Automated XML Export Option

I have been using UpdraftPlus since it first came out and one thing that I really would like to have the ability to do is have the option to automate backups of an XML export file using the built-in WordPress export/import features.

Often times when redesigning an older site, all I want is the stripped down post content – these older sites typically need a LOT of clean up in the database department, custom fields/meta boxes from themes or plugins may no longer be applicable, and images that need resized/optimized again anyways – so it makes the most sense for me to start with a clean install.

This is also very useful if you ever get hacked into – I would feel a lot safer working with post content only with a fresh new database and images rather than risk missing something that still contains malicious code.

Some of my backups are also several years old – which means the likelihood of a backup working is not that great because you have different WordPress versions, and even different PHP versions – not to mention variables with different themes/plugins. Sometimes it works, but often times doesn’t.

Yes, I can always copy and paste post content from the db file for these cases. However, for some sites that might have 200+ posts, that in an awful lot of manual copy and pasting and time for something that would take about 2 minutes with an XML import.

Would really love to see this feature, especially with the Gutenberg editor coming up – would give me a lot of added extra peace of mind when it’s uncertain how different plugins and themes are going to behave for backwards compatibility going forward.