Short answer: To migrate Joomla to WordPress, set up WordPress on a staging site, import your Joomla content with a migration plugin such as FG Joomla to WordPress or a migration service such as CMS2CMS, rebuild the design and features with a theme and plugins, then 301-redirect every old URL to its new address before you switch the domain. This guide covers Joomla 4, 5 and 6 to WordPress 6.x, and ends with a short case study.
Should you migrate at all?
Migrating is a rebuild, not a button. It makes sense when your team prefers the WordPress editor, you need plugins only WordPress has, or your Joomla site is too outdated to upgrade cheaply. If your site depends on Joomla’s built-in multilingual features or access levels, compare first: Joomla vs WordPress (2026). Upgrading can be the cheaper option, see our Joomla upgrade service.
What migrates, and what doesn’t
| Joomla content | Migrates with a plugin/service? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Articles and categories | Yes | Become posts (or pages) and categories |
| Tags, images, media | Yes | Image paths are rewritten; check inline images |
| Menus | Partly | Usually rebuilt by hand in WordPress menus |
| Users | Yes (tool-dependent) | Check whether password hashes are kept |
| Custom fields | Tool-dependent | Map to WordPress custom fields (e.g. ACF) |
| K2, VirtueMart, forms, custom components | Add-ons or custom work | Plan these first |
| Template/design | No | Rebuild with a theme or block theme |
| Modules | No | Recreate as widgets, blocks or plugins |
Step-by-step: Joomla to WordPress
Step 1: Audit and back up the Joomla site
List every content type, extension, form and URL pattern. Export a full crawl (Screaming Frog or Search Console) so you have the list of URLs to redirect. Take a full backup, see how to back up Joomla.
Step 2: Set up WordPress on staging
Install WordPress on a staging subdomain or local server with the same PHP version you will use in production. Choose your permalink structure now, ideally matching your Joomla SEF URLs.
Step 3: Import the content
- Plugin method (FG Joomla to WordPress): in WordPress go to Plugins → Add New, install and activate the plugin, then open Tools → Import → Joomla (FG) → Run Importer. Enter the live Joomla URL and the database host, name, user, password and table prefix (found in Joomla’s Global Configuration → Server, or in configuration.php). The “Empty WordPress content” button deletes everything in the WordPress install, so only use it on a fresh staging site.
- Plugin method, other tools: install a migration plugin such as FG Joomla to WordPress in WordPress, enter the Joomla database details (or URL), and run the import. Premium add-ons of such tools handle K2, users and more. Check the current feature list.
- Service method: automated services such as CMS2CMS connect both sites and transfer content for a fee. Useful for large sites.
- Custom method: for unusual components, export to CSV/XML and import with WP All Import, or write a script.
Step 4: Rebuild design and functionality
Pick a theme, recreate menus, widgets and forms, and replace each Joomla extension with a WordPress plugin (SEO, forms, caching, security).
Step 5: Redirects and SEO
- Map every old URL to its new URL and add 301 redirects (the Redirection plugin, your SEO plugin, or server rules).
- Carry over titles and meta descriptions.
- Keep image alt text, and update internal links that pointed at Joomla URLs.
- After launch, submit the new sitemap in Search Console and monitor 404s.
Step 6: Test and launch
Test forms, search, logins, mobile layout and speed on staging, then point the domain at WordPress, clear caches and re-check the redirects.
Case study: what we did on a past migration
The original version of this article described one of our Joomla to WordPress projects. The essentials still apply:
Nick had run his business website on Joomla for 14 years. The admin had become cumbersome for him, he wanted a wider choice of plugins, and he found content easier to optimise in WordPress. His goal was a migration with minimal downtime and no data loss.
- Preparation: a complete backup of the Joomla site and a check that the hosting suited WordPress.
- Parallel install: WordPress was installed in a /wordpress folder on the same domain, so the Joomla site stayed live during the work.
- Import: FG Joomla to WordPress pulled articles, categories and media using the Joomla database details from Global Configuration.
- Rebuild and launch: design, menus and plugins were set up, tested, and WordPress was moved to the root with redirects in place.
Need help? Our WordPress developers handle complete Joomla to WordPress migrations, including redirects and SEO checks.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a Joomla to WordPress migration take?
It depends on content volume, custom extensions and the design. A small blog can take a day with a migration plugin. A large site with K2, custom fields, members or a shop needs planning, a staging site and testing.
Will I lose my Google rankings if I move from Joomla to WordPress?
You can keep them if the URLs stay the same where possible and every changed URL gets a 301 redirect to its new equivalent, with titles, meta descriptions and content preserved.
Can users and passwords be migrated?
User accounts can be migrated. Some migration tools also keep Joomla password hashes so users can log in without resetting, but check the specific tool’s documentation before relying on it.
What about K2, VirtueMart or custom extensions?
Core articles, categories, tags, menus and media migrate well. K2, shops and custom components need tool add-ons or custom work, so plan these first.
Should I migrate to WordPress or upgrade to Joomla 6?
If your team is happy with Joomla and the site depends on multilingual or ACL features, upgrading may cost less. See our Joomla vs WordPress comparison before deciding.