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Convert a ZIP / HTML site

Step-by-step: turn a ZIP with HTML, CSS and images into WordPress pages, on a Free account and on a paid account.

This is the most complete route: Tapeto converts every page of the ZIP, keeps the links between them and can publish the whole site. It is available on every plan, Free included. A Figma or Penpot design exported as HTML also works here.

Before you start

  • A .zip of up to 5–200 MB (by plan) (a single .html file also works).
  • Inside: one .html file per page, your .css file(s), images and SVGs. Each .html becomes one WordPress page.
  • Your own WordPress site, if you want to publish it: HTTPS, “Post name” permalinks (Settings → Permalinks) and, for Gutenberg, a block theme such as Twenty Twenty-Five.

Step 1 — Prepare the ZIP

  1. Put everything in one folder: the pages (index.html, about.html…), the stylesheets, and an images folder.
  2. Use relative paths (images/logo.png, about.html). Links between pages are turned into WordPress links.
  3. Keep the CSS in .css files rather than in inline style attributes — it is read more reliably.
  4. Select the folder’s contents and compress them into a .zip.

What to expect from the files

The HTML is analysed as delivered. Content that a script builds after the page loads (some menus, sliders) may not be picked up. Images are uploaded to WordPress as jpg, png, gif or webp of up to 6 MB each; SVG files sent as separate files are not uploaded, but SVG written inside the HTML is kept.

Step 2 — Create the project

  1. In the app click New project.
  2. Write a name and stay on the File tab.
  3. Drag the .zip onto the drop area (or click to choose it).
  4. Click Create project.
  5. Wait until the project status is parsed. If it ends in error, the message explains what to fix.

Step 3 — Choose the builder and convert

  1. Open the project. In New conversion, pick the builder: Gutenberg (every plan) or Elementor (from Starter).
  2. Click Convert. All pages of the project are converted; if one page fails, the others still complete.
  3. When the conversion is completed, open it and check the Fidelity Score and the Preview.

Each conversion targets one builder. To get the same site in Gutenberg and in Elementor, run two conversions on the same project.

Step 4 — Get the result into WordPress

Free account (Gutenberg, by hand)

  1. On the conversion page open the Content tab and click Download files (or Copy).
  2. In WordPress, go to Pages → Add New. Open the three-dot menu → Code editor and paste the content. Switch back to the visual editor.
  3. If your design has a header and footer, open the Header / Footer / Sidebar tab, download each part and paste it into the matching template part in Appearance → Editor (code editor).
  4. Copy the contents of your CSS file into Appearance → Customize → Additional CSS.
  5. Upload your images to the Media Library and check that they show up on the page.
  6. Repeat for each page. The Instructions tab shows the exact steps for your builder.

Free accounts cannot use Export WXR or Publish to WordPress; the buttons appear locked.

Choose one of two options.

Option A — Publish to WordPress (fastest)

  1. Install the Tapeto plugin on your site and copy its secret key — see Plugin Installation.
  2. In the app go to WP Connections, add your site URL and paste the key. Use the test button until it reports a valid connection.
  3. Open the completed conversion and click Publish to WordPress. Pick the site.
  4. If the panel shows dynamic content found in your design (blog posts, products, custom types), choose for each one real WordPress content or keep the design as it is.
  5. Click Publish. Tapeto uploads the images, creates every page as a draft, rewrites the links between pages, adds your CSS under Additional CSS and loads the Google Fonts used.
  6. In WordPress open Pages, review the drafts and publish them. To use the home page as front page: Settings → Reading → A static page.

Option B — Export WXR (no plugin)

  1. Click Export WXR on the conversion page.
  2. In WordPress go to Tools → Import → WordPress, upload the file and run the import.
  3. Review the imported pages, menus and header / footer.

On Agency and Studio the WXR also contains custom post types and loops. Install the CPT plugin (download it from the conversion page) and activate it before importing the WXR.

Elementor

Elementor output needs Elementor active on the destination site (the free version is enough). Header and footer are placed inside each page, because free Elementor has no shared theme parts.

Known limits

  • Forms look the same but do not send: connect a form plugin and replace the block.
  • Mobile hamburger menus and JavaScript animations of the original are not carried over.
  • Publishing again creates new pages; it does not overwrite existing ones. Delete the old drafts first.
  • Sites whose content is generated entirely by a JavaScript framework may convert worse.

Next step

Learn more about the parser in Converting HTML/CSS Designs, or see all export options in Exporting Results.