Nowledge Mem is local-first. Data Transfer is how you keep that promise practical: you can export your knowledge, store it yourself, and import it into another Mem when you need to move.

Use it when you want a backup before a major change, a one-time migration to another machine, or an offline copy you can inspect later.

Your export is portable

The Mem export itself is not an opaque binary database dump. It is a text-based bundle: JSON manifest files, JSONL records for memories, threads, sources, entities, and graph edges, plus Markdown for Working Memory. If you choose to include original Library files, those files keep their original format. The .zip is only packaging.

When To Use Data Transfer

Use Settings -> Data Transfer when you want to:

back up your knowledge before reinstalling or upgrading
move from one computer to another
move between desktop, Linux server, and headless deployments
keep a human-inspectable archive of your Mem data
import a previous export into a fresh Mem install

This is different from Sync Across Devices. Sync means one always-on Mem with many clients connected to it. Data Transfer is for backup, export, import, and one-time migration.

Export From The App

Open Settings.
Go to Data Transfer.
Choose what to include.
Keep Compress as .zip on if you want a single file.
Click Export.

On desktop, you can export either a .zip file or an expanded folder. In web or remote client mode, the browser downloads a .zip because the client cannot write directly to the server's filesystem.

A successful export gives you a .zip file or folder containing a manifest.json file. Keep that file somewhere you control: external drive, encrypted backup, NAS, or your normal backup system.

Import Into Another Mem

Open Settings -> Data Transfer on the destination Mem.
Pick an import mode.
Select the export .zip or folder.
Start the import and wait for it to finish.
Check Timeline, Library, Search, and the Knowledge Graph.

Import runs as a background job. Large exports can take time because Mem needs to restore records and rebuild search projections.

Import Modes

Choose the mode based on what should happen when the export contains an item that already exists on the destination.

Mode	Best For	What It Does
Merge	Normal restores and migrations	Keeps existing records and fills in missing related data where possible.
Skip	Importing an archive into an active Mem	Leaves destination records untouched when the same item already exists.
Overwrite	Replacing a test or stale destination	Replaces matching records with the export copy. Use this only when the export should win.

If you are not sure, start with Merge.

What Is Inside The Export

The exact contents depend on the options you choose, but a Mem export can include:

Path	Purpose
`manifest.json`	Export format, version, counts, and included sections.
`nodes/*.jsonl`	Memories, threads, sources, entities, labels, communities, and other graph nodes.
`relationships/*.jsonl`	Graph relationships between those nodes.
`content_store/*.jsonl`	Thread messages and larger content payloads when included.
`working_memory.md`	Current Working Memory in Markdown.
`working_memory_archive/`	Archived Working Memory snapshots, when included.
original source files	Optional Library files, kept in their original format.

This format is meant to be recoverable and inspectable. You are not locked into a hidden desktop-only database file.

What This Does Not Move

Data Transfer is for your knowledge data. It is not a full clone of the whole app install.

After moving to a new machine, you may still need to reconnect model providers, integrations, remote-access settings, licenses, or operating-system-level app preferences.

For a self-hosted Docker or Linux server, also read Server Deployment. Server operators can choose between a fast volume-level snapshot and an application-level export that uses the same portable Mem data format.

If you are automating the same flow, the API reference includes export, download export, import, and upload import endpoints.

Good Backup Habits

Export before a major upgrade or machine migration.
Keep at least one recent export outside the computer that runs Mem.
Use .zip when you want a single portable file.
Use a folder export on desktop when you want to inspect the files directly.
Test an import into a spare Mem before deleting the original machine.

Your knowledge should be yours. Data Transfer is the practical way to keep that true.

Nowledge Mem is local-first. Data Transfer is how you keep that promise practical: you can export your knowledge, store it yourself, and import it into another Mem when you need to move.

Use it when you want a backup before a major change, a one-time migration to another machine, or an offline copy you can inspect later.

Your export is portable

When To Use Data Transfer

Use Settings -> Data Transfer when you want to:

back up your knowledge before reinstalling or upgrading
move from one computer to another
move between desktop, Linux server, and headless deployments
keep a human-inspectable archive of your Mem data
import a previous export into a fresh Mem install

This is different from Sync Across Devices. Sync means one always-on Mem with many clients connected to it. Data Transfer is for backup, export, import, and one-time migration.

Export From The App

Open Settings.
Go to Data Transfer.
Choose what to include.
Keep Compress as .zip on if you want a single file.
Click Export.

A successful export gives you a .zip file or folder containing a manifest.json file. Keep that file somewhere you control: external drive, encrypted backup, NAS, or your normal backup system.

Import Into Another Mem

Open Settings -> Data Transfer on the destination Mem.
Pick an import mode.
Select the export .zip or folder.
Start the import and wait for it to finish.
Check Timeline, Library, Search, and the Knowledge Graph.

Import runs as a background job. Large exports can take time because Mem needs to restore records and rebuild search projections.

Import Modes

Choose the mode based on what should happen when the export contains an item that already exists on the destination.

Mode	Best For	What It Does
Merge	Normal restores and migrations	Keeps existing records and fills in missing related data where possible.
Skip	Importing an archive into an active Mem	Leaves destination records untouched when the same item already exists.
Overwrite	Replacing a test or stale destination	Replaces matching records with the export copy. Use this only when the export should win.

If you are not sure, start with Merge.

What Is Inside The Export

The exact contents depend on the options you choose, but a Mem export can include:

Path	Purpose
`manifest.json`	Export format, version, counts, and included sections.
`nodes/*.jsonl`	Memories, threads, sources, entities, labels, communities, and other graph nodes.
`relationships/*.jsonl`	Graph relationships between those nodes.
`content_store/*.jsonl`	Thread messages and larger content payloads when included.
`working_memory.md`	Current Working Memory in Markdown.
`working_memory_archive/`	Archived Working Memory snapshots, when included.
original source files	Optional Library files, kept in their original format.

This format is meant to be recoverable and inspectable. You are not locked into a hidden desktop-only database file.

What This Does Not Move

Data Transfer is for your knowledge data. It is not a full clone of the whole app install.

After moving to a new machine, you may still need to reconnect model providers, integrations, remote-access settings, licenses, or operating-system-level app preferences.

If you are automating the same flow, the API reference includes export, download export, import, and upload import endpoints.

Good Backup Habits

Export before a major upgrade or machine migration.
Keep at least one recent export outside the computer that runs Mem.
Use .zip when you want a single portable file.
Use a folder export on desktop when you want to inspect the files directly.
Test an import into a spare Mem before deleting the original machine.

Your knowledge should be yours. Data Transfer is the practical way to keep that true.

Back Up, Export, and Import

When To Use Data Transfer

Export From The App

Import Into Another Mem

Import Modes

What Is Inside The Export

What This Does Not Move

Good Backup Habits

On this page

Back Up, Export, and Import

When To Use Data Transfer

Export From The App

Import Into Another Mem

Import Modes

What Is Inside The Export

What This Does Not Move

Good Backup Habits

On this page