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To migrate safely, keep your Squarespace site public, export its supported content as an XML file, import that file into a new WordPress installation, then rebuild the design and unsupported features before changing DNS. Preserve existing slugs where possible, copy and verify every image, map changed URLs with one-to-one 301 redirects, and launch only after a staging check.
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What the Squarespace export actually does
Squarespace’s export is a content transfer, not a complete clone. In the Squarespace editor, open Import & export content, choose Export, select the WordPress icon, and download the resulting XML file. The XML can populate a WordPress site with supported pages and posts, but it does not carry over the Squarespace theme, visual styles, custom CSS, or the exact page layouts.
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Squarespace describes the file this way: “You can export certain content from your Squarespace site into an .xml file.” Treat the export as a starting dataset. Plan a separate design and functionality rebuild in WordPress.
Content that can transfer
| Squarespace content | Transfer details |
|---|---|
| Layout pages | Supported page content can be included in the XML. |
| Blog content | One blog page and its blog posts can be exported. |
| Comments | Up to 1,000 comments per post, according to the Squarespace Help Center in 2026. |
| Text blocks | Text is included when it is part of a supported page. |
| Image blocks | Image references may transfer, but the actual files must be checked in WordPress. |
| Embed and Instagram blocks | Only limited text from these blocks is included. |
| Gallery pages | Gallery content can transfer; York project pages are included for Squarespace version 7.0. |
Content and settings that do not transfer automatically
| Item | What you must do |
|---|---|
| Store pages and product blocks | Recreate the catalog, product templates, cart, checkout, payments, and related pages in WordPress. |
| Video and audio blocks | Rebuild them with WordPress-compatible embeds or uploaded media. |
| Dropdowns and other navigation behavior | Recreate menus and dropdown structures in the WordPress menu system. |
| Drafts | Draft content is not included in the standard export; copy it manually before leaving Squarespace. |
| Page-specific headers, footers, and sidebars | Rebuild these in the selected WordPress theme or templates. |
| Style settings and custom CSS | Translate the visual system into WordPress theme settings and CSS. |
| Album, cover, index, info, calendar, and portfolio pages | Recreate these page types manually. |
| Original Squarespace theme | It does not come across in the XML. Choose and configure a WordPress theme instead. |
Choose the WordPress destination before exporting
You can move to WordPress.com, where hosting and many maintenance tasks are managed for you, or to self-hosted WordPress, where you choose the hosting environment and manage more of the server, updates, backups, and security. The XML content model is similar, but the operational work differs.
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| Decision point | WordPress.com | Self-hosted WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting and updates | Hosting and core maintenance are managed by the service. | You select a host and are responsible for the hosting environment and maintenance plan. |
| Importer | WordPress.com provides an import workflow for supported site content. | Use the WordPress importer in the new installation and upload the XML. |
| Staging | Staging is documented for testing major theme and plugin changes; staging sites are blocked from search indexing by default. | Use your host’s staging feature or a separate private installation and block indexing until launch. |
| Themes and plugins | Available choices depend on the WordPress.com plan and platform controls. | You generally have broader control over themes, plugins, code, and server configuration. |
| Domain connection | A domain registered at Squarespace can remain there while you point DNS or nameservers to WordPress.com. | Keep the registrar at Squarespace if desired, then point DNS records to the new host. |
| Ecommerce | Confirm that the required store and payment features are available on your plan. | Choose and configure an ecommerce system, payment gateway, tax settings, shipping, and order handling. |
| Image migration | External image references may not all be copied; inspect the Media Library. | Self-hosted imports may reference Squarespace image URLs instead of copying files, making manual media work especially important. |
| Redirect tooling | Use the platform’s redirect controls where available. | Configure redirects at the WordPress or server level and test every important mapping. |
| Recurring cost | Depends on the WordPress.com plan and any paid features you select. | Includes hosting and any paid themes, plugins, backups, or services you choose; no single total applies to every site. |
Prepare a migration inventory
Do this while Squarespace is still live. The public site is your reference copy and must remain reachable during export, import, and image verification.
- Record every indexable page, blog post, category or tag archive that matters, media-heavy landing page, and high-value external link.
- Record the exact current URL, title, intended WordPress URL, and whether the page will be kept, merged, replaced, or retired.
- Download a copy of important drafts, store data, audio, video, custom code, style rules, and page-specific elements that the XML will not include.
- List forms, newsletter connections, analytics scripts, advertising tags, social embeds, booking tools, memberships, and other integrations that need a WordPress replacement.
- Export or record your current navigation hierarchy, footer links, legal pages, robots rules, canonical settings, and XML sitemap location.
- Capture representative desktop and mobile screenshots. They provide a visual checklist when rebuilding the design.
Step-by-step migration procedure
1. Keep Squarespace online
Do not cancel the Squarespace site or make the domain point elsewhere yet. The exporter and imported image references may need the old site to remain publicly accessible. Keep the existing pages available until the WordPress version has passed testing and the live domain has been checked after DNS changes.
2. Build a private or staging WordPress site
Create the new site on a temporary address or staging environment. Select a WordPress theme that can reproduce your information architecture, then configure basic site settings without exposing unfinished pages to search engines. On WordPress.com, staging sites are blocked from search indexing by default. On other setups, apply an equivalent no-index or access restriction until launch.
3. Export the Squarespace XML
- Sign in to Squarespace and open the site dashboard.
- Open Import & export content.
- Choose Export.
- Select the WordPress icon.
- Download and retain the XML file as your migration backup.
If the export finishes but expected pages are absent, compare them with the unsupported-content list rather than assuming the file is corrupt. Store pages, drafts, product blocks, and several special page types require another method.
4. Import the XML into WordPress
In the WordPress dashboard, open Tools > Import, select the WordPress importer, and upload the XML. If WordPress asks you to assign authors, map each imported author to an existing account or create the appropriate user. Allow the importer to fetch attachments when that option is offered, then wait for the process to finish before editing the imported pages.
Import in a controlled sequence if the site is large: first the core pages and posts, then media checks, then manual rebuilds. Keep the original XML and a list of any importer warnings so missing items can be resolved individually.
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Open representative pages, old posts, galleries, and long-form articles. Check headings, paragraph breaks, links, captions, comments, embeds, and any unusual characters. Compare the imported URL slugs with your inventory. Fixing the content model before styling prevents a theme rebuild from hiding structural errors.
6. Copy and verify images and other media
Image handling is the most common hidden failure. A self-hosted import may create references to Squarespace image URLs rather than copying the image files. WordPress.com also warns that externally linked images may not all come through. Those images can disappear when the Squarespace site is cancelled.
- Open the WordPress Media Library and confirm that representative images have local attachment entries.
- Inspect article pages, galleries, featured images, logos, background images, and mobile-specific artwork.
- Open image URLs in a private browser window to confirm they do not depend on an authenticated session or a temporary redirect.
- For missing files, download the originals while Squarespace is still public and upload them to WordPress.
- Replace broken references in page content, CSS, menus, widgets, and metadata.
- Check image dimensions, captions, alternative text, and responsive behavior after replacement.
Do not cancel Squarespace until this audit is complete. A page that appears correct in a logged-in editor can still contain a remote image that will fail after the old site is removed.
7. Rebuild the design and unsupported page types
Choose a WordPress theme and recreate the global header, footer, typography, color palette, spacing, navigation, and responsive breakpoints. Then rebuild special pages one at a time: portfolios, calendars, galleries, landing pages, store pages, and pages with custom headers or sidebars. The WordPress.com guidance is explicit that your current design does not carry over; you choose a WordPress.com theme to design the site.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Recreate video and audio blocks with supported embeds or locally managed media, and replace dropdown behavior with WordPress menus. Re-enter custom CSS only after the semantic structure is correct. Avoid copying obsolete style rules blindly: a selector that worked in Squarespace may affect unrelated WordPress components.
8. Recreate forms and integrations
XML content does not guarantee that contact forms, newsletter subscriptions, analytics, advertising tags, booking tools, memberships, or social feeds will work. Install or configure the WordPress equivalent, connect its account, and submit real test entries. Verify the recipient address, confirmation message, spam controls, consent text, and storage or export of submissions before launch.
9. Match permalinks and preserve slugs
Set WordPress permalinks to reproduce the old Squarespace URL pattern wherever practical. Keep the same page and post slugs when the content remains equivalent. A matching URL avoids unnecessary redirects and preserves existing bookmarks and links.
For every changed URL, create a one-to-one 301 redirect to the closest relevant WordPress destination. A 301 tells search engines that a page has permanently moved, helps transfer page rank and authority, and prevents avoidable 404 errors when the mapping is correct. Do not send every old URL to the homepage; a generic redirect gives visitors and search engines a poor substitute for the page they requested.
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- Check page titles, meta descriptions, heading hierarchy, canonical tags, and indexability.
- Generate the WordPress XML sitemap and ensure it contains the intended canonical URLs.
- Review robots rules so staging remains blocked but the production site is crawlable after launch.
- Test old URLs and confirm that each changed address returns one 301 hop to the intended destination.
- Open nonexistent URLs and verify that the 404 page is useful and returns an actual 404 status.
- Check internal links, breadcrumb paths, pagination, category links, and image URLs.
- Compare mobile and desktop layouts on representative pages, not only the homepage.
11. Test ecommerce separately
Squarespace store pages and product blocks are not included in the standard XML. Recreate the catalog in the destination system, including variants, prices, descriptions, images, inventory, tax rules, shipping, coupons, customer accounts, order notifications, and payment integrations. Use a test transaction or the payment provider’s test mode where available, then verify refunds, confirmation emails, and fulfillment workflows. Build a separate redirect map for discontinued products and changed category pages.
12. Change DNS only after acceptance testing
Once content, media, design, forms, ecommerce, redirects, analytics, and indexing rules pass review, connect the domain. A domain registered through Squarespace can remain registered there while you change DNS records or nameservers to point to WordPress.com; the same registrar-versus-host separation can be used with self-hosted WordPress. DNS changes take time to propagate, so leave the Squarespace site available during the transition.
After the DNS change, test the live domain over both HTTP and HTTPS, confirm the preferred hostname, open key old and new URLs, submit a form, inspect images, and check the sitemap and robots file. Do not treat the first successful page load as proof that the migration is complete.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Redirect and SEO mapping rules
Create the redirect map before launch in a spreadsheet with four columns: old Squarespace URL, new WordPress URL, redirect type, and verification status. Prioritize pages with backlinks, search traffic, bookmarks, campaign links, and revenue impact. Keep redirects one-to-one and permanent. If several obsolete pages genuinely become one replacement page, document that decision and send each old URL to the single page that best satisfies its original intent.
Do not chain redirects through several temporary URLs. Test the final response from an incognito browser and with an HTTP-status checker, then recheck after DNS propagation. Monitor 404 logs and analytics after launch so overlooked URLs can be added to the map.
Common failure modes and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Pages are missing from WordPress | The page type or content was not supported by Squarespace export. | Rebuild it manually and add its destination to the URL map. |
| Images work before launch but disappear later | WordPress retained external Squarespace image URLs. | Download the originals, upload them to WordPress, replace references, and retest before cancellation. |
| The new site looks nothing like the old one | The XML contains content, not the Squarespace theme or style settings. | Choose a WordPress theme and rebuild templates, CSS, navigation, and page-specific elements. |
| Visitors reach 404 pages after launch | Slugs changed without redirects, or the permalink pattern differs. | Match the old structure where possible and add a tested 301 for every changed URL. |
| Forms submit but no one receives messages | The Squarespace form integration did not transfer. | Configure a WordPress form service, verify delivery and spam handling, and submit test entries. |
| Products or checkout are absent | Store pages and product blocks do not export through the standard XML. | Recreate the catalog and checkout, test payments and fulfillment, and map product URLs. |
| Search engines index staging pages | The staging site was not blocked from crawling. | Apply no-index or access restrictions, verify robots behavior, and remove the restriction only at launch. |
| The domain still shows Squarespace | DNS records or nameservers have not finished updating. | Confirm the intended records, allow propagation time, and keep the old site online while checking multiple networks. |
Final launch checklist
- The XML import completed and author assignments are correct.
- All important pages and posts exist, with headings, links, captions, and comments checked.
- Every important image is stored in or intentionally served by the new system, with no accidental dependency on Squarespace.
- The replacement theme reproduces the required desktop and mobile layouts.
- Unsupported page types, custom CSS, embeds, forms, memberships, and integrations have been rebuilt and tested.
- Permalinks match the old structure wherever practical.
- Every changed important URL has a tested one-to-one 301 redirect.
- Canonical tags, sitemap, robots rules, analytics, and 404 handling are correct.
- Ecommerce catalog, payments, taxes, shipping, notifications, refunds, and fulfillment have been tested if applicable.
- Staging is blocked from search indexing, while production will be crawlable after launch.
- DNS changes are scheduled only after acceptance testing, and the Squarespace site will remain available during propagation.
- The live domain, HTTPS, menus, forms, images, redirects, and search visibility have been checked after DNS switches.
When to use specialist help
A straightforward brochure site with standard pages and a small blog is usually manageable with the XML importer and a careful rebuild. Professional migration help becomes sensible when the site has hundreds of URL mappings, a large product catalog, custom CSS and animation-heavy layouts, memberships, multilingual content, complex integrations, or business-critical checkout. The reason is not that WordPress cannot handle those features; it is that the work extends beyond the Squarespace export and requires coordinated content, development, DNS, and SEO testing.
The safest migration mindset is to separate the job into three deliverables: a verified content import, a deliberately rebuilt WordPress experience, and a tested URL and DNS transition. Completing those in that order protects the assets that are easiest to lose: images, search equity, working forms, and the domain’s continuity.
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