# Exporting and importing a workspace

Back up your workspace or move it to another Mac, including the steps to restore it.

Use a workspace archive to back up Orbit or move your work to another Mac. Exports include **all projects**, including archived ones. Imports add new copies of those projects; they do not replace existing ones.

## Export a workspace

1. Finish saving project and settings drafts.
2. Open **Settings → Export & import**.
3. Select **Export workspace**.
4. Choose where to save the ZIP archive and wait for completion.

The archive contains all projects, boards, documents, scratchpads, tags, links, uploaded files, and portable preferences. Repository and linked-folder references are included, but the source code at those paths is not copied into the archive.

## What is excluded

Vault secrets, provider and AI credentials, and machine-specific tool settings are excluded. Export selected secrets separately through [.env export](/guide/secrets/env-files/) when needed, and reconnect providers on the destination machine.

The workspace ZIP is **not encrypted** and contains content from every project. Before sharing it, check that the recipient should receive the whole workspace. For a single-project handover, share that project's required material separately.

## Import an archive

1. Open **Settings → Export & import → Choose archive**.
2. Select an Orbit workspace ZIP.
3. Review its export date and counts for projects, tasks, documents, and files.
4. Choose whether to apply the imported appearance, sounds, startup, and task-column preferences.
5. Save or discard any existing settings drafts.
6. Select **Import workspace** and wait for completion.

Custom project statuses are merged. Applying preferences changes the selected workspace preferences; leave that option off if you want to keep the current ones.

The import archive must be no larger than 256 MB. A rejected or invalid ZIP needs to be replaced with a valid Orbit export before retrying.

## Existing projects are preserved

Import creates **new projects**. It does not replace or merge the existing project records. Importing the same archive twice creates another copy, so check the project list before retrying after an uncertain result.

Free imports must keep the total at three or fewer saved projects, including archived projects. Activate Pro before importing a larger archive.

## Finish on a new machine

After importing:

1. Restore or clone your source code separately, then [relink folders](/guide/sources/folders-repositories/#open-and-change-a-folder) to their new locations.
2. Reconnect GitHub, GitLab, and any scratchpad AI provider you use.
3. Check [tool paths](/guide/settings/runtimes/) if your projects need them.
4. Set up the secrets vault and import any separately transferred .env files into the matching projects and environments.
5. Refresh repository activity and run dependency checks to get current results.

If Orbit asks for **Refresh settings**, refresh and review the current values before retrying the import. Keep the original archive until you have verified the restored projects and files.