How to Migrate Wix to WordPress Step by Step: Content, Images, Redirects, Domain and Cutover

On this page

1. Should you move at all?
2. What moves, and how
3. Step 1: Audit and export everything on Wix
4. Step 2: Set up WordPress on staging
5. Step 3: Rebuild the design and pages
6. Step 4: Move blog posts and images
7. Step 5: Map Wix URLs and set up 301 redirects
8. Step 6: Forms, bookings, store and other Wix apps
9. Step 7: SEO checks before launch
10. Step 8: The domain, DNS and email
11. Cutover checklist
12. After launch: the first weeks
13. Quick check: test old Wix URLs after launch
14. When to get help
15. FAQs

To move from Wix to WordPress, list every page, post and product on your Wix site, then rebuild the site on WordPress in a staging copy, carrying across your text, images, blog posts and products. Map every old Wix URL to its new address with 301 redirects, recreate forms and SEO settings, switch the domain to the new host once everything is tested, and keep the Wix site running until you've checked the new one. Wix can't export its design, so the move is always a rebuild, not a copy.

Moving sites from Wix, Squarespace, Blogger and other platforms onto WordPress is part of my website migration service: the site is rebuilt on staging, the old site keeps running until the new one is proven, and changed URLs are redirected to protect your rankings. This guide is that process, step by step, for anyone planning the move.

Not sure you should switch? WordPress vs Wix vs Shopify compares cost, payments, ownership and SEO first.

Should you move at all?

Businesses usually leave Wix for more control over SEO and site structure, features Wix apps don't cover well, a store without platform limits, or to own the website outright on hosting they choose. If your Wix site is small, rarely updated and already bringing enquiries, moving may cost more effort than it saves. If it's holding you back, plan the move properly rather than rushing it.

On Squarespace rather than Wix? The trade-offs are similar; see WordPress vs Squarespace for a business website, which also covers moving to WordPress later.

What moves, and how

Item	How it moves	Watch out for
Design and layouts	Rebuilt in WordPress with a theme or page builder	Wix templates and code don't run elsewhere
Page text	Copied into new pages, often improved on the way	Keep the wording of pages that rank well
Images	Downloaded from Wix and uploaded to the media library	Compress and rename them; don't leave them loading from Wix's servers
Blog posts	Imported from the blog's RSS feed, a migration tool or by hand	The feed may not include every post or every image, so check counts
Products	Exported from Wix Stores as CSV, reshaped and imported into WooCommerce	Variants, options and images need checking by hand
Contacts and form entries	Exported as CSV where Wix allows it	Marketing consent should come with them
Forms, bookings, members, chat	Replaced with WordPress plugins	Recreate notifications and test every one
SEO titles and descriptions	Copied into your SEO plugin, page by page	Easy to forget on blog posts and products

Wix's export options change from time to time, so check what your plan allows at the time you move, and export everything before you cancel anything.

Step 1: Audit and export everything on Wix

• Every URL: save the Wix sitemap (usually at https://www.example.com/sitemap.xml) and export the top pages from Google Search Console. This list becomes your redirect map.
• Baseline figures: clicks, impressions and top queries from Search Console, and enquiries per month, so you can compare after launch.
• Content: page text, images and downloadable files such as brochures and menus.
• Blog, store and contacts: the blog feed, the product CSV, and contacts and form submissions as CSV where available.
• Apps: list every Wix app you use, such as bookings, forms, chat, reviews or events, and what will replace each one.
• Domain, DNS and email: where the domain is registered, where DNS is managed, and a screenshot or copy of every DNS record, especially MX and TXT records for email.

Step 2: Set up WordPress on staging

1. Buy hosting in your business name, with a data centre near your visitors; how to choose WordPress hosting in India covers what to check.
2. Install WordPress on a staging address and block search engines from it.
3. Choose a lightweight theme, and a page builder if you'll use one.
4. Set permalinks before adding content, under Settings > Permalinks. Matching Wix's blog pattern now saves redirects later (see Step 5).
5. Install only the plugins you need: SEO, forms, caching, backups and security.

Step 3: Rebuild the design and pages

Since the design is rebuilt anyway, decide whether to match it closely or fix what wasn't working. Most owners use the rebuild to improve layouts, mobile menus and calls to action; if you want a proper refresh, that becomes a website redesign with the migration included. Either way, keep the content of pages that rank well, with similar headings and wording, so Google sees the same page at a new technical address.

Step 4: Move blog posts and images

Wix blogs usually publish an RSS feed, often at https://www.example.com/blog-feed.xml at the time of writing. WordPress can import it through Tools > Import > RSS. The importer brings in titles, dates and content, but images in the posts still point to Wix's servers, so they need downloading into your media library, either by hand or with a plugin that imports external images. Feeds may also be limited to recent posts, so compare the number of posts imported with the number on Wix.

For a large blog, a paid migration tool or service can be faster. After importing, check categories, featured images, author names and formatting on a sample of posts. The same approach applies to other platforms; moving from Blogger to WordPress covers the Blogger version.

Step 5: Map Wix URLs and set up 301 redirects

This is the step that protects your rankings and backlinks. Wix uses its own URL patterns, and WordPress defaults differ. Commonly seen Wix patterns, which can vary by site and setup, include:

Typical Wix URL	WordPress equivalent	What to do
/post/post-name	/post-name/ by default	Set permalinks to /post/%postname%/ to keep them, or redirect each post
/blog	Your posts page, such as /blog/	Redirect to the posts page
/blog/categories/name	/category/name/	Redirect each category
/product-page/product-name	/product/product-name/ in WooCommerce	Set the product base to product-page, or redirect each product
/about, /services and other pages	/about/, /services/	Same slug needs no redirect; changed slugs do

If you keep the posts at /post/, WordPress only adds a trailing slash, which it redirects itself. If you prefer the default structure, one pattern rule covers every post. In the Redirection plugin, for example, tick the regex option and use:

Source:  ^/post/([^/?]+)
Target:  https://example.com/$1/

Redirect every other changed URL to its closest new page, never everything to the homepage, and use permanent 301 redirects; 301 vs 302 redirects explains why and how to avoid chains. Wix's own redirect settings stop working once the domain points away from Wix, so every redirect must live on the new site.

Step 6: Forms, bookings, store and other Wix apps

• Forms: recreate each one with a form plugin, set the notification address, add spam protection and set up SMTP so emails arrive.
• Bookings: choose a WordPress booking plugin, or link an external booking system you already use.
• Store: set up WooCommerce with an Indian payment gateway, shipping and GST settings, and test orders on staging.
• WhatsApp, chat and maps: add them back and check them on a phone.
• Tracking: add GA4 and set up form, call and WhatsApp events before launch, so you can compare enquiries.

Step 7: SEO checks before launch

• Every important page has its title, meta description and a single H1, carried over or improved.
• Images have descriptive file names and alt text.
• Internal links point to the new URLs, not old Wix ones.
• The redirect list has been tested against your full list of old URLs.
• The SEO plugin generates a sitemap, and staging's "discourage search engines" setting is ready to switch off at launch.

The fuller checklist is in how to redesign without losing rankings, which applies to platform moves too.

Step 8: The domain, DNS and email

If your domain was bought through Wix, you have two options: point it to the new host by changing its DNS records or nameservers, or transfer the registration to another registrar. Pointing it is quicker; transferring puts the domain fully under your control, away from the old platform. Transfers follow registrar rules, such as an authorisation code and waiting periods, so check them first; transferring a domain without downtime has the steps.

Before changing nameservers, recreate every existing record at the new DNS provider, especially the MX, SPF and DKIM records for email. If your business email was set up through Wix, confirm where the mailboxes actually live and that they'll keep working after the switch.

Cutover checklist

1. Final content check on staging: pages, posts, products, forms.
2. Lower the DNS TTL a day ahead.
3. Move WordPress to the live hosting, or switch the domain to it.
4. Point the domain, issue SSL and force https.
5. Turn on the redirects and test a sample of old URLs straight away.
6. Allow search engines, submit the new sitemap in Search Console and check for errors.
7. Send a test enquiry through every form, and place a test order if you sell online.
8. Keep the Wix plan for a week or two as a fallback, then cancel it, checking the domain isn't tied to it.

After launch: the first weeks

Check Search Console every few days for 404 errors and pages Google can't index, and add redirects for any old URLs you missed. Rankings may move for a few weeks while Google recrawls the site; a steady fall in clicks on specific pages usually points to a missing redirect or changed content on those pages.

For the basics of domains, DNS and SSL, see domain, hosting and SSL explained.

Quick check: test old Wix URLs after launch

Wix blog posts live under /post/ and many product pages under /product-page/, so these are the addresses most likely to break. Once the domain points at WordPress, test a few from a terminal:

curl -sI https://example.com/post/old-post-slug | grep -iE "^(HTTP|location)"
curl -sI https://example.com/product-page/old-product | grep -iE "^(HTTP|location)"

Each should return 301 with a location pointing at the matching new page. If you see 404, check the rule in your redirect plugin; if you see 302, change it to a permanent 301. A week later, open Indexing > Pages in Search Console and check the "Not found (404)" list for any Wix paths you missed.

After moving, check for insecure images and scripts; see fixing mixed content warnings in WordPress.

When to get help

Get help when the Wix site has many blog posts, a store or bookings, or rankings you cannot afford to lose. My website migration service rebuilds the site on WordPress staging, maps and redirects every old URL, handles the domain, SSL and email records, and keeps the Wix site live until the new one is tested. Send your website address for a free review and a fixed quote.

FAQs

Can I export my Wix site to WordPress?

Not as a complete site. Wix doesn't export its design or a file you can install on WordPress. Text, images, blog posts and products can be carried across, and the design is rebuilt.

Will I lose my Google rankings moving from Wix to WordPress?

Not if every old URL is redirected to its matching new page and the content of pages that rank stays similar. Short-term movement is normal while Google recrawls; lasting drops usually come from missed redirects.

Can I keep my domain when I leave Wix?

Yes. You can point it to your new host or transfer it to another registrar. Copy every DNS record, including email records, before changing anything.

What happens to my Wix blog posts?

They can usually be imported from the blog's RSS feed or with a migration tool. Check that every post arrived, download images into WordPress, and redirect the old /post/ URLs or keep the same pattern.

Should I cancel my Wix plan before moving?

No. Keep it until the new site has been live and checked for a week or two, so you still have access to the old content if something was missed.