The most useful website export questions ask what you receive, what is missing and what another provider can actually use. A download button is a start. It is not proof that your whole website will run somewhere else.
Ask these questions before you depend on a platform, then check them again before leaving. This guide covers export readiness. It does not replace the full plan for moving a live site, changing page addresses or handling search traffic.
The short answer
- Ask for an exact list of exported items and exclusions.
- Separate page files, content data, media and working services.
- Have the receiving provider test a sample before you cancel.
- Keep domain, email and website changes as separate tasks.
How this guide was made
We checked official Webflow, WordPress and ICANN guidance for the specific export and domain facts used here. The checklist and sample acceptance test are original planning aids. We did not export a customer website or verify any product plan through a live account. Confirm the terms for your own service.
Sources checked .
Ask what the provider means by export
An export may be a copy of page code, a list of content records, a set of images or a backup intended for the same platform. These files serve different jobs. Ask the provider to name the format and explain what it is meant to restore.
A useful question is: can another provider use this package to rebuild our listed pages and functions? Ask the receiving provider too. A file that downloads correctly may still require a large amount of work to use elsewhere.
Separate the four parts of the site
List page layout, content records, media files and working services. Working services include things such as form delivery, search and customer accounts. Put each part on its own row so a complete answer about one does not hide a missing answer about another.
Learn from two official export examples
Webflow says its code export does not include CMS content and certain working features, including form processing. WordPress says its WXR content export omits site settings and the actual attached media files. These are different exports with different limits.
The lesson is to ask about your exact setup. Do not assume all builders export the same things, or that a platform name tells you which plan and tools are in use. Save the provider's written answer with the date you checked it.
When a feature is missing, ask whether it can be copied separately, replaced or rebuilt. Record who will do that work and what the receiving site needs. An exclusion can be manageable if it is known early.
Sources for this section: [1] Webflow, exporting site code and its limits; [2] WordPress developer documentation, content export
Make an inventory before downloading
List the items you expect to receive. Start with the public pages and add the less visible parts, such as draft posts and form settings. Keep private customer records in a separate controlled process.
This table is a sample request sheet, not a claim about any provider's export feature. Add a result column when you use it.
| Item | Question for the current provider | Question for the receiving provider |
|---|---|---|
| Public pages | Are all pages included? | Can you match each page to its address? |
| Blog records | Are titles, dates and categories present? | Can the new system import these fields? |
| Images and files | Are these actual files or links? | Will they work without the old host? |
| Page settings | Which titles and descriptions are exported? | Which need to be added again? |
| Forms | Are saved requests and form setup separate? | What will process new requests? |
| Account features | What data may be moved? | Which functions must be rebuilt? |
| Site styling | Which layout files are included? | Can they be used in the chosen system? |
Request a small sample package
Before a full move, choose one ordinary page and one harder example. The harder one might contain a gallery, a blog entry or a form. Include a page with an image and a downloadable file if your site uses them.
Ask the receiving provider to open or import the sample. Have them explain what arrived, what needs repair and what cannot be reused. A sample helps reveal the type of work involved. It does not prove every page in the full export is correct.
Use sample records when personal data are not needed for the check. Agree where any real data will be stored, who can access it and when test copies will be removed.
Write down what counts as a pass
For the sample page, require the correct text, working image, usable menu and expected address. For the form, require a separate working delivery setup. A picture of the old form inside the new page is not a completed form test.
List services that need a new connection
Ask which tools depend on the old platform. A booking link may still point to an outside account. A form may need a new receiving service. A search box may have nothing to search until the new site's content is loaded.
For each connection, name the account owner and the person who will reconnect it. Keep private keys out of the shared checklist. Use the receiving provider's secure process when access is needed.
Check whether images or scripts still load from the old site after the sample move. If they do, cancelling the old service could break the new one. Ask for a clear list of any ongoing dependencies before you approve the handover.
Treat the domain and email separately
Moving website files does not by itself transfer a domain registration or move business email. Ask which of those changes is actually required. Keep a record of who controls the domain and where email is hosted.
ICANN explains that some registrar transfers can be blocked by transfer locks, including certain 60 day periods. This guidance relates to domain transfers under the relevant ICANN rules. Check your domain type and registrar before planning a transfer date.
A website move may not require changing registrars at all. Ask the person managing the move to explain the plan for the site address and email in plain words. Do not cancel email because the website is ready.
Source for this section: [3] ICANN, questions about transferring a domain name
Agree how the full delivery will be checked
Give the receiving provider the inventory and request a delivery note. It should list what arrived, the checks performed and any unresolved gaps. Compare page and file counts with the inventory, then inspect important samples.
Counts alone are not enough. Ten files can still contain the wrong ten pages. Review the pages that receive inquiries, key service details and any material with special layouts. Ask for a separate list of functions that still need connection or testing.
Keep the original export unchanged while work happens on a copy. This gives you a clear starting package if there is a question about what was delivered.
Confirm the exit terms before cancelling
Ask how long you can access the old account, whether exports need a paid plan and whether help has a separate cost. Get any data removal deadlines in writing. Do not assume you can return later to collect a forgotten item.
Your cancellation decision should follow the full migration checks. The export can be accepted while the live move still needs work. Keep a named owner for that final decision so a billing change does not happen before the website and email are ready.
Common questions
Is an export the same as a backup?
No. An export often contains selected content or files. A backup has its own recovery scope and may only work with the original system. Ask what each can restore.
Can I keep the same domain when I leave a builder?
Often the domain can stay while the website hosting changes, but check account control and the setup. A registrar transfer is a separate task and may have timing limits.
Should I cancel as soon as the download finishes?
Wait until the receiving provider has checked the package and the live move is ready. Files alone do not prove forms, email or other services will keep working.
Sources and further reading
Numbered links beside each section point to the source used there. Our examples and checklists are guidance from SnapRebuild. They are not claims of test results. Product details can change.
SnapRebuild sells a website building service. These guides are published under our editorial team name and use AI for research and writing. This is not a claim of independent expert review. Read how we make and update our content. Found an error? Tell us.
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