Export User Data

Documentation Using Discourse
1

:bookmark: This guide describes how users can export their personal Discourse data.

Discourse allows all users to export their personal data, including all posts, private messages, and other contributions, such as:

  • Auth Token Logs
  • Auth Tokens
  • Badges
  • Bookmarks
  • Category Preferences
  • Flags
  • Likes
  • User Preferences
  • Queued Posts
  • User Archive
  • Visits

Requesting User Archive Data

Here’s how to request an archive of your personal user data:

  1. Navigate to Your Preference Page

  • Click on your profile picture or avatar in the top-right corner of the screen, and select the “Profile” icon.
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  • From your User Profile, select the “Preferences” page.

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  1. Request Your Archive

  • Within the “Preferences” section, scroll down to find the “Export your data” section.

  • Click the “Request Archive” button.
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  • After confirming your archive request, you will receive a message that Discourse is collecting your archive.

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  1. Download Archive
  • Once your data export is ready, you will receive a notification, and Discourse will send you a private message with a link to download your data archive.
  • Click the provided link to download your data archive as a zip file.
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FAQs

  • Q: How long does it take to receive the data archive?
    • A: Typically, it takes a few minutes, depending on the size of the user’s content.
  • Q: Can I customize the data included in the archive?
    • A: No. The standard archive includes all user contributions. For custom data needs, use the Data Explorer plugin. You can also reference Tips for Exporting User Data for assistance with creating custom user data export queries.
  • Q: How often can I request an archive of my user data?
    • A: Non-staff users can request an archive once per day, and will receive a Posts can be downloaded once per day, please try again tomorrow message if attempting to request an archive multiple times per day. Staff users do not have any limits on how often they can request user data archives.
  • Q: How to handle data export requests from users who are no longer active?
    • A: For inactive users, admins can use the Data Explorer plugin to search and export their data.
  • Q: What should I do if a data export fails?
    • A: If a data export fails, check the error logs in the admin panel (.../logs) to identify the problem. Ensure there are no storage issues or server resource constraints, and retry the export after resolving any identified issues. If your site is hosted with Discourse, please contact team@discourse.org if you or your users are experiencing trouble exporting data.

Last edited by @SaraDev 2024-06-26T00:06:50Z

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