If you already have push subscribers with another provider, you do not have to start from zero. WP Push Notify can import a list from a CSV file, and it can export your own list as a backup.
What the CSV needs
The file must contain each subscriber’s push subscription, in three columns named endpoint, p256dh and auth. If your old provider can export those three values, you can import them.
One thing to check before you move
A browser ties each push subscription to the key it was created with. Before you rely on an import, ask your old provider whether the exported subscriptions can be used from another sender. If they cannot, plan to run both services for a while and invite visitors to subscribe again with a clear popup. Try a small test import with your own subscription first.
Import step by step
- Export your subscriptions from your old provider as a CSV file.
- Check that the headers are exactly
endpoint,p256dhandauth. - In the plugin, open the Subscribers tab and choose the CSV import.
- Upload the file and wait for the result.
Big files and safe repeats
A very large file can run into your server’s time limit. When that happens, the import stops cleanly and tells you. Upload the same file again and it carries on. Importing the same file twice never creates duplicates, because each subscription is matched by its endpoint.
Back up your own list
You can export a CSV backup of your subscribers at any time, and Download Excel gives you every subscriber in one spreadsheet, even on very large lists. Browser, operating system, device and country are included, and no IP addresses are stored.
After the move
- Send a small test notification to yourself first.
- Watch the dashboard for the number of live subscribers. Dead subscriptions are removed automatically.
- The Free plan reaches up to 200 subscribers per notification. If your imported list is larger, the Premium plan removes that limit.
Not sure whether to switch at all? Read self-hosted vs hosted push notifications, or see the documentation for the import screen.