Table of contents

Why import products in Magento?1. Prepare your product data for import2. Choose the correct entity type3. Upload your CSV fileCommon errorsAutomate product importsPost-import checks and reindexingTop extensionsHow to get started

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Magento Guide → Import Magento Products

How to import Magento products

Magento product imports can save hours of manual work. Whether you’re launching a new store, adding hundreds of SKUs, or migrating from another platform, the import process lets you upload product data in bulk using a simple CSV file.

Let’s walk through how to prep your file, upload it through the admin, avoid common errors, and automate the whole thing if needed.

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Why import products in Magento?

Importing products helps Magento merchants streamline catalog management. Instead of adding items one by one, you can upload thousands of SKUs in one go. It’s especially useful when:

Setting up a new store with an existing catalog
Migrating products from another ecommerce platform
Syncing Magento with inventory or ERP systems
Making bulk edits to pricing, stock, or descriptions
Updating seasonal or promotional product lines

Magento supports various product types—simple, configurable, bundle, grouped, downloadable, and virtual—all of which can be imported using the same system.

1. Prepare your product data for import

Before uploading anything, you’ll need a properly formatted CSV file. Magento offers a downloadable sample that includes all the required columns and formatting rules.

To get the sample file:

Go to System > Data Transfer > Import
Select Products from the Entity Type dropdown
Click Download Sample File

Open the file in a spreadsheet program like Excel, LibreOffice, or Google Sheets. Don’t use apps that might auto-format your data (e.g. turning SKUs into scientific notation).

Key things to check or add:

Required fields: At minimum, each product needs a sku, name, attribute_set_code, product_type, and price.
Attribute sets: Use the correct attribute_set_code that matches one already created in your Magento admin.
Images: Include filenames in the image, small_image, and thumbnail columns. Images must be placed in pub/media/import before you run the import.
Categories: Use the categories column to assign products by full path (e.g. Default Category/Gear/Bags).
Configurable products: For parent products, use the configurable_variations and associated_skus columns. Example:
configurable_variations: size=S,color=Red|size=M,color=Blue
associated_skus: shirt-red-s,shirt-blue-m

When finished, export your file as a CSV (comma-delimited) and make sure it’s saved with UTF-8 encoding. This prevents character issues during import.

2. Choose the correct entity type

Go to System > Data Transfer > Import. From here:

Set Entity Type to Products
Choose your Import Behavior:
- Add/Update: Adds new products and updates existing SKUs
- Replace: Deletes existing products and replaces them with your CSV
- Delete: Deletes products listed in your file
Set Validation Strategy to Stop on Error (for testing) or Skip error entries (for large imports)
Choose the correct Allowed Errors Count if using skip mode

Only select Replace if you are sure you want to overwrite your entire product catalog.

3. Upload your CSV file in the Magento admin

From the same Import screen, click Choose File and upload your prepared CSV.
If you’ve included image references, make sure the image files are located in pub/media/import.
Click Check Data to validate the file. Magento will scan for format issues, missing fields, and incompatible values.
If there are errors, they’ll appear in a list. Fix them in your CSV and re-upload.
Once validation is successful, click Import.

The import process may take a few minutes depending on file size. Magento will show a success message when it’s complete.

Common errors and how to fix them

Magento’s import system is strict, and even small formatting problems can stop the process. Here are some common issues and how to fix them:

“Value for SKU is missing” – Every row must have a unique sku. Check for typos, duplicates, or empty rows.
“Invalid value in attribute_set_code” – Make sure the attribute set name matches exactly what’s in Magento (Default, Clothing, etc.)
“Invalid product type” – Only these values are allowed: simple, configurable, virtual, bundle, grouped, or downloadable.
“Image not found or not accessible” – Ensure images are uploaded to pub/media/import and that the file names match exactly, including extensions.
Encoding problems – Characters like ’ or accented letters may fail if the file isn’t encoded in UTF-8. Re-save it in a code editor like VS Code with UTF-8 selected.

Automate product imports with Magento CLI

For large catalogs or recurring imports, the command line offers faster, more reliable performance than the admin UI.

Magento 2.4+ includes an ImportExport module that can be triggered via CLI (you may need to install a third-party module for product-specific CLI support).

Move your CSV file to a location your server can access
Run an import command (varies depending on the module):
Example syntax for some CLI-based tools:
bin/magento import:products /var/www/magento/var/import/products.csv –behavior=add_update

To fully automate the import:

Schedule a cron job to run your import command daily or hourly
Use FTP or API to drop files into a watch directory
Log each import’s success or failure to a file for review

CLI imports reduce the risk of browser timeouts and allow better error handling in scripts.

Post-import checks and reindexing

After a successful import, double-check that your products look and function as expected.

Visit your catalog pages and verify product visibility.
Check for image loading and category placement.
Confirm that configurable products display their variations.
Search by SKU or name to ensure search indexing is working.

Magento doesn’t always reindex immediately. You may need to do it manually:

bin/magento indexer:reindex

Also flush the cache to make sure changes appear:

bin/magento cache:flush

Top extensions for easier product imports

If you need more advanced features like attribute mapping, Google Sheets integration, or importing from APIs, try one of these tools.

Extension	Features	Best for
Improved Import & Export by Firebear Studio	Map attributes, schedule jobs, connect to Google Sheets or FTP	Enterprises and automation workflows
Xtento Product Import Module	Flexible formats (XML, JSON), cron scheduling, error logging	Developers working with third-party data
Magmi Import Tool	Ultra-fast CLI-based imports for large catalogs	Technical users with performance needs

Improved Import & Export by Firebear Studio

Improved Import & Export by Firebear Studio lets you import from CSV, XML, XLSX, or Google Sheets with full control over attribute mapping, transformations, and scheduling.

Works with external services via REST, SOAP, or FTP
Allows you to run imports hourly or daily via cron
Supports product images, custom attributes, stock updates, and more

Best for: Enterprise teams managing product data across platforms.

Xtento Product Import Module

Xtento Product Import Module is designed for reliable, developer-friendly integrations with outside systems. It handles both manual and automated workflows.

Accepts files in CSV, XML, JSON, SOAP, or REST
Integrates with Dropbox, Google Drive, or direct upload
Logs import history with success/failure notices

Best for: Developers syncing Magento with ERPs or drop-shippers.

Magmi (Magento Mass Importer)

Magmi Import Tool is a fast, open-source CLI tool used by advanced Magento developers to import millions of SKUs quickly.

Plugin-based and scriptable
Great for CSV files exported from large PIMs or custom databases
Known for raw performance in high-volume imports

Best for: Command-line pros with large or complex product catalogs.

Getting started with Magento product imports

Importing products in Magento saves time, reduces errors, and helps you scale your catalog fast—whether you’re starting a new store or updating seasonal inventory.

If you’re new to product import, start with a sample CSV and test with a small batch of products. Then scale up and automate once you’re confident in your data and process.

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