import { Aside, Steps } from "@astrojs/starlight/components";

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.

<Aside type="note" title="Exports are read-only">
  Starting an export does not change, delete, or move anything in your Teak library.
</Aside>

## Start an Export

<Steps>

1. Open Teak on web, or open the desktop app and choose **Teak -> Settings...** from the macOS menu bar.

2. In Settings, find **Export Data** and choose **Manage**.

3. Choose **Start export**.

4. Keep working while Teak prepares the archive in the background.

5. When the export is ready, choose **Download archive**.

</Steps>

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:

```text
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

## 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 a successful export. Wait for the shown time, then start another export.

### My export failed

Open **Export Data** again and try another export. Failed exports do not count toward the weekly limit.

### Some files are unavailable

The archive still includes those cards in `cards.json`, but their original files were not available when the export was built.

### 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.