In short. Select Update existing products, match rows by ID or SKU, review column mapping, and check the import report for skipped rows.
Definition: As of October 2026, WooCommerce's built-in product importer updates existing products from a comma-separated values (CSV) file when Update existing products is selected. It matches rows by product ID or stock keeping unit (SKU), with an additional identifier fallback in specified versions.
Key facts
- WooCommerce's importer documentation instructs store managers to select Update existing products after choosing the CSV file.
- The official Product CSV Import Schema specifies UTF-8 encoding and names the product fields accepted as column headers.
- The importer source code skips rows with an existing SKU or ID when updating is disabled.
How should the CSV identify existing products?
WooCommerce's preparation guidance recommends exporting existing products to confirm column names and identifiers before preparing an update. An export already follows the required schema. Keep the existing product's ID or SKU in the corresponding column, edit the intended fields, and save the file as UTF-8 CSV.
The following illustrative row combines the documentation's example SKU, name and regular price. A real update requires the target store's existing identifier and intended values.
SKU,Name,Regular price
woo-headphones,Headphones,24.99
The same documentation calls the field for a GTIN, UPC, EAN or ISBN Global Unique ID. In WooCommerce 11.2 and later, this field can identify an existing product only when both ID and SKU are blank. A supplied ID or SKU takes precedence even when unmatched. An unmatched ID causes the row to be skipped; supplying another identifier alongside it does not activate the fallback.
What does the update option change?
WooCommerce's update instructions place the workflow at Products > All Products > Import. After Choose File, selecting Update existing products enables changes to matching records. Other unmatched rows are skipped, apart from eligible new variations.
The exception matters for a file containing variations, which are product options belonging to a variable parent product. Starting in WooCommerce 11.1, an update import can create new variations for an existing variable product. The new row needs an empty ID, Type set to variation, and Parent identifying the existing variable product. Attribute names and nonempty values must match the parent's attributes and options. The documentation provides separate eligibility rules for the variation's SKU or Global Unique ID.
Leaving the update option unselected causes rows with existing IDs or SKUs to be skipped. The option therefore determines whether matching existing records are eligible for an update.
How are fields selected and skipped rows checked?
WooCommerce's column mapping instructions require reviewing the mapping screen after Continue. Recognized columns map automatically; dropdown menus change the destination field. Do not import excludes a column. For Global Unique ID matching, the relevant column must explicitly map to GTIN, UPC, EAN, or ISBN, because its default is Do not import.
Column exclusion differs from an empty imported value. For example, the official schema states that a blank Stock value disables stock management. Select Do not import for a column that should be ignored.
Select Run the importer and wait for completion without refreshing the page. The importer documentation directs readers to the import log when products are missing or skipped. Its listed causes include an existing ID or SKU with updating disabled, and columns or values that differ from the schema. Correct the reported cause before importing again.
Related terms
- How do I export WooCommerce product data to a CSV?
- How do I map CSV columns in WooCommerce's product importer?
- How do I import WooCommerce product variations by CSV?
FAQ
Can you match an existing product without its ID or SKU?
In WooCommerce 11.2 and later, you can use a mapped Global Unique ID when both are blank, according to the update documentation. Select the identifier field in column mapping before running the import.
How can you exclude a field from an update?
Choose Do not import for its CSV column. The same mapping instructions provide that setting for columns that should be ignored.
Sources
- WooCommerce, "Product CSV Importer and Exporter", consulted October 2026
- WooCommerce, "Product CSV Import Schema", consulted October 2026
- WooCommerce, "Product CSV importer source code", consulted October 2026
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