---
stage: Create
group: Import
info: To determine the technical writer assigned to the Stage/Group associated with this page, see https://handbook.gitlab.com/handbook/product/ux/technical-writing/#assignments
gitlab_dedicated: yes
title: Import and export settings
---

{{< details >}}

- Tier: Free, Premium, Ultimate
- Offering: GitLab Self-Managed, GitLab Dedicated

{{< /details >}}

Settings for import- and export-related features.

## Configure allowed import sources

Before you can import projects from other systems, you must enable the
[import source](../../user/gitlab_com/_index.md#default-import-sources) for that system.

1. Sign in to GitLab as a user with Administrator access level.
1. On the left sidebar, at the bottom, select **Admin**.
1. Select **Settings > General**.
1. Expand the **Import and export settings** section.
1. Select each of **Import sources** to allow.
1. Select **Save changes**.

## Enable project export

To enable the export of
[projects and their data](../../user/project/settings/import_export.md#export-a-project-and-its-data):

1. Sign in to GitLab as a user with Administrator access level.
1. On the left sidebar, at the bottom, select **Admin**.
1. Select **Settings > General**.
1. Expand the **Import and export settings** section.
1. Scroll to **Project export**.
1. Select the **Enabled** checkbox.
1. Select **Save changes**.

## Enable migration of groups and projects by direct transfer

{{< history >}}

- [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/383268) in GitLab 15.8.
- [Generally available](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/461326) in GitLab 18.3.

{{< /history >}}

{{< alert type="warning" >}}

In GitLab 16.1 and earlier, you should **not** use direct transfer with [scheduled scan execution policies](../../user/application_security/policies/scan_execution_policies.md). If using direct transfer, first upgrade to GitLab 16.2 and ensure security policy bots are enabled in the projects you are enforcing.

{{< /alert >}}

Migration of groups and projects by direct transfer is disabled by default.
To enable migration of groups and projects by direct transfer:

1. Sign in to GitLab as a user with Administrator access level.
1. On the left sidebar, at the bottom, select **Admin**.
1. Select **Settings > General**.
1. Expand the **Import and export settings** section.
1. Scroll to **Allow migrating GitLab groups and projects by direct transfer**.
1. Select the **Enabled** checkbox.
1. Select **Save changes**.

The same setting
[is available](../../api/settings.md#available-settings) in the API as the
`bulk_import_enabled` attribute.

## Enable silent admin exports

{{< history >}}

- [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/151278) in GitLab 17.0 [with a flag](../feature_flags/_index.md) named `export_audit_events`. Disabled by default.
- [Generally available](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/153351) in GitLab 17.1. Feature flag `export_audit_events` removed.
- [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/152143) for file export downloads in GitLab 17.1.

{{< /history >}}

Enable silent admin exports to prevent [audit events](../audit_event_reports.md) when
instance administrators trigger a [project or group file export](../../user/project/settings/import_export.md) or download the export file.
Exports from non-administrators still generate audit events.

To enable silent admin project and group file exports:

1. On the left sidebar, at the bottom, select **Admin**.
1. Select **Settings > General**, then expand **Import and export settings**.
1. Scroll to **Silent exports by admins**.
1. Select the **Enabled** checkbox.

## Allow contribution mapping to administrators

{{< history >}}

- Introduced in GitLab 17.5 [with a flag](../feature_flags/_index.md) named `importer_user_mapping`. Disabled by default.
- [Enabled on GitLab.com and GitLab Self-Managed](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/175371) in GitLab 17.7.
- [Generally available](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/508944) in GitLab 18.3. Feature flag `importer_user_mapping` removed.

{{< /history >}}

Allow mapping of imported user contributions to administrators.

To allow mapping of imported user contributions to administrators:

1. On the left sidebar, at the bottom, select **Admin**.
1. Select **Settings > General**, then expand **Import and export settings**.
1. Scroll to **Allow contribution mapping to administrators**.
1. Select the **Enabled** checkbox.

## Skip confirmation when administrators reassign placeholder users

{{< history >}}

- [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/534330) in GitLab 18.1 [with a flag](../feature_flags/_index.md) named `importer_user_mapping_allow_bypass_of_confirmation`. Disabled by default.

{{< /history >}}

{{< alert type="flag" >}}

The availability of this feature is controlled by a feature flag.
For more information, see the history.

{{< /alert >}}

Prerequisites:

- [User impersonation](../admin_area.md#user-impersonation) must be enabled on the GitLab instance.

To skip confirmation when administrators reassign placeholder users:

1. On the left sidebar, at the bottom, select **Admin**.
1. Select **Settings > General**.
1. Expand **Import and export settings**.
1. Under **Skip confirmation when administrators reassign placeholder users**, select the **Enabled** checkbox.

When this setting is enabled, administrators can reassign contributions and memberships
to non-bot users with any of the following states:

- `active`
- `banned`
- `blocked`
- `blocked_pending_approval`
- `deactivated`
- `ldap_blocked`

## Max export size

{{< history >}}

- [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/86124) in GitLab 15.0.

{{< /history >}}

To modify the maximum file size for exports in GitLab:

1. On the left sidebar, at the bottom, select **Admin**.
1. Select **Settings > General**, then expand **Import and export settings**.
1. Increase or decrease by changing the value in **Maximum export size (MiB)**.

## Max import size

To modify the maximum file size for imports in GitLab:

1. On the left sidebar, at the bottom, select **Admin**.
1. Select **Settings > General**.
1. Expand **Import and export settings**.
1. Increase or decrease by changing the value in **Maximum import size (MiB)**.

This setting applies only to repositories
[imported from a GitLab export file](../../user/project/settings/import_export.md#import-a-project-and-its-data).

If you choose a size larger than the configured value for the web server,
you may receive errors. See the [troubleshooting section](account_and_limit_settings.md#troubleshooting) for more
details.

For GitLab.com repository size limits, read [accounts and limit settings](../../user/gitlab_com/_index.md#account-and-limit-settings).

## Maximum remote file size for imports

{{< history >}}

- [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/384976) in GitLab 16.3.

{{< /history >}}

By default, the maximum remote file size for imports from external object storages (for example, AWS) is 10 GiB.

To modify this setting:

1. On the left sidebar, at the bottom, select **Admin**.
1. Select **Settings > General**.
1. Expand **Import and export settings**.
1. In **Maximum import remote file size (MiB)**, enter a value. Set to `0` for no file size limit.

## Maximum download file size for imports by direct transfer

{{< history >}}

- [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/384976) in GitLab 16.3.

{{< /history >}}

By default, the maximum download file size for imports by direct transfer is 5 GiB.

To modify this setting:

1. On the left sidebar, at the bottom, select **Admin**.
1. Select **Settings > General**.
1. Expand **Import and export settings**.
1. In **Maximum download file size (MiB)**, enter a value. Set to `0` for no file size limit.

## Maximum decompressed file size for imported archives

{{< history >}}

- [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/128218) in GitLab 16.3.
- **Maximum decompressed file size for archives from imports** field [renamed](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/130081) from **Maximum decompressed size** in GitLab 16.4.

{{< /history >}}

When you import a project using [file exports](../../user/project/settings/import_export.md) or
[direct transfer](../../user/group/import/_index.md), you can specify the
maximum decompressed file size for imported archives. The default value is 25 GiB.

When you import a compressed file, the decompressed size cannot exceed the maximum decompressed file size limit. If the
decompressed size exceeds the configured limit, the following error is returned:

```plaintext
Decompressed archive size validation failed.
```

To modify this setting:

1. On the left sidebar, at the bottom, select **Admin**.
1. Select **Settings > General**.
1. Expand **Import and export settings**.
1. Set another value for **Maximum decompressed file size for archives from imports (MiB)**.

## Timeout for decompressing archived files

{{< history >}}

- [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/128218) in GitLab 16.4.

{{< /history >}}

When you [import a project](../../user/project/settings/import_export.md), you can specify the maximum time out for decompressing imported archives. The default value is 210 seconds.

To modify the maximum decompressed file size for imports in GitLab:

1. On the left sidebar, at the bottom, select **Admin**.
1. Select **Settings > General**.
1. Expand **Import and export settings**.
1. Set another value for **Timeout for decompressing archived files (seconds)**.

## Maximum number of simultaneous import jobs

{{< history >}}

- [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/143875) in GitLab 16.11.

{{< /history >}}

You can specify the maximum number of import jobs that are executed simultaneously for:

- [GitHub importer](../../user/project/import/github.md)
- [Bitbucket Cloud importer](../../user/project/import/bitbucket.md)
- [Bitbucket Server importer](../../user/project/import/bitbucket_server.md)

The job limit is not applied when importing merge requests because there is a hard-coded limit for merge requests to
avoid overloading servers.

The default job limit is:

- For the GitHub importer, 1000.
- For the Bitbucket Cloud and Bitbucket Server importer, 100. The Bitbucket importers have a low default limit because
  we haven't yet determined a good default limit. Instance administrators should experiment with
  a higher limit.

To modify this setting:

1. On the left sidebar, at the bottom, select **Admin**.
1. Select **Settings > General**.
1. Expand **Import and export settings**.
1. Set another value for **Maximum number of simultaneous import jobs** for the desired importer.

## Maximum number of simultaneous batch export jobs

{{< history >}}

- [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/169122) in GitLab 17.6.

{{< /history >}}

Direct transfer exports can consume a significant amount of resources.
To prevent using up the database or Sidekiq processes,
administrators can configure the `concurrent_relation_batch_export_limit` setting.

The default value is `8` jobs, which corresponds to a
[reference architecture for up to 40 RPS or 2,000 users](../reference_architectures/2k_users.md).
If you encounter `PG::QueryCanceled: ERROR: canceling statement due to statement timeout` errors
or jobs getting interrupted due to Sidekiq memory limits, you might want to reduce this number.
If you have enough resources, you can increase this number to process more concurrent export jobs.

To modify this setting, send an API request to `/api/v4/application/settings`
with `concurrent_relation_batch_export_limit`.
For more information, see [application settings API](../../api/settings.md).

### Export batch size

{{< history >}}

- [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/194607) in GitLab 18.2.

{{< /history >}}

To further manage memory usage and database load, use the `relation_export_batch_size` setting to control the number of records processed in each batch during export operations.

The default value is `50` records per batch. To modify this setting, send an API request to `/api/v4/application/settings` with `relation_export_batch_size`.
For more information, see [application settings API](../../api/settings.md).

## Troubleshooting

## Error: `Help page documentation base url is blocked: execution expired`

While enabling application settings like [import source](#configure-allowed-import-sources), you might get a `Help page documentation base url is blocked: execution expired`
error. To work around this error:

1. Add `docs.gitlab.com`, or [the redirect help documentation pages URL](help_page.md#redirect-help-pages), to the
   [allowlist](../../security/webhooks.md#allow-outbound-requests-to-certain-ip-addresses-and-domains).
1. Select **Save Changes**.