Exporting/Importing Widget Data

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Export data from individual widget instances without affecting the rest of the site. Many widgets support exporting and importing their data separately, including:

Blogs
Bookmarks
Dynamic Data Lists
Forms
Knowledge Base
Message Boards
Web Content
Wiki
And more

The export process generates a .lar file, which you can import into another widget of the same type.

Important

Widget-specific .lar files only contain data for the selected widget instance, not the entire site. For exporting or importing site pages and content, see Exporting and Importing Site Pages and Content.

Export/Import Methods

You can export/import widget content in two ways:

Use the widget’s administrative area.
Access the widget on its page.

Both methods work similarly, but the administrative area may show different data from the widget’s page. For example, the Web Content section in the Liferay DXP Menu and the Web Content Display widget show different export/import options.

Using the Widget’s Administrative Area

Go to the widget’s area in the Liferay DXP Menu (e.g., Content and Data → Web Content).
Click Options () in the top-right corner and select Export/Import.
Select the Export or Import tab to begin.

Start editing the page where the widget has been deployed.
Click Options () in the widget header → Export/Import.

Note

Before Liferay DXP 2025.Q1, the Export/Import option appeared in the widget’s top-right corner.
Select the Export or Import tab to begin.

To export widget data, create a new export process using the New Export Process tab. Configure the following options:

Export Settings

Setting	Description
Application Settings	Includes widget settings. Some widgets export related content automatically.
Date Range	All: Exports all content. Date Range: Specify start and end dates. Last…: Export content from a recent period (e.g., last 48 hours).
Content Selection	Choose specific types and metadata (e.g., Comments, Ratings, Referenced Content).
Deletions	Include deletions made within the selected period.
Permissions	Export assigned permissions if needed.

After exporting, check the Current and Previous tab to download the .lar file or view export history.

To import widget data, upload the .lar file using the file picker or by dragging it into the designated area.

Import Settings

Setting	Description
Application	Includes application settings such as configuration and setup.
Content	Categories depend on the widget or content type being imported. For example, Message Boards may include Categories, Messages, Thread Flags, and User Bans. Web Content may include Web Content Articles, Comments, and Ratings.
Deletions	Delete Application Data Before Importing: Clears all existing widget data. Replicate Individual Deletions: Reproduces delete actions from the export file.
Permissions	Import Permissions: Includes assigned permissions from the export file.
Update Data	Mirror: Creates new entries on the first import and updates them on subsequent imports. Mirror with Overwriting: Overwrites items with the same name. Copy as New: Creates new entries with each import, regardless of existing data.
Authorship of the Content	Use the Original Author: Keeps the original author if found; otherwise, assigns the current user. Use the Current User as Author: Assigns the current user as the author for all imported content.