> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.memoryplugin.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Import & Export

> Bring memories in from files or export them for backup and portability

export const ArticleInfo = ({author, lastUpdated}) => {
  const authorAvatar = author === 'asad' ? '/images/author-asad.jpeg' : null;
  const formatDate = dateInput => {
    if (!dateInput) return '';
    if (typeof dateInput === 'string' && !dateInput.match(/^\d{4}-\d{2}-\d{2}/)) {
      return dateInput;
    }
    try {
      const date = new Date(dateInput);
      const now = new Date();
      const diffTime = Math.abs(now - date);
      const diffDays = Math.floor(diffTime / (1000 * 60 * 60 * 24));
      if (diffDays === 0) return 'today';
      if (diffDays === 1) return '1 day ago';
      if (diffDays < 7) return `${diffDays} days ago`;
      if (diffDays < 30) return `${Math.ceil(diffDays / 7)} week${Math.ceil(diffDays / 7) > 1 ? 's' : ''} ago`;
      if (diffDays < 365) return `${Math.ceil(diffDays / 30)} month${Math.ceil(diffDays / 30) > 1 ? 's' : ''} ago`;
      return `${Math.ceil(diffDays / 365)} year${Math.ceil(diffDays / 365) > 1 ? 's' : ''} ago`;
    } catch {
      return dateInput;
    }
  };
  return <div style={{
    display: "flex",
    alignItems: "center",
    gap: "8px",
    marginBottom: "16px",
    padding: "8px 12px",
    backgroundColor: "var(--ifm-color-emphasis-100)",
    borderRadius: "6px",
    fontSize: "14px",
    color: "var(--ifm-color-content-secondary)",
    border: "1px solid var(--ifm-color-emphasis-200)",
    opacity: "0.8"
  }}>
      <div style={{
    width: "40px",
    height: "40px",
    borderRadius: "50%",
    background: authorAvatar || "linear-gradient(45deg, #4F46E5, #7C3AED)",
    display: "flex",
    alignItems: "center",
    justifyContent: "center",
    color: "white",
    fontWeight: "bold",
    fontSize: "18px"
  }}>
        {authorAvatar ? <img src={authorAvatar} alt={author} style={{
    width: "100%",
    height: "100%",
    borderRadius: "50%"
  }} /> : author?.[0]?.toUpperCase()}
      </div>
      <div>
        <div style={{
    fontWeight: "400",
    fontSize: "14px"
  }}>Written by <span style={{
    fontWeight: "600"
  }}>{author}</span></div>
        <div style={{
    fontSize: "14px"
  }}>Last updated <span style={{
    fontWeight: "600"
  }}>{formatDate(lastUpdated)}</span></div>
      </div>
    </div>;
};

<ArticleInfo author="asad" lastUpdated="2025-12-14" />

MemoryPlugin lets you import memories from CSV or JSON files and export your memories for backup or use elsewhere. Your data is portable—you're never locked in.

## Import Memories

### Supported Formats

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="CSV" icon="file-csv">
    Simple spreadsheet format with one memory per row
  </Card>

  <Card title="JSON" icon="brackets-curly">
    Structured format for more complex imports
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### CSV Format

Your CSV file should have a header row with at least a `text` column:

```csv theme={null}
text
"My preferred programming language is Python"
"I work at Acme Corp as a software engineer"
"I prefer dark mode in all applications"
```

Optional columns:

* `bucket`: Bucket name to import into (creates if doesn't exist)
* `created_at`: Timestamp for the memory

### JSON Format

JSON imports expect an array of memory objects:

```json theme={null}
[
  {
    "text": "My preferred programming language is Python"
  },
  {
    "text": "I work at Acme Corp as a software engineer",
    "bucket": "Work"
  }
]
```

### How to Import

1. **Open the dashboard** and select the target bucket (or use "General")
2. **Click the import button** in the memory section
3. **Select your file** (CSV or JSON)
4. **Review the preview** showing memories to be imported
5. **Click Import** to add the memories

<Info>
  **Duplicate handling**: Memories that already exist in your account are automatically skipped during import. You won't get duplicates.
</Info>

### Bulk Add (Quick Import)

For quick imports without a file, use the **bulk add** feature:

1. **Open the Add Memory dialog** (or press **⌘J / Ctrl+J**)
2. **Paste multiple memories** separated by line breaks
3. **Click Add** — each line becomes a separate memory

This is useful for quickly adding several related memories without creating a file.

## Export Memories

### Export Formats

| Format   | Best For                                |
| -------- | --------------------------------------- |
| **CSV**  | Opening in spreadsheets, simple backups |
| **JSON** | Programmatic use, re-importing later    |

### How to Export

1. **Open the dashboard** and select a bucket (or all buckets)
2. **Click the export button** in the memory section
3. **Choose your format** (CSV or JSON)
4. **Download the file**

### What's Included

Exports include:

* Memory text content
* Creation timestamp
* Bucket name
* Memory ID

### Exporting Specific Memories

To export only certain memories:

1. **Use bulk selection** to select the memories you want
2. **Click Export** from the bulk actions bar
3. **Choose your format** and download

## Use Cases

### Backup

Regularly export your memories as a personal backup. Store the file somewhere safe.

### Migration

Moving to a new account? Export from the old account and import to the new one.

### Sharing

Export memories to share with team members or collaborators (manually, for now).

### Analysis

Export to CSV and analyze your memories in a spreadsheet or data tool.

### Cross-Tool Use

Export memories to use in other applications or AI tools that accept text imports.

## Tips

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Clean your data before importing">
    Remove duplicates and fix formatting in your file before importing. It's easier to clean a spreadsheet than to fix memories one by one.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Use buckets for organization">
    Include a `bucket` column in your CSV/JSON to automatically organize memories during import.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Regular backups">
    Export your memories periodically. It's your data—keep a copy.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Test with small imports first">
    If importing a large file, try a small sample first to make sure the format is correct.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Limits

| Aspect                  | Limit          |
| ----------------------- | -------------- |
| **Import file size**    | 5 MB           |
| **Memories per import** | 1,000          |
| **Duplicate handling**  | Automatic skip |

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Memory Buckets" icon="folder" href="/features/memory-buckets">
    Organize your imported memories into buckets
  </Card>

  <Card title="Bulk Operations" icon="list" href="/features/bulk-operations">
    Select and manage multiple memories at once
  </Card>
</CardGroup>