In this guide · 8 sections
- 01Why a Wix site cannot simply be moved
- 02Step 1: list every URL before you touch anything
- 03Step 2: rebuild and map old URLs to new ones
- 04Step 3: move the domain without breaking email
- 05Step 4: launch day and the weeks after
- 06Common mistakes when leaving Wix
- 07Do it yourself or get help?
- 08Frequently asked questions
Short answer
You cannot export a Wix site; Wix says it must run on Wix's servers. Rebuild the site elsewhere, export what Wix allows (products, contacts), list every old URL and 301-redirect each to its new page, then point or transfer the domain. Keep the redirects for at least a year.
Why a Wix site cannot simply be moved
Wix's help article on exporting your site says a Wix site is built with Wix's technology and must be hosted and operated on Wix's servers to work. Wix also says the content you create belongs to you. In practice: your text, images and data are yours, but the design and page structure cannot be downloaded as files for another host.
| What | Can you take it? | How |
|---|---|---|
| Page text and images | Yes, manually | Copy the text; keep or download your original image files |
| Design and layout | No | Rebuild on the new platform |
| Store products | Yes | Export to CSV (up to 5,000 rows per file; digital products not supported) |
| Contacts and subscribers | Yes | Export up to 50,000 contacts to CSV; site owner only |
| Domain name | Yes | Point it at the new host or transfer it away from Wix |
| Wix apps (bookings, forms, members) | No | Replace with tools on the new platform and export data where offered |
Our Wix vs Squarespace comparison is useful if you are deciding whether to stay on a builder at all.
Step 1: list every URL before you touch anything
The rankings you have built belong to specific URLs. If those addresses stop working, Google treats the new pages as new, and you lose ground. Your first job is a complete list of what exists today.
Before the rebuild
Builders like Wix often use their own URL patterns for blog posts, product pages and dynamic pages. Your new platform will almost certainly use different ones, so assume most URLs will change.
Step 2: rebuild and map old URLs to new ones
Rebuild the site on the new platform while the Wix site stays live. Then build a simple spreadsheet: old URL in one column, new URL in the next.
Match one to one where you can
Each old service, product and blog page should map to its closest new equivalent, not to the home page.
Merge thin pages deliberately
If three old pages become one new page, redirect all three to it.
Decide what to drop
Pages you genuinely remove can return a 404 or 410, but only if they had no traffic or links.
Carry over titles and descriptions
Keep the wording that ranks unless you have a reason to change it, and change one thing at a time.
Load the redirects on the new host
Set them as 301 (permanent) redirects in the new platform or server, ready for launch day.
Google's guide to site moves with URL changes says to keep redirects for as long as possible, generally at least 1 year. Our 301 redirects guide shows how to set them up on common platforms.
Step 3: move the domain without breaking email
You have two choices: keep the domain registered at Wix and point it at the new host, or transfer the registration away. Pointing is faster; transferring puts billing and DNS fully under your new provider.
Point the domain
Fastest- Edit A and CNAME records in your Wix account to the new host
- Wix says DNS changes can take up to 48 hours
- Domain renewal still billed by Wix
- Good for launch day; transfer later if you want
Best for: Going live quickly with the least risk.
Transfer away from Wix
Full control- Unlock the domain and request the EPP code from Wix
- Wix says transfers usually take up to 7 days
- Blocked within 60 days of registering, transferring or changing registrant details
- DNS, renewals and support move to the new registrar
Best for: Leaving Wix completely once the new site is stable.
Wix's guide to transferring a domain away recommends disabling private registration first so you do not miss transfer emails. Before any DNS change, copy every existing record, especially MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC for your email. If you bought business email through Wix, check who bills it and how it continues after the move.
Step 4: launch day and the weeks after
Plan launch for a quiet day and give yourself time to check everything.
- Switch the domain to the new host, keeping email records unchanged.
- Test redirects with a sample of 20 to 30 old URLs, including your most visited pages.
- Submit the new sitemap in Google Search Console and request indexing of key pages.
- Check forms, payment buttons and WhatsApp links on a phone.
- Watch the Page indexing report for a rise in 'Not found (404)' over the next weeks.
- Keep the Wix plan for a short overlap in case you need to copy anything you missed, then cancel.
Our general guide to website migration without losing SEO covers the same checks for any platform.
Common mistakes when leaving Wix
Do
- Map every URL before launch
- Copy all DNS records before changing anything
- Keep the old site live until the new one is tested
- Export products and contacts early
Avoid
- Redirecting every old page to the home page
- Cancelling Wix before the domain is pointed or transferred
- Changing registrant details right before a planned transfer (60-day lock)
- Launching a redesign, new URLs and new content all at once without tracking
Do it yourself or get help?
Exporting data and listing URLs is easy DIY work. The risky parts are the redirect map, the DNS switch with email intact, and checking nothing broke afterwards.
Our Website Migration (S$490) includes a full backup before anything changes, redirects kept so Google rankings are not lost, a DNS cut-over planned to avoid email downtime, SSL on the new host and a post-move check of every page and form. A Wix site needs a rebuild first; if you need a new site built, that is quoted separately. IT Sorted is a Singapore-based team of developers with over 10 years of experience; you pay upfront, send the brief in writing and follow progress on your order page.
Frequently asked questions
Not directly. Wix says its sites are built with Wix's technology and must run on Wix's servers, so there is no export file you can import into WordPress. You can export products and contacts to CSV and copy your text and images, but the design and pages have to be rebuilt on the new platform.
Not if you redirect properly. Map every old URL to the closest new page and set 301 redirects on the new host before switching the domain. Google recommends keeping redirects for as long as possible, generally at least a year. Expect some short-term movement while Google recrawls the site.
Wix says a domain transfer usually takes up to 7 days. You cannot transfer within 60 days of registering the domain, a previous transfer, or changing the registrant contact details. To go live faster, you can keep the domain at Wix and point its DNS records at the new host, then transfer later.
Email depends on your MX records, not on where the website is hosted. Copy all DNS records before making changes and recreate the MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC records exactly at any new DNS host. If you bought business email through Wix, check how it is billed and continues after you leave.
You can keep the content: copy the text and download the images, then recreate each post on the new platform. Give each old post URL a 301 redirect to its new address so links and rankings carry over. Store products and contacts can be exported from Wix as CSV files.