Moving from Squarespace to Wix: Full DIY Migration Guide

If you have been researching how to switch from Squarespace to Wix yourself, you have already cleared the first hurdle: understanding that this is not a one-click transfer but a structured, manual rebuilding process. Getting that expectation right from the start makes everything that follows more manageable.

Squarespace is a polished platform, well suited for creatives, portfolios, blogs and small businesses that want a refined aesthetic without much tinkering. Wix covers much of the same ground but gives you more visual freedom in the editor, a broader app ecosystem, a larger template library and tools that many users find more intuitive for ongoing self-editing. If you have reached the point where Squarespace’s structure feels limiting, switching to Wix is a reasonable move, and doing it yourself is entirely possible with the right plan.

This is a DIY migration guide. It covers how to prepare your site for the move, how to export available content from Squarespace, what can and cannot be imported into Wix, how to manually rebuild pages and navigation, how to migrate your blog, how to transfer or connect your domain, how to set up 301 redirects and how to verify everything before launch.

Why Switch from Squarespace to Wix?

The two platforms are closer than many people expect: both are all-in-one hosted website builders aimed at users who want to build and manage their own sites without coding. But they differ in meaningful ways, and our full Squarespace vs Wix comparison covers those differences in detail.

The most common reasons site owners decide to make the move:

• Visual editing freedom. Wix uses a freeform drag-and-drop editor: you can place elements anywhere on the canvas. Squarespace uses a section-based grid system that is cleaner but less flexible.
• Template variety. Wix offers over 900 templates across a wide range of categories. Squarespace has a smaller, curated collection that leans toward creative and editorial layouts.
• Self-editing ease. Many users find Wix easier to update on their own regularly, without having to work around Squarespace’s layout constraints.
• App Market breadth. Wix’s App Market has a wider range of third-party integrations: booking tools, chat widgets, marketing automations, membership tools and more.
• Wix AI tools. Wix has been developing AI-powered site creation and editing tools that make building and iterating faster.
• Pricing flexibility. Wix offers a free plan for testing, which Squarespace does not.
• Site type range. Wix comfortably handles business websites, portfolios, blogs, booking sites, small online stores and landing pages within the same editor.

If any of these align with why you are considering the switch, you are in the right place. Many site owners who want to move a Squarespace website to Wix do so precisely because they want more day-to-day editing control without the constraints of Squarespace’s section-based layout. If you are not yet certain Wix is the right destination, it is worth reviewing Squarespace alternatives before committing to the migration.

Can You Transfer a Squarespace Site to Wix Directly?

There is no one-click transfer that fully moves a Squarespace site into Wix. The two platforms have different template systems, different block architectures and different CMS structures: a Squarespace site cannot be automatically converted into a ready-to-publish Wix site.

What is possible: exporting some content from Squarespace (primarily blog posts, in XML format) and importing it into Wix using the Wix Blog Importer. But design, page layouts, navigation, forms, integrations and most settings need to be rebuilt manually.

Here is an honest breakdown:

The practical reality: moving from Squarespace is a rebuilding process. You are recreating your website on a new platform, not transplanting it. The content and brand assets carry over, the structure and design do not.

What to Prepare Before Moving

Good preparation before you open Wix prevents the most common migration mistakes. Work through this checklist first:

• Export Squarespace content: go to Settings › Advanced › Export to download available site content
• Create a complete list of all important pages on your current site
• Export blog content as XML (available in Squarespace export settings)
• Download or save all images, videos and downloadable files locally
• Create a full URL inventory: list every page URL on your current Squarespace site
• Identify your top SEO pages: highest traffic, most backlinks, most leads
• Save all existing page titles and meta descriptions
• Save image alt text where possible
• Document your current navigation structure (main menu, footer, dropdowns)
• List all forms, CTAs, buttons and embedded tools
• List all third-party integrations: analytics, pixels, booking tools, email marketing, chat, CRM, ecommerce tools
• Choose a Wix plan that fits your site type and needs
• Choose a Wix template before you start rebuilding: browse by category
• Prepare access to your domain registrar and DNS settings
• Note all email DNS records (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC) before making any domain changes
• Decide your migration approach: manual page-by-page rebuild, blog XML import, or content copy from document

Step-by-Step DIY Squarespace to Wix Migration

Step 1. Audit Your Existing Squarespace Website

Before moving a single piece of content, spend time mapping what you have. This audit saves time later and prevents important pages from being overlooked.

Create a spreadsheet with these columns for every page:

• Page title
• Old Squarespace URL
• Page type (homepage, blog post, product page, landing page, etc.)
• SEO value (traffic, backlinks, lead generation)
• New Wix URL (planned)
• Redirect status (needed or not)
• Notes (content needs update, images to download, forms to rebuild, etc.)

Go through every section of your Squarespace site:

• Homepage
• About page
• Services pages
• Product or shop pages
• Blog posts
• Portfolio or gallery pages
• Contact page
• Booking pages
• Policy pages (privacy, terms, shipping, returns)
• Landing pages
• Image galleries
• Forms and embedded tools

This audit becomes your migration map. Pages with organic traffic or backlinks need 301 redirects. Pages with custom forms need to be recreated with the correct integrations. Pages that are outdated may not need migrating at all.

Step 2. Create Your New Wix Website

Go to Wix.com and create your account. Then:

• Choose the right Wix plan for your site type: business, ecommerce or standard
• Browse the template library by category and select a template whose layout is closest to your existing site structure; you cannot import your Squarespace template but you can choose something with a similar page structure
• Decide whether to use Wix Editor (manual drag-and-drop control), Wix AI (AI-generated starting point based on your answers) or Wix Studio (for more advanced multi-site or agency use)
• Configure basic site settings: site name, favicon, language and timezone
• Keep the site unpublished and not connected to your live domain until the full rebuild, redirects and SEO settings are ready
• Do not rush to publish: a partially built site that Google crawls early can create indexation problems that take time to recover from

Step 3. Export Available Content from Squarespace

In your Squarespace account, go to Settings › Advanced › Import / Export and use the Export option to download available site content.

What Squarespace typically exports:

• Blog posts (in XML format, importable to Wix Blog Importer)
• Some gallery and page content

What does not export cleanly:

• Page layouts, blocks and section designs
• Product details, pricing and variants (for store content)
• Form configurations and integrations
• Custom code blocks
• Navigation structure
• Style settings

Save the exported files. Then separately go through your site and manually copy important page text into a document or your migration spreadsheet. Download images from the Squarespace media library: do not assume hosted images will remain accessible after your subscription lapses.

The export is a starting point, not a complete transfer. Most of the rebuilding comes next.

Step 4. Rebuild Your Pages in Wix

With your audit complete and content saved, you can begin rebuilding pages inside the Wix editor. Work through pages in priority order:

1. Homepage
2. About page
3. Services or offerings pages
4. Contact page
5. FAQ page
6. Portfolio or gallery pages
7. Booking pages (if applicable)
8. Landing pages
9. Policy pages (privacy, terms, shipping, returns)
10. Other important SEO pages

For each page:

• Paste in the content from your migration document
• Format headings correctly (H1 for the page title, H2/H3 for subsections)
• Recreate CTA buttons with correct links
• Rebuild internal links pointing to other pages in your new Wix site
• Check the desktop layout and the mobile layout separately: Wix’s editor lets you switch between views
• Do not just copy outdated content: use the rebuild as an opportunity to improve copy, update information and simplify structure

Step 5. Move Images, Videos and Media Files

Squarespace-hosted images will not automatically appear in Wix. You need to download them and re-upload them to Wix Media Manager.

• Download all important images from Squarespace before starting
• Upload images to Wix Media Manager (accessible from the Wix dashboard or editor)
• Compress large images before uploading if file sizes are over 500KB: this helps with page loading speed
• Recreate photo galleries using Wix’s gallery tools
• Reconnect embedded videos or re-upload video files as needed
• Restore image alt text: this is important for SEO and accessibility, and does not transfer automatically
• Check image placement and sizing on mobile separately
• Verify that files used for downloads (PDFs, guides, forms) are uploaded and correctly linked

Step 6. Migrate Blog Content from Squarespace to Wix

Blog migration is one of the more structured parts of a transfer.

Using XML import:

• In your Wix dashboard, go to Blog › Import Posts
• Upload the XML file exported from Squarespace
• Review the imported posts: formatting, images, headings, links, categories and tags may need manual correction after import
• Some formatting elements and embedded content will not carry over and need to be rebuilt manually

What to check after blog import:

• Headings and paragraph formatting
• Images: check they have been correctly imported and linked; re-upload if needed
• Internal and external links
• Categories and tags
• Publish dates and author names
• SEO titles and meta descriptions for each post

Prioritise blog posts that currently bring organic traffic or have backlinks from other sites. These are the posts where SEO loss from a poorly handled migration is most costly. Preserve their URL slugs where possible or set up 301 redirects from old Squarespace blog URLs to new Wix blog URLs.

Step 7. Rebuild Navigation, Menus and Site Structure

Navigation does not transfer from Squarespace. You will need to recreate it from scratch in Wix.

In the Wix Editor:

• Build the main navigation menu: add links to all key pages in the correct order
• Build the footer navigation: links to policy pages, contact, social profiles
• Add any dropdown menus if your site uses them for service subcategories or sections
• Check that menu URLs match the actual Wix page URLs: a common mistake is setting up navigation before all pages are published, resulting in broken links
• Walk through the site as a visitor and check every navigation path
• Avoid burying important pages too deep in the menu structure: pages that matter for SEO and conversions should be reachable in one or two clicks
• Update all internal links within page content to use the new Wix URLs rather than old Squarespace paths

Step 8. Recreate Forms, Apps and Integrations

Squarespace forms, booking tools, newsletter blocks, embedded widgets and third-party integrations do not carry over to Wix. Every one needs to be rebuilt and reconnected.

In Wix, recreate and configure:

• Contact forms (Wix Forms or a third-party form tool)
• Newsletter sign-up forms
• Booking and appointment tools (Wix Bookings or a third-party integration)
• Popups and lead capture tools
• Live chat widgets
• Google Maps embeds
• Social media feeds
• Analytics (Google Analytics, GA4)
• Tracking pixels (Meta/Facebook, Google Ads, etc.)
• Email marketing integrations (Mailchimp, Klaviyo, ActiveCampaign, etc.)
• Payment tools if applicable
• Ecommerce apps if the site has a store

After setting up each integration, test it end-to-end: submit the form, complete a test booking, check that the data reaches the connected tool. Do not assume an integration is working because it appears in the editor.

Step 9. Move or Connect Your Domain

Understanding your options before touching DNS settings prevents unnecessary disruption. If you need a foundational explanation of how domains and DNS work before starting this step, our guide on what a domain name is and how domains work covers the basics clearly.

Option A: Connect your domain (keep it registered with Squarespace or another registrar)

Update the DNS records at your current registrar to point to Wix:

• Set the A record to Wix’s IP address (provided in Wix domain connection settings)
• Set the CNAME record for www to www.wixdns.net
• DNS changes typically propagate within a few hours but can take up to 48 hours

In Wix, go to Settings › Domains › Connect a Domain and follow the instructions.

Option B: Transfer domain management to Wix

If you want to manage the domain through Wix:

1. In Squarespace, go to Settings › Domains and select the domain
2. Scroll to Transfer Domain and uncheck the Lock Domain option
3. Click Get Transfer Key to retrieve your EPP (authorisation) code
4. In Wix, go to Settings › Domains › Transfer a Domain and enter the EPP code
5. Note: domains registered within the last 60 days cannot be transferred per ICANN rules; the transfer process typically takes up to 7 days

Wix offers free domain registration with some plans, but if you are connecting a domain you already own, be aware that domain registration on Wix may involve fees depending on your plan.

In both cases:

• Preserve all email DNS records: MX, SPF, DKIM and DMARC: these can be accidentally overwritten when DNS settings change, breaking email delivery
• Verify SSL is active after the domain connects (Wix provisions SSL automatically)
• Test both the www and non-www versions of the domain
• Do not cancel your Squarespace subscription until the domain, redirects and all site content are fully verified on Wix

Step 10. Create 301 Redirects from Squarespace URLs to Wix URLs

301 redirects are the most SEO-critical step in the entire migration. Every Squarespace URL that has organic traffic, backlinks or search rankings needs a 301 redirect pointing to the correct equivalent Wix URL. Without redirects, visitors following old links land on 404 error pages, and search engines interpret missing pages as lost content, which can cause ranking drops.

Set up redirects in Wix via Settings › SEO › SEO Tools › Redirect Manager (or through the Wix SEO dashboard).

Map old URLs to their most relevant new equivalents:

Work through your URL audit spreadsheet systematically:

1. Start with your highest-traffic and highest-ranking pages: these carry the most SEO risk
2. Map every important old URL to the most relevant new Wix URL
3. Do not redirect all URLs to the homepage: this tells search engines the content is gone, not moved
4. Update all internal links on the new site to use the correct Wix URLs directly, so the site does not depend on redirects for its own navigation
5. After launch, check Google Search Console for 404 errors and create additional redirects for any URLs you missed

Step 11. Transfer SEO Settings Manually

SEO settings do not transfer automatically between platforms. Work through these manually for every important page:

• Page titles: enter in Wix SEO settings for each page
• Meta descriptions: add for every page; keep under 160 characters
• H1 headings: verify every page has exactly one clear H1
• Image alt text: add descriptive alt text for every image
• URL slugs: match old Squarespace slugs where possible to reduce redirect work
• Open Graph / social sharing: set OG title, description and image for pages shared on social
• Canonical tags: use if you have any pages with duplicate or similar content
• Internal links: check that all in-page links point to the correct new Wix URLs

Use Wix’s built-in SEO tools (Wix SEO dashboard, individual page SEO panel) to manage these settings. A careful SEO migration can significantly reduce the risk of ranking drops, but no migration can guarantee zero impact on search positions during the transition period.

Step 12. Test Your Wix Website Before Launch

Run through this checklist methodically before connecting the live domain and publishing:

• Desktop layout on all key pages
• Mobile layout on all key pages
• Tablet view on key pages
• All navigation menus and dropdowns work
• All CTA buttons link to correct destinations
• Contact forms submit and notifications arrive
• Newsletter forms submit and connect to email tool
• Booking tools work end-to-end
• Blog posts are formatted correctly
• Image galleries display correctly
• Download links work
• Product pages display correctly (if ecommerce)
• Cart and checkout function (if ecommerce)
• Payment methods are active
• Analytics tracking is firing
• Tracking pixels are active
• 301 redirects work for key old URLs
• No 404 errors on important pages
• Page speed is acceptable on desktop and mobile
• SEO titles and meta descriptions are present on all pages
• All internal links are correct
• Domain connection is verified
• SSL is active (HTTPS in browser bar)
• Email DNS records are intact and email is working

Test across multiple browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox) and on a physical mobile device, not just a browser resize.

Step 13. Launch Your New Wix Website

Once testing is complete:

1. Connect your domain to Wix and confirm DNS has propagated
2. Publish the Wix site and remove any password protection
3. Submit your sitemap to Google Search Console (yoursite.com/sitemap.xml)
4. Monitor the Coverage report for crawl errors and 404 errors in the days after launch
5. Watch rankings and organic traffic week-on-week: some short-term fluctuation is normal after a platform migration
6. Test all forms and integrations again on the live published site
7. Keep your Squarespace account and site active for several weeks after launch: use it as a reference for content, redirects and URL verification
8. Do not cancel Squarespace immediately after going live: wait until you have confirmed the Wix site, domain, redirects and all content are fully functioning

SEO Migration Checklist

Run through this checklist in parallel with the technical migration to protect search rankings:

• Crawl or export all old Squarespace URLs before starting
• Identify high-value pages: traffic, backlinks, leads
• Map old Squarespace URLs to new Wix URLs
• Set up 301 redirects for all changed or removed URLs
• Transfer page titles and meta descriptions to all rebuilt Wix pages
• Preserve headings and key on-page content accurately
• Keep image alt text from Squarespace; add where missing
• Update all internal links to use correct Wix URLs
• Check canonical URLs on key pages to avoid duplicate content
• Recreate or carefully import blog content with correct metadata
• Check mobile layout: rankings factor in mobile experience
• Generate and submit XML sitemap in Google Search Console
• Monitor 404 errors in Search Console for at least 4–6 weeks post-launch
• Track rankings and organic traffic week-on-week after launch
• Avoid changing too many SEO elements at once: stage major changes where possible
• Keep Squarespace site temporarily accessible for reference and comparison

Common Mistakes When Switching from Squarespace to Wix

• Assuming there is a full one-click transfer. There is not. The migration is mostly a manual rebuilding process.
• Rebuilding only the homepage and forgetting inner pages. Every important page needs to be rebuilt and redirected.
• Ignoring blog posts. Blog content often carries significant organic traffic and backlinks: it needs careful migration and URL mapping.
• Forgetting 301 redirects. Every changed URL without a redirect becomes a dead end for visitors and search engines.
• Redirecting all old URLs to the homepage. Each old URL should redirect to its most relevant equivalent page, not the homepage.
• Not saving SEO titles and descriptions. These do not carry over: they need to be manually entered for every page in Wix.
• Forgetting image alt text. Alt text needs to be manually re-added for every image in Wix.
• Breaking email DNS records. Changing nameservers or DNS settings can accidentally overwrite MX records and break email delivery.
• Not testing forms. Forms are not migrated automatically and need to be rebuilt and tested end-to-end.
• Not checking mobile layout. Wix mobile layouts behave differently from the desktop view and must be checked separately.
• Not recreating apps and integrations. Every third-party tool needs to be added, configured and tested in Wix independently.
• Publishing before testing. A published site that Google crawls before redirects and SEO settings are ready can cause lasting indexation problems.
• Cancelling Squarespace too early. Keep the Squarespace account active for reference until the Wix site, domain and redirects are fully verified.
• Not monitoring Search Console after launch. Post-launch issues surface in Search Console first: check it regularly in the weeks after migration.

How Long Does Migration Take?

The main time factors are:

• Total number of pages to rebuild
• Volume of blog content to migrate and verify
• Number of images and galleries to re-upload
• Design complexity and how much customisation the Wix template needs
• Number of forms, integrations and apps to recreate
• Ecommerce complexity (products, variants, payment setup)
• SEO structure and volume of redirects needed
• Amount of manual cleanup and content updating during the rebuild

Plan conservatively. Blog import formatting issues, image re-uploading and redirect mapping almost always take longer than expected. If you are also weighing the cost of a professional migration against doing it yourself, our guide on how much a website migration costs covers what drives pricing in both approaches.

Should You Move to Wix Yourself or Hire an Expert?

DIY migration is a good fit if:

• Your site has fewer than 30–40 pages
• The site structure is relatively simple
• There are not many SEO-critical pages with significant organic traffic
• You are comfortable copying and rebuilding content in a visual editor
• The design is not highly custom or dependent on Squarespace-specific features
• You can work carefully through a redirect spreadsheet
• You can test everything thoroughly before connecting the live domain

Consider hiring an expert if:

• Your site drives meaningful revenue or leads from organic search
• There are many blog posts or landing pages that need SEO-careful migration
• The site has a complex or heavily custom design
• You rely on custom code blocks or third-party scripts
• There are many integrations that need precise reconnection
• The site has ecommerce with products, orders and payment flows
• You cannot risk email downtime or DNS configuration errors
• You are not confident changing nameservers or DNS records
• You need a detailed SEO migration plan with URL mapping and monitoring

For guidance on finding and evaluating migration professionals, our guide on how to hire someone to build or migrate a website is a useful reference.

Final DIY Squarespace to Wix Migration Checklist

Use this as your master reference throughout the process:

Audit and preparation

• Squarespace site fully audited
• All important URLs listed and documented
• SEO titles and meta descriptions saved
• Images and media files downloaded locally
• Navigation structure documented
• Forms and integrations listed

Wix setup

• Wix account created
• Wix plan selected
• Wix template selected and initial customisation done

Content migration

• Key pages rebuilt in Wix
• Blog posts imported or manually recreated
• Images uploaded to Wix Media Manager
• Image alt text added
• Navigation menus rebuilt
• Internal links updated

Functionality

• Forms rebuilt and tested
• Apps and integrations added from Wix App Market
• Analytics and tracking pixels installed

Domain and technical

• Domain connected or transfer initiated
• Email DNS records (MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC) preserved
• SSL confirmed active

SEO and redirects

• 301 redirects added for all changed Squarespace URLs
• SEO titles and meta descriptions added to all pages
• Sitemap submitted to Google Search Console

Testing and launch

• Desktop and mobile layouts checked
• Test forms submitted
• Test bookings completed (if applicable)
• 404 errors monitored after launch
• Squarespace site kept active for reference

FAQ

Conclusion

DIY Squarespace to Wix migration is entirely possible, but it is mostly a manual rebuilding process, not an automatic transfer. Understanding that from the start helps you plan the time and effort realistically.

The most important parts are: a thorough content and URL audit before you start, careful page rebuilding in Wix, blog migration with post-import cleanup, domain connection with email DNS preservation, 301 redirects for every changed URL, SEO settings configured before launch and methodical testing before going live.

A careful step-by-step approach reduces the risk of SEO disruption, broken forms and missed pages, and gives your new Wix site the cleanest possible foundation from day one.

If you are also considering other platform moves, our guides on switching from Squarespace to WordPress and moving from Squarespace to Shopify cover comparable processes with platform-specific SEO and redirect considerations.