Export & Backup
Export data to CSV or JSON, create profile backups, and restore a portable backup on another device.
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Open Settings → Backup & Export in the profile you want to back up. The Backup tab manages saved snapshots, portable exports, and restores; the Export tab exports data for use elsewhere.
1 · Run an export
- Open Settings → Backup & Export → Export.
- Choose CSV or JSON, then select Accounts, Activities, Holdings, Goals, or Portfolio History.
- Save the file offered by your platform. For a restorable copy of the whole profile, use the Backup tab instead.
2 · Pick the right format
| Format | When to use |
|---|---|
| CSV | Loading one table into a spreadsheet or another tool. |
| JSON | Programmatic processing; preserves nested structures that CSV flattens out. |
Password-protected .wfbackup | Keeping a restorable profile copy outside the installation or moving it to another one. |
Unencrypted .db | An advanced, unprotected database export. Anyone with the file can read its contents. |
For a backup before a big change, create a snapshot on the Backup tab,
then export it as a password-protected .wfbackup and save it outside the
installation. CSV and JSON exports cannot restore a complete profile.
Exported activity amounts use the saved final total, including fees and taxes. Do not subtract those charges again in a spreadsheet. Splits and security transfers have special meanings; see Activity Fields.
3 · Round-trip restore
Create a backup
Open Settings → Backup & Export → Backup and select Back up now. The
snapshot appears in the list for the current profile. Select Export on that
snapshot to save a portable copy. Choose a backup password and keep it with your
recovery information; Wealthfolio cannot reset it. You can also export an
unencrypted .db if you need one.
The initial snapshot stays in the current installation. Desktop and iOS use native file handling for the exported copy; web downloads it through the browser. Check that the export was saved somewhere independent of the device or server. In web mode, Save original snapshot is an advanced option: it downloads the original database with its existing encryption, which may require the original server master key to read.
Desktop and iOS support restore in the app. Web restore uses an offline server command. Each profile has its own database; repeat the backup for every profile you need to protect.
Back up multiple profiles
Profiles keep their portfolio data separate. Switch to each profile and create and export its own backup. Restoring a backup replaces only the selected destination profile; it does not recreate every profile in the installation. Keep the backup password for each protected export. If you also back up the installation files, include the profile registry and every profile directory, as described below.
Database encryption and backup passwords
In Settings → General, native apps can optionally encrypt the current profile’s local database using a key stored on the device. App lock and database encryption are separate settings. Saved snapshots retain the database’s encryption state when they were created, so an older snapshot may still be unencrypted after you enable encryption.
A password-protected .wfbackup uses the password chosen during Export,
separate from the profile password and installation key. Keep that password:
Wealthfolio cannot reset it. An unencrypted .db export can be read by anyone
with the file, even if the live database is encrypted. For self-hosted servers,
database encryption is configured offline.
Restore in the app
On desktop or iOS, open the Backup tab in the destination profile. Select
Restore from file for a .wfbackup or unencrypted .db, or Restore on a
saved snapshot. Enter the export password if prompted, review the backup
preview, then confirm the replacement.
Restoring replaces your current database with the backup; it does not merge the two. Save a current backup before proceeding. CSV and JSON exports cannot be used for a full restore.
Wealthfolio saves a snapshot before replacing the destination profile and reopens the app after restoration. Check your accounts and latest activities, then reconnect external services as needed.
Restore a self-hosted instance
Web mode has no restore upload action. Stop Wealthfolio (or its container) and
run wealthfolio-server db restore <file> with the same storage settings,
master key, and encryption policy used by the server. Without --yes, the
command validates the backup and shows a summary without replacing data. Add
--yes after reviewing it; use --profile <UUID> to select a profile other
than the default. A protected .wfbackup requires --password-stdin with the
password supplied through a pipe or redirected file. The command saves a
pre-restore snapshot. Preserve the complete installation directory and master
key, then verify the restored profile after restarting. See
Storage configuration.
4 · Where the database files live
Use the Backup tab for restores on desktop or iOS. If you are recovering
installation files manually, close Wealthfolio first and preserve the whole
data directory, including profiles.json, profiles/, and any legacy
app.db. Include profiles.json.bak if present. New profiles store their
database at profiles/<uuid>/app.db. The Personal profile migrated from an
earlier version may still use the original root-level app.db. Replacing that
root file will not restore a newer profile.
Default desktop data directories are:
- macOS:
~/Library/Application Support/com.teymz.wealthfolio/ - Windows:
%APPDATA%\com.teymz.wealthfolio\ - Linux:
~/.local/share/com.teymz.wealthfolio/
Keep the existing installation files until you have verified the recovery.
Encrypted database files also need their original installation key. For moving
data to another installation, export a password-protected .wfbackup and use
Restore from file instead of copying the live database.
5 · Scheduled exports?
There’s no built-in scheduler today; exports are manual. If you need automated backups:
- Self-hosted: snapshot the data volume with your container/host’s backup tool (e.g.
restic,borg, Proxmox snapshots, Unraid backup plugins). - Desktop: include the Wealthfolio data directory in your normal backup tool (Time Machine, Windows File History, Restic).
Both approaches give you point-in-time recovery without trusting any cloud, and they keep working even if Wealthfolio’s export UI changes.