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How to use bulk search & replace for Elementor?
Bulk search and replace is a feature included only in the Pro version of the plugin. With this feature, you can run a mass search and replace on an unlimited number of posts and pages.
It is important to note that before you do a bulk search and replace, you should create a backup of your WordPress database.
Here are the options that you will see on the bulk search and replace page.
HTML with RegExp:
You can use Regular Expressions to match HTML or any other Elementor content and then replace.
You need to have a very good understanding of regular expressions and test your code previously on sites like Regular-Expressions.info because our plugin does very minimal checks and validations.
The chance to break your site and need to restore it from your backup is higher than any other feature of the plugin.
Dry-run:
To ensure you don’t make any mistakes and need to restore your database from backup, we have added a Dry-run option by default.
This option is enabled, and it’s highly recommended to have it on. When the Dry-run option is set to “Yes”, your search and replace become a two-step process.
First, you check the search method, select all the posts and pages, and enter your search phrase, then click Search.
This will run a safe mode that will only find and/or highlight the results without replacing anything. The highlighter is only available for the Text-only search method.
However, you can review any of the selected posts and pages, and you will also see the number of search results found by each post or page.
The Dry-run option can be toggled on the Options page.
Select Post Type:
Under this section of the bulk search and replace, you will see a list with all the Posts, Pages, and Custom Post Types that have published Elementor pages.
After checking the Post Type, you will see all the individual posts or pages.
You have the ability to search and toggle all posts with the top bar.
Only published Elementor posts and pages will show in this section (drafts or none Elementor posts will not show up).
Search Method:
You have three search methods: Text-only, Links (URLs), and Images.
Each method will target different data fields by default. You can manipulate this on the Options page.
In addition, you can also choose to have a case-sensitive Text-only search method.
Search For:
This is where you enter/select your search phrase, link, or image.
Depending on the search method, this field will change its input type.
There is a minimum of 3 characters for the Text-only method and, by default, validation and sanitization functions when you run the Links (URLs) and Images search methods.
Replace With:
The Replace with field has the same functionality as the Search for, but this is where you enter/select the replacement text, link, or image.
This is hidden by default if the Dry-run option is set to “Yes”, and you need to run the Search before you see this field.
Action Buttons:
There are 4 action buttons that will show up depending on the stage or options selected for your bulk search and replace.
- Search: This action button will show up if you have the Dry-run option selected as “Yes”.
- Replace: This action button will show up either after you run Search as Dry-run or if you do a straight search and replace and have the Dry-run option selected as “No”.
- Clear: This action button will clear all the custom tags added to highlight Text-only search results. You can run this action at any time.
- Search & Replace: You will see this action button if you select to use the HTML RegEx feature.
Lastly, there is a default raw data limit set at 300kb for both the Free and Pro versions, which can be lifted all the way up to 10,240kb on the Options page for the Pro plugin.