Backup, import and export

A backup is the best way to carry your library to another installation. Markdown and bookmark HTML are useful when you want your links outside LeoTabs.

On this page

Choose an export

Format	Use it for	What it contains
Backup JSON	Restore or move a library	Spaces, collections, groups, notes, allowed preferences and recent action-reference log
JSON in a collection's Export menu	Share or copy one saved collection	Collection structure and links
Bookmark HTML	Import links into a browser or bookmark tool	Folder/link structure suitable for bookmark import
Markdown	Readable notes and links in another app	Collection/group headings, links and notes
Copy Markdown	Paste one collection into another app	The collection's Markdown content on the clipboard
Browser bookmarks	Create bookmarks directly in your browser	A new destination folder and collection groups/links
Notion	Create remote snapshot pages	See the Notion guide

A backup does not contain API keys, screenshots, browser history, live browser session IDs or full older recovery snapshots. The exported action log is informational; importing it does not replay old browser actions.

Back up the whole library

Open Settings → Export & import.
Choose Backup JSON.
Keep the downloaded backup.json somewhere you control. Rename it with a date if you keep several copies.
Before an important migration, check that the file downloaded successfully and keep the original installation until you have verified the import.

Whole-library HTML and Markdown downloads use names such as bookmarks.html and collections.md. A collection's own export menu uses its name for individual files.

Export one collection

Open its ••• → Export menu and choose a file format or Copy Markdown. Browser bookmark export requests bookmark access, lets you choose a destination folder and creates new bookmarks. It does not replace your existing bookmark tree. Browser sync may separately sync those bookmarks.

Import saved work

Choose Settings → Export & import → Import data.
Expand Import from a file, choose Choose file, and select a supported export. The file must be no larger than 20 MB.
Review the number of collections/links and any skipped items.
If the backup offers preferences, decide whether to restore them.
Choose Import collections, then inspect the new collections.

Imports create separate copies; importing the same file again can create duplicates. Import is not a destructive “replace everything” restore.

Supported inputs include LeoTabs backup/collection JSON (including compatible older Neo-format files), supported Toby collections/cards JSON, bookmark HTML, Markdown links and OneTab text. Arbitrary JSON files or every historical third-party format are not guaranteed to import. Unsupported URLs/items may be skipped or reported.

To import bookmarks directly from this browser, choose Import browser bookmarks in the same dialog and grant bookmark access. Review the import preview before adding them.

The library supports up to 2,000 collections and 50,000 saved links. An import that would exceed either limit is rejected.

API keys and website permissions are not transferred. Reconnect integrations on the destination. Automatic preview capture stays off when importing preferences until you enable it in Settings.

Moving to another browser or the store version

Export in the original installation, install LeoTabs in the destination, then import. Verify spaces, collection counts and several links before removing the original. Local data is tied to the browser profile and extension identity; the store version can have a different identity from an unpacked build.

Protect exported files

Exports are not encrypted by LeoTabs. Full URLs, local file paths, titles and notes can contain sensitive information. Review a file before sharing it. Downloaded files and clipboard copies remain outside LeoTabs's control; uninstalling does not delete them.

See Recovery if the original library is still available but a recent operation went wrong.