How to fix The XML URL for the site content is empty

When importing a Starter Template, the plugin makes an Ajax request to fetch the demo content XML file from the Starter Templates server. The error “The XML URL for the site content is empty” means the importer received an empty response instead of the expected content file URL. The import process cannot continue without this file.

Step-by-step guide to fix the error

In most cases, it is caused by the server environment blocking or failing to complete the request. You can fix this by following the steps shared below.

Step 1: Update the Plugin and Sync the Library

Before anything else, ensure the Starter Templates plugin is on its latest version. Then sync the template library to refresh all content URLs.

To sync: Go to Starter Templates > Settings and click the “Sync Library” button, or follow the doc: https://startertemplates.com/docs/sync-starter-templates/

Step 2: Re-save Permalink Settings

Go to Settings → Permalinks in the WordPress dashboard and click Save Changes without modifying anything. This refreshes the WordPress rewrite rules, which can fix broken internal Ajax endpoints.

Step 3: Check for Basic Auth / .htaccess Protection

If the site has HTTP Basic Authentication (.htaccess username/password protection), temporarily disable it and try the import again.

This is a confirmed cause. The Starter Templates Block Editor importer makes an Ajax callback to the site itself, and basic auth blocks that internal request.

Action: Temporarily comment out or remove the basic auth rules in .htaccess, run the import, then re-enable.

Step 4: Increase PHP Resource Limits

Contact the hosting provider and request the following PHP configuration values:

memory_limit = 512M
max_execution_time = 900
max_input_time = 900
post_max_size = 256M
upload_max_filesize = 720M

These ensure the server has enough resources to handle the template content download and processing.

Check this guide for more details about server requirements.

Step 5: Check the Read/Write Permissions

Contact the hosting provider and explicitly ask them to ensure the WordPress installation directory has proper read/write permissions. The Starter Templates import process needs to write temporary files to the server during the import.

You can also verify this by navigating to the WP Dashboard > Tools > Site Health > Info > Filesystem Permissions.

Step 6: Check Firewall Settings

Ask the hosting provider to check whether any firewall rule (ModSecurity, server-level WAF, or a WordPress security plugin) is blocking:

• Outbound requests from the site to the Starter Templates content server
• The internal Ajax callback URL used during import

If a rule is blocking these, they will need to whitelist the Starter Templates server.

Step 7: Deactivate Other Plugins Temporarily

Deactivate all plugins except Astra and Starter Templates, then try the import again. This rules out plugin conflicts.

If the import succeeds, reactivate plugins one by one to identify the conflicting plugin.

Step 8: Verify XMLReader PHP Extension

The PHP XMLReader extension is required to parse the imported content. Most hosts have it enabled by default, but it should be confirmed.

Check via Tools → Site Health → Info → Server in the WordPress dashboard, or ask the hosting provider.

Reference: https://startertemplates.com/docs/xmlreader-support-missing/

Step 9: Test in a Clean Environment

To confirm the issue is environment-specific (and not a problem with the template itself), try importing the same template on a fresh test site:

https://try.new/plugins/astra-sites

This creates a clean WordPress setup with Starter Templates pre-installed on ZipWP hosting. If the import works there, it confirms the issue is with the user’s hosting environment.

Still Need Help?

If you have gone through all the steps above and the issue persists, please open a support ticket and include the following information:

• The name of the template you are trying to import.
• Whether you are using the Block Editor, Elementor, or Beaver Builder.
• A screenshot of the error message.
• Your WordPress version, Astra version, and Starter Templates version.
• The results of the steps you have already tried from this guide.

Our support team will be happy to investigate further and help you get the template imported successfully.