When migrating a WordPress site, one common frustration many users run into is this:
“Why didn’t my featured images come over with my posts?”
If you’ve exported and imported posts using WordPress’s built-in tools, you’ve probably noticed that while your content transfers fine, the featured images often don’t. This happens because the default WordPress Export/Import tool doesn’t always handle media attachments perfectly — especially featured images.
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The Problem: Exporting/Importing Articles Misses Featured Images
WordPress’s native export tool lets you export posts, pages, and other content types. However, while images inside post content can be downloaded during import (if you check Download and import file attachments), featured images often get left behind.
This results in:
- Posts without their visual identity
- Broken layouts
- Extra manual work to re-attach images post-migration
The Solution: “Export Media with Selected Content” Plugin
Thankfully, there’s a great solution for this: the Export media with selected content plugin.
This plugin extends the WordPress export tool and ensures that any media attached to your selected content (including featured images) are exported properly.
How it Works:
- Install and activate Export media with selected content on your old site.
- Go to: Tools → Export
- Select what content you want to export (posts, pages, custom post types).
- Check the box: “Export media with selected content”
- Download your export file.
- Import it to your new site using the standard WordPress importer.
Now your featured images will come along for the ride!
Why Use This Plugin?
| Without Plugin | With Plugin |
|---|---|
| Featured images missing | Featured images included |
| Manual re-uploading | Automatic transfer |
| Broken visuals | Complete migration |
Final Thoughts
Migrating a WordPress site can be tricky — especially when you want everything to look exactly like it did before. Using the Export media with selected content plugin is a simple but powerful way to avoid headaches caused by missing featured images.
So next time you’re moving content between WordPress sites, don’t forget this little tool. It might save you hours of work.
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