How to Import & Export Products in Magento 2 & Adobe Commerce : The Complete Guide for 2026 (CSV, Images, MSI, Configurable Products & More)

Magento 2 product import and export are closely connected processes that form a workflow for transferring catalog data into or out of Magento in bulk, making it essential for store migrations, catalog updates, inventory and price synchronization, and product feeds. Whether you use Magento 2 Open Source or Adobe Commerce, efficient import/export saves you from updating products one by one.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to import and export Magento 2 products, starting with the native CSV requirements and default import process. We cover product types, images, attributes, custom options, stock, pricing, tier prices, and common import challenges.

Magento’s built-in tools work well for straightforward CSV operations, but large or complex catalogs often require flexible mapping, automation, multiple data sources, and advanced import options. That’s where Improved Import & Export for Magento 2 can streamline your workflow and handle recurring catalog updates at scale.

Need more than basic CSV imports? Explore Improved Import & Export for Magento 2 to automate product transfers, map data flexibly, and connect Magento with external platforms and data sources.

Magento 2 Product Import CSV Sample: A Quick Overview

Looking for a Magento 2 product import CSV sample? Here it is:

• Magento 2 Google Sheet Master Import Table
• Magento 2 Sample Import Files GitHub

Performing a Magento 2 import of products with a CSV sample is an essential first step before uploading any real store data. By working with a Magento 2 product CSV that’s free from errors, you’ll gain hands-on experience with how Magento handles product imports and discover the ideal CSV structure. This foundational knowledge helps you master the nuances of Magento 2 import products workflows and prevents costly mistakes later on.

In our Google Sheets Master Table, each column comes with additional guidance that explains how the corresponding Magento 2 import attribute should be used. By checking the notes attached to the column headers, you can see what the field is responsible for, which values and formats are accepted, whether the attribute is required, and how the data should be structured for a successful import. In many cases, these notes also include practical examples and special formatting rules, helping you prepare Magento 2 import files correctly without constantly switching between the spreadsheet and separate documentation. In addition to a perfect product import CSV for Magento 2, you also need to understand the minimum requirements of the workflow.

Magento 2 Import Prerequisites: What You Need Before You Start

By default, Magento 2 uses CSV files for both importing and exporting store data, including products and customers. However, Magento 2 supports a specific CSV structure that you must follow to ensure successful data transfers. A practical way to learn this structure is to either export data from your current store or use the sample Magento 2 product CSV files mentioned above.

If you opt to generate your own CSV files, head to your Magento admin panel, navigate to System > Export, and follow the default export process (detailed below). The resulting files will showcase the correct CSV format for Magento 2 imports:

• Products
• Customers
• Related Data Entities

By reviewing these exports, you’ll gain valuable insights into how Magento 2 manages CSV files, helping you avoid errors when you’re ready to import products or other data into your store.

The exported CSV files will have the following format:

How to Easily Edit a Magento 2 CSV File: A Google Sheets Tutorial

Once you have a Magento 2 CSV file ready for import, the next question is how to edit it without causing formatting issues. Based on our extensive experience with Magento 2 import and export workflows, we recommend Google Sheets for a few key reasons:

1. It’s Free and Accessible. All you need is a Google account to start editing your CSV file.
2. No Formatting Breaks. Uploading a CSV to Google Sheets preserves the original separators and delimiters.
3. Ready for Import. After making your changes, you can download the file in CSV format without worrying about unwanted modifications—it’s instantly ready for your Magento 2 import.

Why Not Use Excel or OpenOffice?

While Microsoft Excel and OpenOffice might seem like convenient options, they often alter CSV formatting, separators, and delimiters by default. Unless you’re an advanced user who can tweak these settings, you may end up with errors during the Magento 2 product import process.

For a hassle-free experience that keeps your CSV files intact and ready to go, Google Sheets remains the most reliable choice.

Magento 2 Open Source vs. Adobe Commerce vs. Improved Import & Export

The basic Magento 2 product import process is similar across Magento Open Source and Adobe Commerce: both support CSV-based catalog imports through the Admin. The key differences are in the features available around catalog management, automation, and data sources.

And if you need to go beyond Magento’s native CSV workflow, Improved Import & Export for Magento 2 and Adobe Commerce adds capabilities designed for large catalogs and recurring data transfers, including multiple file formats, external data sources, flexible mapping, and scheduled imports. Here are three of them compared side by side:

As you can see, Magento Open Source and Adobe Commerce provide the essential tools for straightforward product catalog management. Adobe Commerce adds capabilities such as support for B2B and automation, which can result in more complex catalog data.

The biggest difference comes when you need to automate the process or work with data outside Magento’s standard CSV workflow. Improved Import & Export supports multiple file formats and external sources, provides advanced mapping and transformation capabilities, and lets you schedule recurring imports and exports using cron. This makes it possible to synchronize products, prices, inventory, and other catalog data without manually uploading files every time.

For example, instead of downloading a supplier’s catalog, converting it to Magento’s CSV structure, and importing it manually, you can configure an automated workflow that retrieves the data from an external source, maps the fields to Magento attributes, and runs the import on a schedule.

Important: cron-based scheduling is also available in Adobe Commerce, so the advantage of Improved Import & Export is not simply scheduling itself. The extension combines scheduling with multiple formats, multiple data sources, advanced mapping, automation, and broader import/export workflows.

Now, let’s explore the actual product import and export processes available in Magento 2:

How to Export Products in Magento 2: Step-by-Step Instructions

Before diving into product import procedures, it’s crucial to understand how to export products in Magento 2. Just follow these straightforward steps to get started:

1. First of all, you should go to “System -> Export”
2. Then, it is necessary to select “Products” on the “Entity” dropdown.
3. Now, you can set up filters as well as exclude unnecessary data from the output. Check the attributes that you want to keep away from your product CSV.
4. Click “Continue”
5. Get your formatted csv files with Magento 2 products.

How to Import Products in Magento 2: Your Ultimate Starter Guide

First of all, follow these prerequisites to import products to Magento 2:

1. Compare Your CSV with a Magento 2 Sample
   • Review our complete Magento 2 CSV sample data, which includes all fields optimized for product imports.
   • This file contains the same items found in the official Magento 2 sample data.
   • Match your own CSV against this sample to ensure all required fields are correct.
2. Upload Product Images
   • Download the images from sample data.zip and unzip them.
   • Place the images in your Magento 2 root folder under /pub/media/import.
   • We’ll cover how to bulk import products with images into Magento 2 in the next chapter.
3. Refer to Official Magento 2 Sample Files (Optional)
   • You can also access the official Magento 2 CSV sample under System > Import in the dropdown menu.

Once you’ve met these prerequisites, the general product import workflow in Magento 2 is as follows:

1. In Magento 2 admin, go to “System -> Import.”
   
2. Select “Products” from “Entity Type”.
3. Select an import behavior option: Add/Update, Replace, or Delete:

• Add/Update is the default behavior in Magento 2:
  • If a product with the same SKU already exists, it will be updated with the new data provided in the import file.
  • If a product with the SKU does not exist, a new product will be created.
• Replace is similar to Add/Update, but it only updates existing products and does not create new ones.
  • If a product with the specified SKU is found, it will be updated with the new data. If the SKU is not found, no action will be taken for that row.
• Delete allows you to delete products during the import process.
  • If a product with the SKU specified in the CSV exists in your database, it will be removed from the catalog.

4. Select your CSV file. Use the “Select File to Import” option and then click “Check Data”. If the data is correct, start importing products to Magento 2!

That’s it! This procedure will be used for all other types of product imports to Magento 2. However, each new algorithm has its unique features associated with different attributes. Therefore, let’s dive deep into the CSV file structure associated with the Magento 2 import of products.

Magento 2 Product CSV Structure: Columns, Values, and Import Rules

While importing products, it is also important to understand the Magento 2 product CSV structure and what each column actually controls. A Magento product import file can contain everything from basic identifiers and prices to SEO metadata, images, inventory settings, product relations, and storefront configuration.

The table below explains the most important Magento 2 product import attributes, their expected values, and practical rules for preparing your CSV file.

How to Bulk Import Product Images into Magento 2 (Local or Remote Server)

Instead of manually uploading each product image to its product page, you can bulk import images into Magento 2 by referencing a CSV file. Below, we’ll show you two approaches: importing images from your local server and importing images from an external (remote) server.

Magento 2: Import Products with Images from a Local Server

In the case of a local server, the Magento 2 product image import is divided into the following two steps:

Step 1: Upload Your Images

1. Prepare all the image files you need for your Magento 2 import.
   Place them into the default Magento 2 folder, for example:
   <Magento root directory>/var/import/images/product_images
2. You can’t directly include image files inside a CSV, so uploading them first is essential.

Step 2: Import Products via CSV (with Images)

1. Map Each Image to Its SKU:
   • In your Magento 2 product CSV, include columns for each image type (e.g., base_image, small_image, thumbnail_image, additional_image).
     
   • Specify the corresponding image file names for each SKU.
2. Run the Default Magento 2 Import:
   • Go to System > Import in your Magento admin panel.
   • Select Products as your import entity and upload the CSV file.
     
   • Complete the import process as prompted.
3. Verify Images:
   • Clear the cache to see the newly imported images on each product page.

Magento 2: Import Products with Images from an External Server

In the case of a remote server, the procedure is also divided into two sections.

Step 1: Host Images on a Remote Server

Upload your product image files to any publicly accessible folder on your external server. Example: https://example.com/magento-2-import-products-with-images/imagename.jpg

Step 2: Import Products via CSV (with Remote Image URLs)

The second step is almost the same as in the case of a local server:

1. Update Your CSV File:
   • Include columns for image types — base_image, small_image, thumbnail_image, and additional_image.
   • Instead of just the file name, enter the full URL of each image file.
     
2. Run the Default Magento 2 Import:
   • In your admin panel, go to System > Import.
   • Choose Products as the entity and upload the CSV containing remote URLs.
   • Proceed through the default import steps.
3. Clear the Cache:
   • After import, clear the cache to ensure the images display correctly on the frontend.

By following these processes, you can seamlessly import products with images into Magento 2 from either a local or remote server using CSV files. This method saves time, avoids manual image uploads, and prevents formatting errors, especially when dealing with large product catalogs.

How to Import Product Tier Prices into Magento 2

Now, let’s learn how to bulk upload tier prices in Magento 2 with CSV. If you need to import tier prices to Magento 2, go to System -> Import and select “Advanced Pricing” from a dropdown list. Next, pick “Add/Update” in “Import behavior” and configure other parameters of the standard Magento 2 import procedure.

As for a CSV file, you should remove the ALL Groups column, if there is one, and further edit the table unless it has a similar structure:

We have also composed a dedicated guide on importing tier prices to Magento 2. Follow this link for more information: How to import Magento 2 Advanced Pricing

Now, you can easily import Magento 2 tier prices to your website. This procedure allows for saving hours necessary for manual configuration in the backend. Alternatively, you can export a CSV, edit the file, and reimport it back. This also helps to save the time necessary for applying changes to tier prices in Magento 2.

Let’s continue our trip to the world of the Magento 2 product import. The next stop is MSI.

Advanced Magento 2 Import: Leveraging the MSI Warehouse Reference

Since the default Magento 2 import of products doesn’t let you transfer MSI data, you need a third-party solution to do that. Starting from 3.5.2, Improved Import & Export lets you import products to Magento 2 and assign them to multiple warehouses if you use the Magento 2 MSI extension. The extension allows you to specify the following parameters:

• A warehouse to assign the product to;
• The product quantity assigned to a particular warehouse;
• If the product can be purchased from the specific warehouse.

To import products to Magento 2 with the warehouse reference, you need to add three custom attributes to your product import file:

You can use multiple msi_{warehouse_name}, msi_{warehouse_name}_qty, msi_{warehouse_name}_status attributes to assign the product to multiple warehouses. Proceed to our Magento 2 product import csv sample Master Table to see how these attributes can be used during the product import.

Next, import products to Magento 2 as you would regularly do with the Improved Import & Export extension: go to System -> Improved Import/Export -> Import Jobs, create a new job, configure automation, select the entity to import – Products, and specify other parameters of your Product import.

Follow our Magento 2 multi-source inventory import guide for more information.

Magento 2 Import of Configurable Products: A Detailed Walkthrough

Unfortunately, Magento 2 configurable product import is quite a complicated procedure. You can, however, improve it with the help of third-party extensions, but below we describe how to use the native functionality of Magento 2 to import configurable products to Magento 2. The procedure is divided into several steps, so let’s start with prerequisites.

• Go to Stores -> Attributes -> Products. Here, you should create and define your product attributes.
  
• Next, it is necessary to create attribute sets for the product attributes you want to import. Perhaps these sets already exist, but you should check them under Stores -> Attributes -> Attribute Set in any case. If sets are not available, create them to enable your Magento 2 import of configurable products.
  
• Don’t forget to set up categories properly. This means that categories for configurable products should be created before the import. You can manage them under Products -> Categories.
• Note that neither simple nor configurable products should exist in your Magento 2 catalog before you import them.

These are mandatory rules, and we can’t find a way around them (until you start using third-party modules).

Now, let’s say a few words about file requirements for the configurable product import to Magento 2. It is not a secret that Magento 2 import/export is based on CSV, but if your update doesn’t adhere to the standard requirements, you won’t be able to perform a Magento 2 configurable product import correctly. So, here are the main things for you to consider:

1. Use a comma as the field and multiple value separator. This parameter can be changed during the import, but it often leads to failures, so we recommend coping with this requirement.
2. In a CSV file, list simple products before the configurable product. Otherwise, you will never import your desired items to your website.
3. Pay closer attention to the “attribute_set_code” field. It is very important for the entire Magento 2 import of configurable products. The field should match the Attribute Set that contains the attributes for each product. Also, you may need to include an additional column “update_attribute_set” with the value “1” to update the attribute set of the product.
4. Another important field is “configurable_variations”. It should be filled in with a pipe-separated set of sku/option combinations for each configurable product. It should be populated for the configurable product only.
5. The “configurable_variation_labels” field should also be filled in for configurable products only. And don’t forget that its role is to correlate the Attribute code to the Label Name.
6. As for the “additional_attributes” field, it lists options for each simple product. Separate multiple attributes with commas. Keep it empty for configurable products.

Now, we’d like to draw your attention to the example of a CSV file. For instance, we’d like to import a shirt that comes in three colors: black, white, and red. Thus, the Product Attribute “color” defines these three colors and exists in the “Default” Attribute Set. As a result, you should import 4 products: 3 simple products – black, white, and red shirts, and the main configurable shirt product. As for the key fields of a CSV file, they are:

• additional_attributes: for the Black shirt: color=Black; for the White shirt: color=White; and for the Red shirt: color=Red;
• configurable_variations: For the configurable shirt product: “sku=shirt-black,color=Black|sku=shirt-white,color=White|sku=shirt-red,color=Red”;
• configurable_variation_labels: for the configurable shirt product – color=Color.

Things get a little bit more complicated when you add more attributes:

When your Magento 2 configurable product import CSV is ready, run the standard product import described above. For further information, follow our guide on importing Magento 2 configurable products here: The Complete Guide to Magento 2 Configurable Products.

Magento 2 Custom Options Import: Best Practices

As a Magento administrator, you can configure Magento 2 custom options manually, but there is one serious problem: the process is time-consuming. Therefore, it is a good idea to apply changes to custom options in bulk via the Magento 2 custom options import.

The default Magento 2 import tool allows you to upload custom options together with products, so you should assign all customizable fields to one product and nest them in one file column in the following format:

• For Text, File, or Date Type

• For Select Type

Where:

• Magento 2 custom option name – specify the custom option name as it should display for customers at the storefront (for example, Print, Color, Shipped Till)
• Type – input type for the custom option to be created (dropdown, image, date, multiple select, text field, etc)
• Required – mark this field as required using 1 value and respectively put 0 if the customer is not obliged to adjust this option before adding the product to the cart
• Price – if the customization, represented by the Magento 2 custom option, should draw additional cost, specify its value
• Price_type – decide on the price type, to be exact, how the custom option price will be calculated – by percentage from simple product price or as a fixed value
• SKU – provide a unique identifier for each custom option
• Option_title – if you import a custom option of select type, you are supposed to configure its value

Below, you can see an example of a CSV with product custom options ready for Magento 2 import:

So, you need to prepare your data table and then import it via the default Magento 2 product import. Follow our guide to Magento 2 custom options for more information.

Importing Related Products in Magento 2: The Essentials

Now, let’s focus on how to import related products to Magento 2 along with up-sells and cross-sells using a CSV file. You need to use the standard product data table enhanced by additional attributes:

The related items can be imported along with the Magento 2 products with the help of the corresponding columns:

• related_skus – for Magento 2 import of related products;
• crosssell_skus – for Magento 2 import of cross-sells.
• upsell_skus – for Magento 2 import of up-sells.

They all have the same formatting: specify SKUs separated by commas to assign the corresponding products as related products, cross-sells, or upsells.

When your CSV is ready, use the default Magento 2 product import to transfer the update. Read our guide to related products, up-sells, and cross-sells to find out more nuances about the Magento 2 import of related products.

How to Import or Update Product Stock and Attributes in Magento 2

To import product stock data in Magento 2, you only need a CSV file with three columns: sku, product_type, and qty. The “qty” column represents the full stock value, so you can’t increase/decrease the stock value by importing a CSV file manually. You can only specify the new amount. Let’s look at the example:

A CSV file with such parameters will apply a quantity of 100 items to the product with SKU 667. Besides, it will set “Stock Availability” to “In Stock” if previously the qty parameter was 0 and “Stock Availability” was “Out of Stock”.

The “Product Type” (product_type) column is required by Magento 2 and should contain a Magento 2 Import for Grouped Products Explained product type in lowercase – simple, configurable, downloadable, etc.

Next, you only need to import this product CSV to Magento 2 following the standard procedure described above.

That’s how you import products and stock to Magento 2. Note that you can replace the qty column with any product attribute code to update this attribute!

Magento 2 Import: Grouped Products

Magento 2 grouped products inherit all the same product attributes of a simple product plus one additional attribute – associated_skus. The corresponding column in the import file contains SKUs of all associated simple (child) products. Additionally, you can also specify the default quantity of each simple product that should be applied in the grouped product settings. To add SKUs only, use this pattern: sku1,sku2,sku3,…skun.

If you need to import grouped products to Magento 2 with the quantity information per child product, add “=” after the SKU and put a default quantity number after it: sku1=qty1,sku2=qty2,sku3=qty3,…skun=qtyn.

Separate multiple SKUs by commas.

Next, follow the standard Magento 2 product import procedure. If you use Improved Import & Export, it is possible to remove the existing product associations when you import grouped products to Magento 2. It lets you reassign simple products to the grouped product so that only child products from the imported table are assigned to the parent product. For more information, follow our guide to Magento 2 grouped products.

How to Import Bundle Products into Magento 2

There are six main attributes of the bundle product that are used in the import table:

• bundle_values – the main attribute responsible for tying simple products to the bundle. It mirrors all the settings available within the Bundle Items configuration section of the bundle product: Option title, Input Type, Required, if a simple product is pre-selected (is default), SKU of a simple product, price of a simple product, price type of a simple product, default quantity and if qty of a product is user-defined. All these values go into the bundle_values attribute for EVERY simple product. Use a comma to separate attribute values and a pipe to end the line. Add another simple product using the same pattern after the pipe;
• bundle_price_type – it defines whether Dynamic Price is enabled or disabled;
• bundle_price_view – it defines how the price of the product is displayed.
• bundle_sku_type – it defines how the SKUs of the simple product will be composed;
• bundle_weight_type – it defines how the weight of a bundle product is calculated;
• bundle_shipment_type – it defines how the items of a bundle product are shipped.

Next, you can use the default Magento 2 import of products to transfer your bundles to your website. Read our guide to Magento 2 bundle products to learn more information about bundle product attributes and the corresponding import procedure.

Final Words: Extend and Automate Magento 2 Product Import & Export in 2026

By this point, the logic behind Magento 2 product import and export should be much clearer. The basic workflow remains consistent, but the actual CSV structure changes depending on what you are transferring. A simple product import requires a different set of fields from configurable, grouped, downloadable, or related product scenarios, while images, pricing, inventory, categories, and product relationships introduce their own rules.

For many routine catalog updates, the native Magento 2 tools are enough. Once you understand the required attributes, accepted values, and product-specific structures covered throughout this guide, you can handle standard Magento 2 product import and Magento 2 product export operations with CSV files directly from the Admin.

The challenge appears when product data no longer arrives in a clean Magento-ready CSV or when the same process has to run repeatedly. Supplier feeds may use different column names, ERP systems may expose data through APIs, product information may be maintained in Google Sheets, and large catalogs often require scheduled updates rather than manual uploads. This is where Improved Import & Export for Magento 2 and Adobe Commerce extends the native workflow.

Improved Import & Export for Magento 2: Go Beyond Native Product Transfers

Improved Import & Export is designed to make complex product imports to Magento 2 easier to configure, automate, and reuse. Instead of manually rebuilding source files to match Magento requirements every time, you can create import and export profiles that define how external data should be interpreted and processed.

The extension expands Magento product import and export with capabilities such as:

• importing data from Google Sheets, FTP/SFTP, Dropbox, direct URLs, and other external sources;
• working with CSV, XML, XLS/XLSX, ODS, and JSON instead of relying only on the native CSV workflow;
• using XSLT transformation templates to convert third-party file structures into Magento-compatible data;
• applying mapping presets or manually mapping source columns and values to Magento attributes;
• adjusting imported prices by a fixed amount or percentage;
• importing tier prices together with product data;
• creating new attributes, attribute values, attribute sets, and attribute groups during import;
• handling configurable, downloadable, and other supported product structures;
• importing categories and additional Magento entities alongside catalog data;
• clearing or replacing selected product associations, categories, images, related products, cross-sells, upsells, and attribute values;
• processing product images, including additional image-related operations after import;
• connecting Magento with external systems through REST and SOAP APIs;
• scheduling recurring Magento 2 product imports and exports with cron;
• launching configured jobs manually from the Admin or CLI;
• triggering export jobs when catalog changes occur.

The mapping functionality is particularly useful when importing data that was not created for Magento 2. A predefined mapping preset can automatically adapt supported source structures, while manual mapping gives you direct control over how third-party fields correspond to Magento attributes. Instead of editing the original file before every transfer, you configure the transformation as part of the import job.

The same principle applies to automation. Once a profile is configured, recurring catalog feeds can run according to a schedule, while specific workflows can also be launched manually from the Magento Admin or command line. This is especially useful when product prices, quantities, attributes, or supplier feeds need to be refreshed regularly.

From Product Import to a Complete Magento Data Workflow

Although this guide concentrates on Magento 2 product import and export, catalog data rarely exists in isolation. Products interact with categories, stock, pricing, customers, orders, CMS content, B2B entities, and external business systems. Improved Import & Export is therefore designed for broader data-transfer scenarios as well, including integrations with ERP, CRM, PIM, accounting, marketplace, and other platforms.

Firebear can also assist when the standard extension configuration is not enough. This may include installation and configuration, Google Sheets or XML setup, complex import workflows, field mapping, XSLT transformation templates, and consultation on specific Magento import/export scenarios.

If you are planning a migration, building an automated product feed, synchronizing Magento with an external system, or dealing with a source format that does not fit the native importer, the goal is not simply to make one file import successfully. It is to create a workflow that can keep working as the catalog grows and the data source changes.

Explore Improved Import & Export for Magento 2 and Adobe Commerce →

Read the Improved Import & Export Extension Manual →

Contact Firebear About Your Magento Import, Export, Migration, or Integration Project →

Continue With the Complete Magento 2 Import & Export Guide

As we’ve just mentioned, product data is only one part of Magento data management. If you also need to work with customers, orders, categories, Adobe Commerce B2B entities, APIs, alternative file formats, cloud storage, ERP or CRM integrations, and advanced troubleshooting, continue with our broader Magento 2 import and export guide: