Human Extended

    How to export WordPress pages to XML for inspection or migration

    Why

    • You can migrate your content to a different WordPress website.
    • You can inspect hidden fields that do not appear in the editor.

    Definitions

    • XML (Extensible Markup Language) is a human-readable file format for storing and transmitting data. XML is widely used by programs such as WordPress and Microsoft Office to store data.

    Step-by-step instructions

    Follow these instructions to export your WordPress content into XML for inspection or migration.

    1. Sign into your WordPress site with your admin account.

    2. Go to Tools > Export

      A screenshot of the WordPress Tools menu. Under the Tools menu there are various options, of which Export is highlighted.

    3. Select the type of content to export.

      By default, all content will be exported. You can restrict your export to a subset of content such as pages only.

    4. Tap the Download Export File button on the bottom of the page.

      Your browser will download the file automatically. It may take a few minutes if you have a large site. In most cases, you will receive an XML file. If you have a very large site, you may receive a ZIP file containing the XML file.

    Once you have the XML file, you can open it in a browser to inspect the data, e.g., press Control-F and search for a page title.

    Advanced Notes

    • Technically you need an account with the export permission. This is typically only assigned to the admin role unless you have customized permissions with a plugin.
    • The variant of XML used by WordPress is called WXR. The file extension is still .xml.
    • The XML file does not contain media such as images. However, it contains references to the media on the exporting site, so that the importing site can download them.
    • The XML file does not contain site options or configuration settings for themes, plugins, etc. It is not intended as a backup solution for your website. It is intended for content migration, and it happens to be a convenient way to quickly inspect all metadata.

    Reference

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