Last updated: 10th July 2026 for CC Security Essentials version 1.0

What Does Import & Export Do?

The Import & Export feature allows you to save your current CC Security Essentials configuration to a file or restore a previously saved configuration.

This makes it easy to:

create backups of your security settings
transfer your configuration to another website
restore a known working configuration
standardise security settings across multiple WordPress installations

Rather than configuring each website individually, you can reuse settings that you’ve already tested and verified.

Why Would I Export My Settings?

Exporting your configuration provides a convenient snapshot of your current security settings.

This can be useful before making significant changes, allowing you to return to a previous configuration if required.

It’s also helpful when moving a website to a new server or setting up additional websites with similar security requirements.

Why Would I Import Settings?

Importing allows you to apply an existing configuration without manually recreating each setting.

This is particularly useful if you’ve already developed a security configuration that suits your organisation or clients.

Instead of repeating the same configuration process, you can simply import your saved settings.

What Gets Exported?

The exported file contains the configuration managed by CC Security Essentials.

It is intended to reproduce your chosen plugin settings on another installation of the plugin.

The exact contents may vary as new features are added in future versions.

Website content, users, themes and plugins are not included.

What Doesn’t Get Exported?

Import & Export is concerned only with the plugin’s configuration.

It does not export:

WordPress content
posts or pages
media files
users
themes
other plugins
website databases

For complete website backups, you should continue using your preferred backup solution.

Exporting Your Settings

To create a backup of your current configuration:

Open CC Security Essentials.
Navigate to Import & Export.
Select Export Settings.
Save the exported file in a secure location.

You can restore this configuration later if required.

Importing Settings

To restore or copy an existing configuration:

Open CC Security Essentials.
Navigate to Import & Export.
Choose the exported settings file.
Select Import Settings.
Review the imported configuration.
Save your changes if prompted.

After importing, we recommend reviewing your configuration before relying on it.

After Importing

Although imported settings reproduce your previous configuration, every website is different.

After importing:

review the imported settings
confirm they suit the new website
run the available Verification tests
review Security Health
ensure no unexpected compatibility issues have arisen

This helps ensure the imported configuration is appropriate for the website on which it has been applied.

Compatibility

CC Security Essentials is designed to maintain compatibility between plugin versions wherever practical.

However, newer versions of the plugin may include settings that weren’t available when an older export was created.

Similarly, importing a configuration created by a newer version into an older version of the plugin may not reproduce every setting exactly.

Where possible, use matching plugin versions when transferring configurations between websites.

Troubleshooting

Import failed

If an import doesn’t complete successfully:

confirm that the file was originally exported by CC Security Essentials
ensure the file hasn’t been modified
verify that you’re using a supported plugin version
try exporting the configuration again from the original website

The imported settings don’t look right

Different websites often have different requirements.

Review each section after importing to ensure the configuration is appropriate for the destination website.

My website behaves differently after importing

The imported configuration may enable protections that weren’t previously active.

Review the affected settings and run the available Verification tests to confirm everything is behaving as expected.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use one configuration on multiple websites?

Yes.

Many administrators use Import & Export to maintain a consistent security configuration across several WordPress websites.

After importing, you should always review the settings to ensure they remain appropriate.

Does Import & Export replace website backups?

No.

Import & Export only saves the plugin’s configuration.

It doesn’t replace a full backup of your WordPress website.

Can I edit the exported file?

This isn’t recommended.

Changing the exported file manually may prevent it from being imported successfully or produce unexpected results.

Should I export my settings before making changes?