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Move your Joomla website to WordPress

This guide shows the main steps to move your pages, posts and images from Joomla to WordPress.

WordPress2 min read18 steps10 screenshots

What is happening here?

Joomla and WordPress are both CMS tools. A CMS lets you manage a site's content from a dashboard. Moving between them is called a migration. You do not move the design. You move the content, then pick a new WordPress theme.

Warning: Take a full backup of your Joomla files and database first. Do the move on a test copy if you can, so your live site stays safe.

Before you start

  • Install a fresh WordPress site on your hosting. Use a new folder or a subdomain for testing.
  • Make sure you can log in to both dashboards.
  • Note your Joomla database name, user and password. Your hosting control panel shows the database name.

Steps

  1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
  2. Go to Plugins, then Add New Plugin.
    Screenshot: Go to Plugins , then Add New Plugin .
  3. Search for a Joomla import plugin, such as FG Joomla to WordPress.
    Screenshot: Search for a Joomla import plugin, such as FG Joomla to WordPress.
  4. Click Install Now, then Activate.
  5. Go to Tools, then Import. Find the Joomla importer and click Run Importer. Some versions place it under Tools with the plugin's own name.
    Screenshot: Go to Tools , then Import . Find the Joomla importer and click Run Importer . Some version
    Screenshot: Go to Tools , then Import . Find the Joomla importer and click Run Importer . Some version
  6. Click Empty WordPress content if you want a clean start. Do this only on a new site, because it deletes existing content.
    Screenshot: Click Empty WordPress content if you want a clean start. Do this only on a new site, becau
  7. Enter your Joomla site address in the website field.
    Screenshot: Enter your Joomla site address in the website field.
  8. Enter the Joomla database host, name, username and password. The host is often localhost.
    Screenshot: Enter the Joomla database host, name, username and password. The host is often localhost .
  9. Click Test the database connection.
    Screenshot: Click Test the database connection .
  10. Choose what to import, such as articles, categories, images and menus.
  11. Click Start / Resume the import.
  12. Wait until the plugin says the import is done.
    Screenshot: Wait until the plugin says the import is done.

After the import

  1. Go to Posts and Pages and check your content.
  2. Check that images show up. If some are missing, run the plugin's image fix option.
    Screenshot: Check that images show up. If some are missing, run the plugin's image fix option.
  3. Go to Appearance, then Themes and pick a new theme.
  4. Go to Appearance, then Menus and rebuild your menus if needed.
  5. Go to Settings, then Permalinks and choose a style. Save the page.
  6. Set up redirects from old Joomla addresses to the new ones, so visitors and search engines do not hit dead links.
Tip: Extensions that Joomla added, like forms or galleries, do not move over. Find WordPress plugins that do the same job.

Quick recap

  • Back up Joomla first.
  • Install WordPress, then add a Joomla import plugin.
  • Enter your Joomla database details and run the import.
  • Check content, choose a theme, rebuild menus and set up redirects.