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.
Sherlock
I already have a domain attached to my wordpress.com site, which is the only name my fans know it as. When I sign up with bluehost and the wordpress.org, how do i switch the domain over without a delay in service to my wordpress.com site?
WPBeginner Staff
It will work the same way. During the import process WordPress will ask you whether you would like to create new users for the posts written by other authors. After the import, you can edit those user accounts and your users can then sign into your self hosted WordPress site to create posts.
Geordie Connell
I have a WordPress.com blog with multiple users in author roles. When I change over to a .org, does having multiple users work the same way? If not, what will be different for them as authors?
CD
What will happen to the theme/widgets i’m currently using? Will it transfer along over?
WPBeginner Staff
Yes if the theme you are using is also available for self hosted WordPress sites then you can easily install that theme and setup your widgets as they were before.
heba
I tried but widgets were not moved , they don’t really exist in my site, as they were wordpress.com widgets. what shall i do ? shall i search widgets (facebook, twitter,….) and install them then add them to my sidebar ??
WPBeginner Staff
Seems like you have already successfully imported your blog. To make sure go to Posts and see if any of your older posts are listed there.
karki
I imported my wordpress into the blue host ,but i cant see any of my post,when i am trying to re import it is showing a list which says files already exists ,please help
Guest
My confusion in transferring my wordpress.com to wordpress.org?
I’ve followed your steps to the 4
But I am confused in step 5. Dimakah I could find offsite redirect?
Sherri
I registered my domain name through wordpress.com and opted to keep my site on the wordpress.org site. But, I still have the limited functionality of the wordpress.com site. Am I doing something wrong?
Juan Cardona
Thank you so much for this. You are awesome! It worked like a charm.
Spatial Strip - Alex Mare
One question: When i move my posts from Wordpress.com to Wordpress.org will i keep numbers of share on social buttons in posts?
ValHasIt
I followed the instruction and am hosted via bluehost. the problem now
is that my customized theme from wordpress.com did not import!!! Seems
that worpress.org won’t load a theme that was customized but i paid for
the theme!!! I go back to wordpress.com and try to reset the theme back
to original but it still shows the customization i made. what do i do?
WPBeginner Staff
Please contact wordpress.com support.
Lindsay
Once I’ve followed all of the steps above and exported and then imported to my self-hosted website, how do I get the imported content to appear on just one page? For instance, I have my self-hosted website set up the way I want it, but I want my imported content to appear as one separate page called “Blog”.m
Angie Holmes
This was so helpful and such a money saving tip! i imported everything with no problems in under 10 minutes.
Kimberly G
Please share how you managed to import everything and transfer your domain in less than 10 min, that would be very helpful. Thanks.
carol
followed the instructions and noe everything is duplicated on my site… i even tried up installing to go back but that doesnt work either…. need help
caitlin
could anyone help me REDIRECT my wordpress.com –> to my .org this is one of the last steps i am tryin to accomplosh and NOTHING is working!
THANK U!
WPBeginner Support
Caitlin, as we mentioned in the article, for redirection you would need to purchase Redirect update from WordPress.com
Admin
Aisha
I am struggling big time here. I need to figure out what I am doing wrong!
I have a blog through wordpress.com and I want to migrate it all to wordpress.org.
Here’s what I did so far-
Signed up with Bluehost and transferred my domain.
when I log into bluehost, it takes me to wordpress.com …. I cannot figure out how to get wordpress.org on there. I downloaded wordpress.org onto my computer and the file makes zero sense to me and this is where I am stuck!!!
Also, when I transferred my domain, it said it could take up to 2-3 days, but then I was live-chatting with a customer service rep, he said it could take up to 7 days? I am very confused by all this, and I am very tempted to forget the whole thing and ask for a reimbursement! Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Simon
I seem to have the same issue as Aisha. I have an account with Bluehost already and followed all the above directions to migrate over to Wordpress.org, but it seems I am still on Wordpress.com. When I did the install through Bluehost it took me to Wordpress.com. What are we doing wrong?
Thanks!
Simon
Simon
I just realized my domain nameservers were pointing towards Wordpress. I changed it to point towards Bluehost…should that help?
Thanks
WPBeginner Support
Yes that should help.
Molly Mahannah
I did this, and moved my name servers as well and I’m still on wordpress.com? Is it just taking a while to switch over? I’m so confused.
Molly Mahannah
Also, I logged out of my wordpress.com site and tried to login on the link provided with the wp-admin. It is saying my email and password are not valid even though I am using what Bluehost provided, which is my actual email and password.
Justin Rudisille
This post and the comments were very helpful, as I was experiencing this issue. Once I got (1) my registered domain transferred from Wordpress.com to Bluehost, (2) my DNS on Wordpress.com updated to point towards the Bluehost DNS, (3) waited some time to get email confirmation of successful transfer, and then (4) started back up at Step #3 above with accessing the new self-hosted Wordpress.org dashboard for importing over my content. There was definitely a waiting period when it seemed like nothing had changed and I had no way to access the new dashboard (which is understandable). But once the domain and DNS changes went through, all is up and running smoothly.
Jen
how long did you have to wait Justin? I have just got up to the point of updating my DNS on wordpress.com to point towards the blue host DNS. Now I’m waiting…
Also, how do I get into the wordpress.org dashboard?
Justin Rudisille
Jen–if I recall correctly, it was probably about 8 hours or so of total time for everything to line up again.
And to access the Wordpress dashboard for your new .org site, they should send you a URL, but for me it is: {…my.site.url…}.com/wp-admin/ (where Wordpress will ask me to login, and the dashboard will launch).
kelley
I would like to migrate my wordpress.com blog to a wordpress.org. I already paid a fee to own the domain site on wordpress.com. So, when I do the migration, will my followers automatically be guided to my wordpress.org site? Also, is your service free to import content over or is it 129? I am thinking that I will probably subscribe to sitebuilder hosting. Thanks s much for your help!
WPBeginner Support
Your WordPress.com followers will not be automatically transferred. For that you will have to contact WordPress.com support and they can assist you with that. Please take a look at our free blog setup page for instructions on how to avail our free setup service.
Admin
Mike Gantt
I have been blogging on WordPress.com for over four years, having five blogs, and having written over 6,000 posts and pages. I have recently migrated to WordPress.org through BlueHost.
Now that I am doing self-hosting, I am wondering what will give me the same ability to manage my five blogs under WordPress.org than I had under WordPress.com.
I have installed ManageWP but it does not seem as smooth a set-up as what I had with WordPress.com.
I’ve thought about using WordPres Multisite, but I’m not sure that’s the answer either.
What do you recommend as the best solution for managing five sites under WordPress.org with the same ease as managing them under WordPress.com?
WPBeginner Support
A Multisite Network would probably make it easier to switch blogs and work simultaneously on all of them. Also you can take a look at InfiniteWP? It would help you with updates and management.
Admin
Karen Kellow
Hi, I thought your directions were moving my blog from my wordpress.com site to my bluehost site was super simple. Took no time at all. What I haven’t been able to figure out is related to the page management tab on the dashboard. My About page shows up and I can add a blog page (learned that from one of your great videos) but I don’t see my existing blog page. I do see it in posts. And, maybe this means that nothing is wrong. I just thought I would see it in the Page tab since when I add a Blog page it shows up in the Page tab. Have I done something wrong or am I just expecting to see something there that shouldn’t be there anyway. Thanks for this awesome website
Toni
I am wary of the WP import plugins.
They are old. As in not updated for a year or more. I have used one anyway – but I am curious. Seems like a bad idea.
WPBeginner Support
Toni, not all plugins need to be updated. Unless the WordPress core is changed the importer would work just fine. Rest assured that these importer plugins are mostly maintained by the core WordPress development team and are used by hundreds and thousands of users. If there is something wrong it will get immediately reported and fixed.
Admin
Julie
Thanks for this very easy-to-follow tutorial! I’ve done all the steps. When I do the Import, nothing seems to happen. I’ve done it three times now (none of my old posts are in the new blog). First there was a blank screen. Then there’s a list of “media xx” already exists. The Import file is nowhere near the size limit, so that shouldn’t be an issue. What could be happening/how can I fix it? What is supposed to happen at the end of a successful import?
Carol Federoff
Please help. Several weeks ago I wrote several messages and got a response to contact the staff support…. I did that , twice, and have never gotten a response. I would very much like to use your free service to move my OrthodoxMom3.wordpress.com to wordpress.org. My main questions were 1.) What exactly do I need to do first?- Do I need to change the name OrthodoxMom3?? – Do I need to sign up for blue host somehow or is that something you do in the process? What else might I need to know that a computer illiterate person like me might not realize? and 2.) Why would it take 2-3 days? I like to post 6 days a week and am just wondering if what I was told is always the case…
I would appreciate a response. I am really wanting to do this and soon.
andrew
If I redirect my .wordpress site to my own hosting domain name will my comments and visits transfer over as well?
Thanks
WPBeginner Support
Yes, your comments will be transfered. What you mean by visits?
Admin
Patrice
Thanks for this article! One question – I paid for Domains by Proxy protection when I registered my domain with Wordpress.com. If I decide to move to one of the ORG hosts, will I still be able to keep my domain register information private?
WPBeginner Support
Patrice it actually depends on how you move your domain names. There are two ways to move your domain. The first method is to simply change DNS information and point your domain to your new wp.org site. If you choose this method then yes your domain proxy should continue to work. However, you will be managing your domain through WordPress.com and when you will pay your domain renewal fees to them when the time comes. The second method is to transfer your domain to your new webhost handling your .org site. In that case, your new web host may charge you again for the domain privacy.
Admin
miriam
Hi, I am an absolute novice in this and despite that I have managed to understand the article so thank you
The only part I got confused is this: “Next thing you would have to do is change the nameservers to point to the hosting provider.”
I already have my domain on WP.com so is there an explanation of this step for beginners…? (I have no clue what a nameserver is.) If not – how does your free set-up support looks like? I mean steps of the procedure…? Do you need access to my dashboard? What is my role in it…?
Also if I decide to use one of the hosting companies and then it turns out I do not like it – how does the procedure for changing hosting company look like?
Looking forward to your answer
Thank you!
WPBeginner Support
Miriam, a nameserver is like a directory of domains managed by your web hosting company. This directory contains the information where to send users when they request your domain name. When you are moving your blog from WordPress.com to a Self hosted WordPress site, you will be switching the directory by assigning your domain to your new host’s name server.
As for the transfer process, you can sign up for our free blog setup service and we can help you move your site from WordPress.com to yourself hosted website.
Admin
Melissa Summa
In a panic- I purchased my domain name from Wordpress.com in November. I have exported the current webpage. Set up my Hostgator account and installed Wordpress through Fantastico, unfortunately I am taken right back into my wordpress.com account when I select view site. Please let me know what I have done incorrectly?
Thanks so much for the support you show to those starting off. Makes a world of difference.
mel
WPBeginner Support
You need to update your site url and home url settings. If you have access to wp-admin area then you change those from Settings » General. If you do not have access to WordPress admin area then you can change those by accessing your site using an FTP client or through cPanel’s file manager by editing wp-config.php file. You need to add these lines to your wp-config.php file:
1-click Use in WordPress
Admin
dhani
Hi,
Great post! I am looking to switch over however, I would like to know if once my wordpress.com account becomes wordpress.org, am I able to change themes? I found themes online and would like to change my current theme. Just wondering if this would be possible with the switch as currently I am using the free service.
Thank you
WPBeginner Support
yes after changing from WordPress.com to WordPress.org you will be able use themes of your choice.
Admin
Dhani
Thank you for the help!
I have now downloaded my site onto wordpress.org but am wondering how to transfer my site over.
Do I just import/export my site everytime after I update it on wordpress.com?
Megan
thank you, so helpful, just did this with ease! my only issue is my old site didnt require a feature image and my new template does, any suggestions or do I have to manually go through each old post?
Thanks!
WPBeginner Support
The best way to go is doing it manually for each post. You can also set a default featured image for now and then go through your old posts on your own pace.
Admin
Emanuela Cardetta
Hi,
thanks a lot for the clear and useful information. I followed the instructions of exporting my wordpress.com blog (from Dashboard / Tools) to WordPress.org through the xml file, but the posts and pages just don’t appear on my .org blog. The only thing that has been correctly imported is the media library in the dashboard. How can I sort it out? Thanks a lot
WPBeginner Support
You can repeat the procedure, the importer will not create duplicates. It is possible that you may have missed out what to export or import during the process and may have only imported your media files.
Admin
Kate
Hi There
I’m in the process of migrating my blog from wordpress.com to wordpress.org. The above is really helpful & seemed easy to follow, however I’ve run into the below issue when I’m trying to IMPORT my xml file. Can you let me know where I may have gone wrong?
When it comes to the screen Assigning Content. There are two author names that pop up…mine and another person who I don’t know. Would this be affecting it??
Internal Server Error
The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request.
Please contact the server administrator, webmaster@foodiesagenda.com and inform them of the time the error occurred, and anything you might have done that may have caused the error.
More information about this error may be available in the server error log.
Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request.
Thankyou
WPBeginner Support
When you import a blog, WordPress also imports authors from the site you are importing. You can ignore this and assign all posts to yourself during the import. As for internal server error, please take a look at this guide.
Admin
mandy
Hi, I’ve been following your step by step process for exporting from wordpress.com into wordpress.org but still having trouble keeping the new wordpress.org site to look exactly like the old wordpress.com. Am I able to maintain the old Oxygen theme? Is there a paid service that I can buy to help me with transferring EVERYTHING (including theme and look) of wordpress.com into wordpress.org?
Thanks.
WPBeginner Support
You can use Oxygen theme on your WordPress.org site. Go to theme’s page on WordPress.com, At the bottom of the right sidebar you will see a link to download theme for your WordPress.org blog.
Admin
Alison Pirtle
I already have a domain name and when I am trying to install Wordpress through Blue Host, I get this message: “OOPS! Looks like something already exists there! I understand that continuing will overwrite the files.”
Should I continue and overwrite the files?
WPBeginner Support
It seems like there are already some files in the directory where you are installing WordPress. If you are certain that there is nothing then proceed but we would still recommend creating backup from cPanel.
Admin
Mandy Lam
Hi there,
I have already signed up for bluehost and already have a partial website set up on wordpress.com
You mentioned that you can transfer my website for free from wordpress.com to wordpress.org? How do I go about enjoying this free service?
Thanks,
Mandy
WPBeginner Support
Please checkout our free blog set up page.
Admin
Ellie
Hi, so I followed your instructions and imported my blog on wordpress.org. I already had a custom domain name with wordpress.com and now I’m not sure about what I have to do.
I switched my wordpress.com to be private, but now if I type in my domain, I cannot see my blog at all (it just ask you the password to see the contents, so it’s still on wordpress.com).
What should I do?
PS: I hope you understood what I meant, because my english in not really good…
WPBeginner Support
You need to transfer your custom domain to your new web host. To do that Login to your WordPress.com account and go to Store-> Domains. There you can change the DNS settings for your custom domain and point it to your new webhost. Ask your new webhost for their DNS Nameserver, it would be something like NS1.bluehost.com ns2.bluehost.com
Admin
Karl
Hi! I’ve just moved my content from my old wordpress.com blog to a self-hosted site via wordpress.org and put my old wordpress.com site to private when it was all done. all my content was transferred ok except for issues with some of my photos. when I visit my old posts that were transferred, I noticed I got broken link images and when I click on them, I get a wordpress error saying “403: Access Denied — This file requires authorization” and I can only view the photos if I am logged in to wordpress.com and/or if I set my old site to public. that being said, is there anything I did wrong in the transfer? moving forward, what can I do so I can let others see the media without having to log in to wordpress and/or having me to set my site to public? thanks to anyone who can help me on this one!
WPBeginner Support
Karl, go to your WordPress.com site and unmark the private setting. Then on your WordPress.org site run import external images plugin to import your images.
Admin
Brian Albrecht
So I created my wordpress.org site on bluehost at a 68.123 whatever address. Now I transferred my wordpress.com domain to bluehost. However, now I can’t figure out how to have my new wordpress.org site at the .com site I own.
It seems basic, but I can’t find anything on this last step.
WPBeginner Support
First you need to Export content from your WordPress.com site.
Then you need to install WordPress.org software on your BlueHost site.
After you have installed WordPress, then you need to Import content in WordPress hosted on your BlueHost site.
Admin
Alfred Lua
Hi,
I have updated my server name to bluehost (my host), installed wordpress and received the credentials to log in. However, when I click on the admin URL, I was redirected to my wordpress.com dashboard. How do I log in to my wordpress.org? Thanks.
WPBeginner Support
It seems like you need to update URLs. Connect to your website using an FTP client or File Manager in cPanel. Find wp-config.php file and edit it. Simply copy paste these two lines in wp-config.php file
define('WP_HOME','http://example.com'); define('WP_SITEURL','http://example.com');1-click Use in WordPress
Admin
Carol Federoff
I want to switch from wordpress.com to wordpress.org. I’m going to use BlueHost but I have a couple questions. How long does this process take? I’m asking because with the fee that WordPress charges to do this they state it takes a day or so I think. I want to know how quickly it will take to transfer everything. I only have 159 posts…. Will all the photos, etc. be transferred as well?? Is there a risk in losing anything I have on the site? And am I to understand that I will be able to automatically keep my followers? Also…. I don’t know who else to ask… but on other blogs I follow, I get a choice for ID and one of them is wordpress.com I’ve never seen one for wordpress.org So I’m not sure… am I going to be able to use my wordpress.org ID on other blogs or is that not possible? Also…. I just go by orhtodoxmom3.wordpress.com right now…. can I still use orthodoxmom3 or will that need to change? THANK YOU!
WPBeginner Support
The overall process should not take very long. If you are doing it your self then you will be able to signup for hosting, install wordpress, and import your blog with in less than an hour.
All your WordPress blog posts and all your photos will be imported as well. Yes, there is always the risk of loosing or missing something when moving websites. But you can always re-run the import if you miss out something, or you can manually import later.
WordPress.com will move your WordPress followers to your self hosted website. You will have to contact WordPress.com support to do that for you once you have installed WordPress on Bluehost and imported your blog from WordPress.com
You can not use example.wordpress.com on Bluehost because it is a subdomain owned by WordPress.com however you can search and register your own domain name like http://www.example.com
Admin
Carol Federoff
I’m actually asking how long it will take for me to use your site to do the transfer? SO less than an hour, is that what you are saying?
Also, the bottom section confuses me. SO I have to swtich Orthodoxmom3.wordpress.com to http://www.orthodoxmom3 is that what you mean? That doesn’t happen automatically when you use the free switch it over? I’m sorry. I’m just confused… help? I guess what I need to do is understand if there is anything that I personally have to do before I use your free setup to switch from wordpress.com to wordpress.org and I didn’t think there was anything…???
WPBeginner Support
Our free setup can take up to 2-3 days.
Carol Federoff
I’m not sure what happened… I asked some questions yesterday but they are not here now? ANyway… what I wanted to say was I wanted to use your service to do the change, not do it myself… so my original question was for how long THAT would take…not for me to do it myself. So would that also be an hour?
Also… the last thing you answered actually confused me. Are you saying I can not use organicmom3 on bluehost?? since that is my username on wordpress.com? So do I have to switch my name to something entirely different or are you saying I just can t use the wordpress.com in the name? I also am unsure if y ou are telling me do I have to register a name before signing up for your free transfer servies or is this something that is part of that service??? I’m so confused!!
I guess my biggest question is exactly what do I need to do BEFORE getting your service to switch my blog from wordpress.com to wordpress.org??
Carol Federoff
I’m getting frustrated. Please help. I feel like the webmaster answers the first question I ask and that’s it. I really want to do this but I am very confused. the last thing you answered actually confused me. Are you saying I can not use organicmom3 on bluehost?? since that is my username on wordpress.com? So do I have to switch my name to something entirely different or are you saying I just can t use the wordpress.com in the name? I also am unsure if y ou are telling me do I have to register a name before signing up for your free transfer servies or is this something that is part of that service??? I’m so confused!!
I guess my biggest question is exactly what do I need to do BEFORE getting your service to switch my blog from wordpress.com to wordpress.org??
Also, why would it take 2-3 days?
WPBeginner Support
Carol, please contact us for more help.
Karen ZInn
thank you – that was very easy.
Alexandre
Hi guys! Thank you very much for this useful post.
Could I know what may happen with my Facebook fans when I move to .org?
Thanks!
WPBeginner Support
If by fan you mean people who liked your Facebook page, then nothing will happen to them. They liked your Facebook page which is on Facebook not on your site. All you would have to do is update your site address on your facebook page (if the address is changed during the move). As for people who liked your posts, those likes will be there if you had a custom domain on WordPress.com other wise you will loose those likes.
Admin
Wawan
thanks for this tutorial post. I need this. Thanks alot
Jason Vowles
Hi there,
I am currently running my site http://www.thenovelreviewer.com through Blue Host (via wordpress.org) and actually wanted to go backwards, go back to wordpress.com and instead simply buy the domain name, some storage and remain on wordpress.com
When my hosting runs out in March, will I have to export back to wordpress.com?
Any help before March would be really appreciated!
WPBeginner Support
If you have already exported your site to WordPress.com properly you wouldn’t need to do it again. In any case you should keep a backup of your BlueHost site on your computer so that when your hosting runs out you have a backup to fix if anything goes wrong or missing.
Admin
Danica
Hello,
Great article – couldn’t have done it with out you! I believe I did this a bit inside out though… I installed MAMP and wordpress.org, and imported my blog — THEN I signed up with bluehost. How can I assign my new domain name to my existing blog in wordpress?
Thanks,
WPBeginner Support
See our guide on how to move WordPress to a new domain name.
Admin
Tosin
Please I want to change my blogs url. how do I do it?
Sebastian
Hi I have a question.
I just exxported my .com blog and imported it on a self-hosted .org blog. My question is if its possible to bring my stats with me to my new blog, I have more than 5 000 000 visitors on my .com blog and it would be really nice if I could bring them with me.
Nice article.
Daniel
Hi there, thanks for the information, but I still have a few questions of my own and hopefully you will be able to provide an answer to them. I recently started my wordpress blog and went premium, and now I’m wondering if I’ll be able to keep the songs and videos I’ve uploaded on blue host.
I would also like to know what will happen with the domain name I registered through wordpress. Will I have to continue with them or will I be able to sign up with blue host once I’m there ?
Thanks again,
D.
WPBeginner Support
Do you have your songs and videos uploaded on WordPress.com or Bluehost? In either case you can download them to your computer.
If you registered your domain name through WordPress.com you can point it to use Bluehost’s DNS servers. You don’t really need to move your domain name to new host. However, if you would like to move it to Bluehost, then you can do that too.
Admin
Austin
What happens to all the internal links of my blog after self host my blog? Should I undo all the internal links and then again point all the internal links to my new blog address? I hope you understood my question. Help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
WPBeginner Support
See How to Update URLs When Moving your WordPress Site
Admin
Laureen James
If I start my blog self hosted through GoDaddy with WordPress.com then want to switch to WordPress.org will I loose my domain name? I need to keep my domain name the same.
Thanks,
Laureen James
WPBeginner Support
no you can change your domain name to point to your new web host.
Admin
Supriti Chauhan
Hi,
Great post, especially for a newbie & a non-techie like me. Thanks. I have read the post and all the comments but I still have a couple of fears (some have already been addressed in the comments). I am planning to self host so I was wondering:
1. What happens to all the registrations/verification of my WP.com blog at various Blogging Directories? Will I have to submit new self hosted .org blog again to these Directories?
2. Also, what happens to my .com blog’s ranking at these Directories ?
3. What happens to my current .com blog? If migration goes fine, should I delete it ?
Request for your help & guide. Thanks
WPBeginner Support
If you properly redirect users then we don’t think you need to resubmit to directories. However, if you are part of some important blog directory, then you should update your information there. You should make your wordpress.com blog private and hold on to it.
Admin
Deepa Dutta Chaudhuri
Hi,
I am planning to migrate. But am completely scared about losing my thousands of ‘page views’ that i have achieved over 9 months of blogging. Its been pure sweat and blood. Will i lose all that and my blog followers?
WPBeginner Support
Yes migrating a website is a huge step and can be scary. However, if you carefully the instructions you will be able to quickly regain your visitors. As for your blog followers on WordPress.com those can be migrated as well. Please contact WordPress.com support and they will be able to help you with that.
Admin