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.
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. Alternatively, you could upgrade to a paid WordPress.com plan.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
WordPress will now install the WordPress importer for you.
Once it’s done, click on the ‘Run importer’ link to continue.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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, 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.
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.
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, 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.
Ian
I have just claimed a domain name that I haven’t done for quite some time from my Premium wordpress.com plan, will it be a problem to move my whole blog site towards wordpress.org instantly in view of this?
I noticed a field that says that the domain can only be exported on the 23rd of July, which is 3 months from now. Is the statement related to this action?
WPBeginner Support
It would not be a problem, you would mainly be unable to transfer your domain to your new host until the 60 days have passed and during that time you would change your domain’s nameservers to point toward your new hosting provider.
Admin
Daniel Nelison
Hi, i followed the instruction and when importing the file there’s an error ‘Internal Server Error’ is it because of my file is more than 256MB?
I have split it using the WXR File splitter. But still got the same error.
How to fix it? Is my old website in .com will be affected?
Regards
WPBeginner Support
You’re likely hitting your site’s upload maximum, you should be able to increase that by using the method in our article below and your old site should be unaffected.
https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-increase-the-maximum-file-upload-size-in-wordpress/
Admin
Geoffrey
I’m switching a site from wordpress.com to Bluehost and want to export all my content (pages, posts, etc). I’ve had the .com site for many years, so there’s a lot of content (1000+ pages) to transfer. It only managed to import about half the pages and 1/5 the posts.
Any advice for a newbie on how to get a full site transfer without running the export/import process a few dozen times? Thank you!
WPBeginner Support
Sadly, due to WordPress.com restrictions that would be the only recommendation at the moment.
Admin
Letitia
Hi there,
With you free website transfer service from Wordpress.com to Wordpress.org – how long does this process take?
Many thanks
WPBeginner Support
We do not have a specific timetable for our transfer service as each site is different in size and content.
Admin
Diana
Hi,
I want to move from WordPress.com to WordPress.org. I chose blue host for hosting with the free domain. Does the domain is free for life?
I want to benefit from your transfer services. Will you contact me after the purchase or how is this happening?
WPBeginner Support
You would need to renew the domain for the next year and you would need to fill out our setup form for us to transfer your site for you. Our form can be found at the link below:
https://www.wpbeginner.com/free-wordpress-blog-setup/
Admin
Rahab
Hello,i want to transfer my blog from wordpress.com to wordpress to org,but i have a questions.I love typing on my phone rather than the laptop,can i use my phone for the migration?
WPBeginner Support
You should be able to do the transfer with your phone if you wanted
Admin
Lindsay
Hi there, I moved my blog from Wordpress.com to Wordpress.org and my blog posts from 2018 up until now haven’t been uploaded, my posts before that have.
What can I do?
WPBeginner Support
You may need to use the import tool again to ensure the file imported completely and did not time out during the import process.
Admin
JS
Hello, I started on wordpress.com and trying to switch over to .org Ive had my website for over a year and I have a domain name attached. I need to know how to transfer it over. With bluehost when I select it from the dropdown menu and try to proceed it says “There is already a site at this location. Please select a new one” Since I paid for that domain how do i switch it to my bluehost wordrpess. org?
WPBeginner Support
If your domain is pointing toward WordPress.com then you wouldn’t be able to see the new BlueHost site. You would either want to install on BlueHost’s temporary domain or change your domain’s nameservers to point toward BlueHost.
Admin
C.S.
Hi there, so I went ahead and purchased a plan from WordPress.com for a new site but I know now I should have used WordPress.Org. I am still in the refund period. If I ask for a refund, I risk loosing the domain name? So now I have to pay for hosting somewhere like at Blue Host & the year I paid for at WordPress.com, what happens next year? Would I have still have to pay WordPress.com to keep that domain name?
WPBeginner Support
After 60 days from first purchasing the domain you would have the option to transfer it to your new host for renewal after a year.
Admin
Lily Nguyen
Sorry, but I don’t know what is a WRX file splitter? Could you describe it more clearly?
WPBeginner Support
It is a tool to safely split your export file without causing an issue
Admin
Tim
Hi there, my apologies if this has been addressed already elsewhere… but just wanting to clarify what exactly happens to the domain name when making a switch from wordpress.com to wordpress.org if the same domain name is carried over.
e.g. would something like XYZstyle.wordpress.com then turn into XYZstyle.com?
Thanks.
WPBeginner Support
No, you would need to purchase the domain name you want to transfer the site to, it does not need to be the same domain before the .wordpress.com if you wanted either
Admin
Yajushi
Hello,
So I am currently on the Premium plan on wordpress.com and I am using one of the premium themes on my website.
I’m looking to transfer to wordpress.org. Will that automatically transfer to my wordpress.org or will I have to purchase it separately?
WPBeginner Support
You would still need to follow the steps in our guide including purchasing a host and transferring your content, it would not automatically transfer.
Admin
Sylande
Hello, I have installed Wordpress on Hostgator and according to Hostgator, it has been successfully installed. However, when I log into my Wordpress account through the email sent by Hostgator, it takes me directly to my Wordpress.com website. I am confused here on what I did wrong. Do you have any idea of what possibly went wrong? Thank you?
WPBeginner Support
If your domain is registered on WordPress.com you would need to change your namservers for your new site to appear on your domain.
Admin
Misskhae Santiago
Hello! I have a current blog with wordpress.com but I just signed up with Bluehost to finally start with Wordpress.org. The problem is whenever I tried to import my contents using the Wordpress Importer, it displayed an Internal server Error 500. Please can you help me with this?
WPBeginner Support
For that 500 error, you would want to take a look at our guide here: https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-fix-the-internal-server-error-in-wordpress/
Admin
Laura
I’ve exported my site and imported into wordpress.org, but the .xml file is showing up in my media library as a .xml_.txt file rather than ‘unpacking’ itself into all my posts, pages, comments, etc. I’ve deleted and re-installed, which didn’t fix it, and double-checked that the file I exported from my original site is in .xml format, which it is, so I’m not sure where I’m going wrong here.
Any tips?
WPBeginner Support
Depending on if you opened the file with a text editor, you may have modified it to add .txt to the end. You may need to check your file settings when saving a document that it isn’t saved with a .txt extension to the end of it.
Admin
Laura
Definitely didn’t open it or edit it in any way. I tried to import it straight from my downloads file without making any changes.
WPBeginner Support
When selecting the file, you may want to check the file type dropdown to see if it is set to text files. Your operating system may be applying the .txt to the end through there. If possible change the file type dropdown to all file types.
Salma
Hello , I have a wrdpress.com free site and want to move to .org but will I lose my followers and readers ? to start afresh once again ? or will I keep my readers ? thank you
WPBeginner Support
You would not lose your followers, you would want to check the FAQ for the steps involved in moving those followers over
Admin
Amos Sunday
I already have a blog with worldpress.com that I already have a premium paid plan and want to move it to Worldpress.org
My question is will I be refunded back my money that I already paid for the upgrade to premium plan.
And please I need assistance to move it to world press.org bcs am not so sure if I can move it myself.
Pls help.
WPBeginner Support
You would need to check with WordPress.com if you are within their refund window.
For our transfer assistance, you can reach out to us using our contact form for questions or for our transfer service you would need to fill out the form here:
https://www.wpbeginner.com/free-wordpress-blog-setup/
Admin
Lauren
I transferred my Wordpress.com to self-hosted a couple of years ago but never did a redirect. I’m still learning about SEO. Since I still have my old site with many of my posts that are on my new site, does that hurt my new site’s SEO to have those duplicate posts? Thank you for your help.
WPBeginner Support
It can be considered duplicate content, you can hide the old content by setting your old site to private that way the old site can also be considered a backup or you can do a redirect should you want to ensure all of your followers see the WordPress.org site.
Admin
Jojo Bejo
I have my WordPress.com I want to transfer to WordPress.org,
My question is what happen with my email connect Ed with WordPress.com with gsuite . I thought bluehost has free email .
WPBeginner Support
You should be able to connect your email back to gsuite or use BlueHost’s email tools depending on your preference.
Admin
Ali
Hi – So if I ask you to do this, and host with BlueHost I pay nothing for the transfer, but obviously pay for Hosting. Will the redirects be automatic?
WPBeginner Support
If you have a custom domain, you would change the nameservers or where your domain is hosted and those redirects would be automatic. For your domain with WordPress.com in the url, WordPress.com has a paid tool you are required to use for redirecting those domains.
Admin
Julius
If a site was created originally using Wordpress.com and then I want to export and import it to my own hosting, e.g. Bluehost, does this mean I have now switched to Wordpress.org and will have all the advantages and functionality of the .org version including being able to add plugins and so on?
WPBeginner Support
Yes
Admin
lenz
Can I use plugins to do the final redirection of my wordpress.com site to my wordpress.org site.
Such as: redirection or simple 301 redirects?
WPBeginner Support
Sadly, WordPress.com has its own service you are required to use instead of a plugin
Admin
Udo Chris
This was helpful. But am having a problem ,j created my site on a WordPress.com and I want to migrate to a wp.org ,I have not subscribe t any plans yet am on a free plan. Do I follow same procedures to migrate or how can I contact a help agent to get it moved ,I really need help . a friend actually redirected me here .
WPBeginner Support
This guide would work on the free plan as well as the other levels of WordPress.com plans to move them to a WordPress.org site.
Admin
abdulrehman
this information helpful thanks
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome, glad you’ve found our content helpful
Admin
Catriona
I have tried this tutorial and failed. I have an almost blank new Wordpress.org site. Can you assist me? How much would it be for you to finish this process?
WPBeginner Support
You would want to fill out our form here: https://www.wpbeginner.com/free-wordpress-blog-setup/
Admin
Jason
I signed up with Bluehost and then signed into Wordpress.org and then exported my old wordpress.com blog and then imported it into my wordpress.org. Then imported all my other stuff just like this tutorial instructed. But when I click Visit Site, it still takes me to my new blank wordpress site. Please help! I thought I did everything right.
WPBeginner Support
If you’re able to log into the WordPress.org site and your imported content is there then you likely have a coming soon plugin active. If the content isn’t there then you may have accidentally imported the content to your WordPress.com site as the most likely reason.
Admin
Samantha
My website has an https:// domain name – when putting that into Siteground it doesn’t recognise it, only www. Is this a problem? Do I just ignore that I have https:// and treat it as www?
WPBeginner Support
You would want to reach out to SiteGround about that error and they should be able to assist.
Admin
Sisira
In step 6 it’s said that a paid upgrade of Site direct is required to complete the process. So, if I am using your free service to convert wp.com to .org, am I obliged to pay that amount? Or your service is completely 100 free?? Please clarify.
WPBeginner Support
The cost of the redirect is not included in our free site transfer at the moment.
Admin
Amar
I have been asked to provide XML file of a few articles by a plugin developer in order to check as to why his plugin is not functioning as it should be…..I just want to know is it safe to share XML file to unknown person
WPBeginner Support
If the plugin affects the content that they are asking for then creating an XML file should be fine and helpful for them to find the root of your issue.
Admin
GeorgeS
Hello,
I have a website built on WordPress and a blog at wordpress.com.
I would like to import my blog into a subdirectory of my website. Is this possible? I don’t see the option of choosing a subdirectory (or /folder) & I don’t want to wipe the existing website.
Thanks.
WPBeginner Support
It would depend on your specific hosting provider, if you reach out to your host they should be able to let you know how to set up a subdomain after which you can install WordPress in that folder the same way the article says
Admin
GeorgeS
Hi, I have an existing website setup with WP.org and a blog on WP.com, but I wish to transfer my WP.com blog to blog.mysite.com. I don’t see in the instructions if it’s possible to set a particular subdomain as the target “container” for the transfer. Is this possible?
(My readers are multilingual so I need to apply the qTranslate plugin to the transferred blog.)
WPBeginner Support
Each host has their own method for subdomains, if you reach out to your hosting provider they should be able to let you know the method to set up a subdomain for your site.
Admin
TJ
I have a custom domain stored on GoDaddy that I use for Worpress.com website. I would like to transfer over to .Org and host my site on a Bluehost (Prime Plan so unlimited sites) account I already use for another website. Would I need to transfer the domain I have on GoDaddy over to Bluehost before I export and transfer my site over to Bluehost?
WPBeginner Support
It’s not required, you can change either your nameservers or DNS to point to BlueHost without needing to transfer the domain
Admin
Caitlyn
Thanks so much for this helpful article!!!
WPBeginner Support
You’re welcome, glad our article was helpful
Admin
Angela
I have a wordpress.com site and want to switch to .org. How can you help me with this?
WPBeginner Support
You would either want to follow this article or take a look at our service at the bottom of the article
Admin
audrey
Hi there! I followed all the steps and hit submit on the import . . . but then what? How do I see and find the posts from my .com site on my .org site? I’m not seeing them anywhere and after I hit “submit” it said something about certain files already existing, but didn’t give me any options beyond that! Thanks!
WPBeginner Support
It sounds like your import did not complete. Once you submitted your export file to your site did it have an All Done message at the bottom of the page? If not you would likely need to run the import again as all of your content wouldn’t have been imported.
Admin
Julianne Jackson
Seeking clarification…I have a custom domain name and blog at Wordpress.com . I now have a new domain name that I want to use for a wordpress.org site. Can I transfer all my old content on .com to .org even though it’s a new domain name? If I use blue host do I follow the above steps or is it different since it is a different domain name?
WPBeginner Support
Yes, you can transfer your content over, the step you would need to include is you would need to point your domain to BlueHost, otherwise, the setup process should be the same.
Admin
Pala
Please can I move from WordPress. Site to WordPress. Org because my domain name is WordPress. Site not. Com
WPBeginner Support
You can transfer your site. When signing up for hosting some hosts offer free domains that you can use rather than the domain with wordpress.com in your url
Admin
Carlos
Hi, I just followed your tutorial, and had success while migrating. Only that I have to questions.
1. Why my site in bluehost has a temporal URL?
2. How do I log in into the wordpress app with to my .org profile? Because I used the same mail for signing up to bluehost as the one I had in wordpress.com
WPBeginner Support
If you originally don’t have your domain pointing toward BlueHost they set up the site on a temporary url for you, if you reach out to them they can help update your URL.
For the app, once you update your domain you will likely need to recreate your connection for your site for it to work properly
Admin
Carlos
I just migrated to from wordpress.com to .org following your instructions. I purchased hosting through bluehost with my “example.com” domain that I bought in wordpress.com.
My profile in my.bluehost does say that my site is indeed “example.com”, but in reality, when I type that in the url it directs to the old site and not the one I have published through the wordpress.org block editor.
Why does it happens and how do I fix this?, or is this normal when you just migrated from wordpress.com to .org with a domain that you bought from .com?
WPBeginner Support
You would want to point your domain’s nameservers to BlueHost or transfer your domain to BlueHost. For your domain, if you are currently on the temporary address you can normally reach out to BlueHost for them to help with setting your URL to the correct domain.
Admin
Saurabh
I have a wordpress.com blog but was thinking of just upgrading the domain with godaddy and let it host on wordpress.com free plan,so in coming years if I wanted to transfer to wordpress.org what will be the transfer process.
WPBeginner Support
You would need to point your custom domain to your new hosting and the other steps should be the same
Admin
Katrin
Hi there,
I’m thinking about migrating my business website from wordpress.com to.org, as the plan is rather expensive for my one person business and the plug ins I need (online appointment and workshop booking)
If I change to .org, do my plugins change over as well or do I have to buy them again?
As far as I understood, the only costs related to the website/blog is the hosting on .org, without a plan price?
(I always thought wordpress.org is only for people who can code themselves)
Many thanks for clarifying!
WPBeginner Support
If you purchased a plugin, you would want to check with the plugin’s support for if you could transfer it to a WordPress.org site, if it is a free plugin you would just need to readd it to your new WordPress.org site.
You are correct that there is no plan to use WordPress.org other than your hosting purchase.
Admin
Ed
I have a 10 year old wp.com site with nearly 2700 posts and over 10,000 media items covering a period from Dec. 2009 – June 2019.
The export/import went well EXCEPT it ends with May 2018 – losing about 10% of my site contents. I ran the export/import twice but still have nothing from the past year.
Suggestions?
WPBeginner Support
Is there an All Done message at the end of your export? If not then you could be running into a large file that is causing the import to crash. To test you could try importing the content but not the images.
Admin
Sahebaaz
IMPORTANT! I was using wordpress free blog from 9-10 months, and yesterday they suspended my blog. And i researched about it so much , and found out that i can get it back if a switch from free wordpress.com to wordpress.org. so “was” a free blog, will your steps work on it ?
WPBeginner Support
If you can access your site’s content you should still be able to use our transfer steps to move your site.
Admin
Brittany
Thank you so much for this article. I’ve been scratching my head for so long wondering why I have to pay for a business plan just to be able to code my own theme.
WPBeginner Support
Glad our article could help clear that up
Admin
marilene magtibay
I wasn’t able to import all of my posts into the new paid site. What can I do to correct, please.
Tanks.
WPBeginner Support
If you did not receive an All Done message on the import second screen you could try to import the file again and it will skip the already imported content.
Admin
Misty B
I have a question, I have not even set up a website. I just recently bought my domain through WordPress.com, I didn’t even realize there was a WordPress.org until I was researching how to use WordPress.com, I came across a video that had pros and cons of both sites. Well, I definitely would prefer WordPress.org and now I feel trapped, I can’t figure out how to move my domain. I have no content yet and haven’t even picked a hosting plan, I’ve only purchased my domain. I’d prefer my domain not to include WordPress. I am stuck and I’m computer illiterate. Please help! Any help would be appreciated.
Thank you!
WPBeginner Support
If you purchased a domain without .wordpress.com in the url then you can change the nameservers for the domain to have it point to a new host or even transfer the domain. Depending on where you purchased the domain would decide the steps involved.
Admin
Jason
Thank you for your guide, it is really informative and useful.
I am planning to use the example2.com domain in my new .org blog. So, is it that I should merely change the dns record in wordpress.com, and then I could completely ignore the 6th step in your guide? Should I purchase the redirect service for my basic domain example1.wordpress.com? Also, should I change the registrant of the domain back to my new host, or I could just leave it in wordpress.com forever?
WPBeginner Support
We would normally recommend moving your domain from WordPress.com so you don’t need to pay for the premium plan as well as for renewing your domain. The redirection is to help your users who are viewing your site through the WordPress.com reader so it is personal preference if you would like to set up that redirect.
Admin
Jason
Thanks for your reply. Just to reconfirm, is it that I only need to change the DNS record to preserve SEO and I could ignore the 6th step in your guide?
WPBeginner Support
If you wanted to, you could ignore that step.
leah
I Knw it is odd…or it is just me….hehe
Im not getting dat WP Admin option…I think I’ve scewed up …Please Help
And yes,my wordpress account looks a lot different from all the examples showed in the internet …OR IS IT JUST ME ….UHH Please help !
WPBeginner Support
It would depend on what setup method you used, for a starting point if you reach out to your hosting provider they can normally take a look at why you are unable to use wp-admin to see your site.
Admin
Sofia Leguiza
I’ve been thinking a lot to move my blog from Wordpress.com to Wordpress.org, the information is very good, so I appreciate that. But I have a question: Once I have my blog in .org, Can I access to the “Reader” section?, my post will appear there once I post a new post? Or is this achieved with some type of plugin?
Thank you SO much
WPBeginner Support
When moving to WordPress.org, people who were subscribed to you previously should still see you in their reader but your posts won’t by default be added to the reader due to WordPress.com restrictions.
Admin
Erin M
Odd situation about pointing. I took my old blog/site on wordpress.org, I then pointed the domain to a new WIX website and everything was great, but I want to retrieve a few older posts/info/etc. (as WIX does not let you just transfer everything over…not good). Now that the url points to wix, how do I access my old wordpress site pages and such? Due to this whole situation, I am 99% sure I want to switch back to my WP site, is it just as easy as pointing back to my old host? Wordpress had registered my domain. Can I just access my old WP site without the domain pointing to it? Thank you so much!
WPBeginner Support
To view your old site without pointing your domain back as that is what it sounds like you’re wanting to do, you would change your hosts file which we explain how to do here: https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-move-wordpress-to-a-new-host-or-server-with-no-downtime/#changehostfile
Admin