Description
At a glance
Looking for Widget Importer & Exporter v1.6.1? It is available here as a free GPL download for WordPress — 200K+ active installs · 4.7/5 rating from 117 reviews · updated May 23, 2026 · requires WordPress 3.5+ & PHP 5.2.4+.
Widget Importer & Exporter is useful for moving widgets from one WordPress site to another, backing up widgets and for theme developers to give users sample widgets. See the details on ChurchThemes.com.
Importing
Importing is done by uploading an export file created by the plugin. The results of an import are shown in a nicely formatted table with an explanation of what happened with each widget area and widget.
Importation takes into consideration widget areas not existing in the current theme (widgets imported as Inactive), widgets that already exist in the same widget area (widgets not duplicated) and widgets that are not supported by the site (widgets not imported).
Exporting
Widget Importer & Exporter can create an export file (in JSON format with .wie extension) out of currently active widgets. This file can be imported into other sites using this plugin or used to restore widgets to the same site later.
Developers
The wie_before_import action fires after a file is uploaded but before the data is imported. wie_after_import fires after the data is imported. The wie_import_data filter can be used to filter data before it is imported. Other filters are used throughout. Make a pull request on GitHub if you need another hook.
Please jump on GitHub to report issues and follow development.
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I download Widget Importer & Exporter?
Widget Importer & Exporter 1.6.1 is the latest version. It is a WordPress plugin you can download here free of charge under the GPL license, with the complete feature set included and no trial limitations. It holds a 4.7/5 rating from 117 user reviews.
Does Widget Importer & Exporter cost anything?
No. Widget Importer & Exporter 1.6.1 is 100% free — the full GPL version, not a trial or demo. There are no download limits, no accounts to create, and no upsells during the download.
How do I install Widget Importer & Exporter 1.6.1?
Download the ZIP file from this page, then in your WordPress dashboard go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin, choose the file, click Install Now, then Activate. The plugin works immediately after activation — no license key or extra setup is required for the core features.
What are the requirements for Widget Importer & Exporter?
Widget Importer & Exporter 1.6.1 requires WordPress 3.5 or higher and PHP 5.2.4 or higher. Most modern WordPress hosts already meet these versions. Running older versions may cause features to break, so update WordPress and PHP first if your site is behind.
When was Widget Importer & Exporter last updated?
Version 1.6.1 was last updated on May 23, 2026. This page is refreshed automatically, so the download here always matches the newest version we have verified.
Is the Widget Importer & Exporter download safe?
The file is sourced directly from the official WordPress.org repository — the same file the developer published. It is served unmodified, so what you install here is byte-identical to the official release.
Version: 1.6.1
Updated: October 1, 2026
Technical details
| Version | 1.6.1 |
|---|---|
| Last updated | May 23, 2026 |
| Active installs | 200,000+ |
| Rating | ★★★★★ 4.7/5 (117 reviews) |
| Requires WordPress | 3.5 or higher |
| Requires PHP | 5.2.4 or higher |
| Author | Steven Gliebe |
| Tags | exporter, import, importer, widget, widgets |
Demo Widget Importer & Exporter
Download Widget Importer & Exporter
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