Export and data ownership
You own your notes. Export active notes as Markdown, with their folders and attachments. Try the sample below to see what you can keep using outside Hjarni.
Data ownership philosophy
Your notes are yours. Hjarni organizes them. It doesn't lock them away.
Notes are stored as Markdown: plain text you can open in other editors and tools. If you leave, you can take your active notes and attachments with you. The sample below shows the files, and the limitations explain what needs extra care.
How to export
- Go to your Personal page and open its … menu.
- Choose Export all as Markdown or Export all as OKF to download your active personal notes, or export an individual folder from its own … menu.
- You'll receive a ZIP file containing your notes as Markdown files, organized in folders matching your container structure.
Team members can export team knowledge bases separately.
See what your export contains
This ZIP was generated by Hjarni’s Markdown exporter on October 12, 2026, using a fictional community garden project. It contains four notes and one CSV attachment. No account required.
Fictional notes and attachment. A standard Markdown export, separate from the OKF format.
Check it yourself
- Download and unzip the sample.
- Open
community-garden/spring-planting-plan.mdin your text or Markdown editor. Check the title, dates, tag and checklist. - Open
community-garden/attachments/supplies.csvin a text editor or spreadsheet app. Check the three rows of supplies. - Open the
researchsubfolder to check the nested note. Notes saved directly on the Personal page land inpersonal; Inbox notes land inuncategorized.
This demonstrates the exported files, not a tested import into every notes app. Each app handles Markdown metadata and attachments differently.
What gets exported
Every active note as a .md file with full Markdown content. Archived notes are not included, so unarchive anything you want in the ZIP first.
Folder hierarchy preserved as nested directories, with names converted to filename-friendly forms.
File attachments included alongside their notes.
Each note includes its title and creation and update timestamps. Tags, a summary and a source URL are included when present.
Export your active personal notes, an individual folder, or a team’s active notes separately.
The export format is a ZIP of Markdown files and attachments. It is meant to stay readable and useful outside Hjarni.
What needs extra care
- Archived and trashed notes: excluded. Unarchive or restore anything you want to export first.
- Revision history and folder instructions: not included in the standard Markdown ZIP.
- Links: inline attachment images are rewritten to relative paths to their files in the ZIP. Wiki links and other attachment URLs may need updating in another app. The OKF export also rewrites wiki links between exported notes to relative Markdown links.
- Teams: export each team separately; personal exports contain your personal notes.
Common questions
FAQ
Can I leave Hjarni with my data?
Yes. Export your active notes as a ZIP of Markdown files with folder structure, tags and attachments. Archived and trashed notes, revision history and folder instructions are not included in the standard Markdown ZIP. Unarchive or restore anything you want to export first.
Are notes stored in a proprietary format?
No. The standard export writes active notes as plain Markdown with metadata. Inline attachment images use relative paths to their files in the ZIP. Wiki links and other attachment URLs may need updating in another app.
Are attachments included in exports?
Yes. File attachments are included alongside their notes in the export.
Can I export just one folder?
Yes. Export an individual folder and its active notes, or all your active personal notes. Teams are exported separately.
Can teams be exported separately?
Yes. Team knowledge bases can be exported independently of personal content. Any team member can run a team export.
Related docs
Questions about your data?
Email evert@hjarni.com
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