---
stage: Manage
group: Import
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
---

# Migrating groups using file exports (deprecated) **(FREE)**

> - [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.

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).

## Enable export for a group

Prerequisite:

- You must have the Owner role for the group.

To enable import and export for a group:

1. On the top bar, select **Main menu > Admin**.
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.

## Important Notes

Note the following:

- Exports are stored in a temporary directory and are deleted every 24 hours by a specific worker.
- 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.
- If imported into a parent group, a subgroup inherits the same level of visibility unless otherwise restricted.
- 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.
- Users must set a public email in the source GitLab instance that matches one of their verified emails in the target GitLab instance.

### Exported contents

The following items are exported:

- Milestones
- Labels
- Boards and Board Lists
- Badges
- Subgroups (including all the aforementioned data)
- Epics
  - Epic resource state events ([Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/291983) in GitLab 15.4)
- Events
- [Wikis](../../project/wiki/group.md)
  ([Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/53247) in GitLab 13.9)

The following items are **not** exported:

- Projects
- Runner tokens
- SAML discovery tokens

NOTE:
For more details on the specific data persisted in a group export, see the
[`import_export.yml`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/lib/gitlab/import_export/group/import_export.yml) file.

## Export a group

Prerequisites:

- You must have the Owner role for the group.

To export the contents of a group:

1. On the top bar, select **Main menu > Groups** and find your group.
1. On the left sidebar, select **Settings > General**.
1. In the **Advanced** section, select **Export Group**.
1. After the export is generated, you should receive an email with a link to the [exported contents](#exported-contents)
   in a compressed tar archive, with contents in NDJSON format.
1. Alternatively, you can download the export from the UI:

   1. Return to your group's **Settings > General** page.
   1. In the **Advanced** section, select **Download export**.
      You can also generate a new file by selecting **Regenerate export**.

NOTE:
The maximum import file size can be set by the Administrator, default is `0` (unlimited).
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.

You can also use the [group import/export API](../../../api/group_import_export.md).

### 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.

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).

## Import the group

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**.
1. Enter your group name.
1. Accept or modify the associated group URL.
1. Select **Choose file**.
1. Select the file that you exported in the [Export a group](#export-a-group) section.
1. To begin importing, select **Import group**.

Your newly imported group page appears after the operation completes.

## 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).

## Version history

### 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+

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                |

## Rate Limits

To help avoid abuse, by default, users are rate limited to:

| Request Type     | Limit                                    |
| ---------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| Export           | 6 groups per minute                |
| Download export  | 1 download per group per minute  |
| Import           | 6 groups per minute                |

GitLab.com may have [different settings](../../gitlab_com/index.md#importexport) from the defaults.