> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.securemetrics.io/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.securemetrics.io/crq-pro/guides/import-export.md).

# Import, export and backup

CRQ Pro has two distinct file types, for two different jobs:

* **Bundles (`.cqx`)** move *parts* of your work (a scenario, a component library, a whole workspace) between workspaces, machines, or colleagues.
* **Backups (`.cqbackup`)** capture *everything* in one file, for disaster recovery and moving to a new machine.

## Bundles (.cqx)

CRQ Pro exports and imports work as **`.cqx`** files. You can bundle:

* A single scenario, a scenario folder, or the whole scenario library
* A single component, a component folder, or a component library
* A portfolio, or all portfolios
* An **entire workspace**

Export options live on the sidebar tree items, the Components page, and the workspace switcher. A bundle carries everything the items depend on, so any components a scenario links to travel with it.

**Import behavior:**

* A **workspace bundle** imports as a **new workspace**, leaving existing ones untouched.
* All other bundles **merge into the active workspace as copies**; they never overwrite existing items.

CRQ Pro asks you to confirm before importing, showing what the bundle contains and where it will land.

## Full backups (.cqbackup)

A **backup** is a single `.cqbackup` file holding your entire library: every workspace, the global component library, and the Trash. Unlike the encrypted store on disk, a backup is portable and not tied to this machine, so it is the copy that survives an operating system reinstall, a lost machine, or a damaged encryption key (see [Data storage and security](/crq-pro/reference/data-security.md)).

Manage backups under **Settings > Application > Backup**.

### Automatic backups

Turn on **Automatic backups** and choose a folder. CRQ Pro then writes a full backup to that folder on launch and about once a day while the app is open, keeping the ten most recent.

{% hint style="success" %}
Point the backup folder at a synced location (OneDrive, Dropbox, a network drive) and your backups are copied offsite automatically, with no extra steps.
{% endhint %}

The Backup panel shows the current folder and when the last backup ran. If automatic backups are off and nothing has been saved in 30 days, CRQ Pro reminds you.

### Manual backup and restore

* **Export backup** writes a `.cqbackup` to a location you pick, on demand.
* **Restore** replaces everything currently in the app with the contents of a backup file.

{% hint style="danger" %}
**Restore replaces all of your current data** (every workspace, component, and the Trash). Export a backup of your current state first if you might want it back. CRQ Pro asks you to confirm before restoring.
{% endhint %}

### Moving to a new machine

Export a backup on the old machine, install CRQ Pro on the new one, activate your license (remove it from the old machine first, see [Installation and activation](/crq-pro/getting-started/installation.md#one-device-per-key)), then **Restore** the backup.

## Undo and redo

Most edits, including creating, editing, moving, and deleting items, can be reversed with **Ctrl+Z** (undo) and **Ctrl+Shift+Z** or **Ctrl+Y** (redo). Undo covers your recent changes to the library, so a mistaken edit or deletion is usually one keystroke away. It does not reverse a completed **Restore** of a backup or an **Empty trash**.

## Trash and recovery

Deleting a scenario, portfolio, or component is a **soft delete**: the item moves to the **Trash** (bottom of the icon rail), which collects deleted items across all workspaces.

From the Trash you can:

* **Restore** an item to where it came from
* **Permanently delete** a single item
* **Empty trash** to permanently delete everything

{% hint style="danger" %}
Permanent deletion and **Empty trash** cannot be undone. If in doubt, export a bundle or a backup first.
{% endhint %}