Move Blogger or BlogSpot Content to WordPress Safely

Moving a Blogger/BlogSpot site to self-hosted WordPress requires exporting usable content, choosing a compatible importer and checking the result. An XML/Atom file is not a complete WordPress installation or a guarantee that the theme, pages and media will transfer.

This is a self-managed content migration, not InterServer’s complimentary cPanel-to-cPanel or DirectAdmin-to-DirectAdmin web hosting service. VPS and dedicated-server migrations are not offered.

Obtain the current Blogger backup

Use the Google account authorized to administer the intended blog. Google’s current backup instructions describe Google Takeout and the Settings > Manage blog backup controls. Preserve the completed download and inspect its contents. A current Takeout backup can contain feed.atom; older backups may contain XML.

Keep a separate copy of original media and the old URL inventory where available. A Blogger theme backup is a Blogger template, not a WordPress theme.

Check importer compatibility before installing

In self-hosted WordPress, importers are installed through Tools > Import or the approved plugin route. The Blogger Importer listing currently warns that it has not been tested with the latest three major WordPress releases. Its instructions also refer to the older XML export workflow.

Do not assume that the current Takeout file is accepted simply because both formats contain XML. Test a compatible, supported importer in a separate installation with a representative authorized export. If it cannot handle the source format reliably, use a reviewed conversion or manual transfer rather than renaming the file extension.

The listed importer excludes pages, widgets and themes from its stated scope. Check your chosen tool’s actual limitations and rebuild omitted content. Inspect media failures and embedded content; do not assume the import status means every attachment is local.

Map old URLs and verify the result

The familiar /year/month/postname.html pattern can help planning, but Blogger slugs and WordPress slugs can differ. Inventory actual URLs and arrange precise mappings rather than assuming one permalink setting preserves them all.

If retaining a custom domain, control its DNS and redirects deliberately. If the old address is on blogspot.com, redirects depend on source-platform capabilities, not only the new host. Do not insert an unreviewed redirect script into the Blogger theme.

Compare posts, pages, comments and representative media; test navigation and forms before cutover. Keep the source and private backup until accepted. Domain registration, external mail and subscriber arrangements need separate handling.

Reviewed October 14, 2026. Source export and importer documentation were checked; no customer blog import or format-conversion compatibility test was performed.