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---
stage: Manage
group: Import
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info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/#assignments
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---
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# Migrating groups using file exports (deprecated) **(FREE)**
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> - [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/2888) in GitLab 13.0 as an experimental feature. May change in future releases.
> - [Deprecated](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/4619) in GitLab 14.6.
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WARNING:
This feature was [deprecated ](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/4619 ) in GitLab 14.6 and replaced by
[a different migration method ](../import/index.md ). To follow progress on a solution for
[offline environments ](../../application_security/offline_deployments/index.md ), see
[the relevant issue ](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/363406 ).
You can export groups, with all their related data, from one GitLab instance to another. You can also:
- [Migrate groups ](../import/index.md ) using the preferred method.
- [Migrate projects using file exports ](../../project/settings/import_export.md ).
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## Enable export for a group
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Prerequisite:
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- You must have the Owner role for the group.
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To enable import and export for a group:
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1. On the top bar, select **Main menu > Admin** .
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1. On the left sidebar, select **Settings > General** .
1. Expand **Visibility and access controls** .
1. In the **Import sources** section, select the checkboxes for the sources you want.
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## Important Notes
Note the following:
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- Exports are stored in a temporary directory and are deleted every 24 hours by a specific worker.
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- To preserve group-level relationships from imported projects, run the Group Import/Export first, to allow projects to
be imported into the desired group structure.
- Imported groups are given a `private` visibility level, unless imported into a parent group.
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- If imported into a parent group, a subgroup inherits the same level of visibility unless otherwise restricted.
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- To preserve the member list and their respective permissions on imported groups, review the users in these groups. Make
sure these users exist before importing the desired groups.
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- Users must set a public email in the source GitLab instance that matches one of their verified emails in the target GitLab instance.
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### Exported contents
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The following items are exported:
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- Milestones
- Labels
- Boards and Board Lists
- Badges
- Subgroups (including all the aforementioned data)
- Epics
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- Epic resource state events ([Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/291983) in GitLab 15.4)
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- Events
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- [Wikis ](../../project/wiki/group.md )
([Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/53247) in GitLab 13.9)
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The following items are **not** exported:
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- Projects
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- Runner tokens
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- SAML discovery tokens
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NOTE:
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For more details on the specific data persisted in a group export, see the
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[`import_export.yml` ](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/lib/gitlab/import_export/group/import_export.yml ) file.
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## Export a group
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Prerequisites:
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- You must have the Owner role for the group.
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To export the contents of a group:
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1. On the top bar, select **Main menu > Groups** and find your group.
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1. On the left sidebar, select **Settings > General** .
1. In the **Advanced** section, select **Export Group** .
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1. After the export is generated, you should receive an email with a link to the [exported contents ](#exported-contents )
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in a compressed tar archive, with contents in NDJSON format.
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1. Alternatively, you can download the export from the UI:
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1. Return to your group's **Settings > General** page.
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1. In the **Advanced** section, select **Download export** .
You can also generate a new file by selecting **Regenerate export** .
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NOTE:
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The maximum import file size can be set by the Administrator, default is `0` (unlimited).
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As an administrator, you can modify the maximum import file size. To do so, use the `max_import_size` option in the [Application settings API ](../../../api/settings.md#change-application-settings ) or the [Admin Area ](../../admin_area/settings/account_and_limit_settings.md ). Default [modified ](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/251106 ) from 50MB to 0 in GitLab 13.8.
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You can also use the [group import/export API ](../../../api/group_import_export.md ).
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### Between CE and EE
You can export groups from the [Community Edition to the Enterprise Edition ](https://about.gitlab.com/install/ce-or-ee/ ) and vice versa.
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The Enterprise Edition retains some group data that isn't part of the Community Edition. If you're exporting a group from the Enterprise Edition to the Community Edition, you may lose this data. For more information, see [downgrading from EE to CE ](../../../index.md ).
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## Import the group
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1. Create a new group:
- On the top bar, select **New** (**{plus}**) and then **New group** .
- On an existing group's page, select the **New subgroup** button.
1. Select **Import group** .
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1. Enter your group name.
1. Accept or modify the associated group URL.
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1. Select **Choose file** .
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1. Select the file that you exported in the [Export a group ](#export-a-group ) section.
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1. To begin importing, select **Import group** .
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Your newly imported group page appears after the operation completes.
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## Automate group and project import **(PREMIUM)**
For information on automating user, group, and project import API calls, see
[Automate group and project import ](../../project/import/index.md#automate-group-and-project-import ).
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## Version history
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### 14.0+
In GitLab 14.0, the JSON format is no longer supported for project and group exports. To allow for a
transitional period, you can still import any JSON exports. The new format for imports and exports
is NDJSON.
### 13.0+
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GitLab can import bundles that were exported from a different GitLab deployment.
This ability is limited to two previous GitLab [minor ](../../../policy/maintenance.md#versioning )
releases, which is similar to our process for [Security Releases ](../../../policy/maintenance.md#security-releases ).
For example:
| Current version | Can import bundles exported from |
|-----------------|----------------------------------|
| 13.0 | 13.0, 12.10, 12.9 |
| 13.1 | 13.1, 13.0, 12.10 |
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## Rate Limits
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To help avoid abuse, by default, users are rate limited to:
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| Request Type | Limit |
| ---------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
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| Export | 6 groups per minute |
| Download export | 1 download per group per minute |
| Import | 6 groups per minute |
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GitLab.com may have [different settings ](../../gitlab_com/index.md#importexport ) from the defaults.