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> - [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/249160) in GitLab 13.7 for group resources [with a flag](../../feature_flags.md) named `bulk_import`. Disabled by default.
> - [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/267945) in GitLab 14.4 for project resources [with a flag](../../feature_flags.md) named `bulk_import_projects`. Disabled by default.
> - New application setting `bulk_import_enabled` [introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/383268) in GitLab 15.8. `bulk_import` feature flag removed.
On self-managed GitLab, by default [migrating group items](#migrated-group-items) is not available. To show the
feature, ask an administrator to [enable it in application settings](../../admin_area/settings/visibility_and_access_controls.md#enable-migration-of-groups-and-projects-by-direct-transfer).
Also on self-managed GitLab, by default [migrating project items](#migrated-project-items-beta) is not available. To show
- Network connection between instances or GitLab.com. Must support HTTPS.
- Both GitLab instances have [migration enabled in application settings](../../admin_area/settings/visibility_and_access_controls.md#enable-migration-of-groups-and-projects-by-direct-transfer)
by an instance administrator.
- Owner role on the top-level source group to migrate from.
- At least the Maintainer role on the destination group to migrate to. Using the Developer role for this purpose was
[deprecated](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/387891) in GitLab 15.8 and will be removed in GitLab 16.0.
GitLab maps users and their contributions correctly provided:
- Users already exist on the target GitLab instance.
- Users have a public email on the source GitLab instance that matches their primary email on the target GitLab instance.
- Users' primary email addresses on the target GitLab instance are confirmed. Most users receives an email asking them to confirm their email address.
- When using an OmniAuth provider like SAML, GitLab and SAML accounts of users on GitLab must be linked. All users on the target GitLab instance must sign in
and verify their account on the target GitLab instance.
If you use [SAML SSO for GitLab.com groups](../../group/saml_sso/index.md),
contributing users must have [linked their SAML identity to their GitLab.com account](../../group/saml_sso/index.md#linking-saml-to-your-existing-gitlabcom-account).
When migrating to GitLab.com, you must create users manually unless [SCIM](../../group/saml_sso/scim_setup.md) is used. Creating users with the API is only
available to self-managed instances because it requires administrator access.
1. By default, the proposed group namespaces match the names as they exist in source instance, but based on your permissions, you can choose to edit these names before you proceed to import any of them.
1. Next to the groups you want to import, select either:
- **Import with projects**. Importing groups with projects is in [Beta](../../../policy/alpha-beta-support.md#beta-features). This feature is not ready for production use.
- **Import without projects**.
- **Import** on self-managed GitLab, when the `bulk_import_projects` feature flag is disabled and the feature is not available.
for your version of GitLab to see the list of items relevant to you. For example,
[`import_export.yml` on the `14-10-stable-ee` branch](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/14-10-stable-ee/lib/gitlab/import_export/group/import_export.yml).
> - [Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/267945) in GitLab 14.4 [with a flag](../../feature_flags.md) named `bulk_import_projects`. Disabled by default.
> - [Enabled on GitLab.com](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/339941) in GitLab 15.6.
for your version of GitLab to see the list of items relevant to you. For example,
[`import_export.yml` on the `14-10-stable-ee` branch](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/14-10-stable-ee/lib/gitlab/import_export/project/import_export.yml).
Items excluded from migration, because they contain sensitive information:
- Pipeline Triggers.
Migrating projects with file exports uses the same export and import mechanisms as creating projects from templates at the [group](../../group/custom_project_templates.md) and
[instance](../../admin_area/custom_project_templates.md) levels. Therefore, the list of exported items is the same.
- Export any group to a file and upload that file to another GitLab instance or to another location on the same instance.
- Use either the GitLab UI or the [API](../../../api/group_import_export.md).
- Migrate groups one by one, then export and import each project for the groups one by one.
GitLab maps user contributions correctly when an admin access token is used to perform the import. GitLab does not map
user contributions correctly when you are importing from a self-managed instance to GitLab.com. Correct mapping of user
contributions when importing from a self-managed instance to GitLab.com can be preserved with paid involvement of
Professional Services team.
Note the following:
- Exports are stored in a temporary directory and are deleted every 24 hours by a specific worker.
- To preserve group-level relationships from imported projects, export and import groups first so that projects can
be imported into the desired group structure.
- Imported groups are given a `private` visibility level, unless imported into a parent group.
- If imported into a parent group, a subgroup inherits the same level of visibility unless otherwise restricted.
- You can export groups from the [Community Edition to the Enterprise Edition](https://about.gitlab.com/install/ce-or-ee/)
and vice versa. The Enterprise Edition retains some group data that isn't part of the Community Edition. If you're
exporting a group from the Enterprise Edition to the Community Edition, you may lose this data. For more information,
see [downgrading from EE to CE](../../../index.md).
### Exported contents
The [`import_export.yml`](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/lib/gitlab/import_export/group/import_export.yml)
file for groups lists items exported and imported when migrating groups using file exports. View this file in the branch
for your version of GitLab to see the list of items relevant to you. For example,
[`import_export.yml` on the `14-10-stable-ee` branch](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/14-10-stable-ee/lib/gitlab/import_export/group/import_export.yml).
Group items that are exported include:
- Milestones
- Labels
- Boards and Board Lists
- Badges
- Subgroups (including all the aforementioned data)
- Epics
- Epic resource state events ([Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/issues/291983) in GitLab 15.4)
- Events
- [Wikis](../../project/wiki/group.md)
([Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/53247) in GitLab 13.9)
- Iterations cadences ([Introduced](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/merge_requests/95372) in 15.4)
Items that are **not** exported include:
- Projects
- Runner tokens
- SAML discovery tokens
### Preparation
- To preserve the member list and their respective permissions on imported groups, review the users in these groups. Make
sure these users exist before importing the desired groups.
- Users must set a public email in the source GitLab instance that matches one of their verified emails in the target GitLab instance.
### Enable export for a group
Prerequisite:
- You must have the Owner role for the group.
To enable import and export for a group:
1. On the top bar, select **Main menu > Admin**.
1. On the left sidebar, select **Settings > General**.
1. Expand **Visibility and access controls**.
1. In the **Import sources** section, select the checkboxes for the sources you want.
### Export a group
Prerequisites:
- You must have the Owner role for the group.
To export the contents of a group:
1. On the top bar, select **Main menu > Groups** and find your group.
1. On the left sidebar, select **Settings > General**.
1. In the **Advanced** section, select **Export Group**.
1. After the export is generated, you should receive an email with a link to the [exported contents](#exported-contents)
in a compressed tar archive, with contents in NDJSON format.
1. Alternatively, you can download the export from the UI:
1. Return to your group's **Settings > General** page.
1. In the **Advanced** section, select **Download export**.
You can also generate a new file by selecting **Regenerate export**.
You can also export a group [using the API](../../../api/group_import_export.md).
### Import the group
1. Create a new group:
- On the top bar, select **Create new…** (**{plus-square}**) and then **New group**.
