sandywp / plugins / advanced-import
Advanced Import
Easily import demo data including posts, pages, media, widgets, customizer settings, and Gutenberg Blocks.
Ready in seconds.
v2.0.0 80,000+ installs WP 6.2+ PHP 7.4+

What you get inside
6 screens-
Import Main Screen
-
Import Start Popup Message
-
Import Complete Popup Message
-
Import Via File
-
The frontend of CosmosWP after Import
-
The frontend of Opus Blog after Import
About this plugin
Import Data or Demo Content which is exported by Advanced Export
Advanced Import is the ultimate solution for WordPress theme and plugin developers who want to provide a seamless demo import experience for their users. With a simple one-click interface, it allows users to import demo content, widgets, customizer settings, and even Gutenberg block data effortlessly.
Key Features
- One-Click Demo Import: Easily import all demo content with a single click.
- Customizer Settings Import: Retain your theme’s look and feel by importing customizer settings.
- Widget Data Import: Quickly set up widgets to match your demo layout.
- Gutenberg Blocks Import: Import block-based content for modern themes.
- Media Files Import: Seamlessly upload and integrate demo media.
- Developer-Friendly Hooks: Extend or customize the import process with available actions and filters.
Why Use Advanced Import?
Whether you’re a theme developer offering demo content or a user setting up a site, Advanced Import makes the process hassle-free. It saves time, reduces manual setup effort, and ensures consistency between demo and live sites.
Features for Theme Author
- Code/Plugin example available
- Support for the premium version or premium plugin of the free theme
- Install separate dependent plugin/s for each demo starter package of the theme
- Categorized available demo import starter package to type and categories
- Search filter keywords for demo starter packages
- Sufficient hooks to customize the plugin design and functionality
- Add demo URL
- Add pro URL
- Better experience for the user
Dashboard Location
Theme Demo Import Screen
Dashboard -> Appearance -> Demo Import
Zip File Import Screen
Dashboard -> Tool -> Advanced Import
Questions
- Is Advanced Import a free plugin?
Yes, it is a free plugin.
- Why my demo zip file is not importing?
Please make sure it is exported using the Advanced Export plugin
- I have activated the plugin. Where is the “Demo Import”?
Login to your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance -> Demo Import.
You can also find Import zip options on the WordPress dashboard -> Tools -> Advanced Import.- Do I need to check to include media while Export?
If you are providing starter content- NO, but if you are migrating site – Yes. As long as the exported site is live on the internet it is not necessary but if you are migrating the site from local to live you should check it.
Technically, if you check to include media, the zip files content media files. Huge media files may cause other issues. Generally not recommended to check but you can check media as your requirements.- I am a theme author, how can I use this plugin for my theme?
First of all, you need to Export your theme demo data from your live demo site using Advanced Export plugin.
Export the zip file, it should contain 3 files content.json, options.json and widgets.json.
If you are submitting a theme on WordPress dot org, you are not allowed to include Demo files ( XML, JSON, ZIP), You have to create a separate plugin for your theme/company. We would like to highly recommend creating a single plugin for your all themes. For other platforms, you may add code to your theme.
Code Example :function prefix_demo_import_lists(){ $demo_lists = array( 'demo1' =>array( 'title' => __( 'Title 1', 'text-domain' ),/*Title*/ 'is_pro' => false,/*Is Premium*/ 'type' => 'gutentor',/*Optional eg gutentor, elementor or other page builders or type*/ 'author' => __( 'Gutentor', 'text-domain' ),/*Author Name*/ 'keywords' => array( 'medical', 'multipurpose' ),/*Search keyword*/ 'categories' => array( 'medical','multipurpose' ),/*Categories*/ 'template_url' => array( 'content' => 'full-url-path/content.json',/*Full URL Path to content.json*/ 'options' => 'full-url-path/master/options.json',/*Full URL Path to options.json*/ 'widgets' => 'full-url-path/widgets.json'/*Full URL Path to widgets.json*/ ), 'screenshot_url' => 'full-url-path/screenshot.png?ver=1.6',/*Full URL Path to demo screenshot image*/ 'demo_url' => 'https://www.demo.cosmoswp.com/',/*Full URL Path to Live Demo*/ /* Recommended plugin for this demo */ 'plugins' => array( array( 'name' => __( 'Gutentor', 'text-domain' ), 'slug' => 'gutentor', ), array( 'name' => __( 'your plugin name', 'text-domain' ), 'slug' => 'plugin-slug', 'source' => 'https://downloads.wordpress.org/plugin/advanced-import.1.4.1.zip', //full url with zip, your theme url, or any site link with zip will work ), ) ), 'demo2' =>array( 'title' => __( 'Title 2', 'text-domain' ),/*Title*/ 'is_pro' => false,/*Is Premium*/ 'type' => 'gutentor',/*Optional eg gutentor, elementor or other page builders or type*/ 'author' => __( 'Gutentor', 'text-domain' ),/*Author Name*/ 'keywords' => array( 'about-block', 'about 3' ),/*Search keyword*/ 'categories' => array( 'contact','multipurpose','woocommerce' ),/*Categories*/ 'template_url' => array( 'content' => 'full-url-path/content.json',/*Full URL Path to content.json*/ 'options' => 'full-url-path/master/options.json',/*Full URL Path to options.json*/ 'widgets' => 'full-url-path/widgets.json'/*Full URL Path to widgets.json*/ ), 'screenshot_url' => 'full-url-path/screenshot.png?ver=1.6',/*Full URL Path to demo screenshot image*/ 'demo_url' => 'https://www.demo.cosmoswp.com/',/*Full URL Path to Live Demo*/ /* Recommended plugin for this demo */ 'plugins' => array( array( 'name' => __( 'Gutentor', 'text-domain' ), 'slug' => 'gutentor', ), array( 'name' => __( 'Contact Form 7', 'text-domain' ), 'slug' => 'contact-form-7', 'main_file' => 'wp-contact-form-7.php',/*the main plugin file of contact form 7 is different from plugin slug */ ), ) ), 'demo3' =>array( 'title' => __( 'Title 1', 'text-domain' ),/*Title*/ 'is_pro' => true,/*Is Premium : Support Premium Version*/ 'pro_url' => 'https://www.cosmoswp.com/pricing/',/*Premium version/Pricing Url*/ 'type' => 'gutentor',/*Optional eg gutentor, elementor or other page builders or type*/ 'author' => __( 'Gutentor', 'text-domain' ),/*Author Name*/ 'keywords' => array( 'woocommerce', 'shop' ),/*Search keyword*/ 'categories' => array( 'woocommerce','multipurpose' ),/*Categories*/ 'template_url' => array(/* Optional for premium theme, you can add your own logic by hook*/ 'content' => 'full-url-path/content.json',/*Full URL Path to content.json*/ 'options' => 'full-url-path/master/options.json',/*Full URL Path to options.json*/ 'widgets' => 'full-url-path/widgets.json'/*Full URL Path to widgets.json*/ ), 'screenshot_url' => 'full-url-path/screenshot.png?ver=1.6',/*Full URL Path to demo screenshot image*/ 'demo_url' => 'https://www.demo.cosmoswp.com/',/*Full URL Path to Live Demo*/ /* Recommended plugin for this demo */ 'plugins' => array( array( 'name' => __( 'Gutentor', 'text-domain' ), 'slug' => 'gutentor', ), ) ), /*and so on ............................*/ ); return $demo_lists; } add_filter('advanced_import_demo_lists','prefix_demo_import_lists');- Do I need to assign “Front page”, “Posts page” and “Menu Locations” after the importer is done or do they automatically assign?
You don’t need to assign them manually, they will be automatically assigned. The theme author also doesn’t have to write additional code for it.
- I am a theme author and I would like to customize it for my theme, Can you list hooks available on theme Advanced Import plugin?
Here is an important list of filter hooks:
- advanced_import_is_template_available
- advanced_import_template_import_button
- advanced_import_welcome_message
- advanced_import_demo_lists
- advanced_import_is_pro_active
- advanced_import_post_data
- advanced_import_replace_post_ids
- advanced_import_replace_term_ids
- advanced_import_new_options
- advanced_import_sidebars_widgets
- advanced_import_complete_message
- advanced_import_update_option_[‘option-name’]
- advanced_import_update_value_[‘option-name’]
- advanced_import_menu_hook_suffix
- advanced_import_replace_content_string
Here is an important list of action hooks:
- advanced_import_before_demo_import_screen
- advanced_import_after_demo_import_screen
- advanced_import_before_plugin_screen
- advanced_import_after_plugin_screen
- advanced_import_before_content_screen
- advanced_import_after_content_screen
- advanced_import_before_complete_screen
- advanced_import_after_complete_screen
- I would like to develop a companion/starter sites/toolset plugin for my theme/company, Do you have any starter plugins?
We don’t have any starter plugin but we have developed a plugins for Acme Themes. The plugin name is Acme Demo Setup, you can download and view the code of the plugin and develop one for yourself.
sandywp / also on the shelf
Try another plugin
4.8 · 100K+ installs
Easily export or import your WordPress customizer settings!
Customizer Reset – Export & Import
5.0 · 900+ installs
Reset, export, and import your WordPress Customizer settings with just one click of a button.
700+ installs
UnfoldWP Import Companion eases the process of one click importing starter templates for UnfoldWP themes. Needs One Click Demo…
Spin up a real WordPress site in seconds.
Test plugins, build a demo, hand a client a link — then squash it and start again. No local setup, no Docker.