ACF custom fields don't survive WordPress's native XML export — image IDs + serialized arrays break

reference·Scope: business·Status: current

wordpress platform-lock-in data-portability

Created 2026-05-22

Claim: Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) data does not migrate cleanly via WordPress's native XML export/import. Image IDs break (referring to post IDs that don't exist on the destination), and serialized array structures don't survive the round-trip. Practitioners commonly resort to: database dumps + search-replace tools on serialized data, or commercial tools like WP All Import Pro / WP Migrate Pro.

Sources: Advanced Custom Fields support forum (2024-2025); WP All Import Pro documentation.

Confidence: Industry-consensus.

Implication for portability: A typical SMB WordPress site with ACF custom fields is not portable via standard WP tools. "WordPress is open source" is true; "your WordPress site is exportable" is conditional on the specific plugin and field dependencies. See WP Engine vs Automattic timeline (Sept 2024 → ongoing) — open-source has centralized choke points for the political layer of ACF specifically.

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