Import & Export

The content module allows importing and exporting of multiple items from and to files respectively.

Import Items

Import items

You can import JSON or CSV files into your collection as items.

To import Items from a file, navigate to the collection and click "Import / Export" in the sidebar. Click into the import search box. A file browser will open. Once a file has been selected, click on "Start Import" to import the items.

The items will now be in the collection, and the file itself will not be stored in the Directus project.

The field headers in the imported file must match the field keys of the collection you're importing into. Otherwise, the column will be skipped.

Importing Relational Files It is possible to import relational field values as well. For this task, the user performing the import will need access permissions for the related collection.

Import Error Handling During import operations, errors are collected up to the maximum defined by MAX_IMPORT_ERRORS, after which the import is cancelled.

Export Items

Export items

When exporting items, the export items menu provides granular control over exactly which items and fields are exported, how they are exported, and where they are exported.

To export items, follow the steps below, navigate to the desired collection and select "Import / Export" from the sidebar. Click on "Export Items" and the export items menu will appear. Select the desired format from CSV, JSON, XML, or YAML and click to download the file.

Export Items Menu

This menu provides granular control over exactly which items and fields are exported, how they are exported, and where they are exported.

Item	Description
Format	Choose to export items as CSV, JSON, XML, or YAML.
Limit	Set the maximum number of items to be exported.
Export Location	Download the export file directly to your machine or to the file library.
Folder	Choose the folder to save to (if export location is the File Library). Defaults to the Default Exports Folder, or the Default Folder if none is set.
Sort Field	Choose field to sort items by.
Sort Direction	Choose to sort items in ascending or descending order.
Full-Text Search	Limit exported Items to ones which matched as search results.
Filter	Limit exported items with a filter.
Fields	Add, remove, and re-order the item fields that will be exported.

Exports Saved to the File Library

Exports of 2,500 or more items, or more items than QUERY_LIMIT_MAX allows, are processed in batches and always saved to the File Library.

Exports saved to the File Library without a folder go to the Default Exports Folder set in Settings → Files & Storage. If no Default Exports Folder is set, they go to the Default Folder, then the root of the File Library.

The export menu only shows options the current user has permission to use:

The File Library location is only available to users with create access on directus_files. If an export is too large to download and the user cannot save it to the File Library, the export is blocked.
The Folder picker is only available to users with read access on directus_folders. Other users see a notice stating where the file will be saved.

Exported files are regular files. Anyone with read access to them, including unauthenticated users if the Public policy allows it, can view and download the exported data. Set the Default Exports Folder to a folder the Public policy can't read. See Scope Public File Access to Specific Folders.

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Layouts

Learn to use layouts for viewing and interacting with items in a collection using Directus.

Live Preview

Learn to set up your project for live previewing items from your application.