Export Your Data
Download a portable archive of your Teak cards and original files
Teak can prepare a portable ZIP archive of your active cards and the original files attached to them. Exports are available from Settings on the web app and desktop app.
Start an Export
Open Settings
Open Teak on web, or open the desktop app and choose Teak -> Settings… from the macOS menu bar.
Open Export
In Settings, find Export Data and choose Manage.
Start export
Choose Start export.
Wait for preparation
Keep working while Teak prepares the archive in the background.
Download
When the export is ready, choose Download archive.
You can cancel an export while it is still preparing. Canceled and failed exports do not count toward your weekly export limit.
What the Archive Includes
Each export is a ZIP file with this layout:
manifest.json
cards.json
files/| File or folder | What it contains |
|---|---|
manifest.json |
Export version, schema version, creation time, expiry time, and counts for cards and files. |
cards.json |
Your active cards in a portable JSON format. |
files/ |
Original uploaded files that were available when the archive was created. |
Each card entry can include:
- Card ID, type, content, URL, notes, tags, and favorite status
- Created and updated timestamps
- Visible palette colors
- A file reference when the original file was included
Text cards export their canonical Markdown content only. If a text card originally came from an uploaded Markdown file, that source attachment is intentionally excluded; importing the new archive recreates it as a text-only card.
What Is Not Included
Exports are intentionally focused on your portable library content. They do not include:
- Cards currently in trash
- AI tags, summaries, transcripts, or generated enrichment fields
- Generated thumbnails, screenshots, favicons, or preview media
- Account, billing, API key, session, or source metadata
- Internal processing state
If an original file cannot be read after retrying, Teak still includes the card in cards.json and omits only that file. The export dialog shows how many files were unavailable.
Limits and Availability
| Limit | Details |
|---|---|
| Frequency | One successful export every 7 days. |
| Active jobs | One export can prepare at a time. |
| Download window | Ready archives stay available for 7 days. |
| Library size | Exports support up to 10,000 active cards or an estimated 5 GB archive. |
If your latest export is still available, download it from Settings -> Export Data -> Manage. After it expires, you can start a new export when your weekly quota allows it.
Troubleshooting
I see "Available in..."
You recently completed an export. Wait for the shown time, then start another one.
My export failed
Open Export Data and try again. Failed exports do not count toward the weekly limit.
The archive is too large
If your library is over the export limit, delete unneeded cards or permanently remove old trash items, then try again.