Knowledge Base › Link Manager › Getting Started

Migrating From Free to Pro

This feature is available in the Pro version of Link Manager.

Migrating from the Free version of Link Manager to the Pro version is straightforward. The steps below explain how to safely transfer your Auto Link Rules, Categories, and Target Groups without losing any existing data.

Step 1: Export Your Data From the Free Version

To begin, open the Import & Export menu in the Free version of the plugin and click the Export button. This will generate an XML file containing all your automatic link rules, categories, and target groups, which will be downloaded to your computer.

The Export section of the Import & Export menu in the Free version of Link Manager, showing the explanatory text and the Export button.

Step 2: Deactivate the Free Version

Once the XML file has been downloaded, you can deactivate the Free version of the plugin.

Important:

Do not delete the Free version at this stage. Deleting it would remove not only the plugin files but also the options and database tables where your rules, categories, and target groups are stored.

We recommend deleting the Free version only after you have successfully completed the migration.

Step 3: Download the Pro Version

Next, log in to your account and navigate to the Downloads section. From there, download the ZIP package that contains the Pro version of the plugin.

Step 4: Install and Activate the Pro Version

In your WordPress dashboard, go to the Plugins menu. Upload the ZIP file you just downloaded, then proceed to install and activate the Pro version.

Step 5: Import Your Data Into the Pro Version

Open the Import & Export menu in the Pro version. In the Import section, click Choose file, select the XML file you exported earlier, then click Upload file and import to begin the import process.

The Import section of the Import & Export menu in the Pro version of Link Manager, with an XML file selected and ready to upload.

Important:

This functionality should only be used to import XML files generated with the Export tool. Importing a file from another source or a manually edited XML file may produce unexpected results.

Step 6: Verify the Imported Data

After the import completes, visit the Auto Link Rules menu and check the Rules, Categories, and Target Groups tabs. Here you can verify that all the rules, categories, and target groups from the Free version have been successfully imported into the Pro version.

The Auto Link Rules list view in Link Manager Pro showing the imported rules after a successful migration.

What Is Not Transferred by This Import

The Free to Pro export and import only covers Auto Link Rules, Categories, and Target Groups. The following data is not included and will need to be reconfigured manually in the Pro version:

  • Link Equity, Broken Links, and Clicks statistics
  • Plugin settings configured in the Settings menu
  • Capabilities assigned to user roles