How to Rebuild a WordPress Website Without Losing Content

Redesigning a WordPress site doesn’t have to mean starting from scratch.
The safest and most professional approach is to build the new version in a subfolder, keeping the old site online until launch — and importing only the useful data (pages, posts, products, users, orders) without carrying over the old theme’s options.

Step 1: Install WordPress in a Subfolder

Install WordPress in  /public_html/new  using a clean database.
You can freely design your new theme and settings here.

Step 2: Export Content and Products

From the old site → Tools → Export → XML, select:

• Pages
• Posts
• Products
• Categories and tags

Then import them on the new site with Tools → Import → WordPress.

Step 3: Migrate WooCommerce Users and Orders

Use plugins like WP All Export / WP All Import to selectively move:

• Products ( product )
• Orders ( shop_order )
• Users ( user )

These tools handle WooCommerce data properly.

Step 4: Export Products via WooCommerce

Use the built-in WooCommerce Export/Import feature for catalog transfer.

Step 5: Transfer Users

Install Import and Export Users and Customers to migrate all registered users with passwords and roles intact.

Step 6: Skip wp_options

Never import  wp_options  — it includes theme and plugin settings from the old site.
Reconfigure WooCommerce and theme options manually.

Step 7: Move to Root

Once the new site is approved:

• Move files from /new to root
• Update URLs with Better Search Replace

Summary

Dopstart Tip

Always back up before starting.
Rebuilding your WordPress site this way keeps your content, SEO, and structure, while shedding outdated settings.

Start clean — grow faster.