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Import & Export

Backup, share, and migrate your tunnel configurations.

Quick Reference

Export Tunnels

  1. File → Export (Cmd+E)
  2. Choose save location
  3. Click Export

Import Tunnels

  1. File → Import (Cmd+I)
  2. Select the file
  3. Choose Merge or Replace All
  4. Click Import

Exporting

Basic Export

Exports all tunnels with default settings (no passwords, no SSH keys):

  1. File → Export (or Cmd+E)
  2. Choose where to save
  3. Click Export

Export Options

For more control, use File → Export Options:

Option Description Default
All Tunnels Export everything ✓
Selected Tunnels Choose specific tunnels
Include Passwords Export saved passwords Off
Include SSH Keys Export key file paths Off
Compress Smaller file size Off
Encrypt (Premium) AES-256 encryption Off

Password Security

If including passwords, enable Encrypt Output to protect them.

Encrypted Export (Premium)

  1. Enable Encrypt Output in export options
  2. Enter a strong password
  3. Store password separately from the file
  4. Share the password through a different channel

Importing

Import Modes

Merge (Default):

  • Adds new tunnels
  • Updates existing tunnels with same ID
  • Keeps tunnels not in the file

Replace All:

  • Removes all existing tunnels
  • Imports only what's in the file
  • Use for clean restore

Conflict Resolution

When tunnels conflict, choose:

Option What Happens
Keep Existing Don't import the conflicting tunnel
Replace Overwrite with imported version
Import as New Create copy with different name

Importing Encrypted Files

When importing an encrypted export:

  1. StormTunnel detects encryption automatically
  2. Enter the password used during export
  3. File decrypts and imports normally

Lost Password

There's no recovery for encrypted exports. If you lose the password, the file can't be imported.

Common Use Cases

Personal Backup

Regular backups of your configuration:

  • Export monthly with date in filename (backup-2025-12.json)
  • Include passwords only if encrypted
  • Store in secure location

Team Sharing

Share tunnel configs with colleagues:

  • Export selected tunnels only
  • Don't include passwords
  • Include SSH key paths (they'll use their own keys)
  • Share via secure channel

New Mac Setup

Migrate to a new computer:

  1. Export all tunnels (encrypted if including passwords)
  2. Transfer file to new Mac
  3. Import with Replace All
  4. Verify tunnels work

What Gets Exported

Included Not Included
Tunnel names and settings Passwords (unless enabled)
Host, ports, connection type Private SSH keys (only paths)
AWS configuration AWS credentials

Troubleshooting

"Invalid Format" Error

File isn't a valid StormTunnel export.

  • Verify file was exported from StormTunnel
  • Don't manually edit export files

"Incorrect Password"

Wrong password for encrypted file.

  • Check caps lock
  • Try the password you used when exporting
  • After 5 failures, wait before retrying

Port Conflicts After Import

Multiple tunnels using same port.

  • Edit tunnels to use different local ports
  • Or use conflict resolution during import

Keyboard Shortcuts

Action Shortcut
Export Cmd+E
Import Cmd+I