new posts would appear on your WordPress.org site rather than back on the WordPress.com site.
should we just shut down this old wordpress.com site and transfer the domain over to the new host? do you know if that would affect anything on the new site if we did that?
You can certainly do that and it shouldn’t affect your new site if you remove the old site.
would’ve been nice if you had mentioned all the name-server stuff. I have been on chat with both bluehost and wordpress for 2 hours because of all the confusion
Apologies for the confusion, we will certainly look to clarify it in the article.
So I have a challenge or kinda a weird problem. I have a wordpress.com (e.g example.wordpress.com) site that I later upgraded to example.com still hosted at wordpress under the personal plan. Then I realized I can’t upload themes or plugins that I want. With the lack of flexibility and costs for upgrading at worpress.com, I decide to migrate to another host using (worpress.org) so that I can take advantage of what I am missing. In my wp admin, I am stuck. I don’t know why example.com/wp-admin/ is still pointing to wordpress.com instead my new wordpress.org admin. My website is now marked as “parked” and I am losing clients. I wish your guide would cover transfers of websites including example.wordpress.com and example.com, hosted at wordpress.com.
Hoping to see a reply soon.
For that issue, you would want to take a look at the end of step 6. You would need to change the DNS or nameservers to point to your hosting provider. If you reach out to your new host they can let you know the nameservers/DNS records to update to.
I’m new to worpress.com. I started using wordpress.com free plan and only have 7 published posts along with photos. My blog is still set to private since I’m not ready to publish the blog. I have 7 more posts in my drafts. I realized I want to monetize my blog in the future and want to use wordpress.org. I was planning on signing up with Bluehost basic plan and I can do that through here, I’d like to take advantage of your free service of exporting my content to wordpress.org. I’m so new at this, I just want to get the blog going and not have to stress over technical details! I have a domain already. Is it easy to sign up my existing domain with Bluehost? Since I’m more comfortable of using wordpress.com, is the interface similar with wordpress.org? I’m hoping it’s easy to use. Are there free layout themes I can choose from until I’m ready to purchase a theme? Thanks for your help!
After selecting your plan you can let BlueHost know you own a domain already, the admin interfaces in the wp-admin area are very similar, and the themes under Themes>Add New are free
I am in South Africa, I want to start a blogg, a friend of mine suggested that I use wordPRESS. Can you kindly tell me the costs per month for acquiring or for using this.
To understand the costs of WordPress you would want to take a look at our article here: https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/why-is-wordpress-free-what-are-the-costs-what-is-the-catch/
HI
I’m not sure if I have a .org or a .com site :/ if I had WordPress host my site would it then say “WordPress” in the Websitename?
If you purchased hosting through a host such as BlueHost then you would be a WordPress.org site. You would have a WordPress.com site if you built your site through the WordPress.com website.
Hi there,
I recently migrated my site, from WordPress.com to WordPress.org using Blue Host. Thanks for giving me the confidence to do it. Great article!
I’m now having some minor acct issues – for instance, the WordPress.com app seems to override posting in my blog – my blog doesnt communicate back to the app. Do I need to stop using the app?
Jetpack is linked to my WordPress.com acct and I think that might be causing the issue. The other thing is that my /wp-admin page if giving me the option to login through WordPress.com – is this possibly related to the jet pack connection?
Is there away I can continue to publish to the free version of WordPress.com? Or should I do away with that account entirely?
Any ideas for a friend on this are appreciated.
Thanks for the help!
– Nate
You normally would want to recreate your site’s connection with the app to clear up errors with connecting after moving. The option to log in using WordPress.com is something added through Jetpack that you should be able to disable through Jetpack’s settings if you like.
You could continue to publish on both sites but we would normally recommend focusing on your new site if you transferred it to WordPress.org.
Hi, I just got started and have nothing written or designed yet in my blog and want to transfer from wordpress.com to .org. Do I need to follow all the same steps here, or is it simpler because I have no content? Please advise. I’m a total newbie, obviously, and clueless! Thank you!
If you don’t have a domain name set on WordPress.com then you could set it up as if it was a brand new site. If you do have a domain name, you would need to transfer the domain or point the nameservers to the new host to see your new site.
one more question?? Should I sign up with Siteground or Bluehost with the NEW domain name I want to use, and then you can help migrate the old domain from wordpress.com to the new one?? Thanks for your help!
You can certainly do that if you’re wanting to change your domain name
Hi there,
Thank you for all this wonderful information. Will this still work and is the offer still available even though I am on a premium wordpress.com site?
Thanks!
Yes and yes
Hi there. I am wanting to move my wordpress.com site to wordpress.org. I also want to change the domain name. I currently have already purchased a new domain name thru NameCheap. I am planning to use siteground to host. If I use your link to sign up for siteground, is your migration service able to migrate to the new domain name??
Thanks so much!
Our migration service can certainly help you change the domain
I reciently made the same mistake as many others and purchased a subscription thru wordpress.com. I moved the church web page from Wix to WordPress but now understand that I should move to the .org version of WordPress. I transferred the domain from Wix to WordPress.com. Do I follow the same steps and move from .com to .org and will my domain name move along with it?
You would want to follow the steps in the article for moving the content over, for your domain if you no longer want to pay WordPress.com you would want to manually transfer the domain to your new hosting provider rather than changing the DNS/nameservers.
Hi,
I like to thank WPbeginner.com for providing this valuable information. It helped me move to self-hosted website. Good work.
However, when I did do all the export and backups (XML files) on my system and later set up new domain and imported all content, things did not work as expected. I fully respect your hard work and expertise but I do belive WordPress has changed thier systems or made some changes thats making the process difficult.
I hoped to have about 85-90% of the contents and stuff restored. However, in reality it wasn’t. I tried redoing all steps again only to find all contents (blog posts) being restoed, but the themes, layouts, etc got messed up.
Now I had two options – either I waste time researching how to restore or gradually put the missing pieces back.
Fortunately my website is just one month old so I decided to restore by redoing the themes, widgets, layouts, etc. In the process I could do some improvements too w.r. to social plugins, showing recent posts, sharing options, etc.
Given that you are an expert in this field I request your honest feedback. Please take a look at my webiste above and share your feedback on its layout, design, etc. It is a blog, but I’m working hard at curating content to make sure its of high quality and presentation-ready. I’d appreciate your thoughts on this too.
Thank you.
Hi Sridhar,
The WordPress importer successfully imports your content. It does not import themes, widgets, design settings, subscribers, etc. This is why after the import your new self hosted site looks different than your WordPress.com blog.
Good luck with your new site, it looks alright.
Thanks Syed for the clarification. Okay I get it – wordpress imports just the content, so the other components need to be redone anyway.
Wish you and the team a Happy New Year and good luck.
Dear Admin,
I have to appreciate you for such a clear and informative post. I have been blogging on wordpress.com for almost 2 years, but want to migrate to wordpress.org.
The part of the post I got a bit confused with is “Step 4: Importing Your Blogroll Links”: Were you referring to the links some bloggers, like myself, place within and at the bottom of our articles/posts? I have never used the Links feature (on my wordpress.com blog) to store blogroll or any other links. So I would like to know the difference between placing links within/at the bottom of posts, and using the Links feature: do they go hand in hand?
One question I want to ask is: if I’m exporting my posts, will the links I placed within/at the bottom of my post be moved to together along with my posts, or do I have to follow your instructions and export blogroll (which I don’t think I have because I’ve never used it directly) in OPML format?
Thank you and regards.
If you were not using the links feature on WordPress.com then you won’t have to worry about setting it up on your new site. The links that were manually added at the bottom of your posts should remain
Hi,
I am using bluehost shared server. I have installed wordpress. But the problem is I am not able to import data. I can see downloaded images, but i can’t see any posts. Chorme console shows err_incomplete_chunked_encoding 200. Can you please guide me how to resolve this?
Thanks
Hi Nikhil,
Try the importer again. It is smart enough not to import duplicate content. If that doesn’t work, then try creating a new export file from your older install.
Hi,
I have tried this multiple time, with different browsers. Still no luck. My xml file size is around 4MB. I think it’s something related to the size. Is there any other way?
Hi Nikhil,
You can open the export file in a plain text editor and try to break it into two. However, to do this you will need to understand the format of the xml file.
Hello,
To follow up on my just posted question — my website just went down! Is that because of the order of things ? I signed up with bluehost, then exported from current wordpress.com, then redirected the servers, then went immediately to wordpress.com and cancelled the premium subscription, then went back in to try and import the site but got stuck… should I have waited the 48hrs to let it re-direct?
To clarify my previous question – will I be able to get to the wp-admin area of my new wordpress.org site once 48 hrs have passed?
Thanks!
I have followed each step and most of my content seems to have transferred, however it has been over a week and my domain name is still temporary. I have tried everything and don’t know how to move my custom domain name that I had at WP.com to my new WP.org site (powered by Bluehost). Do I need to delete my old site? Or do I need to transfer domain to a different registrar? Please can you assist so that my domain name transfers to my new site. Also, what happens to my premium WP.com plan? Will my custom domain need to be upgraded when the plan expires?
Kind wishes,
Kat
Hi Kat,
After you login to WordPress.com dashboard click on the ‘My Site’ link at the top left corner of the screen.
On the next page, from the left column scroll down and click on the “Domains” menu. You will see your domain name listed there. Click on it to open its settings and then click on the “Name Servers and DNS” option.
Now you will see a toggle next to “Use WordPress.com” name servers. You need to turn it off. When you do that you will see the option to add ‘Custom Name Servers’. You need to add your name servers like this:
ns1.bluehost.com
ns2.bluehost.com
After that click on the ‘Save custom name servers’ button to store your changes.
If you run into trouble at any time, please contact WordPress.com support and they will be able to help you.
As for your premium plan, you can cancel it. The domain name is yours as it is already registered for an year. When the time comes you will need to login to your WordPress.com dashboard to renew your domain name. At that time you will only pay the domain renewal fee. You can also choose to transfer the domain name to another registrar or your hosting provider.
Hello – following up on this same general question…
a. Are the Custom Name Server names you have listed here ‘ns1.bluehost.com’ actually the accurate ones if I have bluehost (which I do?) or these are just examples? If examples, then where do I find the server names on bluehost to re-direct my wp.com site to?
and
b. If I have re-directed the servers to bluehost correctly, where do I find the wp-admin area in my new wordpress.org site? I have been typing in ‘www.mywebsite.com/wp-admin’ and it takes me to my old wordpress.com control panel
Thanks, Saba
Hi Saba,
These are actual Bluehost nameservers and you can use them if your site is hosted with Bluehost
Hello and thank you for your response and all your help!
I have done both those steps over a week ago, however when I try to open my new website, it keeps coming up with the message “A new WordPress site coming soon”.
I have checked all the steps and transferred the domain name to Bluehost, however my site is still down and has been for weeks.
Is there any way I can trouble shoot it to figure out where the problem is?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Hi Kat,
Please contact Bluehost support and WordPress.com support. They would be able to point you in the right direction.
Hi, Your article tell how to move content.
What if you have custom files, plugins and themes your want moved from WordPress.com? They don’t seem to ahve an option for that and do not allow FTP access. Any thoughts on this?
Thanks
Hi Ken,
All plugins are also available for self-hosted WordPress.org websites. After you move your content you can install them one by one. Most WordPress.com themes are also available and you can install them and then set them up.
The importer tries to import all your attached media files. However, if it fails to import some files, then you can manually download those files from your WordPress.com dashboard.
Hello,
I have followed your instructions and moved my site from com to org, but it has been more than 48 hours and my new WordPress.org website is still blank with a temp domain. However all my followers and content is gone from the old .com site. Is this normal? How long should I wait for the WordPress.org site to be up and running? I had a custom domain.
Kind wishes,
Kat
Hi Kat,
48 Hours is enough and your site should be up by now. You need to login to your WordPress.com dashboard and see that your domain name is pointing to correct DNS nameservers of your new host.
Hello,
I have tried to move from .com to .org. I had a custom domain name so I was wondering if you could explain the last step to me – how do change the DNS record to my host?
Kind wishes,
Kat
Hi Kat,
First you need to find out the DNS nameservers used by your host. After that you will need to edit your domain settings under WordPress.com account and point your domain to your new host’s nameservers.
Hello guys
I’m stuck up.
I’ve got a domain registered on website wordpress.com, but I would like to move the domain to wordpress.org.
On the page is nothing at the moment, so I don’t need to export and import.
But I can’t find any informations how to move the domain from com to org.
Could you please help me? Thank you
I read it and tried doing this. .but I am stuck up.
I purchased Hosting from Hostgator .
I already have a domain purchased in wordpress.com .
I installed WordPress on Hostgator but it’s taking me to wordpress.com where I want wordpress.org
I created separate account in wordpress org with same domain .
I did export from wordpress com
But I don’t know how I can access dashboard in wordpress.org
Nothing working out.
I can just see my Old site
Please help
Hi Asmita,
You will need to point your domain name to your WordPress.org hosting provider. Please see the domains section in your WordPress.com dashboard. There you will need to edit the Nameserver settings.
I moved over my wordpress.com blog to .org about 4 months ago and have now set up site redirect. Thank you for your clear tutorial, should have read your blog earlier!
The permalink structure includes the date but I would like to change that to just post name. Will site redirect still work and handle this change?
Do I need to do anything to redirect new posts I’ve written and are there any other problems I should be aware of?
Hi Annabel,
Please contact WordPress.com support for questions about site-redirect addon. You can continue writing new blog posts on your WordPress.org website. If everything went smoothly, there shouldn’t be any issues.
On September 18 I opted for your free migration service from WordPress.com to WordPress.org as part of your free WordPress blog setup service (I also took a hosting account with Blue Host). Up to now, I didn´t hear from you, not even a reply mail that you received my application and that you will get back to me a.s.a.p., within two weeks, or something like that. Is this your normal procedure or did something go wrong?
Regards, Ad
Hello,
Thank you for reaching out. Our team replied to your request the same day but didn’t hear back from you. Can you please check spam folder? If you cannot find the email, please drop us another message using the contact form. Our support team will try to reach out again.
Thankyou for this help (love wpbeginner) but I just have one issue and im not sure how to fix it.. I chose to only import my posts from my old wordpress.com site, which is has done, however it has not brought across the pictures on each post etc. Why is that? what can I do? many thanks
Hi Harriet,
You can importer again. It will not create duplicate content and may be able to import missing images.
I have a small question about the redirecting to the new site. If I am keeping the domain name the same and simply moving it over to Bluehost instead of wp.com, why would I need to redirect anybody? Shouldn’t my domain name be the same?
Hi Justin,
If you had a custom domain name, then you don’t need to redirect. However, a lot of WordPress.com users don’t have a custom domain name, those users will need to purchase site redirect to properly setup redirects.
Hi! Can anyone tell me if my comments will automatically follow if I move from wordpress.com to .org? I really don’t want to lose them as my blog has been like a personal journal.
Hi Marsa,
Yes your comments will be moved when you transfer data from WordPress.com to WordPress.org
I’m trying to migrate my blog from wordpress.com to wordpress.org, and after I run the importer then try to import my content, I get an error saying that it doesn’t appear to be a WXR file? I have no idea what that means and have had no luck finding answers. Can you help?
Hi Cammi. I realize you posted about a month ago, but I am just now doing this myself & wanted to offer some insight…
I was also receiving the same error. When you downloaded the file from WordPress.com, it was a zipped file, you have to extract it in order to import it into WordPress.org
I hope this helps!
Hi I have a personal plan with WP so I have a custom domain. I am now planning to migrate to Bluehost to start monetize. According to Bluehost they only deal with .org accounts, does that mean I would need to have it transferred to a .org account first, if I do that will I still be billed for my custom domain? Thank you!
Hi Andrea,
Bluehost meant WordPress.org not just the .org which is a popular domain name extension used by millions of websites. If you have custom domain on WordPress.com (regardless of what domain extension you are using) you can move it to Bluehost and start using WordPress.org.
I went through the post and it’s very helpful. I need a little help with mine, though. I might sound a little stupid but just to be sure before I transfer my domain
I have a Bluehost-hosted site and it runs on WordPress.com. I wanted to transfer it to WordPress.org. I’ll use the same domain name. Would that be fine?
Hi Mario,
We are not sure we understand your question, but we will try to answer it.
You can keep a domain on WordPress.com and still have a WordPress.org website on Bluehost using the same domain name.
Apologies if this is covered elsewhere, but I didn’t see it in a search.
I transferred my WordPress.com blog to Bluehost, and it has finally propagated. I had my own domain on the .com version, and it’s staying the same for the new version. So the url for the two blogs is the same.
Is it enough to make the .com version of the blog private, or should I actually delete it? Some folks online recommend the latter, saying it can affect SEO.
Thanks!
Hi Dave,
Once you have moved your website and pointed your domain to your new Bluehost website, you can make it private.
Just wondering how long it usually takes for a migrated blog to “propagate” to Bluehost. I did the migration about an hour ago. It seemed to go smoothly (thanks!) but I still have a “temp.domains” url.
The WP blog I migrated already had its own domain name.
Hi Dave,
DNS changes can take upto 48 hours to propagate across the internet.
Okay, I’ll be patient. Thanks for the quick response!
I came across this Help page in Bluehost about how, when migrating a domain you already own, you need to point the name servers to Bluehost manually:
My domain is currently registered with WP, and I just went in and changed the name servers. Should I have? And it sounds like now I’ll have to wait another 48 hours, potentially?
If this is correct, it might be worth adding to your instructions, although maybe it’s in there somewhere and I just missed it.
Hi Dave,
This time to update servers is an estimate, normally your domain will start pointing to Bluehost way earlier. During this time your domain will still show your old WordPress.com site in regions where your DNS has not propagated yet.
i have three Questions
(1) pls can I ask for a refund from WordPress. com and then register for the WordPress. org.
(2) since my domain registration is more than 48hrs in WordPress with no refund can I still use it to register for WordPress. org.
(3) and pls which is more easier, is it to switch from WordPress. com to WordPress. org OR to ask for refund and start a fresh registration under WordPress. org Since I registered my site a week ago and I have more than 3,000 visitors with just three posts.
Hi Christopher,
The domain you registered is yours and you can point it to any self-hosted WordPress.org website without migrating it.
If you purchased WordPress.com premium plan, then you can request a refund. Please contact WordPress.com support for details.
If your website is already getting traffic, then it would be best to properly transfer your website so that you don’t lose traffic.
I am still waiting a reply. Since it does not show my question I will ask it again.
When I go to tools at wordpress.com and click Export, it does not give me the option for an XML file. It appears to be a Zip file but I do not know where it goes. All I am trying to do is transfer my blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org.
Please help!
Hi Roger,
You can download the ZIP file and extract it on your computer by right clicking on the file and then select extract. Inside, you will find one or more XML files. These files contain your WordPress.com data and you will need to import them on your new WordPress.org website.
Hi, thank you so much for this article! For some reason when I do the import, when complete, it directs me to my blog page and it just tells me the page is not found. There are other posts however so it’s the correct page and there’s a page customized…
Hello,
I want to change from wordpress.com to wordpress.org. However, I have a domain and hosting through bluehost…If I make the switch, will my custom theme and all posts switch over fine? Thank you!
Thanks a lot for the tip. I’m actually on a free hosting on WordPress.com and would love to migrate to. org.
I have a domain name but not gotten a hosting site so how do o go about it. Do I register with bluehost before migrating Or I can migrate before hosting with bluehost.
and what are the costs of self hosting on WordPress.org
thanks
Hi Chisom,
You can sign up for hosting and add your domain name later. You can point your existing domain name to your new hosting account on Bluehost. After that, you can go ahead and migrate your free WordPress.com website.
Hey I wish to move my account from .com to.org. and i want you to do.it for me.please assist
Hi Navpreet,
Please see our free blog set up service for details.
Hi! Thank you for the useful information. I followed your instructions and installed WP in a wordpress sudbirectory in my Godaddy hosting.
When I run the importer I get this error message: Before you can upload your import file, you will need to fix the following error:
Unable to create directory uploads/2018/05. Is its parent directory writable by the server?
Would you be able to tell me what’s going on? Thanks in advance
Hi Mairon,
It seems that your subdirectory does not have correct permissions for the wp-content folder. Please see our article on how to fix file and folder permissions error in WordPress
I’m having trouble doing this using my ipad! I have exported my .com site, purchased the domain via godaddy and now need to move it across- however I seem to be blocked at actually making the .org site at all as the app constantly redirects me to my original version! Because I have the same email address, trying to make a new account is taking me in circles and I’m having to do deep calming breaths to not throw the whole thing out the window…. any advice? Do I need to find a computer and install the WordPress software to get started?
I need some help setting up my wordpress.ORG site. I purchased a domain from wordpress.COM and transferred it to a self-hosting site and installed wordpress.ORG. However, when I try to access my domain I get sent back to wordpress.COM instead of being able to create a wordpress.ORG site?
Really need to sort this out. Is there any way to fix this or do I need a new domain name…?
Hi Jake,
You need to change your domain name settings. Login to your WordPress.com account and go to the Domains page. For more help please contact WordPress.com support.
Is there a more simplified way to this? I’m trying to read each instruction, open up separate screens and desktop and do what instructions say. I’m confused on all this. Is there no short-cut version of these instructions? I only want to change from .com to .org.
Hi Donna,
You can take advantage of our free blog set up offer.
Hi. I want to move to self hosted. But I want to ask if I should migrate first before designing my blog to my taste. Thanks.
Hello,
It is up to you, you can migrate your site and then work on the design or you can first set up your design and then import your .com content.
Ok I feel like a dumb dumb here. BUT i will ask anyway. So I started on wordpress.com bought a couple domains etc. But I haven’t even posted yet because I realized I should be on .org. SO I got an account with siteground and transferred my account. Now I realize I’m just on site ground but still with a .com (somehow!?) do I need to delete wordpress from my siteground account and re-install? Or delete my whole site? I’m so confused!
Hi Mandy,
You will need to visit your WordPress.com account and under your domain settings change DNS settings and point them to SiteGround. Please contact SiteGround or WordPress.com support and they will help you point your domain to your new hosting provider.
Thank you for all of this valuable information! What if my domain name is hosted by WordPress.com? Do I cancel and get a new host like Bluehost? Or is there a way to keep it as is (on WP.com)?
Hi Denise,
If it is a custom domain name (like wpbeginner.com) then you can use it on Bluehost.
If it is a WordPress.com domain name (like example.wordpress.com), then no you cannot bring it to self-hosted WordPress.org website.
Thank you for letting me know. Do I have to cancel my custom domain with WordPress before I sign-up with Bluehost? Or is there an option to transfer it over during the migration process?
Hi Denise,
You can transfer your domain and you can also keep it on WordPress.com and simply point it to your Bluehost servers.
Wow….
I will surely purchase a new domain name from Bluehost following your guides
I have one question though, can I equally export my free WordPress.com site to WordPress.Org or is it possible with a paid WordPress.com site?
.
Hi Chris,
You can export your free WordPress.com site.
Dear Sir,
I need your professional help, initially when i developed my blog in wordpress, it was on free plan and the domain name was . i later bought domain name from godaddy which was and also upgraded to personal plan on wordpress. But i noticed that i could not add new theme nor able to install plugins accept i upgrade to Business plan and the money involved is huge. So, i decided to purchase Godaddy hosting plan and installed wordpress on their server may be having access to Cpanel will enable me to upload themes and plugins either through FTP or File Manager but i noticed that after several attempts to upload those files even the original theme files that has Styles.css, it never appeared in the dashboard>Appearance>theme. I became worried until i come across your content that being in wordpress.com can not give access to any of these features until one migrates to wordpress.org.
So, with my already hosted wordpress.com site by Godaddy, I want to migrate to wordpress.org to be able to develop the site. How can you assist me on me this?
Hi… I followed all the steps from your wonderful article to export my content from wordpress.com and import to self hosted site. First I got an error on importing. So I retried it but then I got an error that those files already exist. But I dont see them anywhere. No pages or posts or media files. What am doing wrong?