CSV export of lists

The Export CSV button on a posts list downloads the list, with your field columns, as a spreadsheet-friendly CSV file. It works on the posts, pages and custom post type lists. Users and terms lists have no export.

Export a list

1. Open the list, for example Pages › All Pages.
2. Optionally set the list up the way you want the file: choose a status link (Published, Draft…), search, pick a month or category, set the field filters, click a sortable column header and hide the columns you do not need under Screen Options.
3. Click Export CSV above the table. Your browser downloads {post-type}-{YYYY-MM-DD}.csv, for example post-2026-10-03.csv.

The button appears for people who can edit posts of that type and only while the license includes admin columns. The link carries a security token, so a copied link does not work for someone else or for another post type.

What the file contains

All matching posts, not just the current page of the list. The export follows the list's state:

Only posts the current user may read are exported.

Columns

The first four columns are always there: ID, Title, Status (the status label, such as "Published" or "Draft") and Date (the post date, 2026-05-01 10:00:00, in the site's time zone). After them come every field column of the list, in list order, except the columns you hid in Screen Options. The header of each is the field's label. Hiding is per user, so two people may export different columns from the same list.

Cells

Each cell holds the value as a plain text version of what the list shows, not the raw stored value:

Markup is removed from every cell. If you need raw stored values, IDs or image URLs, read them with wpmcf_get_field() or query the field group table yourself.

File format

• Comma separated, UTF-8, with a byte order mark so Excel and Numbers open accents and non-Latin text correctly. Text is quoted when it contains commas, quotes or line breaks.
• Spreadsheet formulas are neutralized. A cell that starts with =, +, - or @, a tab, or a carriage return (or that would start one after spaces) gets a leading apostrophe, so =SUM(A1) is exported as '=SUM(A1) and opens as text. Plain numbers such as -5 or 19.9 are left alone so they stay numbers.
• Posts are read in batches of 200 and written straight to the download, so very long lists work without running out of memory.

Example:

ID,Title,Status,Date,Subtitle,Price,Color,Featured
1226,"A08 Four",Draft,"2026-05-04 10:00:00","Sub, ""4""",100,Blue,No
1223,"A08 One",Published,"2026-05-01 10:00:00",Bulk!,10,Blue,Yes

Without a license

The button is hidden, and a saved link answers "You are not allowed to export this list." (HTTP 403). See License expiry.

Troubleshooting

• I do not see Export CSV. The list has no field columns, you cannot edit posts of this type, or the license does not include admin columns.
• A column is missing from the file. It is hidden in your Screen Options. Show it, reload the list and export again.
• Image columns are empty. CSV cells are text; image and gallery fields are exported as empty.
• A cell starts with an apostrophe in my spreadsheet. That is the formula protection and it is part of the file. Remove the leading apostrophe if you reuse the text elsewhere.
• The file has fewer rows than the list shows. The list may include statuses the export leaves out (trash), or you may lack permission to read some posts.