How to export your data from ReadMe

ReadMe lets you export your documentation project as a ZIP (Guides, API Reference/OAS files, Custom Pages, Recipes, Components) or as a PDF (Guides and Components only) from the project's Branch menu, sync everything to GitHub via the built-in integration, and pull docs, images, metrics, and Owlbot AI data programmatically through the ReadMe API. API/product metrics can separately be exported page-by-page as CSV from the Metrics or Developer Dashboard.

Formats: ZIP, PDF, CSV, JSON (via API)Plan: Not plan-gated in the docs for the ZIP/PDF Branch export or CSV metrics export; GitHub sync and API access depend on your project's enabled integrations/API keyRole: Not explicitly stated in the docs; you need project access to the Branch menu, Metrics Dashboard, or Developer Dashboard to trigger exports

✓ Verified against ReadMe's official documentation, September 2026

Step by step

1Open your ReadMe project dashboard and go to the Branch you want to export (e.g. your main/production branch).
2Open the Branch menu and choose to export the branch as a ZIP file, or as a PDF.
3For a ZIP export: wait for the file to process — it is emailed to you once complete, and includes OpenAPI (OAS) files, Guides, API Reference, Custom Pages, Recipes, and Components (image files themselves are not bundled, only their paths).
4For a PDF export: it downloads directly in your browser and only contains Guides and Components used on those pages.
5To keep a live, ongoing copy instead of a one-time file, connect the GitHub integration — the synced repo content matches a branch export, including all doc versions.
6For API Metrics or Developer Dashboard data, go to the relevant section (e.g. API Calls, API Errors), apply the filters and date range you want.
7Scroll to the bottom of that table and click Export CSV next to the pagination widget to download a CSV of the filtered data.
8For anything not covered by the UI exports (raw docs content, images, metrics, Owlbot AI data), call the ReadMe API directly to pull the data programmatically.

What the export includes

✓ZIP export: Guides, API Reference (OAS/OpenAPI files), Custom Pages, Recipes, Components
✓PDF export: Guides and Components only
✓GitHub sync: same content as a branch export, including all doc versions
✓Metrics/Developer Dashboard: any viewable table (API Calls, API Errors, etc.) as a filtered CSV
✓API: docs content, images, metrics, and Owlbot AI data

What it doesn't include

✗Actual image files in the ZIP export (only the file paths are included, not the binaries)
✗API Reference, Custom Pages, and Recipes in the PDF export (PDF is Guides + Components only)
✗A single one-click export of all Metrics data — CSV export is done per table/section with filters applied, not account-wide
✗Team/role settings, billing details, and integration configuration are not described as part of any export flow

Before you start

⚠ZIP exports are processed asynchronously and delivered by email rather than downloaded instantly
⚠PDF export is more limited in scope than the ZIP export (Guides + Components only)
⚠Image files are referenced by path in the ZIP, not included as files — you'll need to fetch images separately (e.g. via the API) if you need the binaries
⚠Metrics/API log data can only be exported table-by-table as CSV based on whatever filters and date range are currently applied, not as a full historical dump
⚠GitHub sync is a live integration, not a static export file — useful for ongoing backup rather than a single point-in-time snapshot

Where to take your data

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

Docusaurus

Unzip the exported branch, convert the Guides/Custom Pages markdown into Docusaurus's docs/ folder structure, and rebuild your API reference from the exported OAS file using a Docusaurus OpenAPI plugin.

GitBook

Alternatives

Import the markdown files from the ZIP export as pages/spaces in GitBook, and re-upload the OpenAPI (OAS) file to regenerate the API reference.

Mintlify

Drop the exported Guides/Custom Pages markdown into a Mintlify docs repo and point Mintlify's OpenAPI support at the exported OAS file to rebuild the API reference pages.

Exporting from ReadMe: common questions

Can I export all of my ReadMe docs at once?+

Yes — from the Branch menu you can export the whole branch as a ZIP, which includes Guides, API Reference (OAS files), Custom Pages, Recipes, and Components.

Does the ReadMe export include my images?+

No. The ZIP export includes the paths to your images so they remain accessible, but it does not bundle the actual image files.

How do I export my API/docs metrics before leaving ReadMe?+

Go to the Metrics or Developer Dashboard, open the section you want (API Calls, API Errors, etc.), apply filters/date range, then click Export CSV at the bottom of the table. This is done per table, not as one bulk export.

Is there a way to automate or script an export?+

Yes, the ReadMe API can be used to pull docs data, including images, metrics, and Owlbot AI data, programmatically.

What's the difference between the ZIP and PDF export?+

The ZIP export covers Guides, API Reference, Custom Pages, Recipes, and Components; the PDF export only includes Guides and Components used on those pages.

Can I keep a continuously updated copy of my docs outside ReadMe?+

Yes — the GitHub integration syncs your docs to a repo with the same content as a branch export, including all doc versions, so you get an ongoing mirror rather than a one-time file.