{"id":715,"date":"2022-06-07T15:57:04","date_gmt":"2022-06-07T15:57:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/?p=715"},"modified":"2023-06-21T20:39:07","modified_gmt":"2023-06-21T20:39:07","slug":"export-wordpress-posts-to-csv","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/export-wordpress-posts-to-csv\/","title":{"rendered":"Export Lists Of WordPress Posts To CSV Without A Plugin"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>As a website owner, I often want a spreadsheet of all published WordPress posts with their title, URL, and publish date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is difficult to achieve with the WordPress dashboard, and I prefer not to use a plugin for the task. This article takes a quick look at the dashboard and plugin options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Then I\u2019ll go step-by-step through how to export a list of WordPress Posts to a CSV file using the Control Panel provided by your hosting provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_63 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-660195e9478af\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-660195e9478af\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/export-wordpress-posts-to-csv\/#Can_You_Export_WordPress_Posts_Within_The_Dashboard\" title=\"Can You Export WordPress Posts Within The Dashboard?\">Can You Export WordPress Posts Within The Dashboard?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/export-wordpress-posts-to-csv\/#Can_You_Use_A_Plugin_To_Export_Posts_To_CSV\" title=\"Can You Use A Plugin To Export Posts To CSV?\">Can You Use A Plugin To Export Posts To CSV?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/export-wordpress-posts-to-csv\/#How_To_Export_Posts_To_CSV_Without_A_Plugin\" title=\"How To Export Posts To CSV Without A Plugin\">How To Export Posts To CSV Without A Plugin<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/export-wordpress-posts-to-csv\/#Using_The_CSV_Export_File\" title=\"Using The CSV Export File\">Using The CSV Export File<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_You_Export_WordPress_Posts_Within_The_Dashboard\"><\/span>Can You Export WordPress Posts Within The Dashboard?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a tool within the WordPress dashboard that lets you export posts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The problem is that it only exports in the XML format. I want to be able to export in a format that can be pulled easily into a spreadsheet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But if you want to check out what the dashboard provides, follow these steps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol type=\"1\">\n<li>Run your eye down the left pane of features in the dashboard to find the Tools section.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Expand the Tools section and click on the Export link<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Choose \u201cPosts\u201d from the list of options<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click the \u201cDownload Export File\u201d button<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>This picture shows you where the export feature is on the Dashboard page:<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"569\" height=\"347\" src=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/dashboard_export_posts.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-716\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/dashboard_export_posts.jpg 569w, https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/dashboard_export_posts-300x183.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 569px) 100vw, 569px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>If you follow the steps above, you will get an export of posts data. However, the file is in XML format and is difficult to use in a spreadsheet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019d like to see WordPress add a CSV option to the export features in future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_You_Use_A_Plugin_To_Export_Posts_To_CSV\"><\/span>Can You Use A Plugin To Export Posts To CSV?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>There are several free plugins that export posts that you can download and install on your WordPress site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Most are made to provide the additional CSV option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There\u2019s nothing wrong with using a plugin, as long as you choose one that is up to date and doesn\u2019t provide a security risk on your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Personally, I tend to avoid plugins. So, I decided to export the list of posts without one. Read on for this method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_To_Export_Posts_To_CSV_Without_A_Plugin\"><\/span>How To Export Posts To CSV Without A Plugin<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This method involves working within the WordPress database. You can\u2019t do that from within the dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, you need to access the Control Panel via your hosting provider. Don\u2019t worry if you haven\u2019t done this before. I\u2019ll take you step-by-step through the simple process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 1: find the control panel for your website<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>How you access the Control Panel will depend on your hosting provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I log into my provider, Host Armada, I look for the Control Panel logo. This logo is the same across all providers.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"406\" height=\"304\" src=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/host_armada_control_panel.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-717\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/host_armada_control_panel.jpg 406w, https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/host_armada_control_panel-300x225.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 406px) 100vw, 406px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Clicking this icon or logo takes me to the Control Panel dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 2: find the phpMyAdmin icon<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t be overwhelmed by the many different features available in the CP dashboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Scroll down to the \u201cDatabases\u201d section and click the icon labeled phpMyAdmin.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"501\" height=\"197\" src=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/databases_phpadmin_icon.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-718\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/databases_phpadmin_icon.jpg 501w, https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/databases_phpadmin_icon-300x118.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 501px) 100vw, 501px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Ignore the other options which actually sound like they might be more relevant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remote databases? A database wizard? They may seem more useful than something named \u201cphpMyAdmin\u201d, but the latter is what you want!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 3: find the correct database for your website<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You are now looking at an interface that lets you search and retrieve data in your WordPress database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sure, it looks very outdated. But it does the job.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The left pane of the interface has a list of two or more databases. The first database is always named \u201cinformation_schema\u201d. You can ignore that one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you only have one WordPress installation on your hosting provider, then you will just see one more database under \u201cinformation_schema\u201d. That is the database belonging to your single website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re like me and have multiple websites on this hosting play, you\u2019ll see as many databases as you have websites.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"428\" height=\"233\" src=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/list-of-database-names.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-626\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/list-of-database-names.jpg 428w, https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/05\/list-of-database-names-300x163.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 428px) 100vw, 428px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>The challenge here is to identify the database you want to work with. I\u2019ve written a separate tutorial that shows you how to figure out <a href=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/which-database-is-wordpress-using\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"625\">which database belongs to which WordPress website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 4: Expand the database to find the name of your \u201cwp_posts\u201d table<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;When you click on a database in the left pane, the interface expands to show a list of tables within the database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of these tables holds all the data on the posts and pages on your website. This table will be named something like \u201cwp_posts\u201d i.e. with a prefix of \u201cwp_\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, it may not be named exactly that. The prefix is often \u201cwp_\u201d but it may be slightly longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In my case, the table is named \u201cwpon_posts\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"253\" height=\"407\" src=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/wp_posts-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-720\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/wp_posts-1.jpg 253w, https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/wp_posts-1-186x300.jpg 186w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 253px) 100vw, 253px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 5: Open the SQL tab<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, we move to a different part of the interface on this page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Click the \u201cSQL\u201d tab in the top menu of the main window.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"652\" height=\"302\" src=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/SQL-tab.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-721\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/SQL-tab.jpg 652w, https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/SQL-tab-300x139.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 652px) 100vw, 652px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>This opens a new box for entering database queries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 6: Copy or type this query into the SQL box<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The query I provide below retrieves the post date, URL, and title for all posts on your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You may need to change one word in the middle of this statement: the name of the posts table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p><em>SELECT post_date, post_name, post_title FROM <strong>wp_posts<\/strong> WHERE post_type = &#8216;post&#8217; and post_status = &#8216;publish&#8217;<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>In my case, I have to change it from \u201cwp_posts\u201d to \u201cwpon_posts\u201d. So,my database query is this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote\">\n<p><em>SELECT post_date, post_name, post_title FROM <strong>wpon_posts<\/strong> WHERE post_type = &#8216;post&#8217; and post_status = \u2018publish\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 6: Press \u201cGo\u201d!<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve copied or typed in your query, it may not be obvious how to kick it off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Look for the GO or RUN button which sometimes changes place in this interface. For me, it\u2019s at the bottom right of the box.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 7: Change the number of rows<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You should now see a lot of rows of data displayed in the main window. Ignore this for the moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is a menu above the data that includes a filter for the \u201cNumber of rows\u201d. This is set by default to 25. Unless you change this, you\u2019ll only end up exporting the data for 25 posts.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"658\" height=\"197\" src=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/SQL_number_of_rows.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-722\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/SQL_number_of_rows.jpg 658w, https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/SQL_number_of_rows-300x90.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 658px) 100vw, 658px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>You should toggle it higher to reflect the number of posts on your website. 250 may fit the bill, but set it to 500 if you\u2019ve got a bigger site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And if you have more than 500 posts, then check the box that says \u201cShow all\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 8: Select all rows and click the correct Export button<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>There are several export buttons in the interface that do different things. That is a ridiculous choice by the interface designers, but I\u2019ll point you to the one to use for our purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is an Export button at the top and the bottom of the interface. Don\u2019t use either of these!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, scroll down to the last row of data in the main window and look for the Export button immediately beneath it. But don\u2019t click it yet! Take these steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol type=\"1\">\n<li>Tick the box underneath the last row labeled \u201cCheck all\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click the export button underneath the last row<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>I\u2019ve marked up where to click in the image below.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"735\" height=\"251\" src=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/data_rows_export_button.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-723\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/data_rows_export_button.jpg 735w, https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/data_rows_export_button-300x102.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 735px) 100vw, 735px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Step 9: Set the export format to CSV and press GO<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The export button opens a settings page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most important setting is the format. Expand the format drop-down list and choose \u201cCSV\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"334\" height=\"351\" src=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/export_format_as_csv.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-724\" srcset=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/export_format_as_csv.jpg 334w, https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/export_format_as_csv-285x300.jpg 285w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 334px) 100vw, 334px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>You will also see \u201cCSV for Excel\u201d. Even if you\u2019re using Excel, I advise that you go with the plain old CSV format.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you have the right format, press the Go button.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Using_The_CSV_Export_File\"><\/span>Using The CSV Export File<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Your browser exports the CSV file to the downloads file. It will have the same name as the posts table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Use any spreadsheet application to open the CSV file. They should all format it correctly into columns and rows.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>As a website owner, I often want a spreadsheet of all published WordPress posts with their title, URL, and publish date. This is difficult to achieve with the WordPress dashboard, and I prefer not to use a plugin for the task. This article takes a quick look at the dashboard and plugin options. Then I\u2019ll &#8230; <a title=\"Export Lists Of WordPress Posts To CSV Without A Plugin\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/export-wordpress-posts-to-csv\/\" aria-label=\"More on Export Lists Of WordPress Posts To CSV Without A Plugin\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/715"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=715"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/715\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":977,"href":"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/715\/revisions\/977"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=715"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=715"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bandittracker.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=715"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}