Learn how to import and export your Journiv data, migrate between databases, and import from other journaling apps.

Own your memories forever, safely move your Journiv data between devices, servers, and apps.

Journiv includes a powerful import and export system designed for self-hosting, long-term preservation, and migration from other journaling apps. This page explains how data import/export works and how to use each feature.

What You Can Do

Export your entire Journiv account

Create a ZIP file containing:

All journals
All entries
All media (photos, videos, audio)
Tags, prompts, mood logs
Journal metadata

Import your data into Journiv

Supports importing from multiple sources:

Journiv Backup (recommended)
Day One (.zip) (coming soon)
Future imports from other apps (not planned yet)
- Journey
- Markdown folder (through Jimmy output)

Migrate across databases

Move between:

SQLite → PostgreSQL
PostgreSQL → SQLite

All using the same export/import system.

Recommended: Journiv Backup (Full Export)

A Journiv Backup is the safest and most compatible format for long-term storage.

Each backup is a single ZIP file:

journiv-backup.zip
  ├── journiv.json (your metadata and entries)
  └── media/
       ├── image-uuid.jpg
       ├── video-uuid.mp4
       ├── ...

This file can be:

Imported into any Journiv instance
Used to migrate between SQLite ↔ PostgreSQL
Stored privately as your long-term archive
Viewed in the Journiv Export Viewer

Backups never include login information or passwords.

How to Export Your Data

Step 1: Navigate to Export

Go to Settings → Data → Export

Step 2: Choose export type

Full Export (all journals and entries) - recommended
Selected Journals (export specific journals only)

Step 3: Choose if you want to include media

If disabled, only text will be exported
If enabled, all media files will be included in the ZIP

Step 4: Create Export

Click Create Export. Exports may take a few seconds to complete, depending on the size of your data.

Once ready, click Download Export to save the ZIP file to your device.

How to Import Data into Journiv

Go to Settings → Data → Import and choose one of the available import types.

Import Types

Journiv Backup (Recommended)

The safest and most complete import method.

Use this when:

Migrating across devices
Migrating from SQLite to PostgreSQL
Migrating to a new server
Restoring a previous backup

A Journiv Backup ZIP preserves:

Journals
Entries
Tags
Media
Prompts
Mood logs
Metadata

Upload the ZIP and Journiv will process it automatically.

Important: Journiv's import system is designed for backup and restore scenarios, not for version control or tracking changes over time.

If you export your journals and then import them back into the same Journiv instance without first deleting the originals, you will end up with duplicate journals. To avoid duplicates:

For migrations: Export from your old instance, then import into a fresh/new instance
For restores: Delete the existing journals you're restoring before importing your backup
For testing: Use a separate test instance or delete test data before importing

This ensures your data remains clean and organized.

Day One Import (coming soon)

Journiv supports importing Day One ZIP exports.

To export from Day One:

Follow the Day One export guide for your platform (iOS, macOS, Android, Web App, or Windows). Make sure to choose the JSON (.zip) export format, then upload that ZIP file into Journiv.

Journiv will import:

Entries
Photos
Tags
Metadata (date, location, weather, etc.)

Advanced: Using Jimmy for Conversions (not planned yet)

Jimmy (open-source converter) lets you convert various app format to Markdown.

Use this when your app is not natively supported:

Workflow:

Your App → Jimmy → Markdown → Journiv

This guarantees maximum compatibility.

How Journiv Handles Your Imported Data

Journals

Imported entries are grouped into a new journal named after the import source.

Media

Media files are assigned new filenames and stored safely in Journiv's internal media folder.

Mood Logs

Mapped to Journiv's system-defined moods.

If a mood does not match, it is imported as logged text only.

User Accounts

Importing does not modify your login, email, or identity.

External Identities

OAuth / OIDC login data is never imported, unless you are an admin performing a full instance restore.

Migrating Between SQLite and PostgreSQL

Just export your data and import it on the new instance.

No manual SQL tooling needed. No schema conflicts. Safe, portable, guaranteed.

SQLite → PostgreSQL

Export your data from the SQLite instance
Set up a new PostgreSQL instance
Import the export file into the PostgreSQL instance

PostgreSQL → SQLite

Export your data from the PostgreSQL instance
Set up a new SQLite instance
Import the export file into the SQLite instance

Privacy & Security

Your data is never sent to any external server
Imports and exports happen entirely inside your Journiv instance
Backups do not include password hashes or external identity tokens
Import jobs are processed securely in the background

Import & Export History

Journiv keeps a full history of:

Completed imports/exports
Failed attempts
In-progress jobs
File sizes
Entry counts

You can delete past jobs at any time from the Import & Export settings page.

Troubleshooting

Import is stuck at "Processing"

Journiv import and export happens asynchronously in background through Celery. Ensure your Journiv instance is running Celery and has enough resources to handle the job. Large imports may take minutes. Wait for the job to complete.And that the paths match the Markdown image links.

Day One ZIP fails

Make sure you exported JSON format, not HTML or PDF.

I imported my data and see duplicates

If you exported your data and then imported it back into the same Journiv instance without first deleting the originals, you will end up with duplicate journals. To avoid duplicates:

For migrations: Export from your old instance, then import into a fresh/new instance
For restores: Delete the existing journals you're restoring before importing your backup
For testing: Use a separate test instance or delete test data before importing

Export file is too large

If your export file is very large:

Try exporting without media first
Export specific journals instead of full export
Check available disk space on your server

Full instance export

For users privacy Journiv does not support full instance export. You can only export your own data. Please ask all users of you instance to export their data individually by logging in and exporting their data.

Summary

Journiv's Import/Export system gives you complete control over your memories:

Portable - Move data between instances easily
Private - All processing happens on your server
Future-proof - Standard formats ensure long-term compatibility
Compatible - Import from major journaling apps
Safe - Designed for self-hosting and data ownership
Easy - Simple export/import workflow

Whether you're switching devices, moving servers, or bringing years of journaling history into Journiv, you're covered.

Getting Started - Learn the basics of using Journiv
Date & Time Handling - Understand timezone handling
Troubleshooting - Common issues and solutions

Import & Export