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---
type: reference
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
---
# Group import/export **(FREE)**
> [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/2888) in GitLab 13.0 as an experimental feature. May change in future releases.
You can export groups, with all their related data, from one GitLab instance to another.
You can also [export projects](../../project/settings/import_export.md).
## Enable export for a group
Prerequisite:
- You must have the [Owner role](../../permissions.md) for the group.
To enable import and export for a group:
1. On the top bar, select **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.
### Exported contents
The following items are exported:
- Milestones
- Labels
- Boards and Board Lists
- Badges
- Subgroups (including all the aforementioned data)
- Epics
- 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
WARNING:
This feature will be [deprecated](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/4619)
in GitLab 14.6 and replaced by [GitLab Migration](../import/).
Prerequisites:
- You must have the [Owner role](../../permissions.md) for the group.
To export the contents of a group:
1. On the top bar, select **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 UI](../../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).
## Importing the group
WARNING:
This feature will be [deprecated](https://gitlab.com/groups/gitlab-org/-/epics/4619)
in GitLab 14.8 and replaced by [GitLab Migration](../import/).
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.
|
