How to export your data from Intercom

Intercom splits exports across several tools: reporting-level CSVs (metadata only) come from Reports > Dataset export, full conversation/ticket transcripts come from per-conversation or bulk PDF/text downloads (or the Conversations API), contact records come from the Contacts list as CSV, and large-scale raw data can be streamed as JSON to Amazon S3 or pulled via the REST API.

Formats: CSV, PDF, Text (TXT), JSONPlan: Not gated to a specific pricing tier in Intercom's docs — the saved-View CSV export is available on all plans with Inbox access; other exports depend on granted permissions rather than plan levelRole: Teammate with the 'Can access Chart drill-in' and 'Can export CSV' permissions (Dataset export), or 'Can export conversation data' permission plus an Inbox seat (View CSV export)

✓ Verified against Intercom's official documentation, September 2026

Step by step

1For contact records: go to Contacts, select the users/leads/companies you want, click the More dropdown, select Export users, choose which columns to include, then confirm — the CSV is emailed to you (download link expires after 1 hour)
2For reporting-level conversation or ticket data: go to Reports > Dataset export, pick a dataset, set your time period, optional attribute filters and columns, preview, then click Export CSV (instant for up to 10,000 rows in-browser; larger exports are emailed, which can take up to an hour)
3For the actual message/ticket content of one conversation: open it in the Inbox, click the three dots in the top-right corner, and select Export conversation as text/PDF or Export ticket as text/PDF
4For ticket exports, check the box to also include internal notes and non-customer-visible attributes (text format only; not available in PDF)
5For bulk transcript downloads: in the Inbox, filter and select up to 200–300 conversations, open the bulk actions '...' menu, and choose Export as text or Export as PDF
6For a live snapshot of a saved Inbox View: open the View, click its download icon (Export as CSV) — instant under 25,000 cells, emailed above that, and refused outright above 100,000 matching rows
7For full raw conversation data at scale: use the Conversations API (list conversation IDs, then retrieve each by ID; max 90-day window per request) or set up a scheduled JSON export to Amazon S3
8To keep recurring backups: from Reports > Dataset export, build your export and use the schedule dropdown to create a recurring CSV delivery

What the export includes

✓Dataset CSV exports: reporting metadata such as conversation/ticket IDs, timestamps, attributes, tags, assignees and metrics for all 13 reporting datasets, generally available for up to two years
✓Conversation/ticket transcript exports (PDF or text): complete message chronology with timestamps, all participant information, AI summaries and metadata when available, with sensitive payment data redacted
✓Ticket text exports can optionally include internal notes, ticket status internal label, and attributes not visible to the customer
✓Contacts export: name and ID, plus whichever columns are currently displayed in your Contacts list
✓Saved View CSV export: a point-in-time snapshot of matching conversations/tickets using your visible columns, with a direct link back to each record

What it doesn't include

✗Dataset/reporting CSV exports do not include the actual conversation or message content — only metadata
✗Contact/user export only includes the name and ID of the most recent company a user was tracked with, not full company records
✗Conversation transcript exports (PDF/text) exclude internal notes by design — only ticket exports have the option to include them
✗No single one-click 'export my whole workspace' feature — full data extraction requires combining the contacts export, dataset CSVs, transcript exports, and API/S3 export
✗Saved View CSV export has no scheduling option — only Dataset export supports recurring/scheduled exports

Before you start

⚠Dataset CSV exports are capped at 10,000 rows in-browser; anything larger is emailed instead and can take up to an hour
⚠Only two exports can run at once for the whole workspace (View export) — a teammate's in-progress export can block yours
⚠View CSV export is refused outright if it would match more than 100,000 rows
⚠Bulk UI transcript export (PDF/text) is limited to roughly 200–300 conversations per operation; anything larger needs the Conversations API
⚠The emailed contacts CSV download link expires after one hour
⚠Data is generally retained and exportable for up to two years
⚠The Conversations API export supports a maximum 90-day window per request
⚠Intercom is deprecating the old conversations/tickets data export in favor of Dataset export, with advance notice for frequent users

Where to take your data

Free and cheaper tools that can take a Intercom export. See all Intercom alternatives →

Chatwoot

Import your contacts CSV (name/email) through Chatwoot's contact import, and re-attach exported PDF/text transcripts to tickets or knowledge base articles for reference — Chatwoot has no native historical-transcript importer, so old conversation history stays as archived files.

Crisp

Alternatives Intercom vs Crisp

Use Crisp's people/contacts CSV import for your exported Intercom contact list; keep exported Intercom PDFs/text transcripts as an offline archive since Crisp does not import third-party conversation history directly.

Tawk.to

Upload your Intercom contacts CSV into Tawk.to's contact list; store exported conversation PDFs/text files separately, as Tawk.to does not support importing historical chat transcripts from another platform.

Exporting from Intercom: common questions

Can I export my entire Intercom workspace in one click?+

No. Intercom does not offer a single full-workspace export. You need to combine the Contacts CSV export, Reports > Dataset export for conversations/tickets, transcript exports (PDF/text or bulk), and the Conversations API or Amazon S3 export for full message content.

Does the CSV export include the actual chat messages?+

No. Dataset export CSVs contain reporting metadata (IDs, timestamps, attributes, metrics) but not the conversation or message content itself. For full message content you need the individual/bulk transcript export (PDF/text), the Conversations API, or the Amazon S3 JSON export.

How far back can I export historical data?+

Data is generally available for up to two years through Intercom's dataset exports.

Is there a limit on how many conversations I can bulk-export as PDF or text?+

Yes, bulk export from the Inbox supports roughly 200–300 conversations per operation. For larger volumes, use the Conversations API to retrieve content in bulk, with a maximum 90-day window per request.

Who is allowed to export data from Intercom?+

It depends on permissions, not a specific plan: teammates need 'Can access Chart drill-in' and 'Can export CSV' for Dataset export, or 'Can export conversation data' plus an Inbox seat for the saved-View CSV export.

Can I get a JSON export instead of CSV?+

Yes — for structured/raw data at scale, Intercom supports exporting conversation data as JSON to Amazon S3, or pulling it directly via the Conversations REST API, rather than through the CSV-based dataset export.