Use WooCommerce’s built-in importer at Products > All Products > Import. Upload a UTF-8 CSV or TXT file, review and correct the column mapping, then select Run the importer. Leave the import page open until it finishes. For updates, enable Update existing products and identify rows with IDs or SKUs; for variable products, place the parent before its variation rows and use exact attribute names and values.
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What WooCommerce’s CSV importer can do
The built-in importer creates products in bulk and can also update products that already exist. A single file can describe simple, variable, grouped, external, variation, virtual, and downloadable products, along with names, descriptions, prices, inventory, taxonomies, attributes, and images.
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The importer is a file-processing tool rather than a catalog editor. It reads each row, maps each column to a WooCommerce field, and then creates or updates records. A correct-looking spreadsheet can still produce incomplete products if its headers, identifiers, attribute values, or image references do not follow WooCommerce’s schema.
What you need before starting
- Administrator or shop-manager access that can reach Products > All Products > Import.
- A CSV or TXT file saved as UTF-8.
- A backup or staging copy of the store before a large update or a conversion from simple to variable products.
- Image files already available online or in the WordPress media library.
- Unique SKUs for products and, especially, for every variation.
Prepare the CSV in WooCommerce’s format
Start with WooCommerce’s product CSV schema rather than exporting an arbitrary spreadsheet and hoping the importer infers every field. Keep one product or variation per row, use the exact header names expected by the schema, and remove columns that have no reliable destination.
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Core columns to include
| Catalog information | Typical columns | How it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Identity and type | ID, SKU, Type, Name |
Identifies a record, selects the product model, and supplies the storefront name. |
| Publication | Status and visibility fields | Controls whether a product is published and where it appears. |
| Text | Short description and description fields | Populates the product’s customer-facing copy. |
| Pricing | Regular price and sale price | Sets the catalog price values supplied by the file. |
| Inventory | Stock status, stock quantity, and related stock settings | Controls whether inventory is tracked and whether the item can be purchased. |
| Taxonomies | Categories and tags | Assigns products to the supplied categories and tags. |
| Attributes | Attribute names, values, and visibility or variation settings | Defines selectable options and, for variable products, the options from which variations are built. |
| Media | Images |
Associates one or more product images with the row. |
WooCommerce supports custom meta only as plain text. Serialized data is not supported, so a serialized PHP value or similarly packed field should not be placed in a custom-meta column expecting WooCommerce to decode it.
Formatting rules that prevent silent errors
- Save the file as UTF-8 so accented characters, symbols, and non-English names survive the upload.
- Use
1and0for Boolean values instead of words such as true, false, yes, or no. - Separate multiple values with commas and quote the complete cell. For example, a category cell containing two values should be represented as
"Games,Accessories". - Represent a taxonomy hierarchy with the greater-than sign, such as
Games>RPG>Action RPG. - When a field refers to a record by ID, use the
id:prefix, for exampleid:123. - Keep commas, line breaks, and quotation marks inside a cell properly quoted according to CSV rules. A malformed quote can shift every subsequent value into the wrong column.
- Use a consistent delimiter throughout the file and check the saved file in a plain-text editor if a spreadsheet application changes the encoding or quoting.
Choose the product type deliberately
Set Type to simple for an item with no selectable combinations. Use variable for a parent product whose purchasable combinations are separate variation rows. A grouped product links existing products, while external products send the customer to another location. virtual and downloadable describe fulfillment characteristics and can be combined with the relevant product model. A variation row belongs to a variable parent and is not a standalone catalog item.
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- Back up or switch to staging. A new catalog import can create a large number of records quickly. Preserve a restorable copy before you begin, particularly if the file contains many products, images, or complex attributes.
- Open the importer. In the WordPress dashboard, go to Products > All Products, then select Import.
- Select the file. Choose the CSV or TXT file from your computer and continue. Confirm that the file is the intended UTF-8 export and not an earlier draft.
- Review the column-mapping screen. WooCommerce attempts to match headers to product fields. Inspect every mapped column instead of accepting the first pass blindly.
- Correct mappings. Select the appropriate destination for a misidentified header. For an irrelevant or unknown column, choose Do not import; leaving an unrecognized field mapped to the wrong destination can overwrite unrelated data.
- Leave update mode off for a new catalog. Do not select Update existing products unless you intentionally want matching rows changed. With update mode off, the file is treated as a creation import.
- Run the importer. Select Run the importer and keep the browser page open. Do not refresh, close, or navigate away while WooCommerce processes the rows.
When the process reports completion, open several products from different parts of the file. Check the name, status, description, price, stock, categories, attributes, and images rather than assuming that a successful job message means every field was correct.
Update products that already exist
Updates require a deliberate matching key. On the import screen, enable Update existing products, then provide an identifier in each row. WooCommerce uses a supplied ID or SKU to locate the existing product.
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| Identifier in the row | Result | Important condition |
|---|---|---|
ID |
Matches the WooCommerce product record by database ID. | The ID must belong to the intended product in that store. |
SKU |
Matches the product by stock-keeping unit. | The SKU must be unique and spelled exactly as stored. |
| GTIN, UPC, EAN, or ISBN | Can be used as the matching value in newer WooCommerce versions. | Available in WooCommerce 11.2 and later only when both ID and SKU are blank. |
| More than one identifier | The supplied ID or SKU takes precedence over a GTIN, UPC, EAN, or ISBN. | Do not include a stale ID or SKU if you intend the newer identifier to match. |
WooCommerce 11.2 and later permit a mapped GTIN, UPC, EAN, or ISBN to identify an update only when both ID and SKU are empty. If an ID or SKU is present, it wins. This precedence matters when a supplier export includes all identifiers: remove or correct an old ID or SKU rather than expecting the barcode field to override it.
Use a narrow update file
An update file does not need to contain every product field. Include the identifier and the fields you intend to change, map unrelated columns to Do not import, and inspect the mapping before submitting. A narrow file reduces the chance of replacing good descriptions, prices, images, or stock settings with blank or stale cells.
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Variable products need a parent row and one or more variation rows. The parent defines the available attributes; each variation selects a valid combination and carries its own purchasable data, such as SKU and price.
One-import conversion in WooCommerce 11.1 and later
WooCommerce 11.1 introduced a one-import path for converting an existing simple product to variable and creating eligible variations. The file must be arranged so the parent appears before its variation rows.
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- Put the existing product’s row first and set its
Typetovariable. - Put each child row after the parent and set its
Typetovariation. - Leave new variation IDs empty. The importer creates the variation records.
- Give every variation a unique SKU. Duplicate variation SKUs are a common reason for skipped or incorrectly matched rows.
- Set
Parentto the parent SKU, or to a parent ID in the formid:123. - Make the attribute names and nonempty values on every variation match the parent’s attributes and options exactly, including spelling, spaces, and capitalization.
- Enable Update existing products when the parent is an existing simple product that you are converting.
Row order is significant for this workflow. If a variation appears before its parent, or if your export tool cannot guarantee order, use two imports instead: first create or update the parent as a variable product with its attributes, then import the variation rows against that parent.
Why exact attributes matter
WooCommerce does not treat near matches as the same option. A parent option named Platform with the value PC will not reliably connect to a variation using platform or PC with an extra trailing space. Normalize the attribute headers and values in the source file before uploading, and check that every variation uses a nonempty value for each attribute needed to define its combination.
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Verify the result in the product editor
After the import, open the product and select its Variations tab. Confirm that:
- The product type is variable rather than simple.
- The expected number of variations exists.
- Each variation has the intended attribute combination and a unique SKU.
- Variations that should sell are published or enabled as appropriate, have prices, and can be selected and purchased from the storefront.
Import product images correctly
Images must already be available online or in the media library. WooCommerce can import an external image URL into the media library, and it can also use an existing media-library filename when the file reference matches what is stored.
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External image URLs
Place the image URL in the Images column according to the product CSV schema. Use one value for a single image and a properly quoted, comma-separated cell for multiple images. Verify that each URL is reachable without an authentication wall and that it returns an image rather than an HTML error page. The importer processes the reference during the job, so a temporary or private URL can result in a missing image even though the product row itself imports.
Existing media-library files
If the image is already uploaded, reference its media-library filename in the format expected by the schema. Keep filenames exact, including the extension. Two files with similar names can point to different media items, so confirm the resulting image on the product after import.
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Mapping image columns
On the mapping screen, ensure the image column is assigned to Images. If a supplier export contains thumbnail URLs, gallery URLs, or unrelated artwork columns, map only the columns you understand and set the rest to Do not import. Review several products after completion to confirm both the featured image and gallery order.
Check the import report and diagnose skipped rows
WooCommerce provides an import report after processing. Treat skipped rows as actionable errors, not as a minor warning. Locate the row, identify whether the failure concerns identity, type, parentage, attributes, SKU, or media, and correct the source file before rerunning only the affected records.
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Rows are skipped or variations are missing
- Check that every variation SKU is unique.
- Confirm that
Parentcontains the exact parent SKU or a validid:reference. - For the one-import variable workflow, verify that the parent row precedes every variation row.
- Compare attribute names and nonempty values character by character with the parent row.
- Make sure variation rows use
Typeset tovariationand the parent usesvariable.
Products are created instead of updated
- Confirm that Update existing products was selected.
- Check that the ID or SKU in the file belongs to the intended store and is not blank or altered by spreadsheet formatting.
- If relying on GTIN, UPC, EAN, or ISBN, confirm the store runs WooCommerce 11.2 or later and that both ID and SKU cells are empty.
- Inspect the mapping to ensure the identifier column was not set to Do not import.
Fields are empty or in the wrong place
- Return to the mapping screen and match each header to its intended WooCommerce field.
- Check that Boolean fields contain
1or0, not unrecognized words. - Inspect quoted cells containing commas; a broken quote can move values into neighboring columns.
- Confirm the file is UTF-8 and that the spreadsheet did not change delimiters or strip leading characters.
- Remove serialized custom-meta values; only plain-text custom meta is supported.
Images do not appear
- Verify the image column is mapped to
Images. - Test each external URL and confirm it serves an image at import time.
- For media-library references, check the exact filename and extension.
- Inspect the product’s featured image and gallery after import rather than relying only on the completion message.
Built-in importer, extension, or managed workflow?
The built-in tool is appropriate when the CSV follows WooCommerce’s schema and the operation is a straightforward creation or update. More complex workflows may justify an extension or a hosting setup with staging and backups.
| Need | Built-in importer | When an extension or managed workflow may help |
|---|---|---|
| New catalog creation | Suitable when rows are clean and mapped correctly. | Useful when repeated feeds require a controlled, repeatable process. |
| Simple-product updates | Use update mode with ID or SKU matching. | Helpful when a feed must merge many fields according to custom rules. |
| Variable products | Supports the one-import path in WooCommerce 11.1 and later when ordering and attributes are correct; otherwise use two imports. | Consider a tool documented for complex variation or merge-heavy workflows. |
| Identifier matching | Uses ID or SKU; WooCommerce 11.2 and later can use GTIN, UPC, EAN, or ISBN only when ID and SKU are blank. | An extension may expose additional matching or merge controls; verify its version compatibility before use. |
| Images and external URLs | Can import external URLs into the media library or reference existing media filenames. | A managed process can help monitor recurring media imports and failures. |
| Safety | Requires you to create your own backup or staging copy. | Managed hosting that supplies staging and backups reduces recovery work, but you still need to test the file. |
WooCommerce’s Product CSV Import Suite is the documented extension option for merge-heavy or complex variation workflows. Its process still consists of uploading, mapping, and submitting a file, with SKU or post ID matching described for merge operations. Confirm current compatibility and the extension’s handling of your specific fields before relying on it for production updates.
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- Export or assemble the file using WooCommerce’s schema.
- Save it as UTF-8 and inspect quoting, commas, and line breaks.
- Confirm product types, identifiers, parent references, and unique variation SKUs.
- Check that variable-product parents precede variations when using the one-import workflow.
- Match attribute names and values exactly.
- Verify image URLs or media-library filenames.
- Create a backup or test on staging.
- Open Products > All Products > Import and upload the CSV or TXT file.
- Review every mapping, using Do not import for irrelevant columns.
- Choose update mode only when matching existing products intentionally.
- Select Run the importer and do not refresh or leave the page.
- Read the import report, then inspect representative products and, for variable products, the Variations tab.
Following this sequence separates file preparation, record matching, variation construction, media handling, and verification. That makes a failed import easier to correct and prevents an apparently successful upload from leaving products unpublished, unpriced, unpurchasable, or disconnected from their images.
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