Migrate Joomla articles, categories, users, images and menus to a clean Joomla 5 or Joomla 6 installation in minutes.
Moving from Joomla 3 to Joomla 5 can mean two different projects: upgrading the existing Joomla installation, or building a new website and transferring its content. Decide which result you need before choosing a migration tool. The right route depends on your extensions, template and plans for the new site.
An in-place upgrade takes the existing installation through the supported version sequence. Start from Joomla 3.10, migrate to Joomla 4, reach Joomla 4.4, and then upgrade to Joomla 5. There is no direct Joomla core upgrade from Joomla 3 to Joomla 5. Follow the official instructions for each stage on a tested copy of your site.
Check every component, module, plugin and template with its developer before each version change. Some need an update, replacement or removal; custom template overrides may need reworking. Your hosting must also meet the PHP and database requirements for each stage. Joomla’s pre-update checks help identify issues, but you still need to test the actual site.
A clean migration starts with a fresh Joomla 5 or Joomla 6 installation. You choose a compatible template and install the extensions needed for the rebuilt site, then bring across the content you want to retain. Because the destination already runs the target version, your old Joomla 3 installation does not need to pass through Joomla 4 first.
Content Uploader Pro fits this workflow. Install it on the source and destination sites, export a migration package, and import that package into the new installation. It transfers articles, categories and article metadata, with options to include users, menus and image files. It does not perform the Joomla core upgrade or convert an old template or incompatible extension into a modern one.
An in-place upgrade keeps the existing installation, but every extension and template you retain needs a compatible path through the intermediate versions. A clean migration starts with a new Joomla 5 or 6 site and transfers your content into it. Content Uploader is designed for the second workflow.
Choose the upgrade route when keeping the existing setup matters and its dependencies have a tested upgrade path. Choose a clean rebuild when you are redesigning, replacing abandoned extensions or simplifying the site. Content transfer can take minutes; preparing the design, checking integrations and testing the finished website are separate parts of the project.
Clean Joomla rebuilds can involve manual content transfers, database exports and time-consuming cleanup. Content Uploader Pro simplifies content transfer with a guided export and import workflow.
Export all articles, categories, metadata, users and images directly from your Joomla backend - no FTP, no phpMyAdmin required.
Import the exported package into Joomla 5 or 6. Articles, images and users are recreated exactly as they were.
Decide during export whether to include or exclude user accounts, menu structure and media images - full flexibility for your migration scenario.
What would take days of manual copy-pasting or database work is done in minutes. Tested on real-world Joomla sites.
Your original Joomla site is untouched. The export is non-destructive - test as many times as you need before going live.
Support offered in both English and German, with fast response times during normal office hours.
Preserve categories, metadata and optional menu structure so your imported content stays organised on the new site.
Run trial migrations on a staging site, review the result, and repeat the import workflow before switching your live site.
Two simple steps - export from your Joomla 3, 4, 5 or 6 site, import into your new Joomla 5 or 6 site.
Install Content Uploader Pro on your source Joomla site. Open the migration export screen and choose your options - include or exclude user accounts, menu structure and image files as needed. Click Export to generate your migration package.
Install Content Uploader Pro on your new Joomla site. Open the migration import screen, upload your migration package, and press Import. Articles, categories and any selected users, menus and images are recreated automatically.
Follow our Joomla Migration Checklist to prepare your backup, staging site, extensions, template, content and SEO checks before moving to Joomla 5 or Joomla 6.
Take a full backup of your Joomla 3 files and database, and check that you can restore it. Build the destination on a staging site where you can test without changing the public website. Confirm that its hosting, template and required extensions support your chosen Joomla version. Back up the destination before importing as well, so you have a known starting point for another trial.
Review your articles and category hierarchy before exporting. Decide whether the new site needs the existing users, menu structure and images, then select those options in Content Uploader Pro. List any content stored in third-party components separately: moving Joomla articles does not automatically migrate a shop, booking system or every extension’s data. Check the migration route for each of those systems.
Prepare the new template and any content plugins your articles depend on. An imported article can still contain an old shortcode, embedded form or link to an extension that is missing on the destination. Review representative pages with these features during your trial import, alongside ordinary text articles and image galleries.
After importing, compare article and category counts with the source and inspect sample pages from each major section. Check images, authors, publication states and dates. If you included users, test sign-in and access permissions. If you included menus, check their destinations and how they appear in the new template.
Review article aliases, page titles, meta descriptions and internal links. Keeping metadata and menu structure is useful, but a rebuild can still change URLs. Map changed addresses to their replacements and set up permanent redirects before launch. Test important old URLs, including pages that receive search traffic, and check that your new sitemap points to the intended public addresses.
Agree when content editing will pause on the old site so changes are not missed between the trial and final exports. Keep a clean destination backup for rehearsals instead of assuming repeated imports will safely merge every change. After the final import, test navigation, forms and logins again, switch the public site over, and check for broken links or missing images.
A clean, straightforward UI inside your Joomla backend - no external tools, no command line needed.
Content Uploader is available as a free Joomla extension for basic article uploads, and as a Pro version for migrations and advanced features.
| Feature | Free Version | Pro Version |
|---|---|---|
| Export from Joomla 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 and import into Joomla 5 / 6 | - | + |
| Upload Joomla articles | + | + |
| Create multi-level categories on upload | + | + |
| Set publishing state per article | - | + |
| Set front page state per article | - | + |
| Set custom field values | - | + |
| Manage multiple upload configurations | - | + |
| Assign multiple categories (CW Multicategories) | - | + |
| Include users in migration package | - | + |
| Include menu structure in migration package | - | + |
| Include images in migration package | - | + |
| Upload J2Store / Phoca Cart products | - | + |
| Upload Contacts & Web Links | - | + |
| Set article associations | - | + |
Start with the free version and upgrade to Pro when you need migration features.
Functionality excellent and migration from Joomla 3 to 5 is amazing! Saved lots of time with J2Store imports.
Easy and intuitive. Made Joomla migration done in seconds - great tool!
Started with the free version and switched to Pro - no regrets. Great for bulk imports and updates.
The support team was helpful and fast. The import features saved hours of manual editing. Highly recommended!
Worked perfectly for my Joomla 4 content upload project. Very flexible field mappings and reliable imports.
Migrate your content to Joomla 5 or 6 today - in minutes, not days.
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