Import & Export

Updated Jul 26, 2026

Import & Export

Import & Export lets you create a portable copy of your Admin UX Cleaner (AUC) configuration and reuse it where supported.

This is particularly useful for agencies, freelancers, and developers who manage multiple WordPress websites with similar admin requirements.

Instead of rebuilding the same configuration manually, you can export an existing setup and import it into another compatible AUC installation.

Caption: Import & Export provides tools for creating and loading portable AUC configuration files.

Export a Configuration

Use Export when you want to create a portable copy of your current AUC configuration.

Open the Import & Export section and choose the export option.

AUC will generate an export file containing supported configuration data.

Caption: Export the current AUC configuration to create a portable configuration file.

Store the exported file somewhere safe if you intend to reuse it later.

What an Export Contains

An export contains supported Admin UX Cleaner configuration.

Depending on your setup and AUC version, this may include settings related to:

  • Audience.
  • Menu Cleaner.
  • Page Locks.
  • Notice Cleaner.
  • Dashboard Cleaner.
  • Admin Bar Cleaner.
  • Other supported AUC configuration.

Export files contain AUC configuration data only.

They are not complete WordPress backups and do not contain your website content, media library, themes, or other plugin data.

Import a Configuration

To reuse an exported configuration, open Import & Export on the destination website and choose the import option.

Select a valid AUC export file and review the import information before continuing.

Caption: Select a valid AUC export file to import configuration into the current website.

After importing, review the resulting configuration before applying it to production users.

Do not assume that a configuration created for one website will be correct for another website without review.

Review Before Applying an Imported Configuration

Two WordPress websites can have different admin environments even when they use the same AUC version.

Differences may include:

  • Installed plugins.
  • Active themes.
  • WordPress roles.
  • User accounts.
  • Custom post types.
  • Plugin admin pages.
  • Dashboard widgets.
  • Admin Bar items.
  • WordPress configuration.

Because of these differences, some imported settings may not correspond exactly to elements available on the destination website.

Always review imported configuration before handing the website over to users.

User-Specific Configuration

Be especially careful when transferring configurations that contain rules related to individual WordPress users.

User accounts on one website may not correspond to users on another website.

For example, a configuration created on one site might contain an exception for:

Senior Editor

The destination website may not have the same user, or that user may have a different responsibility.

After importing, review Audience, Owner, Manager, and any other user-specific configuration before relying on the imported setup.

Role-Based Configuration

Role-based configuration is generally more reusable than user-specific configuration, but roles should still be reviewed after import.

A destination website may contain:

  • Custom WordPress roles.
  • Roles created by plugins.
  • Different capability assignments.
  • Different responsibilities for users with the same role name.

For example, an Editor on one website may have a different practical workflow from an Editor on another website.

Importing a role-based configuration saves setup time, but it should not replace reviewing the destination website.

Plugin-Specific Admin Elements

Menu Cleaner, Dashboard Cleaner, Admin Bar Cleaner, and Page Locks may refer to admin elements created by plugins.

Suppose the source website contains:

WooCommerce
SEO Plugin
Forms Plugin
Cache Plugin

while the destination website contains:

SEO Plugin
Forms Plugin
Different Cache Plugin

Some imported configuration may refer to admin elements that do not exist on the destination website.

Likewise, the destination website may contain new admin elements that were not present when the export was created.

After importing, review the detected admin environment and adjust the configuration where necessary.

Page Locks Require Extra Review

Imported Page Locks should always be reviewed carefully.

A Page Lock that is appropriate on one website may be unnecessary or incorrect on another.

After importing Page Locks:

  1. Review the affected Audience.
  2. Confirm that each locked page exists and is still appropriate.
  3. Verify the redirect behavior.
  4. Make sure trusted administrative access remains available.
  5. Test normal navigation.
  6. Test direct URL access where relevant.

Keep your Recovery URL available before testing imported access restrictions.

Import Does Not Install Plugins

An AUC export describes supported AUC configuration.

It does not install the plugins, themes, or other components that existed on the source website.

For example, if an exported configuration contains cleanup rules for a plugin that is not installed on the destination website, importing the AUC configuration will not install that plugin.

The destination WordPress environment must be prepared separately.

Import Is Not Website Migration

Import & Export is not a WordPress migration system.

It does not transfer:

  • Posts or pages.
  • Media files.
  • WordPress users.
  • Themes.
  • Plugins.
  • Plugin data.
  • General WordPress settings.
  • The complete WordPress database.

Use an appropriate WordPress migration or backup solution when moving an entire website.

AUC Import & Export is specifically intended for portable AUC configuration.

Import vs. Restore

Import and Restore may appear similar because both can load previously saved AUC configuration, but they serve different workflows.

Restore is primarily used to return to a previous backup of a configuration.

Import is primarily used to load a portable configuration file.

A simple way to think about them is:

Restore
└── Go back to a previous AUC configuration.

Import
└── Load an AUC configuration from an export file.

See Backup & Restore for configuration recovery and rollback workflows.

Before Importing

Before importing configuration into an existing AUC setup, we recommend:

  1. Create a backup of the current configuration.
  2. Make sure you have trusted administrative access.
  3. Keep your Recovery URL available.
  4. Confirm that the import file comes from a source you trust.
  5. Review significant differences between the source and destination websites.

Creating a backup first gives you a known state to restore if the imported configuration is not suitable.

After Importing

After the import is complete:

  1. Review Owner and Manager access.
  2. Review Audience rules.
  3. Check Menu Cleaner.
  4. Review Page Locks carefully.
  5. Check Notice Cleaner.
  6. Review Dashboard Cleaner.
  7. Check Admin Bar Cleaner.
  8. Preview the affected roles and users.
  9. Test important workflows using an appropriate WordPress account.
  10. Create a new backup once the imported configuration has been verified.

Do not hand the website over to a client immediately after importing configuration without reviewing the result.

Example: Reusing an Agency Setup

Suppose your agency regularly builds content-focused WordPress websites.

You have an AUC configuration that provides clients with:

Audience
└── Client content role

Menu Cleaner
├── Keep Pages
├── Keep Posts
├── Keep Media
└── Hide maintenance menus

Dashboard Cleaner
└── Keep only useful client widgets

Admin Bar Cleaner
└── Hide maintenance shortcuts

Instead of recreating this structure manually for every project, you can:

Existing website
      ↓
Export AUC configuration
      ↓
New website
      ↓
Import configuration
      ↓
Review environment-specific settings
      ↓
Preview and test
      ↓
Adjust for the new client

The exported configuration becomes a starting point rather than a configuration that should be applied blindly.

Configuration Templates for Agencies

Import & Export can also be used to maintain your own reusable starting configurations.

For example, an agency might keep exports for:

Content Website
WooCommerce Website
Marketing Website
Simple Client Handoff

When starting a new project, import the closest configuration and customize it for that website.

This can reduce repetitive setup while still allowing each client website to receive an appropriate configuration.

Export files should be treated as starting points, not universal presets.

Export File Safety

Only import AUC configuration files from sources you trust.

Do not manually modify an export file unless you understand its structure and the consequences of changing configuration values.

If an import file is invalid, incompatible, or has been modified incorrectly, AUC may reject it.

Keep an original copy of important exports before experimenting with manual changes.

Version Compatibility

AUC may evolve over time as features and configuration structures change.

When importing an older configuration into a newer AUC version, use the latest compatible version of Admin UX Cleaner and review the imported settings afterward.

If an export cannot be safely imported, AUC may reject the file rather than applying an unsupported configuration.

For long-term storage, keep information about the AUC version that was used to create important export files when practical.

Recommended Agency Workflow

For agencies managing multiple websites:

  1. Build and test a clean base configuration.
  2. Export the configuration.
  3. Keep the export as an internal starting template.
  4. Install AUC on the new website.
  5. Create a backup of any existing configuration.
  6. Import the appropriate base configuration.
  7. Review website-specific plugins, roles, and users.
  8. Review Page Locks carefully.
  9. Preview and test the client experience.
  10. Customize the configuration for the individual website.
  11. Create a new backup after the setup is complete.

This approach can save time without treating different WordPress websites as if they were identical.

Next Step

Continue with Audit Log to learn how AUC records important configuration activity and helps administrators review changes made over time.