Export Your Menus Out Using WPS Menu Exporter Plugin

Chances are, you’ll find yourself in a situation where you need to backup a complex menu you’ve created on a child site.

WordPress, by default, will not allow you to export menus from;

Tools > Export

You can use the WPS Menu Exporter plugin to export navigation menu items to an XML file.

Install and activate the plugin on the child sites that you need to backup the menus you have created.

When you go to wp-admin on the specific child site, click;

Tools > Export

Now, select Navigation Menu Items.

If you have a corrupted menu but have a backup XML file, first delete any remaining menu items. Save the menu if you are in wp-admin, versus editing a menu in the customizer.

Now go to:

Tools > Import > Run Importer

Select the backup XML file, and on the next step, you will need to select which posts to assign to which author.

When you go back to:

Appearance > Menus

All of the missing items have been imported back on the example main menu.

If you are working on a complex menu, or have sites where multiple complex menus exist, it would be worth exporting the menus so you can import them back in at any point. It is also peace of mind knowing you have a backup file of the menu created. If you have daily backups being created of the child sites, the backup will include a full database backup, which also includes all menus that exist on the site.