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How to Easily Move Your Blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org

Transitioning your blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org offers greater flexibility and control. Many beginners start with WordPress.com but soon run into its limitations and seek more advanced features.

By moving to the self-hosted WordPress.org platform, you gain access to a wider range of themes, plugins, and customization options that aren’t available on WordPress.com.

At WPBeginner, we have 15+ years of expertise using WordPress.org. So, you can rest assured that we have a deep understanding of carrying out this transition. Plus, if you want more control over your WordPress site, we know that making the switch is worth it.

In this step-by-step guide, we’ll show you how to properly move your blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org, ensuring a smooth and seamless transition.

Moving WordPress.com to WordPress.org

Why Move From WordPress.com to WordPress.org?

WordPress.com allows anyone to start a blog by creating a free account. This makes it easy for beginners to start blogging quickly without dealing with any technical issues.

However, many users realize their free WordPress.com blog has some limitations. These include the limited ability to monetize, the inability to install plugins, third-party ads displayed to users, and more.

This is why users often switch to the more powerful and popular self-hosted WordPress.org platform.

We compared WordPress.com and WordPress.org thoroughly. This side-by-side analysis explains both platforms’ differences, advantages, and disadvantages.

We recommend using WordPress.org because it gives you complete ownership of your website and the 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 look at how to migrate your blog from WordPress.com to WordPress.org properly.

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 Bluehost because it is one of the largest hosting companies in the world and an officially recommended WordPress hosting provider.

They are also offering WPBeginner users a free domain name and a huge discount on web hosting. You can get started for $1.99 / month (and this also includes free SSL).

You’ll still need web hosting if your WordPress site has a custom domain name. Go ahead and sign up with Bluehost, and under the domain step, add your blog domain.

In the later steps, we will show you how to keep the same domain while transferring from WordPress.com to WordPress.org without losing search rankings.

In addition to the hosting account, you’ll also need access to your WordPress.com account to easily transfer your posts, pages, images, comments, and other data to your self-hosted WordPress site.

Bonus Free Offer: Since many of you asked for this, we are now offering a free migration service from WordPress.com to WordPress.org as part of our free WordPress blog setup service. During this guided transfer, one of our expert team members 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 like learning and doing things yourself, you can follow our step-by-step tutorial below.

Video Tutorial

Subscribe to WPBeginner

If you’d prefer written instructions, then just keep reading.

Step 1: Exporting Data From WordPress.com

First, you need to sign in to your WordPress.com site and go to your account dashboard.

From there, you will need to switch to the WP Admin view for the blog or website you want to migrate. Simply click on the three-dot menu next to your site name and then select WP Admin.

Switch to admin view

This will bring you to the traditional WordPress admin dashboard.

From the left column, you need to click on the Tools » Export menu and then click on the ‘Export All’ button.

Export all content from WordPress.com

This allows you to export your WordPress site. Once the export file is ready, a download link will be visible. You can click to download the zip file on your computer.

WordPress.com will also email the link to your email address.

Downloading WordPress.com export file

Once you have downloaded the file to your computer, you need to unzip it.

Inside it, you’ll find an XML file with all your posts, pages, images, comments, custom fields, categories, tags, navigation menus, and other data.

Step 2: Setting Up WordPress

Now that you have exported your WordPress.com data, setting up a fresh WordPress install on your web hosting is next.

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, if you choose a different hosting service, then 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 a Self-Hosted WordPress Site

To import your old WordPress.com site content to your new WordPress.org site, you will need to log in 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.

Install WordPress importer

WordPress will now install the WordPress importer for you.

Once it’s done, click on the ‘Run importer’ link to continue.

Run importer

It will take you to a screen where you will be asked to upload the WordPress.com XML file that you downloaded in step 1 of this tutorial.

Click on the ‘Choose File’ button to select the file, and then click on the ‘Upload file and import’ button.

Upload import file

Note: If your file size is larger than 2MB, you have two options. One is to ask your web hosting company to temporarily increase that limit so you can proceed with the process. The other option is to split your file using a WXR file splitter.

When you start importing, you can assign imported content to an existing user or create a new user.

You’ll also have the option to import file attachments. You must check this box so your image files are correctly imported.

Import options

Step 4: Importing Your Blogroll Links

If you have 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.

WordPress does not natively support the blogroll feature. If you don’t have too many links in your blogroll, then see our guide on how to add blogroll links in WordPress without using a plugin.

However, if you have too many links or you would like to keep the blogroll functionality, then continue reading.

Blogroll links are exported in OPML format. It is an XML format that 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 the example with your WordPress.com blog’s subdomain.

If you are using a custom domain with your WordPress.com website, 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.

Blogroll export file

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 it hasn’t been updated in many 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 labeled’ Links’ to your WordPress admin bar.

Link manager enabled in WordPress

Next, you need to install and activate the OPML Importer plugin. This plugin enables a new importer tool that allows you to import blogroll links.

Upon activation, you need to visit the Tools » Import page and click on the ‘Run Importer’ link below the Blogroll importer.

Blogroll importer

On the Blogroll importer page, you need to upload the OPML file you saved earlier.

Click on the ‘Choose File’ button to select the file, and then click on the ‘Import OPML File’ button to continue.

Importing blogroll

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.

Successful completion of blogroll link import

Step 5: Setting Your WordPress.com Blog to Private

Now, if you don’t want to redirect your old users to your new site, this will be your final step.

First, visit your old blog’s WordPress.com dashboard. From the left menu, you need to click Settings » General menu and scroll down to the ‘Privacy’ section.

Set WordPress,.com blog to Private

From here, you need to select the ‘Private’ option and then click on the ‘Save settings’ button.

This will make your old WordPress.com blog private, and it will only be visible to you or other logged-in users that you approve.

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 by 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 the new location with the 301 header is a standard solution to keep search rankings while moving a site from one place to another.

Since you don’t have access to the .htaccess file on WordPress.com, you cannot make any changes to retain search engine rankings.

However, WordPress.com offers a paid upgrade feature called ‘Site Redirect’, which provides this functionality.

Simply go to the Site Redirect page. If you have multiple sites on WordPress.com, you will be asked which one you would like to redirect.

Select blog to redirect

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.

Purchase site redirect from WordPress.com to WordPress.org

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, two 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, those links must be updated. You can use our article on how to update URLs when moving your WordPress site.

If you have a custom domain on WordPress.com, you don’t have to worry. 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. We’ve answered a lot of them via email or in comments, so we thought it would be nice to compile the popular ones in 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 will need to contact the WordPress.com team and ask them to migrate the subscribers for you. We hope that this will become easier in the later versions of Jetpack, 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 sign up. 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, and plans and other purchases can be canceled within 30 days of purchase.

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, we noticed one caveat. 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, we recommend that you use the import external images plugin, which will take care of that.

I registered my domain through WordPress.com. Can I still move?

Yes, you can. WordPress believes in empowering users and giving them complete 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 set up with Bluehost or any of these other WordPress hosting providers. During the signup phase, you will be asked if you have a domain or want to register a new one.

Simply select the ‘I have a domain name’ option and insert the domain you registered at WordPress.com.

The next thing you will have to do is change the nameservers to point to the hosting provider. We can assist with this as part of our free setup 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 are worried, then know that we are here to help. You are welcome to use our free setup service at any time.

Can I add an online store to my WordPress.org website?

Yes, you can easily add an online store to your self-hosted WordPress.org website without any additional costs. Since Bluehost and other popular web hosts offer free SSL certificates, you simply need to install a WordPress eCommerce plugin to add an online store.

What are some of the must-have WordPress plugins that you recommend?

Now that you have switched to self-hosted WordPress.org, you can install as many plugins as you like.

Here’s our recommended pick:

  • AIOSEO – to improve your website’s SEO rankings (used by 3 million sites).
  • WPForms – to add a smart contact form on your website (used by 6 million sites).
  • SeedProd – to easily customize your landing pages with drag & drop builder – works with all WordPress themes.
  • MonsterInsights – to see how people find and use your website. It’s a must-have for bloggers and small business owners.
  • PushEngage – to connect with visitors after they leave your website.
  • Duplicator – to create daily backups of your new website in case of emergency.
  • OptinMonster – to help you get more email subscribers and succeed in your blogging journey.

In addition to these, we recommend looking at our expert pick of the must-have WordPress plugins and useful blogging tools for managing and growing your blog.

You can install all of these plugins from inside your WordPress dashboard. We have created a step-by-step guide on installing a WordPress plugin.

I want to change my site’s WordPress theme, can I do that?

Yes, you can change your WordPress theme at any time. Another big benefit of switching to WordPress.org is that you get additional customization options and a larger collection of themes to choose from.

In your WordPress admin sidebar, click on the Appearance Menu dropdown and select ‘Themes’ to install a theme.

We have hand-picked some of the best themes to help users avoid choice paralysis. See our guide on the best free blog themes and best multi-purpose themes for WordPress.

You may also want to see our guide on how to properly change a WordPress theme.

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 and our ultimate guide on increasing your blog traffic.

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.

Disclosure: Our content is reader-supported. This means if you click on some of our links, then we may earn a commission. See how WPBeginner is funded, why it matters, and how you can support us. Here's our editorial process.

Editorial Staff

Editorial Staff at WPBeginner is a team of WordPress experts led by Syed Balkhi with over 16 years of experience in WordPress, Web Hosting, eCommerce, SEO, and Marketing. Started in 2009, WPBeginner is now the largest free WordPress resource site in the industry and is often referred to as the Wikipedia for WordPress.

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Reader Interactions

1,232 CommentsLeave a Reply

  1. Syed Balkhi

    Hey WPBeginner readers,
    Did you know you can win exciting prizes by commenting on WPBeginner?
    Every month, our top blog commenters will win HUGE rewards, including premium WordPress plugin licenses and cash prizes.
    You can get more details about the contest from here.
    Start sharing your thoughts below to stand a chance to win!

  2. John Hebard

    With the wordpress updates since you’ve written this article is it still as fast and easy to transfer from .com to .org? Is there any new information I would need?

  3. Ben Hendrix

    Hi ! … im still confused, actually i started a new free wordpress plan , and i cant install plugins, so the only thing i understood that, i had to buy a domain name on Bluehost … and export+import my content to my new hosted site …does this allows me to add PLUGINS ?

  4. Ingrid Westlake

    If I sign up for WordPress premium plan, does that transfer my blog automatically to WordPress.org? How does it work?

  5. Parveender

    How can I know that I’m using wordpress.com or wordpress.org?

  6. Nathalie

    Hi
    I’d really like to use your transfer service but I already have a custom domain bought through WordPress.com so I’m a bit confused how I can transfer that over if I buy one of the hosting packages you recommend. Could you give me some advices so I’m definitely doing it right please. Super happy to have found your service. Thanks!

  7. Jadesola

    Hello,

    Does using wordpress.org mean that website will end in .org instead of .com?

  8. Prateek

    Hey, I am trying to transferring my Data. But as it is showing in your screenshot that maximum file size that can be transferred is 32mb whereas, in the new wordpress.org software we can’t transfer a file size of more than 2mb and my blog file size is 7mb. It’s showing an error that ‘exceeds maximum file size’. Now, what to do??

  9. Lydia

    Has anybody used the free blog transfer.

  10. Sarah

    I’ve followed all of the steps above (excluding step 4) and it has worked however only a few of my pots have transferred to my new domain. Nothing since April 2016 is showing. I asked host and they said something about SQL and PHP but I’ve had a go and have no idea what I’m doing, I don’t want to make it worse! Any idea what i might have done wrong?!

    • WPBeginner Support

      Hey Sarah,

      You can run the importer again. It is smart enough not to create duplicate content so it will skip the content you already imported and will only import content skipped during previous attempt.

      Admin

  11. Glen

    I might have an issue. Bluehost has already taken over my domain before I had the opportunity to export the content from wordpress.com. Now when I log in to the admin page it displays the bluehost wordpress and not the wordpress.com wordpress.

    How can I get to the export file from wordpress.com?

    • WPBeginner Support

      Hi Glen you can try login to your WordPress.com account by visiting WordPress.com website instead of your yourwebsite.com.

      Admin

  12. Mariah McKenzie

    I currently have a wordpress.com site (suburbia theme) I’d like to move it to a self-hosted wordpress.org site and greatly appreciate these instructions, but I am unclear if the theme and thus the appearance will transfer as well, or do I have to pick a new theme? (I looked up suburbia on wordpress.org and could not find it.) My website is Thank you!

  13. Aaron

    Why Bluehost If I’m already hosted with another company (that I’ve paid for) can I not just continue to use them when I migrate.

    Thanks in advance.

    • WPBeginner Support

      Hi Aaron,

      Yes, you can continue to use your existing hosting company if you are satisfied with them and they support WordPress. It is for users who don’t have hosting and want to start quickly.

      Admin

  14. vihasi shah

    My blog is free right now on WordPress.
    I want to transfer it to a self-hosted blog.
    (my own server+own domain name)
    Will my followers on WordPress will be continued or they will leave?
    Please guide me.

  15. Carol

    I bought a theme on WordPress.com. When I migrate to WordPress.Org, does the theme remain intact? Would I still be able to use the theme?

    • WPBeginner Support

      Hi Carol,

      Many WordPress themes that are available to WordPress.com users are also available for self hosted WordPress.org sites. You will have to search for your theme on WordPress.com themes website. Themes that are available for self-hosted websites have a notice in the right sidebar under stats and info section.

      Admin

  16. Divina Fallarcuna

    Hi! I have a new blog in wordpress.com. I signed up for a free plan so basically i dont own my domain yet. After reading lots of blogs I dont want to sign up on any plan with them. I want to buy my domain on Name cheap and then choose a web host. I wonder if i can still use that domain in my wordpress after i bought it somewhere and since im on a free plan. And i want to transfer to WordPress.org as well.. im very confused! :(

  17. Lydia

    Hi pls I want to move my website from .com to .org on WordPress to be self-hosted via Bluehost. I wanted to know if the free transfer was still going on plus how I would qualify for the service. Lastly, if I will be able to transfer my email subscribers too
    pls reply
    Thank you

  18. David

    How can i do a redirect to each entry?

    im loosing many visits beacuse with the Site Redirect it send everybody to the home and people doenst reach the entry they where looking for.

    there is any way to do it?

    I want the people who enter on the entre mydomain. ABC1.wordpress.com , redirect to the entry mydomain.com/ABC1

    is it possible?

  19. Laura

    I followed the above steps and now all my permalinks are broken. They all have single quotes

    which can’t be found. at the same time, if i manually remove the single quotes it goes into a redirect loop. Can you please help? Luckily I only have 4 posts so far (just starting out) so it’s not a huge deal but would like this fixed.

    • WPBeginner Support

      Hi Laura,

      Login to the admin area of your WordPress site and go to Settings » Permalinks page. See if you have quotes in the custom structure field. If you do, then remove them and click on save changes button. Hope this helps

      Admin

  20. jacqueline

    Problem I am having is I setup my domain with wordpress.com. The host is wild wild west will is not a host where I can log into. So how do I get my domain from WP and get a hosting for this domain so I can change to .org?

  21. LaShae

    I just signed up for wordpress.com last week. I do have a domain name and chose the premium package. I realized that wordpress.org would be better for what I am trying to do. Am I able to cancel my .com subscription and get .org and still be able to have my bought domain name?

    • WPBeginner Support

      Hi LaShae,

      Yes, you can still cancel your subscription and keep your domain name. You can then use the same custom domain name for self hosted WordPress.org site.

      Admin

  22. Tom Cross

    Hi, I have followed these instructions, and, as with another comment below, can still only access my wordpress.com account. The account details – login/password I received through bluehost/mojomarketplace aren’t being accepted, and at this point it’s as if I haven’t done anything, aside from pay Bluehost :(

    Any advice on what I’m potentially doing wrong would be much appreciated!

    Tom

    • WPBeginner Support

      Hi Tom,

      If you had a custom domain on your WordPress.com site then you need to point it to Bluehost.

      Admin

      • Bren

        I am having the same problem. I transferred my domain from wordpress.COM to my new hosting. I then installed WordPress within my hosting service to that domain. When I try to log in, it still takes me to the old wordpress.COM dashboard. How do i disconnect my domain from the wordpress.com?

  23. Joe Morgan

    Have moved my site from .COM to .ORG with Bluehost as the hosting site. The problem is that when I click ADMIN Login on the Bluehost MyInstalls tab the path still takes me to the .COM Admin site. How can I thus ensure Bluehost directs me to the new WordPress Admin dashboard at .ORG???

    Thanks
    Joe.

  24. Lydia

    Hi I am thinking of using your services to help migrate my .com WordPress to .org & to get it hosted on Bluehost
    I wondering if you still offered this free transfer service. And if you will be able to transfer my email subscribers too.
    Also,how do I become eligible for the free transfer?

  25. malcolm i

    CANT EXPORT .ORG site to new host
    my wordpress.org site hosting finished. the export function wont work from the wp.com account access as it says jetpack needs updated but obviously i cant access plugins? can anyone help?

  26. Nick Snedden

    I have downloaded wordpress on bluehost and redirected my servers from my wordpress. com site. However when i go to look at my site or dashboard is says that my connection is not private and I can’t access it.

  27. Pradeep

    Hello,

    This page was helpful and I followed the steps and imported. My site is not ready yet so there were no links and I was not worried about SEO.

    After importing I received an email from WordPress presented below:
    ————————————————————
    Your WordPress import was successful.

    Happy Blogging!

    — the WordPress.com team
    ———————————————

    However, I still do not get the option of adding new plug-in still. Can you please help?

  28. Femi

    Hi! I used this tutorial to migrate my site from wordpress.com to wordpress.org and followed all the steps, but about half of the posts from my .com account are missing and the area where I listed my Instagram and Pinterest account are gone. Additionally there’s a new “Sample Page” link at the top that I can’t figure out how to remove and wasn’t on the .com website. Please help!

    Thanks!

  29. Eleanor

    Hi! Thank you for the great tutorial. I’m encountering an issue though. When I exported the .xml file from WP.com, it split it into 9 files. The total space is 22 MB. The hosting service I’ve purchased allows a file size maximum of 64 MB so space isn’t an issue, but they need 1 .xml file to upload for the import. I’m not well-versed in .xml but I was wondering how one converts those 9 into 1 so I can upload it to the hosting service. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

  30. Jolien

    Hi!

    Thanks for the clear instructions. I did all the steps. I exported everything from my old wordpress.com site and imported this into my wordpress.org site. But I can´t find my messages, media etc. Not all the media is begin transferred, and none of my messages. Maybe I did something wrong, but i followed all the steps as noted above, i can´t seem to find the problem..

    Thanks!

  31. Midhun

    Will my themes, customizations and plugin settings preserved in the new wordpress?

  32. Aditya Bharadwaj

    I have a Website hosted on GoDaddy and uses WordPress. And I also have a wordpress.com site and I would like to migrate the wordpress.com site to my selfhosted site as a page. Can I follow the same process? Or are there any more steps I need to take?

  33. V Rodriguez

    If I paid for the WordPress.com plan over 30 days ago, will I still be able to get a refund if I switch to WordPress.org?

    • WPBeginner Support

      Hi Rodriguez,

      WordPress.com plans and other purchases can be canceled with in 30 days of the purchase. You can still contact WordPress.com support for more information.

      Admin

  34. Claire Lyons

    Hi there, I want to move to .org from my .com so I can do more on my site. However, I’m also ready to put the content I have on .com into a new domain I have bought.. should I move the content and then add the domain in .org – or do the domain in .com and then move it to .org?? Does that make sense? I’m a bit lost!

  35. Lucas

    The article is great and goes into a high level of detail! Thanks!

    I’m having trouble with the WordPress importer though. For starters, it isn’t compatible with the most recent version of WP yet (4.7). And when I installed a previous version of WordPress instead (4.6), the importer plugin still is broken, it throws an error when it’s installing. Are there any other options for getting my WordPress.com content into my new Selfhosted WordPress site?

  36. Samantha Lucas

    Hi,
    I recently set up a wordpress blog and made it “.com” However, after reading the blog I realized that I would like to switch over to “.org” I do not have a domain name or a host yet. Is it possible to switch over first and then sign up for a Bluehost subscription?

    • WPBeginner Support

      Hi Samantha,

      Your WordPress.org site need to be hosted somewhere.

      However, if you just want to test drive WordPress, then you can do so by installing WordPress on your computer. It will not be visible to anyone but yourself, but you can use it to practice or learn WordPress.

      Admin

  37. fatima

    the option of add plugin is not appearing on my plugin options what should i do

    • WPBeginner Support

      Hi fatima,

      You are probably using WordPress.com. Please refer to the instructions in the article if you want to move your site from WordPress.com to WordPress.org

      Admin

  38. Lydia

    Hi I would like to transfer my wordpress blog to be hosted on Bluehost. I already have a domain name. I am worried about transferring my email subscribers. How much would jetpack cost to transfer them. Is this something you can help with? if I use your free transfer service.

  39. Shoma Abhyankar

    I have a custom domain at WordPress.com..
    My blog is astonishingindia.net . When you suggest to help me migrate to WordPress.org free then do you shift my all images even the ones with files.WordPress.com URL? Am I supposed to take full backup before you help in migration? Do you take a back up ofonly the SQL thing or full backup?
    I am really worried about loosing anything of my site. I am planning to choose FastComet as host..do you help in migrating to a site hosted by fast comet?

  40. Jess

    Hi,

    I just switched over from wordpress.com to wordpress.org and am trying to import my files via Bluehost/WP tools. My domain name was purchased on wordpress.com, so that is already set BUT I cannot find the “tools” panel to add the “WordPress Importer” plugin. Do you know why the tools panel is gone?

    -Jess

  41. mark aurelio

    hi,

    i have a new blog in WP.com. i have registered a domain name, and purchased a hosting plan. i am studying the manual procedure for migrating the blog to WP.org.

    can i skip the following:

    step 4 – i don’t have a blogroll
    step 5- i don’t want to keep my blog private
    step 6 – this is a new site, i have no ranking to preserve

    where is the part that requires pointing the site to the DNS servers of my host?

    thank you so much for your kind help.

    -mark

    • Zikrullah

      Hi ,
      I have both domain and host on wordpress.com . Therefore, how can i move to wordpress.org? and ı dont know how to reach my host and domain information :(

      • WPBeginner Support

        Hi Zikrullah,

        You can move your domain from WordPress.com to your new WordPress host by changing its DNS settings.

        Admin

  42. Elijah

    I did all of the things in the video and the import was successful, I installed WordPress on cpanel and did everything, yet, when I go to my site dashboard and nothing changed. Am I doing something wrong? Please help.

    • WPBeginner Support

      Hi Elijah,

      If you are using a custom domain name, then you have to setup your domain name to point to your new WordPress site.

      Admin

      • Yusra

        I’m facing the same issue. I followed all the steps, but when I click on the new credential details that lead me to admin, Its still on wordpress.com Help!

      • Moni Love

        Hello! Seems as though I am experiencing the same problems as far as getting web host and installing WordPress but confused as to how to point to new host or how to not see WordPress .com and see WordPress .org I feel as though did I download the wrong version?? I tried contacting customer service and I have not been able to reach anyone so its a bit frustrating I really hope I didn’t do any thing wrong its like the WordPress.com is back behind my domain again..Im all confused!!

  43. Sheryl

    Hi! Please enlighten. I just upgraded my plan on WordPress.com because I wanted to have a self-hosted blog. From FREE to PREMIUM. What happened was, I was given another site and all of my content from the previous site was nowhere to be seen on the new site. I wanted to keep all content and just have a new domain. What should I do?

  44. Jaida

    I set up a self-hosted blog (or so I thought!) on wordpress.com by accident, earlier this year. I bought a domain name and hosting through Bluehost, paid the $13 mapping fee, etc. I just realized today that I am on wp.com and need to be on wp.org, so how do I fix this? I started the redirect from my old blog (on blogger) and while trying to install a plugin to finish, found out I was on the wrong wordpress. Help!

  45. Bikram

    Can I keep my domain name same as that of the WordPress.com site

    • WPBeginner Support

      If you had a custom domain like wpbeginner.com then you can keep it, you will just need to point it to your new host.

      Admin

  46. Lis

    Hi I just followed all the steps from above to switch to wordpress self-hosting, but my theme isn’t working. I can’t find mine purchased theme. How can I fix this?

  47. Vickie

    I have a self-hosted WordPress site via GoDaddy. I just purchased the Genesis Framework and a child theme that can only be used with a self-hosted WordPress.org website. Someone else set my site up for me and I wasn’t sure if it was through WordPress.org or WordPress.com. How do I know which I have? If it’s self-hosted, does that automatically mean it is through WordPress.org? Thanks for your help.

    • WPBeginner Support

      Yes. You can also confirm by visiting your website’s admin area. If you can see plugins page and can install new plugins, then you are using self hosted WordPress.org.

      Admin

  48. Gail

    Hi imported my blog from WordPress.com to localhost. It seems that the onlyt blog imported are my first blog and I cant see the other post.

    • Savita Hiremath

      Dear WP team,

      I am planning to migrate from my WP.com to a self-hosted site. Will all the Facebook likes and shares still show up as earlier or will the counts reset to zero after migration?

      Would appreciate a prompt reply.
      Thanks,
      Savita

  49. Walter

    Hello, can I use the Duplicator plugin to do this migration?

  50. Abbie N

    I want to move my wordpress.com site to wordpress.org so I can have more freedom with plugins etc.. I paid for my own domain name already, will I be able to keep this? Also, would it transfer my stats across like my views so far?

    • WPBeginner Support

      Yes you can continue using your domain name. Yes your stats will not change as you will be using the same domain.

      Admin

  51. JOY

    Iam using blogger with adsense and custom domain . i want to switch wordpress self hosting. if i move to wordpress is my adsense effected or not. I dont wan to loose adsesne

    • WPBeginner Support

      No, it will not be effected. You can continue using the same adsense account on your WordPress site.

      Admin

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