Help

Import and export

How to bring your data into Tana Outliner and get it back out.

How do I import from Notion?

Tana Outliner supports Notion exports in Markdown (.md) or CSV, up to 1500 Markdown files in one import. This gives you room to bring over substantial project documentation, research pages or operational material.

Included in the import:

  • Page content and subpages in Markdown
  • Linked databases exported as CSV
  • Images will be included and shown inline
  • Attachments such as PDFs and videos will
  • Links between Notion pages, converted to Tana Outliner references
  • Links to Notion pages that are not included in the export will retain the Notion URL

Not included:

  • Relational links between Notion databases (can be re-created with fields and supertags)
  • Custom Notion views such as cards or galleries (these doesn't exist in Tana Outliner)
  • Workspace-wide structures or automations

We recommend to import some sections or databases at a time, instead of your entire workspace. This keeps the migration clean and easier to reorganize.

See the full tutorial for Notion import

Read more in Import data into Tana Outliner from other tools

How do I import from Roam?

  1. Before exporting anything from Roam, you may want to do some preprocessing on your graph. Here are some tips on things to consider.
  2. When ready, choose Export all to download a JSON of your graph in a zip file
  3. In the Tana Outliner sidebar, go to the User icon > Import content > Roam, and drag your JSON file in to be uploaded
  4. Imports create a new Tana Outliner workspace, so it's separate from your existing workspaces. Imported content may be located in the Library.
  5. If you want to access the Roam content from another workspace, you can go to your workspace home, press on ··· > Allow content from... and check the Roam workspace.
Read more in Import data into Tana Outliner from other tools

How do I import from Logseq?

  1. In Logseq, choose Export graph to download a JSON or OPML of your graph.
  2. In the Tana Outliner sidebar, go to the User icon > Import content > Logseq, and drag your file in to be uploaded
  3. Imports create a new Tana Outliner workspace, so it's separate from your existing workspaces. Imported content may be located in the Library.
  4. If you want to access the Roam content from another workspace, you can go to your workspace home, press on ··· > Allow content from... and make sure the imported workspace is checked.
Read more in Import data into Tana Outliner from other tools

Can I import markdown files?

While it is not possible to import markdown files straight into Tana Outliner, the Tana Paste format is based on markdown and is therefore very similar. It's a format that allows you to paste structured Tana Outliner content via a plain text input.

Alternative resource: Ambassador Andrea Grasso created a Tana Paste GPT that converts different formats into Tana Paste format.

Read more in Import data into Tana Outliner from other tools

Can I export my Tana Outliner data?

Yes, you can export your data as a Markdown or JSON file. Go to your workspace home node and click the ellipsis menu to the right.

Read more about workspace export or options for copy-paste and downloading nodes.

Can I get my data in and out?

Yes. Currently we support Roam, OPML/Workflowy, and Logseq as native import formats. Export as Markdown or JSON, or check out Tana Outliner Publish, whenever you need to move things elsewhere. Your data stays yours.

What are all the ways I can copy data out of Tana Outliner?

Basic copy-paste. Copy-pasting content is the fastest way of getting data out of the app. Select the content you want to copy, then hit Cmd/Ctrl+C. To paste, Cmd/Ctrl+V either in Tana Outliner (will create references) or elsewhere.

More copy-paste options. Via the command line (Cmd/Ctrl+K) there are various flavors of copy available to you. Read about all copy-paste options in copy-paste and export.

Other ways to get content out:

  • Download nodes. You can download a selection of nodes (for example, all tagged items or results in a search node) in markdown or Tana Outliner Paste with the Download as command in the Ctrl/Cmd+K menu.
  • Export plain HTML. Renders an HTML page of the selected content that you can copy the HTML of, or save as an HTML file.
  • Export workspace as markdown or JSON. To learn more about this, read about workspace export.

How to use Tana Outliner Paste with supertags that have non-alphanumeric characters?

Tana Outliner Paste can usually parse supertags that are one word, such as #task. If a supertag has spaces, numbers, or irregular characters, try wrapping the name in double brackets like this:

#[[1'3$4'6]]

If you want to grab the supertag definition, include the hashtag within the brackets, like this:

[[#1'3$4'6]]

How do I enable the scan text feature in Tana Outliner Capture on iOS?

The iOS feature Live Text needs to be turned on for all supported languages:

  1. Go to iOS Settings > General > Language and Region.
  2. Turn on Live Text (green is on).

This feature is available with iOS 15.4 or later.

Import and export - Tana Outliner Help