---
title: "Update existing Ultimate Member users by email or username"
date: 2026-08-06
modified: 2026-08-06
author: "userelements_wh8sr3"
url: "https://www.userelements.com/update-ultimate-member-users-by-email-or-username/"
markdown_url: "https://www.userelements.com/update-ultimate-member-users-by-email-or-username.md"
type: post
excerpt: "Use import when you already have members in Ultimate Member and need to refresh profile data from a spreadsheet. Match […]"
categories:
  - "Ultimate Member"
---
Use import when you already have members in Ultimate Member and need to refresh profile data from a spreadsheet. Match each CSV row to an existing account by **email** or **username**.

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**Important Free limitation:** Free has **no Update only mode** and **no match by User ID**. Upsert will *create* a new user if the email/username is not found. Double-check your CSV before running.

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## When to match by email vs username

- **Email** — default; best when emails are unique and stable
- **Username** — when you’re syncing from a system that keys off `user_login`
- **User ID** (Pro) — safest for migrations between environments with stable IDs

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## Free: update via upsert

1. **Ultimate Member → Import**
2. Upload CSV → mode = **Create or update (upsert)**
3. Match = **Email** or **Username**
4. Map the match column + fields to change
5. Enable skip blank cells on update
6. Dry-run preview — confirm rows show **update**, not unexpected **create**
7. Run import (≤500 rows)

---

## Pro: safer update-only

1. **UM Export → Import**
2. Mode = **Update only — skip new users**
3. Match = Email, Username, or User ID
4. Optional: set Email/Username rule to **Never update**; other fields to Always overwrite
5. Optional: “Update only these fields…”
6. Dry-run → run now or background

> **📸 Screenshot**  
> Import step 1 showing mode radios — Free without Update only; Pro with Update only selected.

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## Dry-run checklist

- Every row you care about resolves to an existing user
- On Free upsert, no surprise “create” for typos in email/username
- Blank cells won’t wipe data if skip-blank is on
- Role column behavior understood (Pro: replace vs add)

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## Quick decision

You need…UseSmall update list, emails are correctFree upsert by emailMust not create new accounts**Pro Update only**Match by WordPress user IDPro500+ rows or background processingProFree + Pro: [Ultimate Member Export](https://www.userelements.com/ultimate-member-export)