Import existing Custom Fields

• Kevin Mamaqi

• April 8, 2015 at 7:44 pm

Hello,

I run a website with several custom fields that I would like to maintain while using Advanced Custom Fields plugin. It is possible? and if it is, How to do it?

• Kevin Mamaqi

• April 11, 2015 at 9:05 pm

Any idea?

• James

• April 13, 2015 at 9:23 pm

Hi Mamaqi,

Hmm… May be you could try to create new ACF fields with the same name as your existing custom fields.

• Kevin Mamaqi

• April 13, 2015 at 9:59 pm

I had thought the same, but I’m worried that doing it an existing one would be deleted.

• James

• April 13, 2015 at 10:07 pm

Hi @kevin-mamaqi

The existing custom fields will not be deleted. Try it out. Once created, the new ACF fields will pick up the value of the existing custom fields.

• SamJ07

• September 16, 2016 at 6:25 am

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I’m doing something similar. Do you mean that if I import a bunch of fields that already exist, the imported ones will replace the old ones?

• James

• September 16, 2016 at 4:27 pm

Hi @samj07

You still can see WordPress’ custom fields are by enabling the Custom Fields option on the Screen Options, but you’ll also see that the fields created by ACF will take the old values. Please keep in mind that you still need to update your post to make sure the custom fields are working correctly.

I hope this makes sense 🙂