How to export your data from Close
Close lets you export Leads, Contacts, Opportunities, and Activities (emails, calls, SMS, notes, custom activities) in CSV or JSON directly from the Leads search/Smart View screen, plus separate CSV exports for Smart Views, templates, phone numbers, notes, and custom fields via Close's Support Tools (API key required).
✓ Verified against Close's official documentation, October 2026
Step by step
- 1Go to Leads in the left navigation.
- 2(Optional) Apply filters or open a Leads Smart View to narrow down which records you want — you cannot export from a Contacts Smart View, only from a Leads-based one.
- 3Click the ... menu in the top right of the leads list and choose Export.
- 4Set the export Type to Leads, Contacts, or Opportunities.
- 5Choose the format: CSV (simplest, good for spreadsheets) or JSON (required if you need to export Activities — emails, calls, SMS, notes, custom activities).
- 6Choose field scope: Fields in current view, Common fields, or All fields (All fields adds address data, activity dates, primary opportunity data, and Smart Fields).
- 7Start the export and wait for the email with your download link — larger exports take longer to generate.
- 8For data not covered by the built-in exporter (Smart Views, custom fields, phone numbers, templates, notes, email/SMS messages, meetings), generate a Close API Key under Settings → Developer → API Keys, then use the relevant tool at support-tools.close.com.
What the export includes
- ✓Leads (with custom fields)
- ✓Contacts (names, titles, emails, phones, URLs)
- ✓Opportunities (including legacy Opportunities List view export of Won/filtered opportunities)
- ✓Activities in JSON only: Emails, Calls, SMS messages, Notes, Custom Activities
- ✓Smart Fields (calculated fields like email counts) when using the All fields option
What it doesn't include
- ✗Call recordings and transcripts are not part of the standard export — they require the separate 'Download Call Recordings and Transcripts' support tool, packaged as a .zip
- ✗Contacts Smart Views cannot be used as the basis for an export (only Leads Smart Views can)
- ✗Smart Views, custom field definitions, phone numbers, templates, and similar configuration/metadata are excluded from the default exporter and need the dedicated Support Tools (each requiring a Close API Key)
- ✗CSV cannot export Activities — only JSON supports hierarchical Activity data
Before you start
- ⚠Download links for exports are sent by email and expire after 7 days
- ⚠Large exports with lots of leads/activity can take noticeable time to generate before the link arrives
- ⚠CSV is best for simple record data; if you need full activity history (calls, emails, SMS, notes), you must export as JSON
- ⚠Most Support Tools exports (Smart Views, templates, phone numbers, notes, custom fields, meetings, email/SMS messages) require creating a Close API Key first
- ⚠The legacy Opportunities export button only appears on the legacy Opportunities List view, not the current one
- ⚠The Event Log API (for an audit trail of changes) only retains history for up to 30 days back
Where to take your data
Free and cheaper tools that can take a Close export. See all Close alternatives →
HubSpot Free CRM
Use HubSpot's CSV import tool (Contacts/Companies/Deals import wizard) to map your exported Leads/Contacts CSV and Opportunities CSV into HubSpot objects and deal stages.
Pipedrive
Use Pipedrive's Import from a spreadsheet feature to map your Close Leads, Contacts, and Opportunities CSVs to Pipedrive's Organizations, People, and Deals.
Freshsales Free
Use Freshsales' Data Import tool to upload your Leads/Contacts CSV and map fields to Freshsales' Contacts, Accounts, and Deals modules.
Exporting from Close: common questions
Can I export everything from Close in one click?+
No single 'export all' button exists. You export Leads, Contacts, or Opportunities separately from the Leads page, and Activities only via JSON. Smart Views, custom fields, templates, and phone numbers need separate Support Tools exports.
Does exporting from Close cost extra or require a specific plan?+
Close's documentation does not describe the built-in exporter as a paid add-on or tied to a specific plan tier — it's accessed from the standard Leads page ... menu.
How do I get my call recordings out of Close?+
Call recordings and transcripts aren't included in the standard Leads/Activities export. Use the separate 'Download Call Recordings and Transcripts' tool in Close's Support Tools portal, which packages them as a .zip file.
CSV or JSON — which should I use?+
Use CSV for simple spreadsheet-friendly exports of Leads, Contacts, or Opportunities. Use JSON if you need Activities (emails, calls, SMS, notes, custom activities) or want hierarchical/relational data — JSON is the only format that supports full Activity export.
How long do I have to download my export?+
You'll get an email with a download link once the export is ready, and that link expires 7 days after it's sent.
Can I automate exports instead of doing them manually?+
Yes — Close's API includes export endpoints and an Event Log API for tracking changes (accessible up to 30 days back), which you can use to pull data programmatically instead of using the UI exporter.
Sources
This guide was written from Close's own documentation and checked against it in October 2026. If a step has changed, the official page wins.