Data Export & Import

CatchTime lets you export your time data in standard formats for backup and further analysis. You can also import previous backups to restore your data.

CSV Export

CSV format is perfect for opening and analyzing data in Excel, Google Sheets, or similar tools.

What's included:

  • One row per usage record
  • Fields include app name, window title, start time, end time, duration, category, and more
  • Sorted chronologically

How to export:

  1. Open the Settings page
  2. Find the "Data" section
  3. Select "Export as CSV"
  4. Choose the date range to export
  5. Tap export and choose a save location

The exported CSV file can be opened with any spreadsheet software for custom analysis and reporting.

JSON Full Backup

JSON format contains all your CatchTime data and is ideal for complete backup and restoration.

What's included:

  • All usage time records
  • Tasks and categories
  • App categorization settings
  • Goals and goal records
  • App limit rules
  • App settings

How to export:

  1. Open the Settings page
  2. Find the "Data" section
  3. Select "Full Backup (JSON)"
  4. Tap export and choose a save location

We recommend creating regular JSON backups to protect against accidental data loss.

Export by Date Range

Whether using CSV or JSON format, you can specify the time range to export:

  • All Data — Export your entire history
  • Custom Range — Choose a start and end date
  • Last N Days — Quickly select the last week, month, etc.

This is especially useful when you only need to analyze data from a specific period.

JSON Import

If you need to restore a previous backup, use the JSON import feature:

How to import:

  1. Open the Settings page
  2. Find the "Data" section
  3. Select "Import Data"
  4. Choose the previously exported JSON file
  5. Confirm the import

Important notes:

  • Import merges backup data into your current data
  • Existing records won't be duplicated
  • The import process may take a few minutes depending on data volume
  • We recommend backing up your current data before importing

Use Cases

  • Regular Backups — Export a JSON backup monthly and store it safely
  • Data Analysis — Export CSV to Excel for custom charts and analysis
  • Device Migration — Import old device data on a new device (if not using cloud sync)
  • Data Recovery — Restore from a backup after accidental data loss

Learn More