### [Moving From Pirate Forms to WPForms](https://wpforms.com/docs/how-to-move-from-pirate-forms-to-wpforms/)

**Published:** November 23, 2023
**Author:** Umair Majeed

**Excerpt:** Learn how to import forms from the Pirate Forms plugin into WPForms.

**Content:**

Do you need to make the switch from Pirate Forms to WPForms? Our form importer tool makes it easy to move your current forms into WPForms, so there’s no need to rebuild them from scratch.

This guide will discuss how to import forms from the Pirate Forms plugin to WPForms.

![Pirate Forms Import to WPForms](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/pirate-forms-import.gif "Pirate Forms Import to WPForms")

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Here at WPForms, we’re excited to announce that we’ve acquired Pirate Forms. You can read all the details in our [announcement post](https://wpforms.com/wpforms-has-acquired-pirate-forms/).

### 1. Importing Your Form from Pirate Forms

There are two slightly different ways to migrate from Pirate Forms to WPForms. We’ll walk through both of them below.

To use either of these methods, you must have Pirate Forms installed on your site.

#### Using the Pirate Forms Migration Tool

To make the transition to WPForms as smooth as possible, you can use our built-in migration tool. This option will appear at the top of your WordPress dashboard. First, click the **Migrate to WPForms** button.

![The Migrate to WPForms tool for Pirate Forms](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/pirate-forms-migrate-to-wpforms.png "The Migrate to WPForms Tool For Pirate Forms")

This will open the migration tool. The first step is to install WPForms Lite, the free version of our plugin. You can do this easily by clicking the **Install WPForms** button.

![Installing WPForms Lite to migrate from Pirate Forms to WPForms](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/pirate-forms-migration-install-wpforms.png "Installing WPForms Lite to Migrate From Pirate Forms to WPForms")

**Note:** If you’d like to consider upgrading to the paid version of WPForms for even more features, you can find out more about our license options on [our Pricing page](https://wpforms.com/pricing/ "WPForms Pricing page").

Once WPForms Lite is installed and activated, you’ll see a success message.

![WPForms installation success message](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/pirate-forms-migration-plugin-installed.png "WPForms Installation Success Message")

Next, you can automatically import your contact form from Pirate Forms. To do so, click the **Start Migration** button.

![The Start Migration button for moving from Pirate Forms to WPForms](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/pirate-forms-start-migration.png "Click the Start Migration Button")

On the next screen, select the **Default Form** from the **Available Forms** column. It will then display in the **Forms to Import** column. Click on the **Import** button to move your Pirate Forms contact form to WPForms.

![Selecting the Pirate Forms contact form to move to WPForms](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/pirate-forms-available-forms-to-import-1.png "Selecting the Pirate Forms Contact Form to Move to WPForms")

When the import is complete, you’ll see a success message as well as quick links to edit or preview your imported form.

![The Pirate Forms import success message](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/pirate-forms-import-success-message.png "The Pirate Forms Import Success Message")

The migration tool will let you know if any fields weren’t imported due to compatibility issues. It will also give you an opportunity to upgrade to a paid version of WPForms, or to continue the import without the field(s) that requires a paid license.

![The field incompatibility Heads Up message for Pirate Forms](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/pirate-forms-upgrade-wpforms.png "The Field Incompatibility Heads Up Message for Pirate Forms")

If you proceed without upgrading, you’ll see a confirmation message with a summary of any fields that were not imported and links to edit or preview your form.

![The field not imported message for Pirate Forms](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/pirate-forms-field-not-imported.png "The Field Not Imported Message for Pirate Forms")

The migration tool will also import notification emails and confirmation settings from Pirate Forms to WPForms.

#### Using the WPForms Import Tool

You can also import your Pirate Forms contact form using our WPForms Import tool. First, make sure you have the WPForms plugin [installed and activated](https://wpforms.com/docs/install-wpforms-plugin/) on your site. You’ll still need to have your Pirate Forms plugin installed, too.

**Note:** Want to learn more about importing and exporting forms in WPForms? Check out our [complete guide to these tools](https://wpforms.com/docs/how-to-import-and-export-wpforms/) for all the details.

Then go to **WPForms » Tools** and scroll down to the **Import from Other Form Plugins** section. From the dropdown, select **Pirate Forms** as the source plugin and click the **Import** button.

![The WPForms Import tool](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wpforms-import-pirate-forms.png "The WPForms Import Tool")

This will bring you to the form selection screen. Click the checkbox for your Pirate Forms Default Form in the **Available Forms** column, then click on **Import** again.

![Importing the Pirate Forms contact form to WPForms](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/pirate-forms-available-forms-to-import-1.png "Importing the Pirate Forms Contact Form to WPForms")

Once your form has been imported, you’ll see a success message with links to edit or preview your imported form.

![Pirate Forms import success message](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/pirate-forms-import-success-message.png "Pirate Forms Import Success Message")

The Import tool will also bring over your email notification and confirmation settings from Pirate Forms. To learn more about the options available for these settings in WPForms, be sure to check out our tutorials on [setting up notification emails](https://wpforms.com/docs/setup-form-notification-wpforms/ "How to Set Up Form Notifications in WPForms") and [configuring confirmation settings](https://wpforms.com/docs/setup-form-confirmation-wpforms/ "How to Set Up Form Confirmation in WPForms").

**Note:** Please always [review and test your imported form](https://wpforms.com/docs/how-to-properly-test-your-wordpress-forms-before-launching-checklist/ "How to Properly Test Your WordPress Forms Before Launching [Checklist]") to be sure everything works as expected before publishing it on a live page or post.

Once you’ve checked over your imported form, you can use it to replace your Pirate Forms contact form.

### 2. Adding Your Form to a Page or Post

**Note:** The instructions below are for WordPress version 5 and above. If you’re using an older version of WordPress, make sure to see our tutorial on [creating forms using the Classic Editor](https://wpforms.com/docs/creating-your-first-form-with-the-wordpress-classic-editor/).

To replace your old forms with WPForms, you’ll first need to open the page editor where your Pirate Forms contact form is embedded.

From the editor, delete the shortcode block that holds the `[pirate_forms]` shortcode by clicking on it and pressing the Delete key on your keyboard, or clicking on the three-dot icon and selecting **Remove block**.

![](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/remove-pirate-forms-shortcode-block-2.png)

Then click on the **plus (+)** button in the top left corner of the editor to add a new block to your page.

![Adding new block to a page](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/add-new-block-2.png)

To find the WPForms block, you can search for it using the search bar at the top of the block library, or scroll to the **Widgets** section. Click on **WPForms** to add the block to your page.

![](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/add-WPForms-block-3.png)

Next, choose your imported form from the **Select a Form** dropdown.

![Selecting a form from the WPForms block](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/select-form-WPForms-block-1.png)

Then save, publish, or update your page by clicking on the appropriate option in the top right corner of the editor. You can now delete the Pirate Forms plugin from your site.

That’s it! You’re now able to quickly move from Pirate Forms to WPForms.

Next, would you like to learn about the entry management options available with a paid license for WPForms? [Our guide to form entries](https://wpforms.com/docs/complete-guide-to-form-entries/ "A Complete Guide to Form Entries") discusses the many features WPForms offers for handling entries submitted to your forms.

**Categories:** Form Management, Extending

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