Exporting Sofa Data

Sofa has three ways to get your data out, and they serve different purposes:

Sofa Backup (.sofa4bk files)

This is the most complete option. It’s a full copy of the entire database — every single piece of data in the app is preserved, including all items, lists, custom properties, notes, reminders, images, dates, relationships between items, and more. Nothing is left out. You can import a backup to restore everything exactly as it was. You can also set up automatic backups that save to iCloud Drive or your device on a schedule you choose (daily, weekly, etc.), so you always have a safety net without thinking about it.

Markdown Export

This gives you a readable .md file organized by your sections, lists, and items — essentially a plain text snapshot of your library. It includes item titles, types, completion status, and notes. It’s great for archival or reading outside of Sofa, but it’s a simplified view.

What’s not included: custom properties, reminders, attachments, images, item descriptions, release dates, date started/completed/abandoned, duration tracking, episode numbering, saved web links, locations, and relationships between items (like sub-items or linked items).

CSV/Spreadsheet Export

This is the most detailed of the two “readable” formats. Each item becomes a row with columns for: title, list name, list description, group/section, date added, date edited, category, pinned status, all of your custom properties (text, numbers, dates, links, selects, checkboxes), saved web links, and notes. It’s a good option if you want to work with your data in a spreadsheet.

What’s not included: reminders, attachments, images, item descriptions, release dates, date started/abandoned, duration tracking, episode numbering, locations, and relationships between items (like sub-items or linked items). The CSV does include more than the markdown export — notably custom properties and saved web links — but some data just doesn’t translate well to a flat table format.

In short: The backup system preserves 100% of your data and can fully restore it. The markdown and CSV exports are designed to be human-readable/portable snapshots of the core information (items, lists, notes, custom properties) but don’t capture everything — they’re simplified by design since formats like markdown and CSV can’t easily represent complex relationships.

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How to Export Your Data

Step 1

Tap the ••• button in the top right in the home screen, then tap “Settings”.

Step 2

Scroll down to “Data Management” and tap the “Manage Data” button.

Step 3

Sofa allows you to export into either Markdown or CSV formats. For more information on what to do with these files, see 💻What can I do with Exported Sofa Data? .

Once you tap on the export option of your choosing the iOS Activity Sheet will appear. This allows you to put the exported data anywhere you’d like.

For example, you could email it to yourself, save it in Files, or open it in another app.