Moving a website from Squarespace to WordPress.com can feel more complicated than it actually is.
The website content, design, domain registration, DNS records, nameservers, and SSL certificate are all related, but they do not necessarily move or update at the same time. That can lead to confusing situations where the domain transfer says it was successful while the old Squarespace website still appears or where WordPress.com shows an SSL certificate as pending even though everything else looks correct.
We encountered several of those situations while moving a real client portfolio website from Squarespace to WordPress.com.
This guide walks through the complete process we used, from preparing and rebuilding the website to transferring the domain, changing nameservers, troubleshooting DNS, and knowing when it was finally safe to leave Squarespace.
Rather than simply repeating platform documentation, I’ll also show what actually happened during the migration and the lessons we learned along the way.
Table of Contents:
Squarespace to WordPress.com Migration at a Glance
The safest way to approach this migration is to think of it as several separate steps:
- Back up your existing Squarespace website.
- Create your new WordPress.com site.
- Export eligible Squarespace content.
- Import that content into WordPress.com.
- Rebuild and test the new design.
- Preserve important URLs and SEO elements.
- Decide whether to connect or transfer your domain.
- Unlock the Squarespace domain and request its authorization code.
- Start the domain transfer in WordPress.com.
- Wait for the registrar transfer to complete.
- Confirm the correct nameservers and DNS settings.
- Allow DNS and SSL changes to propagate.
- Test the complete website.
- Cancel Squarespace only when you no longer need it.
One of the most important things to understand is that moving your website and transferring your domain are not the same thing.
You can and usually should build most of the WordPress.com website before moving the domain.
Why Move from Squarespace to WordPress.com?
Squarespace and WordPress.com can both work well for building a website, but they offer different approaches.
Website owners may decide to move to WordPress.com for reasons such as:
- Greater flexibility as the website grows
- Access to the broader WordPress ecosystem
- More options for plugins and integrations on supported plans
- More control over content management
- Better expansion opportunities for blogging
- WooCommerce ecommerce options
- A preference for the WordPress editing and publishing environment
For this particular client project, the goal was straightforward: rebuild an existing artist portfolio on WordPress.com while keeping the same domain visitors already knew.
For more on the benefits of WordPress.com over Squarespace, see this guide.
That meant we needed to migrate both the website itself and the domain registration.
Before You Start the Migration
Before making changes to either platform, create a basic migration backup.
At minimum, I recommend saving:
- Your Squarespace export file
- Original website images
- Important page copy
- Existing page URLs
- SEO titles and meta descriptions for important pages
- Screenshots of layouts you may want to recreate
- Contact information and form settings
- Any DNS records used for email or third-party services
Don’t rely exclusively on the Squarespace export.
Squarespace can export eligible content in an XML file that WordPress can import, but some Squarespace-specific functionality and design elements do not transfer. WordPress.com specifically notes that unsupported content may need to be recreated manually after import.
If the existing site already gets traffic from Google, recording your current URLs is especially important.
Changing platforms doesn’t inherently destroy your SEO. Changing or removing valuable URLs without accounting for them is a much greater risk.
Step 1: Create Your New WordPress.com Website
Create the WordPress.com site before doing anything with your existing domain.
Initially, WordPress.com will give the site a temporary address similar to:
yourwebsite.wordpress.com
That’s useful.
It lets you build and test the replacement site while your existing Squarespace website remains available to visitors.
At this point, I would not point the custom domain to WordPress.com yet.
Build first. Switch traffic later.
That creates a much safer migration environment because you’re not trying to redesign a live website while simultaneously changing its domain configuration.
If you need guidance in how to build your own website, check out this guide.
Step 2: Export Your Squarespace Content
Squarespace provides a WordPress-compatible XML export for supported website content.
Inside Squarespace, locate the Import & Export Content settings and choose the WordPress export option.
Once Squarespace prepares the export, download the .xml file to your computer.
WordPress.com’s current migration process supports importing this Squarespace XML file. Depending on the original site, the export can contain items such as pages, posts, comments, tags, images, audio, and embedded video, although not every Squarespace feature is supported.
Keep the original Squarespace website publicly accessible during this part of the migration.
That’s particularly important for images. The XML file doesn’t necessarily function like a complete ZIP archive containing every website asset. WordPress may need to retrieve media from the original website during the import process.
What Does Not Automatically Transfer?
Don’t expect the new WordPress.com website to look identical immediately after importing.
Content migration and design migration are different things.
Elements that may require manual rebuilding include:
- Theme or template styling
- Exact page layouts
- Spacing
- Navigation configuration
- Forms
- Custom CSS
- Squarespace-specific blocks or features
- Some externally hosted images
- Certain ecommerce functionality
For a relatively small portfolio or business website, I often prefer treating the migration as an opportunity to rebuild the design cleanly in WordPress.com rather than trying to reproduce every Squarespace setting exactly.
Step 3: Import the Squarespace Website Into WordPress.com
Once you have the XML file, open your WordPress.com dashboard.
Navigate to:
Tools → Import
Choose the Squarespace importer when available and upload the XML file you downloaded.
WordPress.com will process the import and may ask you to assign imported content to a WordPress.com user.
The import can continue in the background, so don’t assume something went wrong simply because it isn’t instantaneous. WordPress.com also recommends reviewing the imported content and media after completion because some images may require manual uploading.
After the import finishes, check:
- Pages
- Posts
- Images
- Links
- Categories and tags
- Formatting
- Headings
- Embedded media
Don’t assume that a successful import message means every individual element migrated perfectly.
Open the important pages one by one.
Step 4: Rebuild and Customize the WordPress.com Design
Now you can begin recreating or improving the appearance of the original website.
Choose an appropriate WordPress.com theme and rebuild the site’s major visual components.
For a portfolio website, that may include:
- Homepage
- Portfolio or gallery
- About page
- Contact page
- Header and navigation
- Footer
- Typography
- Image layouts
This is also a good time to ask whether every piece of the old website still deserves to exist.
A migration does not have to mean creating a pixel-perfect copy.
You may find outdated sections, unnecessarily complicated layouts, old copy, or navigation choices that can be simplified.
For more info on how to design your website, see this simple guide.
Step 5: Protect Your Existing SEO Before Changing the Domain
Before sending your domain to the new website, compare the important URLs on both sites.
For example, if the Squarespace site has:
example.com/about
try to keep:
example.com/about
on WordPress.com rather than unnecessarily changing it to something completely different.
Preserving important URLs helps search engines understand that the website content still exists at the same location.
Also review:
- Page titles
- Meta descriptions
- H1 headings
- Image alt text
- Internal links
- Navigation
- Important external links pointing into the site
If a URL must change, create an appropriate redirect when your setup allows it rather than simply letting the old URL disappear.
For websites that already receive meaningful organic traffic, this stage deserves considerably more attention than the domain transfer itself.
Step 6: Decide Whether to Connect or Transfer the Domain
You don’t technically have to move the domain registration to WordPress.com.
There are two options:
Connect the Domain
The domain remains registered with Squarespace or another registrar, but its DNS points visitors to WordPress.com.
Transfer the Domain
The registration itself moves to WordPress.com, so WordPress.com becomes the company managing the domain, its renewal, and its DNS settings.
The website can function either way.
For our client migration, we chose to transfer the domain registration to WordPress.com so the website and domain could ultimately be managed together.
If speed is more important than consolidating everything immediately, WordPress.com also recommends connecting an eligible domain first when you want the website working before a transfer finishes. Domain transfers commonly take several days.
Step 7: Check Whether the Domain Is Eligible for Transfer
Before troubleshooting a domain that refuses to transfer, check whether it is actually eligible.
WordPress.com currently requires an incoming domain to generally:
- Be more than 60 days old
- Not have been transferred during the previous 60 days
- Use a domain extension WordPress.com supports for incoming transfers
If a domain can’t yet be transferred, that doesn’t necessarily prevent you from launching the WordPress.com website.
You can often connect the domain first and transfer the registration later when it becomes eligible.
Step 8: Unlock the Domain in Squarespace
If the domain is eligible, open its settings in Squarespace.
Domains are normally protected by a registrar lock designed to prevent unauthorized transfers.
Turn the Domain Lock off.
Don’t confuse unlocking the domain with transferring it.
Unlocking simply makes the domain eligible to leave its existing registrar.
Step 9: Request the Squarespace Transfer Authorization Code
Once the domain is unlocked, request its transfer code.
You may see this referred to as:
- Authorization code
- Auth code
- EPP code
- Transfer code
In Squarespace, we used the Request Transfer Code option.
Squarespace then sent the authorization code to the email associated with the domain.
Treat this code carefully. It is part of the authorization process that allows the domain to move to another registrar.
Step 10: Start the Domain Transfer in WordPress.com
Now return to WordPress.com.
Open the site’s domain management area and choose the option to transfer an existing domain.
Enter the domain name.
WordPress.com should recognize the existing registrar and eventually ask for the authorization code obtained from Squarespace.
Paste the EPP or authorization code into the transfer form and continue.
A Problem We Encountered: Administrator vs. Site Owner Access
This was one of the most useful lessons from the entire migration.
I had already been invited to manage the client’s WordPress.com website as an administrator.
Naturally, I initially tried to handle the domain transfer from my own administrator access.
WordPress.com recognized the domain, but instead of taking us through the expected transfer process, we encountered confusing messages indicating that the domain couldn’t be transferred.
We checked the Squarespace side.
The domain was unlocked.
The authorization code had been requested.
Everything appeared correct.
The breakthrough came when we signed directly into the client’s WordPress.com account, the account that owned the website.
From there, the transfer process worked correctly and presented the proper screen for entering the authorization code.
If you’re a developer, consultant, or administrator moving a client’s website, keep this in mind.
If the domain-management workflow doesn’t behave as expected from delegated access, try having the actual site owner initiate the registrar-transfer portion from their account.
That simple change saved us from troubleshooting a problem that wasn’t actually related to the domain itself.
Step 11: Submit the Transfer and Wait for Authorization
After submitting the authorization code, WordPress.com started the transfer.
We saw the message:
“Your transfer has been started and is waiting for authorization from your current domain provider.”
At this stage, don’t repeatedly restart the transfer.
The registrar system needs time to process it.
Your current provider may send an email asking you to confirm or approve the transfer. If you receive one, follow its instructions.
WordPress.com currently says incoming transfers typically take around five to seven days, although individual transfers can finish sooner.
Step 12: Confirm That the Transfer Actually Completed
Eventually our WordPress.com dashboard changed.
The domain showed:
- Status: Active
- A WordPress.com renewal date
- The domain set as the site’s primary address
Those were strong signs that the registrar transfer itself had successfully completed.
However, this is where another important lesson appeared:
A successful domain transfer does not necessarily mean the website is already pointing to WordPress.com correctly.
The registration had transferred.
The DNS configuration still needed attention.
Step 13: Check the Nameservers After the Transfer
After the transfer completed, WordPress.com still displayed:
Point to WordPress.com
When we clicked that button, WordPress.com returned:
Error pointing domain to WordPress.com
At first, this looked like a transfer failure.
It wasn’t.
When we opened the domain’s nameserver settings, we discovered that it was still using external nameservers, including Squarespace-related DNS infrastructure.
That explained why:
- The registrar transfer was complete
- WordPress.com considered the domain active
- But the website was not yet reliably loading from WordPress.com
We enabled:
Use WordPress.com name servers
This is an important distinction:
Domain registrar: the company that manages ownership and renewal of the domain.
Nameservers: the system that determines which DNS provider controls where that domain points.
Moving one does not always instantly update the other.
Step 14: Be Careful With Email Before Changing Nameservers
Before switching nameservers, check whether the domain is used for email.
This matters if the business uses addresses such as:
hello@example.com
Email systems such as Google Workspace depend on DNS records, including MX and TXT records.
When you change authoritative nameservers, DNS records stored with the previous provider may stop controlling the domain.
If the domain has custom email, subdomains, verification records, or other third-party services, document those DNS records before switching nameservers and make sure the required records exist with the new DNS provider afterward.
For our migration, this wasn’t a complicated email setup, but it’s a step I would never skip on a larger business migration.
Step 15: Wait for DNS Propagation
After switching nameservers, don’t expect every computer on the internet to see the change at the same moment.
DNS information is cached across:
- Internet service providers
- Routers
- Devices
- Browsers
- DNS resolvers
During our migration, we temporarily saw:
Server Not Found
Later, the old Squarespace website appeared again.
Eventually, the domain began resolving correctly as the DNS changes propagated.
This can be strange if you’ve never watched a DNS migration happen in real time.
One device may show the old website while another already sees the new website.
That doesn’t necessarily mean your settings are changing back and forth.
It may simply mean different DNS caches are updating at different times.
WordPress.com advises allowing up to 72 hours for nameserver changes to become fully active globally, although they often take effect much sooner.
Avoid making repeated DNS changes just because the result isn’t immediate.
Every unnecessary change makes troubleshooting harder.
Step 16: Allow the SSL Certificate to Activate
Our WordPress.com dashboard continued to show:
SSL Certificate: Pending
even after other parts of the transfer were complete.
An SSL certificate is what allows your website to load securely over HTTPS.
WordPress.com generally handles SSL automatically, but the domain needs to be correctly resolving before that process can finish.
This means an SSL Pending message shortly after changing DNS or nameservers isn’t necessarily a problem.
WordPress.com’s own domain-transfer troubleshooting guidance specifically includes SSL still pending and websites not loading as potential post-transfer issues.
First verify the domain and nameservers.
Then give the DNS changes time to settle.
Step 17: Test More Than the Homepage
Before declaring the migration complete, test the actual website.
Check:
- Homepage
- Navigation
- Important pages
- Images
- Mobile layouts
- Internal links
- Contact forms
- HTTPS
- Domain redirects
- Analytics
- Search Console
- Custom email
- Important old URLs
- Any redirects you created
Also try the domain in a private browsing window or on another device.
If the website has significant organic traffic, I would continue monitoring Google Search Console after launch for:
- Indexing problems
- 404 errors
- Ranking changes
- Redirect issues
- Crawling problems
A website migration isn’t finished simply because the homepage loads.
When Is It Safe to Cancel Squarespace?
This was another practical question we encountered during the migration.
The safest time to cancel Squarespace is when:
- Your important content has been migrated
- The WordPress.com site is complete
- The custom domain consistently loads the new website
- HTTPS works
- Important pages have been tested
- Custom email still works, if applicable
- You no longer need the old Squarespace site as a fallback
Remember that Squarespace website hosting and your domain registration are separate services.
In our case, the domain registration had already transferred to WordPress.com before we were ready to cancel the Squarespace website subscription.
We also contacted Squarespace support because the client had prepaid for the website plan.
Interestingly, support confirmed that the particular subscription was eligible for a refund, but the site needed to be manually canceled before they could issue it.
That’s worth knowing.
If you have months remaining on an annual Squarespace subscription, don’t automatically assume the cancellation screen represents every refund option available to you. Contact support and ask whether your specific subscription is eligible for a refund or other adjustment.
Troubleshooting Squarespace to WordPress.com Migrations
WordPress.com Says “The Domain Is Not Transferable”
Check the basics first.
Make sure:
- The domain is unlocked
- You have the correct authorization code
- The domain is eligible for transfer
- It hasn’t been registered or transferred too recently
- WordPress.com supports the extension
If you’re managing the website for someone else, also consider account permissions. In our migration, switching from invited administrator access to the client’s site-owner account allowed the transfer process to proceed correctly.
The Domain Transfer Says “In Progress”
Usually, this simply means the registrar transfer hasn’t finished yet.
Domain transfers operate separately from your WordPress.com website build, so continue working on the website while you wait.
The Transfer Was Successful, but the Website Doesn’t Work
Check the nameservers.
This was exactly what happened in our migration.
The domain registration had successfully moved to WordPress.com, but the domain was still using external nameservers.
Once we enabled WordPress.com nameservers, the remaining DNS transition could begin.
“Point to WordPress.com” Gives an Error
Don’t immediately assume the registrar transfer failed.
Open the domain’s nameserver and DNS settings.
If the domain still uses external nameservers, resolve that first.
If the correct WordPress.com nameservers are already active, allow time for propagation before repeatedly changing settings.
I See “Server Not Found”
If you’ve recently changed nameservers or DNS records, this can be temporary.
Check your configuration, then allow propagation time.
If the problem continues well beyond the normal propagation window, investigate the DNS records or contact WordPress.com support.
I Still See My Old Squarespace Website
This is common during DNS propagation.
Cached DNS information may still direct you to Squarespace even though newer DNS resolvers already point to WordPress.com.
Check from another device or network and give the change time to propagate before modifying the settings again.
WordPress.com Shows “SSL Pending”
Verify that the domain is pointing to WordPress.com correctly.
If you recently changed the nameservers, SSL may simply be waiting for DNS propagation to complete.
If DNS is fully correct and the SSL status remains pending for an unusually long period, contact WordPress.com support.
Lessons Learned From a Real Squarespace to WordPress.com Migration
This migration reinforced several things that are easy to miss when reading a basic checklist.
The Website and Domain Are Separate
You can rebuild the entire website without transferring the domain.
In most cases, that’s the safer approach.
Build first. Test. Then move traffic.
A Successful Transfer Doesn’t Mean DNS Is Finished
Our registrar transfer completed successfully while the domain was still using external nameservers.
That was probably the most important technical lesson from the project.
Don’t Ignore Account Ownership
If you’re managing a website for a client, administrator access may not behave exactly like ownership when dealing with domains and billing.
Our transfer became much easier once we performed the registrar portion from the client’s owner account.
DNS Problems Often Look Worse Than They Are
During propagation we saw the old site, a server-not-found message, pending SSL, and a WordPress.com pointing error at different stages.
It would have been easy to start changing settings repeatedly.
Instead, identifying the actual nameserver issue and then allowing the update to propagate was the better approach.
Preserve the Old Site Until You Know You Don’t Need It
Keeping Squarespace available during the migration gave us both a fallback and a source from which WordPress.com could retrieve content and images.
Don’t delete the old website at the beginning of the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my website go offline when moving from Squarespace to WordPress.com?
It doesn’t have to. The safest approach is to build and test the WordPress.com version while your existing Squarespace website remains live. Only change the domain’s DNS or nameservers once the new site is ready. There can still be a short transition period while DNS changes propagate, during which some visitors may see the old site and others the new one, but careful sequencing greatly reduces the risk of meaningful downtime.
Will migrating from Squarespace to WordPress.com hurt my SEO?
A migration can temporarily affect rankings, but changing platforms does not automatically mean losing SEO. Keep the same domain when possible, preserve important URLs, recreate valuable metadata and headings, maintain internal links, and redirect URLs that must change. Search engines may need time to recrawl the replacement site, so some short-term volatility is possible. The greater SEO risk usually comes from removing valuable content or unnecessarily changing established URLs.
Should I transfer my domain to WordPress.com or just connect it?
Either approach works. Connecting the domain leaves its registration with Squarespace or another registrar while directing its DNS to WordPress.com. Transferring moves the domain registration itself to WordPress.com. Transferring can simplify management because the website and domain are controlled from the same account, while connecting may make more sense if you already have a registrar you prefer.
How long does a Squarespace-to-WordPress.com domain transfer take?
WordPress.com currently advises that incoming domain transfers typically take around five to seven days. DNS propagation and SSL activation are separate processes and can continue after the registrar transfer itself reports as complete.
What is an EPP code, authorization code, or transfer code?
These names generally refer to the security code used to authorize a domain transfer between registrars. Squarespace provides the code after you unlock the domain and request a transfer code. You then enter it when initiating the domain transfer in WordPress.com.
Why does WordPress.com say my domain is not transferable?
Possible causes include a locked domain, an authorization-code issue, transfer restrictions, or the domain being too new or having been transferred recently. If you’re managing someone else’s WordPress.com website, account access may also be worth checking. During our migration, using the actual site-owner account resolved the unexpected transfer workflow we encountered.
Why does WordPress.com say “Point to WordPress.com” after the domain transfer succeeded?
Registrar transfer and DNS configuration are separate. WordPress.com can manage the domain registration while the domain still uses nameservers that point elsewhere. Check the domain’s nameservers. In our migration, the transfer had succeeded, but we still needed to enable WordPress.com nameservers.
Why am I still seeing my old Squarespace website?
DNS caching is usually the reason. Nameserver changes don’t reach every ISP, device, and DNS resolver simultaneously. For a period of time, one connection may reach the old Squarespace site while another reaches WordPress.com. Avoid repeatedly altering your DNS configuration while propagation is still underway.
Why does WordPress.com show “SSL Pending”?
WordPress.com needs the domain to resolve correctly before SSL provisioning can fully complete. If you’ve just transferred the domain or changed nameservers, SSL Pending may simply indicate that DNS hasn’t fully settled. Verify that the domain points correctly and then allow the process time to finish.
What happens to my DNS records when I change nameservers?
Nameservers determine which DNS provider is authoritative for your domain. When you replace them, records stored only with the previous DNS provider may no longer control your domain. Review important MX, TXT, CNAME, and custom records before switching, particularly if you use business email, third-party verification, or subdomains.
Will changing nameservers break my email?
It can if your email service depends on DNS records that aren’t recreated after the switch. Google Workspace and other custom-domain email services commonly rely on MX and TXT records. Before changing nameservers, document the existing email-related records and confirm that the necessary records remain available afterward.
Can I transfer a domain immediately after registering it?
Not always. WordPress.com currently requires incoming domains to generally be more than 60 days old and not transferred within the previous 60 days. If the registrar transfer isn’t yet available, you may still be able to connect the domain to WordPress.com and transfer it later.
Do I need to rebuild my Squarespace design manually in WordPress.com?
Usually, at least partially. The Squarespace XML export focuses primarily on transferable content rather than recreating the entire Squarespace template and its styling inside WordPress. Expect to choose a WordPress theme and manually rebuild some layouts, navigation, forms, and visual styling.
What should I back up before leaving Squarespace?
Keep the Squarespace XML export, original images, important written content, page URLs, SEO metadata, and screenshots of important layouts. If the website receives organic search traffic, also document the pages that currently attract visitors so you can make preserving those URLs and their content a priority during the migration.
When is it safe to cancel my Squarespace subscription?
Wait until the new site is complete, the custom domain consistently loads WordPress.com, HTTPS works, important pages have been tested, and any domain-based email still functions. If you’ve prepaid for Squarespace, consider contacting support before canceling. In our migration, Squarespace support confirmed that the client’s particular subscription was eligible for a refund that required manual cancellation.
How do I know the migration is completely finished?
Test more than your homepage. Confirm that your domain consistently loads WordPress.com over HTTPS, navigation works, images load, important URLs resolve, forms function, mobile layouts look correct, analytics are active, and any email tied to the domain still works. If URLs changed, verify the redirects as well. Once those checks pass and you no longer need Squarespace as a fallback, the migration can reasonably be considered complete.
Final Squarespace to WordPress.com Migration Checklist
Before closing the old website, verify:
- Squarespace content has been exported
- Important images have been backed up
- WordPress.com content has been imported
- Missing pages or images have been rebuilt
- The new design is finished
- Important URLs have been preserved or redirected
- The domain transfer has completed, if you’re transferring it
- The correct nameservers are active
- DNS is resolving consistently
- SSL/HTTPS works
- Forms have been tested
- Mobile layouts work
- Analytics and Search Console are configured
- Domain-based email works
- The old Squarespace site is no longer needed
Only then would I consider the migration fully finished.
Final Thoughts
Migrating from Squarespace to WordPress.com isn’t especially difficult once you understand that you’re dealing with several separate systems.
The website content can move before the domain.
The domain registration can transfer before DNS finishes changing.
DNS can begin working before SSL finishes provisioning.
And a warning message during one part of the process doesn’t necessarily mean the entire migration has failed.
Our client migration encountered several real-world complications: administrator access that didn’t allow us to complete the transfer as expected, a successfully transferred domain that still used external nameservers, a temporary server-not-found message, the old Squarespace site continuing to appear during propagation, a WordPress.com pointing error, and SSL that remained pending while the rest of the process caught up.
Working through those issues provided a much clearer picture of how a Squarespace-to-WordPress.com migration actually behaves outside of a perfect step-by-step example.
Ready to Make the Move to WordPress.com?
If WordPress.com looks like the right fit for your website, you can explore the available plans and start building your new site before moving your domain.
Best next step: Start the WordPress.com destination before moving the domain so you have space to rebuild, review, and prepare the new site without rushing the launch.
Disclosure: AH Web Works may earn a commission if you purchase through this link, at no additional cost to you.
Moving a website from Squarespace to WordPress.com can feel more complicated than it actually is.
The website content, design, domain registration, DNS records, nameservers, and SSL certificate are all related, but they do not necessarily move or update at the same time. That can lead to confusing situations where the domain transfer says it was successful while the old Squarespace website still appears or where WordPress.com shows an SSL certificate as pending even though everything else looks correct.
We encountered several of those situations while moving a real client portfolio website from Squarespace to WordPress.com.
This guide walks through the complete process we used, from preparing and rebuilding the website to transferring the domain, changing nameservers, troubleshooting DNS, and knowing when it was finally safe to leave Squarespace.
Rather than simply repeating platform documentation, I’ll also show what actually happened during the migration and the lessons we learned along the way.
Table of Contents:
Squarespace to WordPress.com Migration at a Glance
The safest way to approach this migration is to think of it as several separate steps:
- Back up your existing Squarespace website.
- Create your new WordPress.com site.
- Export eligible Squarespace content.
- Import that content into WordPress.com.
- Rebuild and test the new design.
- Preserve important URLs and SEO elements.
- Decide whether to connect or transfer your domain.
- Unlock the Squarespace domain and request its authorization code.
- Start the domain transfer in WordPress.com.
- Wait for the registrar transfer to complete.
- Confirm the correct nameservers and DNS settings.
- Allow DNS and SSL changes to propagate.
- Test the complete website.
- Cancel Squarespace only when you no longer need it.
One of the most important things to understand is that moving your website and transferring your domain are not the same thing.
You can and usually should build most of the WordPress.com website before moving the domain.
Why Move from Squarespace to WordPress.com?
Squarespace and WordPress.com can both work well for building a website, but they offer different approaches.
Website owners may decide to move to WordPress.com for reasons such as:
- Greater flexibility as the website grows
- Access to the broader WordPress ecosystem
- More options for plugins and integrations on supported plans
- More control over content management
- Better expansion opportunities for blogging
- WooCommerce ecommerce options
- A preference for the WordPress editing and publishing environment
For this particular client project, the goal was straightforward: rebuild an existing artist portfolio on WordPress.com while keeping the same domain visitors already knew.
For more on the benefits of WordPress.com over Squarespace, see this guide.
That meant we needed to migrate both the website itself and the domain registration.
Before You Start the Migration
Before making changes to either platform, create a basic migration backup.
At minimum, I recommend saving:
- Your Squarespace export file
- Original website images
- Important page copy
- Existing page URLs
- SEO titles and meta descriptions for important pages
- Screenshots of layouts you may want to recreate
- Contact information and form settings
- Any DNS records used for email or third-party services
Don’t rely exclusively on the Squarespace export.
Squarespace can export eligible content in an XML file that WordPress can import, but some Squarespace-specific functionality and design elements do not transfer. WordPress.com specifically notes that unsupported content may need to be recreated manually after import.
If the existing site already gets traffic from Google, recording your current URLs is especially important.
Changing platforms doesn’t inherently destroy your SEO. Changing or removing valuable URLs without accounting for them is a much greater risk.
Step 1: Create Your New WordPress.com Website
Create the WordPress.com site before doing anything with your existing domain.
Initially, WordPress.com will give the site a temporary address similar to:
yourwebsite.wordpress.com
That’s useful.
It lets you build and test the replacement site while your existing Squarespace website remains available to visitors.
At this point, I would not point the custom domain to WordPress.com yet.
Build first. Switch traffic later.
That creates a much safer migration environment because you’re not trying to redesign a live website while simultaneously changing its domain configuration.
If you need guidance in how to build your own website, check out this guide.
Step 2: Export Your Squarespace Content
Squarespace provides a WordPress-compatible XML export for supported website content.
Inside Squarespace, locate the Import & Export Content settings and choose the WordPress export option.
Once Squarespace prepares the export, download the .xml file to your computer.
WordPress.com’s current migration process supports importing this Squarespace XML file. Depending on the original site, the export can contain items such as pages, posts, comments, tags, images, audio, and embedded video, although not every Squarespace feature is supported.
Keep the original Squarespace website publicly accessible during this part of the migration.
That’s particularly important for images. The XML file doesn’t necessarily function like a complete ZIP archive containing every website asset. WordPress may need to retrieve media from the original website during the import process.
What Does Not Automatically Transfer?
Don’t expect the new WordPress.com website to look identical immediately after importing.
Content migration and design migration are different things.
Elements that may require manual rebuilding include:
- Theme or template styling
- Exact page layouts
- Spacing
- Navigation configuration
- Forms
- Custom CSS
- Squarespace-specific blocks or features
- Some externally hosted images
- Certain ecommerce functionality
For a relatively small portfolio or business website, I often prefer treating the migration as an opportunity to rebuild the design cleanly in WordPress.com rather than trying to reproduce every Squarespace setting exactly.
Step 3: Import the Squarespace Website Into WordPress.com
Once you have the XML file, open your WordPress.com dashboard.
Navigate to:
Tools → Import
Choose the Squarespace importer when available and upload the XML file you downloaded.
WordPress.com will process the import and may ask you to assign imported content to a WordPress.com user.
The import can continue in the background, so don’t assume something went wrong simply because it isn’t instantaneous. WordPress.com also recommends reviewing the imported content and media after completion because some images may require manual uploading.
After the import finishes, check:
- Pages
- Posts
- Images
- Links
- Categories and tags
- Formatting
- Headings
- Embedded media
Don’t assume that a successful import message means every individual element migrated perfectly.
Open the important pages one by one.
Step 4: Rebuild and Customize the WordPress.com Design
Now you can begin recreating or improving the appearance of the original website.
Choose an appropriate WordPress.com theme and rebuild the site’s major visual components.
For a portfolio website, that may include:
- Homepage
- Portfolio or gallery
- About page
- Contact page
- Header and navigation
- Footer
- Typography
- Image layouts
This is also a good time to ask whether every piece of the old website still deserves to exist.
A migration does not have to mean creating a pixel-perfect copy.
You may find outdated sections, unnecessarily complicated layouts, old copy, or navigation choices that can be simplified.
For more info on how to design your website, see this simple guide.
Step 5: Protect Your Existing SEO Before Changing the Domain
Before sending your domain to the new website, compare the important URLs on both sites.
For example, if the Squarespace site has:
example.com/about
try to keep:
example.com/about
on WordPress.com rather than unnecessarily changing it to something completely different.
Preserving important URLs helps search engines understand that the website content still exists at the same location.
Also review:
- Page titles
- Meta descriptions
- H1 headings
- Image alt text
- Internal links
- Navigation
- Important external links pointing into the site
If a URL must change, create an appropriate redirect when your setup allows it rather than simply letting the old URL disappear.
For websites that already receive meaningful organic traffic, this stage deserves considerably more attention than the domain transfer itself.
Step 6: Decide Whether to Connect or Transfer the Domain
You don’t technically have to move the domain registration to WordPress.com.
There are two options:
Connect the Domain
The domain remains registered with Squarespace or another registrar, but its DNS points visitors to WordPress.com.
Transfer the Domain
The registration itself moves to WordPress.com, so WordPress.com becomes the company managing the domain, its renewal, and its DNS settings.
The website can function either way.
For our client migration, we chose to transfer the domain registration to WordPress.com so the website and domain could ultimately be managed together.
If speed is more important than consolidating everything immediately, WordPress.com also recommends connecting an eligible domain first when you want the website working before a transfer finishes. Domain transfers commonly take several days.
Step 7: Check Whether the Domain Is Eligible for Transfer
Before troubleshooting a domain that refuses to transfer, check whether it is actually eligible.
WordPress.com currently requires an incoming domain to generally:
- Be more than 60 days old
- Not have been transferred during the previous 60 days
- Use a domain extension WordPress.com supports for incoming transfers
If a domain can’t yet be transferred, that doesn’t necessarily prevent you from launching the WordPress.com website.
You can often connect the domain first and transfer the registration later when it becomes eligible.
Step 8: Unlock the Domain in Squarespace
If the domain is eligible, open its settings in Squarespace.
Domains are normally protected by a registrar lock designed to prevent unauthorized transfers.
Turn the Domain Lock off.
Don’t confuse unlocking the domain with transferring it.
Unlocking simply makes the domain eligible to leave its existing registrar.
Step 9: Request the Squarespace Transfer Authorization Code
Once the domain is unlocked, request its transfer code.
You may see this referred to as:
- Authorization code
- Auth code
- EPP code
- Transfer code
In Squarespace, we used the Request Transfer Code option.
Squarespace then sent the authorization code to the email associated with the domain.
Treat this code carefully. It is part of the authorization process that allows the domain to move to another registrar.
Step 10: Start the Domain Transfer in WordPress.com
Now return to WordPress.com.
Open the site’s domain management area and choose the option to transfer an existing domain.
Enter the domain name.
WordPress.com should recognize the existing registrar and eventually ask for the authorization code obtained from Squarespace.
Paste the EPP or authorization code into the transfer form and continue.
A Problem We Encountered: Administrator vs. Site Owner Access
This was one of the most useful lessons from the entire migration.
I had already been invited to manage the client’s WordPress.com website as an administrator.
Naturally, I initially tried to handle the domain transfer from my own administrator access.
WordPress.com recognized the domain, but instead of taking us through the expected transfer process, we encountered confusing messages indicating that the domain couldn’t be transferred.
We checked the Squarespace side.
The domain was unlocked.
The authorization code had been requested.
Everything appeared correct.
The breakthrough came when we signed directly into the client’s WordPress.com account, the account that owned the website.
From there, the transfer process worked correctly and presented the proper screen for entering the authorization code.
If you’re a developer, consultant, or administrator moving a client’s website, keep this in mind.
If the domain-management workflow doesn’t behave as expected from delegated access, try having the actual site owner initiate the registrar-transfer portion from their account.
That simple change saved us from troubleshooting a problem that wasn’t actually related to the domain itself.
Step 11: Submit the Transfer and Wait for Authorization
After submitting the authorization code, WordPress.com started the transfer.
We saw the message:
“Your transfer has been started and is waiting for authorization from your current domain provider.”
At this stage, don’t repeatedly restart the transfer.
The registrar system needs time to process it.
Your current provider may send an email asking you to confirm or approve the transfer. If you receive one, follow its instructions.
WordPress.com currently says incoming transfers typically take around five to seven days, although individual transfers can finish sooner.
Step 12: Confirm That the Transfer Actually Completed
Eventually our WordPress.com dashboard changed.
The domain showed:
- Status: Active
- A WordPress.com renewal date
- The domain set as the site’s primary address
Those were strong signs that the registrar transfer itself had successfully completed.
However, this is where another important lesson appeared:
A successful domain transfer does not necessarily mean the website is already pointing to WordPress.com correctly.
The registration had transferred.
The DNS configuration still needed attention.
Step 13: Check the Nameservers After the Transfer
After the transfer completed, WordPress.com still displayed:
Point to WordPress.com
When we clicked that button, WordPress.com returned:
Error pointing domain to WordPress.com
At first, this looked like a transfer failure.
It wasn’t.
When we opened the domain’s nameserver settings, we discovered that it was still using external nameservers, including Squarespace-related DNS infrastructure.
That explained why:
- The registrar transfer was complete
- WordPress.com considered the domain active
- But the website was not yet reliably loading from WordPress.com
We enabled:
Use WordPress.com name servers
This is an important distinction:
Domain registrar: the company that manages ownership and renewal of the domain.
Nameservers: the system that determines which DNS provider controls where that domain points.
Moving one does not always instantly update the other.
Step 14: Be Careful With Email Before Changing Nameservers
Before switching nameservers, check whether the domain is used for email.
This matters if the business uses addresses such as:
hello@example.com
Email systems such as Google Workspace depend on DNS records, including MX and TXT records.
When you change authoritative nameservers, DNS records stored with the previous provider may stop controlling the domain.
If the domain has custom email, subdomains, verification records, or other third-party services, document those DNS records before switching nameservers and make sure the required records exist with the new DNS provider afterward.
For our migration, this wasn’t a complicated email setup, but it’s a step I would never skip on a larger business migration.
Step 15: Wait for DNS Propagation
After switching nameservers, don’t expect every computer on the internet to see the change at the same moment.
DNS information is cached across:
- Internet service providers
- Routers
- Devices
- Browsers
- DNS resolvers
During our migration, we temporarily saw:
Server Not Found
Later, the old Squarespace website appeared again.
Eventually, the domain began resolving correctly as the DNS changes propagated.
This can be strange if you’ve never watched a DNS migration happen in real time.
One device may show the old website while another already sees the new website.
That doesn’t necessarily mean your settings are changing back and forth.
It may simply mean different DNS caches are updating at different times.
WordPress.com advises allowing up to 72 hours for nameserver changes to become fully active globally, although they often take effect much sooner.
Avoid making repeated DNS changes just because the result isn’t immediate.
Every unnecessary change makes troubleshooting harder.
Step 16: Allow the SSL Certificate to Activate
Our WordPress.com dashboard continued to show:
SSL Certificate: Pending
even after other parts of the transfer were complete.
An SSL certificate is what allows your website to load securely over HTTPS.
WordPress.com generally handles SSL automatically, but the domain needs to be correctly resolving before that process can finish.
This means an SSL Pending message shortly after changing DNS or nameservers isn’t necessarily a problem.
WordPress.com’s own domain-transfer troubleshooting guidance specifically includes SSL still pending and websites not loading as potential post-transfer issues.
First verify the domain and nameservers.
Then give the DNS changes time to settle.
Step 17: Test More Than the Homepage
Before declaring the migration complete, test the actual website.
Check:
- Homepage
- Navigation
- Important pages
- Images
- Mobile layouts
- Internal links
- Contact forms
- HTTPS
- Domain redirects
- Analytics
- Search Console
- Custom email
- Important old URLs
- Any redirects you created
Also try the domain in a private browsing window or on another device.
If the website has significant organic traffic, I would continue monitoring Google Search Console after launch for:
- Indexing problems
- 404 errors
- Ranking changes
- Redirect issues
- Crawling problems
A website migration isn’t finished simply because the homepage loads.
When Is It Safe to Cancel Squarespace?
This was another practical question we encountered during the migration.
The safest time to cancel Squarespace is when:
- Your important content has been migrated
- The WordPress.com site is complete
- The custom domain consistently loads the new website
- HTTPS works
- Important pages have been tested
- Custom email still works, if applicable
- You no longer need the old Squarespace site as a fallback
Remember that Squarespace website hosting and your domain registration are separate services.
In our case, the domain registration had already transferred to WordPress.com before we were ready to cancel the Squarespace website subscription.
We also contacted Squarespace support because the client had prepaid for the website plan.
Interestingly, support confirmed that the particular subscription was eligible for a refund, but the site needed to be manually canceled before they could issue it.
That’s worth knowing.
If you have months remaining on an annual Squarespace subscription, don’t automatically assume the cancellation screen represents every refund option available to you. Contact support and ask whether your specific subscription is eligible for a refund or other adjustment.
Troubleshooting Squarespace to WordPress.com Migrations
WordPress.com Says “The Domain Is Not Transferable”
Check the basics first.
Make sure:
- The domain is unlocked
- You have the correct authorization code
- The domain is eligible for transfer
- It hasn’t been registered or transferred too recently
- WordPress.com supports the extension
If you’re managing the website for someone else, also consider account permissions. In our migration, switching from invited administrator access to the client’s site-owner account allowed the transfer process to proceed correctly.
The Domain Transfer Says “In Progress”
Usually, this simply means the registrar transfer hasn’t finished yet.
Domain transfers operate separately from your WordPress.com website build, so continue working on the website while you wait.
The Transfer Was Successful, but the Website Doesn’t Work
Check the nameservers.
This was exactly what happened in our migration.
The domain registration had successfully moved to WordPress.com, but the domain was still using external nameservers.
Once we enabled WordPress.com nameservers, the remaining DNS transition could begin.
“Point to WordPress.com” Gives an Error
Don’t immediately assume the registrar transfer failed.
Open the domain’s nameserver and DNS settings.
If the domain still uses external nameservers, resolve that first.
If the correct WordPress.com nameservers are already active, allow time for propagation before repeatedly changing settings.
I See “Server Not Found”
If you’ve recently changed nameservers or DNS records, this can be temporary.
Check your configuration, then allow propagation time.
If the problem continues well beyond the normal propagation window, investigate the DNS records or contact WordPress.com support.
I Still See My Old Squarespace Website
This is common during DNS propagation.
Cached DNS information may still direct you to Squarespace even though newer DNS resolvers already point to WordPress.com.
Check from another device or network and give the change time to propagate before modifying the settings again.
WordPress.com Shows “SSL Pending”
Verify that the domain is pointing to WordPress.com correctly.
If you recently changed the nameservers, SSL may simply be waiting for DNS propagation to complete.
If DNS is fully correct and the SSL status remains pending for an unusually long period, contact WordPress.com support.
Lessons Learned From a Real Squarespace to WordPress.com Migration
This migration reinforced several things that are easy to miss when reading a basic checklist.
The Website and Domain Are Separate
You can rebuild the entire website without transferring the domain.
In most cases, that’s the safer approach.
Build first. Test. Then move traffic.
A Successful Transfer Doesn’t Mean DNS Is Finished
Our registrar transfer completed successfully while the domain was still using external nameservers.
That was probably the most important technical lesson from the project.
Don’t Ignore Account Ownership
If you’re managing a website for a client, administrator access may not behave exactly like ownership when dealing with domains and billing.
Our transfer became much easier once we performed the registrar portion from the client’s owner account.
DNS Problems Often Look Worse Than They Are
During propagation we saw the old site, a server-not-found message, pending SSL, and a WordPress.com pointing error at different stages.
It would have been easy to start changing settings repeatedly.
Instead, identifying the actual nameserver issue and then allowing the update to propagate was the better approach.
Preserve the Old Site Until You Know You Don’t Need It
Keeping Squarespace available during the migration gave us both a fallback and a source from which WordPress.com could retrieve content and images.
Don’t delete the old website at the beginning of the process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my website go offline when moving from Squarespace to WordPress.com?
It doesn’t have to. The safest approach is to build and test the WordPress.com version while your existing Squarespace website remains live. Only change the domain’s DNS or nameservers once the new site is ready. There can still be a short transition period while DNS changes propagate, during which some visitors may see the old site and others the new one, but careful sequencing greatly reduces the risk of meaningful downtime.
Will migrating from Squarespace to WordPress.com hurt my SEO?
A migration can temporarily affect rankings, but changing platforms does not automatically mean losing SEO. Keep the same domain when possible, preserve important URLs, recreate valuable metadata and headings, maintain internal links, and redirect URLs that must change. Search engines may need time to recrawl the replacement site, so some short-term volatility is possible. The greater SEO risk usually comes from removing valuable content or unnecessarily changing established URLs.
Should I transfer my domain to WordPress.com or just connect it?
Either approach works. Connecting the domain leaves its registration with Squarespace or another registrar while directing its DNS to WordPress.com. Transferring moves the domain registration itself to WordPress.com. Transferring can simplify management because the website and domain are controlled from the same account, while connecting may make more sense if you already have a registrar you prefer.
How long does a Squarespace-to-WordPress.com domain transfer take?
WordPress.com currently advises that incoming domain transfers typically take around five to seven days. DNS propagation and SSL activation are separate processes and can continue after the registrar transfer itself reports as complete.
What is an EPP code, authorization code, or transfer code?
These names generally refer to the security code used to authorize a domain transfer between registrars. Squarespace provides the code after you unlock the domain and request a transfer code. You then enter it when initiating the domain transfer in WordPress.com.
Why does WordPress.com say my domain is not transferable?
Possible causes include a locked domain, an authorization-code issue, transfer restrictions, or the domain being too new or having been transferred recently. If you’re managing someone else’s WordPress.com website, account access may also be worth checking. During our migration, using the actual site-owner account resolved the unexpected transfer workflow we encountered.
Why does WordPress.com say “Point to WordPress.com” after the domain transfer succeeded?
Registrar transfer and DNS configuration are separate. WordPress.com can manage the domain registration while the domain still uses nameservers that point elsewhere. Check the domain’s nameservers. In our migration, the transfer had succeeded, but we still needed to enable WordPress.com nameservers.
Why am I still seeing my old Squarespace website?
DNS caching is usually the reason. Nameserver changes don’t reach every ISP, device, and DNS resolver simultaneously. For a period of time, one connection may reach the old Squarespace site while another reaches WordPress.com. Avoid repeatedly altering your DNS configuration while propagation is still underway.
Why does WordPress.com show “SSL Pending”?
WordPress.com needs the domain to resolve correctly before SSL provisioning can fully complete. If you’ve just transferred the domain or changed nameservers, SSL Pending may simply indicate that DNS hasn’t fully settled. Verify that the domain points correctly and then allow the process time to finish.
What happens to my DNS records when I change nameservers?
Nameservers determine which DNS provider is authoritative for your domain. When you replace them, records stored only with the previous DNS provider may no longer control your domain. Review important MX, TXT, CNAME, and custom records before switching, particularly if you use business email, third-party verification, or subdomains.
Will changing nameservers break my email?
It can if your email service depends on DNS records that aren’t recreated after the switch. Google Workspace and other custom-domain email services commonly rely on MX and TXT records. Before changing nameservers, document the existing email-related records and confirm that the necessary records remain available afterward.
Can I transfer a domain immediately after registering it?
Not always. WordPress.com currently requires incoming domains to generally be more than 60 days old and not transferred within the previous 60 days. If the registrar transfer isn’t yet available, you may still be able to connect the domain to WordPress.com and transfer it later.
Do I need to rebuild my Squarespace design manually in WordPress.com?
Usually, at least partially. The Squarespace XML export focuses primarily on transferable content rather than recreating the entire Squarespace template and its styling inside WordPress. Expect to choose a WordPress theme and manually rebuild some layouts, navigation, forms, and visual styling.
What should I back up before leaving Squarespace?
Keep the Squarespace XML export, original images, important written content, page URLs, SEO metadata, and screenshots of important layouts. If the website receives organic search traffic, also document the pages that currently attract visitors so you can make preserving those URLs and their content a priority during the migration.
When is it safe to cancel my Squarespace subscription?
Wait until the new site is complete, the custom domain consistently loads WordPress.com, HTTPS works, important pages have been tested, and any domain-based email still functions. If you’ve prepaid for Squarespace, consider contacting support before canceling. In our migration, Squarespace support confirmed that the client’s particular subscription was eligible for a refund that required manual cancellation.
How do I know the migration is completely finished?
Test more than your homepage. Confirm that your domain consistently loads WordPress.com over HTTPS, navigation works, images load, important URLs resolve, forms function, mobile layouts look correct, analytics are active, and any email tied to the domain still works. If URLs changed, verify the redirects as well. Once those checks pass and you no longer need Squarespace as a fallback, the migration can reasonably be considered complete.
Final Squarespace to WordPress.com Migration Checklist
Before closing the old website, verify:
- Squarespace content has been exported
- Important images have been backed up
- WordPress.com content has been imported
- Missing pages or images have been rebuilt
- The new design is finished
- Important URLs have been preserved or redirected
- The domain transfer has completed, if you’re transferring it
- The correct nameservers are active
- DNS is resolving consistently
- SSL/HTTPS works
- Forms have been tested
- Mobile layouts work
- Analytics and Search Console are configured
- Domain-based email works
- The old Squarespace site is no longer needed
Only then would I consider the migration fully finished.
Final Thoughts
Migrating from Squarespace to WordPress.com isn’t especially difficult once you understand that you’re dealing with several separate systems.
The website content can move before the domain.
The domain registration can transfer before DNS finishes changing.
DNS can begin working before SSL finishes provisioning.
And a warning message during one part of the process doesn’t necessarily mean the entire migration has failed.
Our client migration encountered several real-world complications: administrator access that didn’t allow us to complete the transfer as expected, a successfully transferred domain that still used external nameservers, a temporary server-not-found message, the old Squarespace site continuing to appear during propagation, a WordPress.com pointing error, and SSL that remained pending while the rest of the process caught up.
Working through those issues provided a much clearer picture of how a Squarespace-to-WordPress.com migration actually behaves outside of a perfect step-by-step example.
Ready to Make the Move to WordPress.com?
If WordPress.com looks like the right fit for your website, you can explore the available plans and start building your new site before moving your domain.
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