Introduction: Moving From WordPress.com to WordPress.org: the Complete Guide

Before we get into the “ How to move” part, let’s first deal with “why move at all?”. WordPress.com offers a plethora of options when it comes to themes and plugins, and frees us of the headache of having to worry about hosting. So why on earth would we want to let go of this comfort zone and opt for something which is more work (and responsibility) on our part?

The answer is simple. Having a self-hosted WordPress site (as that’s what you get when you go the WordPress.org way) will open up new possibilities to you - possibilities in terms of customizing themes (at the “changing PHP code” level) as well as monetizing your site. If you haven’t noticed, let me tell you that you can’t put up ads and earn on WordPress.com. So if you’re planning to take your website seriously and make it your bread and butter, Its time to move.

Here’s a quick guide to help you make that transition smoothly:

Step 1: Get a Domain Name and a Web Host Ready

The first thing that you need to do is purchase a domain name for your website. You can do so through websites like GoDaddy. If you have already purchased one from WordPress.com, you can use the same name.

When it comes to choosing a web host, it’s important that you choose one that is compatible with the latest version of WordPress (3.8.1), and that the web host is well-versed with the workings of WordPress. So do your research properly. The WordPress web hosting plans offered by IX Webhosting is a good option to start with.

Step 2: Export Data From WordPress.com

Log in to your WordPress.com dashboard. Go to the ‘Tools’ menu and click on ‘Export’. This will take you to a new page that will show two options: you can either go for free or guided transfer. Click on the free option (unless you want to shell out some extra dollars), and this will again take you to another page. Here you need to select the data you want to export. Select ‘All Content’ (as shown below) and then hit on the ‘Download Export File’ button.

Step 3: Install WordPress With Your Web Host

Log in to your hosting account and install WordPress. When you do this, make sure that your web host meets the following requirements:

  • PHP 5.2.4 or greater
  • MySQL 5.0 or greater
  • The mod_rewrite Apache module (not necessary, but recommended).

Most web hosts (like IX Webhosting) offer one-click installations which saves you the hassle of having to do it manually. In case you want (or need the manual installation guide), I’d suggest you read here.

Step 4: Import Data to Your New Self-hosted Site

Sign in to your new account, and click on ‘Import’ option in the ‘Tools’ menu. Then click on ‘WordPress’. Once that’s done, you will be prompted to install the WordPress Importer plugin. Install, activate and run the plugin. It will ask you to choose the XML file to import (which is the same one that you had downloaded in Step Two). This is how it looks like:

Choose the file, and then click on ‘Upload file and import’. While doing this, it may be possible that your file size is bigger than 2MB. In that case, you can either ask your web host to increase the limit, or you can use a WXR File Splitter.


That’s it, you’re done! Now all you need to do is make sure that your visitors are redirected to this new site, and that your site is up and running at all times. If you have any more inputs/suggestions, please feel free to comment!