Wix Stores: Exporting and Importing Your Categories
- Step 1 | Export your categories to a CSV file
- Step 2 | Edit the CSV file
- Step 3 | Import your updated file
- Step 4 | Handling errors
This article is about the new version of product categories. If your category creation page doesn't have the Export / Import option, you have the previous version. If so, learn how to add, display, and manage categories.
Need to set up or reorganize a large number of categories? You can create new categories and subcategories or update existing ones in bulk using a CSV file. Export your current category structure, make changes in a spreadsheet, then import the file back to apply them all at once.
You can also create and manage categories one by one directly in your dashboard.
Step 1 | Export your categories to a CSV file
Exporting gives you a file with your existing category structure already filled in, so you have a ready-made template to work from.
To export your categories:
Go to Categories in your site's dashboard.
Click More Actions.
Click Export.
Click Export again to download the CSV file to your device.
Step 2 | Edit the CSV file
Add new rows to create categories or subcategories, or edit existing rows to update categories already in your store.
To edit your CSV file:
Open the CSV file you exported.
Add or update category data following the column instructions in the table below.
Save the file in CSV format when you're done.
To successfully upload categories, make sure to follow these instructions:
Do not add or delete columns.
Do not edit column names.
Add data to all mandatory fields (marked in the table below).
When adding new categories, if you're unsure how to fill out non-mandatory fields, leave them blank and make any necessary changes later.
| Column | What is it? | Instructions |
|---|---|---|
handle
| A unique identifier for each category. | This field is auto-generated on export. When updating an existing category, keep the same handle. When creating a new category, leave blank. A handle is assigned automatically on import. |
name | The category name displayed on your site. | This field is mandatory. Max 80 characters. |
parentPath | The parent category for a subcategory. | Leave this field blank for top-level categories. For subcategories, enter the exact name of the parent (e.g., Women). |
slug | The URL path for the category page. | This field is auto-generated from the category name if you leave it blank (e.g., /category/women). You can customize it, but it must be unique. |
description |
| This field is optional. It appears on the category page and in search engine and social media previews. |
visible | Whether the category is active and displayed on your site. | Must be TRUE or FALSE (case sensitive). If left blank, this field defaults to TRUE. |
image | The category's header image. | Must be the file name of the image, and a supported file type. |
Step 3 | Import your updated file
Once your file is ready, return to Categories and import it to apply all your changes at once.
To import your categories file:
Go to Categories in your site's dashboard.
Click More Actions.
Click Import.
Click Continue.
Upload the CSV file.
Click Import.
Step 4 | Handling errors
If any rows in your file contain errors, a summary will appear once the import is complete.
To fix errors and re-import:
Click Download imported file with errors.
Review the errors listed by row.
Note: Learn more about what the import errors mean and how to fix them.Go back to your CSV file and correct the errors.
Return to Categories in your site's dashboard and import the corrected file.
FAQs
Click a question below to learn more about updating categories by exporting and importing them.