How to Migrate From Wix to WordPress (Complete [year] Guide)

Moving from Wix to WordPress unlocks complete control over your website, access to 60,000+ plugins, and the flexibility to scale without platform restrictions. This guide walks you through the entire Wix to WordPress migration process, from preparing your content and setting up WordPress to transferring your domain and preserving your search rankings.

Whether you’re a freelancer outgrowing Wix limitations or an agency helping clients switch platforms, you’ll have a fully functional WordPress site by the end of this tutorial.

Key Takeaway

Wix doesn’t offer a direct export tool, but you can migrate blog posts via RSS feed and recreate pages manually in WordPress.

Use a cloud-based staging environment to build and test your WordPress site before pointing your live domain.

Transfer your domain from Wix to WordPress by updating nameservers or DNS records at your registrar.

Always back up both your Joomla site and new WordPress installation before starting the migration.

What You Need Before Migrating from Wix to WordPress

Before you transfer Wix to WordPress, gather these essentials to ensure a smooth migration.

A WordPress Hosting Environment

Your new WordPress site needs a home. You have several options:

Shared hosting: Budget-friendly for small sites with low traffic. Limited performance and staging features.

Managed WordPress hosting: Handles updates, security, and backups automatically. Good for users who want less technical overhead.

Cloud-based WordPress platforms: Ideal for building, testing, and validating migrations before touching your live domain. This approach reduces risk significantly since Wix to WordPress migrations often need multiple import attempts and cleanup passes.

InstaWP works well for this staged approach. You can spin up a fresh WordPress site in seconds, test your entire migration in the cloud, and only go live once everything looks correct.

With InstaWP, you can:

• Create a WordPress staging environment instantly from your browser
• Import content, test themes, and configure plugins without affecting any live site
• Use snapshots to save your progress and roll back if something breaks
• Move the tested site to managed WordPress hosting when ready

This workflow means you’re not debugging migration issues on your production server while visitors are trying to use your site.

Your Wix Content Inventory

Before migrating Wix to WordPress, document what you’re moving:

• Blog posts (can be exported via RSS feed)
• Static pages (must be recreated manually)
• Images and media files
• Navigation menus and site structure
• Contact forms and interactive elements
• SEO settings (meta titles, descriptions)
• Any third-party integrations or Wix Apps

Wix doesn’t provide a complete site export, so knowing exactly what needs to transfer helps you plan the migration accurately.

Domain Access

If you purchased your domain through Wix, you’ll need to either transfer it to a new registrar or update its DNS settings to point to WordPress. If your domain is registered elsewhere (like GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Google Domains), you simply update the nameservers.

How to Migrate From Wix to WordPress: Step-by-Step Process

When you convert Wix to WordPress, you’re moving content between two completely different systems. Wix is a closed platform with no native export option, while WordPress is open-source and accepts content from various sources.

The process involves creating a WordPress environment, pulling what content you can automatically, manually rebuilding what you can’t, and then redirecting your domain once everything is ready.

Step 1: Set Up Your WordPress Environment

Start with a fresh WordPress installation where you’ll rebuild your site. The approach you take here significantly impacts how smooth (or frustrating) your Wix to WordPress migration becomes.

When you’re moving from Wix to WordPress, you essentially need two things: a place to build and test your new site safely, and eventually, reliable managed WordPress hosting for your live website. Most migration guides treat these as separate steps with different tools. But juggling multiple platforms adds complexity and increases the chance of errors during the handoff.

InstaWP’s all-in-one WordPress cloud platform handles both the staging/testing phase and production hosting, which simplifies the entire migration process.

For the build and test phase, InstaWP lets you:

• Create a WordPress site instantly from your browser (no local setup, no server configuration)
• Choose your preferred PHP version (5.6 through 8.4) and WordPress version
• Install plugins and themes directly from the InstaWP dashboard without logging into WordPress admin
• Use Magic Login to access your WordPress dashboard without entering credentials
• Save snapshots at any point to capture a “known good” state you can restore if something breaks

When your staged WordPress site is ready, you upgrade to a production hosting plan within the same platform. No export/import between different systems. No reconfiguring settings. No hoping everything transfers correctly.

You can upgrade your staging site into a fully hosted one by simply upgrading the site plan. The production hosting starts from $9/month and offers a bunch of features such as:

• Global CDN with 119+ edge locations for fast content delivery worldwide
• Built-in object cache for database-heavy sites
• Automatic image optimization to reduce page weight
• DDoS protection and Web Application Firewall (WAF)
• Automated daily backups with easy restoration
• Free SSL certificates provisioned automatically

Here is how you can start your Wix to WordPress migration journey by having a blank instance with InstaWP:

Go to your InstaWP dashboard and click New Site.

As you do, you’ll be directed to a new window. You’ve for options to create a site on InstaWP.

• From Scratch — build a fresh WordPress site and choose each setup detail (WordPress version, PHP version, site name, and more).
• From Snapshot — create a new site using a pre-built snapshot (a saved site state) so you can start with an existing configuration instead of starting empty.
• From AI — use AI builders to generate a starter site setup and structure faster.
• From Store — pick a pre-built template from the InstaWP Store and launch a site from it.

If it’s your first time on InstaWP, you can start with the From Snapshot option to get moving quickly. The other three options are available as well depending on what you’re trying to do.

Here’s a complete guide on creating a site where you’ll learn all four options in detail.

In this guide, we’re creating a site From Scratch where you need to choose different aspects of your first WordPress site. This includes a site name (this becomes your temporary URL), WordPress version, server location, and PHP version.

Now, select the types of tools you want for your site. The plugins you’ll choose from here will be automatically installed.

Choose a site plan based on your needs. If you’re interested in a staging site, the Sandbox Plan will be a good option, or you can start with any pay-as-you-go managed hosting plan.

Click Create Site. Your WordPress installation is ready in under 10 seconds. No waiting for server provisioning. No installation wizards. No database configuration.

Step 2: Back Up Your Wix Content

Once you’ve a WordPress instance ready, it’s time to migrate from Wix to WordPress. But Wix doesn’t offer a complete site backup like WordPress does. The only option you’ve is to preserve your content before migrating.

For blog posts, you need to set-up the RSS feed on your Wix site. This will help you migrate the blogs from Wix to WordPress. To set-up RSS feed on your Wix site, click on the Add Element > Blog > RSS Feed.

You can also tell Aria, the AI help, to do the same. In a few commands, it will install RSS Feed on your Wix blog section.

But here is the catch, this can only display up to 20 of the most recent blog posts. Rest of your blogs will not be to be migrated from Wix to WordPress.

Once RSS Feed is active on your blog post, you can view it at the bottom of your page.

your blog domain will look like something this.

• yourdomain.com/feed.xml
• yourdomain.com/blog-feed.xml

When you see the XML code, right-click the page and select “Save As” to download the file to your computer.

For pages and images, you need to do the manual migration. Wix doesn’t export pages. So, take screenshots or copy the text content from each page you want to preserve.

Save any images you’ve uploaded by right-clicking and downloading them or use browser extensions that can bulk-download images from a page.

Also, write down your navigation menu items, page URLs, and how content is organized. You’ll recreate this structure in WordPress.

Step 3: Create a WordPress Backup Point

Before importing any content, save a clean backup of your WordPress installation. If the import creates problems, you can restore to this starting point instead of reinstalling WordPress.

Click on your site, go to Tools, and create a snapshot. This captures your complete WordPress state, including the database, themes, plugins, and all files.

Step 4: Import Your Wix Blog Posts

WordPress includes a built-in RSS importer that can pull your Wix blog content automatically. In your WordPress admin, go to Tools > Import. Find RSS in the list and click Install Now.

Once installed, click Run Importer. Click Choose File and select the feed.xml file you downloaded from Wix. Click Upload file and import.

The importer processes your RSS feed and creates WordPress posts for each Wix blog article. Depending on how many posts you have, this may take a few minutes.

Important: This imports text content, but images remain hosted on Wix servers. You need to bring those images into WordPress to avoid broken images if you ever delete your Wix account.

Step 5: Import Images to WordPress

After importing posts, your images still point to Wix URLs. The Smart Auto Upload Images plugin fixes this by downloading images and storing them in your WordPress media library.

1. Go to Plugins > Add New
2. Search for “Auto Upload Images”
3. Install and activate the plugin

Now you need to re-save your posts to trigger the image import. Instead of editing each post individually:

Go to Posts > All Posts. Click Screen Options at the top, Change “Number of items per page” to 999.

Click Apply. Select all posts using the checkbox at the top. Choose Edit from the Bulk Actions dropdown. Click Apply.

In the bulk edit box, click Update without changing anything.

The plugin downloads each image from Wix and replaces the URLs with local WordPress paths. Your images are now safely stored in your WordPress media library.

Step 6: Recreate Your Wix Pages

Unlike blog posts, Wix pages don’t transfer via RSS. You need to rebuild them manually in WordPress.

1. Open your Wix site in one browser tab
2. Open your WordPress admin in another tab
3. Go to Pages > Add New in WordPress
4. Copy the content from each Wix page and paste it into WordPress
5. Download images from Wix and upload them to your WordPress Media Library
6. Insert the images into your page content
7. Click Publish

Repeat for each page: About, Contact, Services, Portfolio, and any other static pages.

For contact forms: Wix forms don’t transfer. Install a WordPress form plugin like WPForms, Contact Form 7, or Gravity Forms and recreate your forms. Most form plugins offer drag-and-drop builders that make this straightforward.

For special Wix features: If you used Wix Apps (like Wix Stores, Bookings, or Events), you’ll need WordPress plugins that provide similar functionality:

Step 7: Choose and Install a Theme

Your migrated content is now in WordPress, but it’s using the default theme. Time to make your site look professional.

Go to Appearance > Themes > Add New to browse free themes, or purchase a premium theme from marketplaces like ThemeForest.

When selecting a theme, consider:

• Mobile responsiveness: Non-negotiable for modern websites
• Page builder compatibility: If you want drag-and-drop design like Wix offered
• Performance: Lightweight themes load faster and rank better
• Update history: Active development indicates ongoing support

For a Wix-like visual editing experience, pair a flexible theme (like Astra, Kadence, or GeneratePress) with a page builder plugin (like Elementor, Beaver Builder, or the native WordPress block editor).

Check out the fastest WordPress themes to find options that won’t slow down your site.

After activating your theme, customize it through Appearance > Customize. Adjust colors, fonts, header layout, and footer content to match your brand.

Step 8: Build Your Navigation Menu

Wix menus don’t transfer to WordPress. You need to recreate your site navigation.

1. Go to Appearance > Menus
2. Enter a menu name and click Create Menu
3. Add pages, posts, categories, or custom links using the left panel
4. Drag items to reorder them
5. Drag items under other items to create dropdown menus
6. Under “Menu Settings,” check the location where this menu should appear (usually “Primary Menu”)
7. Click Save Menu

Test your navigation by viewing your site and clicking through each menu item.

Step 9: Configure Permalinks

Permalinks determine your URL structure. Set this before going live to avoid changing URLs later (which creates SEO problems).

Go to Settings > Permalinks and choose your structure:

Post name is the most common choice. It creates clean URLs that include your content title and help search engines understand your pages.

Click Save Changes after selecting your structure.

Step 10: Set Up Redirects

When you move site from Wix to WordPress, your URLs change. Without redirects, visitors using old bookmarks or following links from other websites will hit 404 errors. Search engines will also need time to reindex your new URLs.

Since Wix is a closed platform, you can’t add traditional 301 redirects there. Instead, you’ll use JavaScript-based redirects on your WordPress site that guide visitors from old URL patterns to new pages.

Create a redirect file:

Open a text editor and paste this code:

const defined_redirect = {
  "/old-page-slug": "/new-page-slug/",
  "/old-post-slug": "/new-post-slug/",
  "/about-us": "/about/",
  "/contact-us": "/contact/"
};

const defined_currentPath = window.location.pathname;

if (defined_redirect[defined_currentPath]) {
  window.location.href = defined_redirect[defined_currentPath];
}

const defined_redirect = {
  "/old-page-slug": "/new-page-slug/",
  "/old-post-slug": "/new-post-slug/",
  "/about-us": "/about/",
  "/contact-us": "/contact/"
};

const defined_currentPath = window.location.pathname;

if (defined_redirect[defined_currentPath]) {
  window.location.href = defined_redirect[defined_currentPath];
}

Replace the example paths with your actual old Wix URLs (left side) and new WordPress URLs (right side). Add a line for each page you want to redirect.

Save this file as redirects.js.

Upload to WordPress: Use an FTP client to upload redirects.js to your theme’s /js/ folder. If this folder doesn’t exist, create it.

Load the script: Add this code to your theme’s functions.php file or use a plugin like WPCode:

function wpb_wix_redirects() {
    wp_enqueue_script('wix-redirects', get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/js/redirects.js', array(), '1.0.0', true);
}
add_action('wp_enqueue_scripts', 'wpb_wix_redirects');

function wpb_wix_redirects() {
    wp_enqueue_script('wix-redirects', get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/js/redirects.js', array(), '1.0.0', true);
}
add_action('wp_enqueue_scripts', 'wpb_wix_redirects');

Now when visitors arrive at old Wix-style URLs, they’re automatically sent to the correct WordPress page.

Step 11: Transfer Your Domain

With your WordPress site tested and ready, it’s time to point your domain to its new home.

If your domain is registered with Wix:

You have two options:

1. Transfer the domain to another registrar (like Namecheap, Cloudflare, or Google Domains), then point it to your WordPress host
2. Update nameservers in Wix’s domain settings to point to your WordPress hosting provider

To update nameservers in Wix:

1. Go to your Wix account dashboard
2. Click Domains
3. Select your domain and click Manage
4. Go to Advanced and find the nameserver settings
5. Enter the nameservers provided by your WordPress host

If your domain is registered elsewhere:

Simply log into your registrar and update the nameservers or add DNS records (A record, CNAME) pointing to your WordPress server’s IP address.

InstaWP includes built-in domain mapping. To use this, go to your site in the InstaWP dashboard and click the three-dot menu and select Map Domain.

Enter your custom domain, copy the provided CNAME record, and add this record in your domain registrar’s DNS settings.

Return to InstaWP and click Map Domain to complete. SSL certificates are generated automatically for mapped domains.

Must Read: How to Map a Domain | InstaWP Docs

DNS changes can take up to 48 hours to propagate, though most complete within a few hours. During this time, some visitors may see your old Wix site while others see WordPress.

Step 12: Install Essential Plugins

WordPress requires plugins for functionality that Wix includes by default. Install these essentials after migration:

SEO: Install Yoast SEO, Rank Math, or All in One SEO to manage meta titles, descriptions, sitemaps, and search engine optimization. Review the best WordPress SEO plugins to choose one that fits your needs.

Security: Wordfence, Sucuri, or iThemes Security protect against common attacks. WordPress’s popularity makes it a target, so security plugins are essential.

Backups: UpdraftPlus, Duplicator, or your host’s backup system. Schedule automatic backups so you never lose work.

Performance: A caching plugin (WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, or LiteSpeed Cache) improves load times significantly.

Contact forms: WPForms, Contact Form 7, or Gravity Forms replace Wix’s built-in form builder.

Why Migrate From Wix to WordPress?

Wix makes website creation simple. You pick a template, drag elements around, and publish. But that simplicity comes with trade-offs that become painful as your site grows.

The Template Trap

On Wix, you can’t switch templates after you’ve built your site. If you want a different design, you rebuild from scratch. Every page, every setting, every piece of content has to be recreated.

WordPress solution: Switch themes anytime while keeping all your content. Your posts, pages, and media stay intact. You can test new designs without losing anything.

The Pricing Escalation

Wix’s free plan displays Wix ads and uses a Wix subdomain. To remove ads and use your own domain, you need a paid plan. To add eCommerce, you need a more expensive plan. To accept online payments, even more expensive. Want more storage or bandwidth? Upgrade again.

WordPress solution: WordPress itself is free. You pay for hosting, which starts around $3-5/month for basic sites. Plugins for eCommerce, forms, SEO, and most functionality are free. You control your costs instead of being locked into Wix’s pricing tiers.

The Plugin Problem

Wix Apps provide additional functionality, but the selection is limited compared to WordPress. Many features require Wix’s premium apps with monthly fees. If an app you need doesn’t exist, you’re stuck.

WordPress solution: Over 60,000 free plugins in the WordPress directory. Premium plugins with one-time purchases instead of recurring fees. If you can imagine a feature, someone has probably built a plugin for it.

The SEO Ceiling

Wix handles SEO basics, but advanced optimization is difficult. You can’t access your .htaccess file, server-side redirects require workarounds, and page speed optimization is limited to what Wix allows.

WordPress solution: Complete control over technical SEO. Access to robots.txt, .htaccess, sitemaps, schema markup, and server configuration. Plugins like Yoast and Rank Math provide granular optimization tools.

The Code Lockout

Want to add custom JavaScript, modify CSS beyond Wix’s editor, or integrate with external services? Wix limits what code you can add and where. Developers often find themselves fighting the platform instead of building.

WordPress solution: Full access to your site’s code. Child themes for safe customization. Plugin hooks and filters for extending functionality. Complete control over HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and PHP.

The Exit Difficulty

If you ever want to leave Wix, there’s no export button for your entire site. Content is fragmented across their system with no clean way to extract everything. Moving from Wix to WordPress requires the manual process outlined in this guide.

WordPress solution: Complete data portability. Export your entire site as XML. Back up databases and files. Move between hosts freely. Your content belongs to you.

Common Wix to WordPress Migration Issues and Fixes

RSS feed not found: Some Wix sites use different feed URLs. Try both /feed.xml and /blog-feed.xml. If neither works, check if your Wix blog is published and visible.

Images missing after import: The RSS feed imports text but not images. Install the Auto Upload Images plugin and re-save your posts to download images from Wix to your WordPress media library.

Formatting looks wrong: Wix and WordPress handle HTML differently. Some posts may need manual cleanup. Install the Classic Editor plugin if you prefer the older editing interface, or work within the block editor to fix formatting issues.

Pages didn’t import: This is expected. Wix RSS only exports blog posts, not static pages. Pages must be recreated manually in WordPress.

Domain not pointing to WordPress: DNS propagation takes time. Wait 24-48 hours after changing nameservers. Use a DNS checker tool to verify your records are correct.

Old Wix URLs show 404 errors: Your redirects may not cover all URL patterns. Check your redirect file and add any missing paths. Consider using the Redirection plugin for easier management.

Conclusion

Migrating from Wix to WordPress takes effort since Wix doesn’t make leaving easy. But the payoff is complete ownership of your website, access to unlimited customization, and freedom from platform lock-in.

The core process: set up WordPress on staging, import blog posts via RSS, manually recreate pages, configure your theme and plugins, set up redirects, and transfer your domain.

If you want to test your Wix to WordPress migration safely before going live, create a free WordPress sandbox on InstaWP. Build your entire site in the cloud, verify everything works, then move to production hosting when you’re confident in the result.

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