Migrating from Drafts 3 to newer versions of Drafts

For Migration Information regarding Drafts 4, see our updated migration guide

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Prefer a video walkthrough? See our migration screencast.

Users of Drafts 3 (discontinued in Fall of 2014) have several options when moving to Drafts. This article is a discussion and guide to the migration options and will help you proceed when you decide which route is best for you.

A couple of important notes to start:

• Drafts 4 and 5 can co-exist with prior versions of Drafts and Drafts for iPad. 
• Migration of both drafts and actions is done via export/import, and can be done at any time, but should only be done once to avoid creation of duplicate data.
• Migration will not replace data in the newer version of Drafts, only add to it. You do not need to fear that migration steps will remove any data you have created in Drafts 4 or 5.
• Drafts is now a Universal app for iPhone and iPad. The migration steps can be performed on on either and iPhone or the iPad, using either Drafts 3 or Drafts for iPad 3 – but the steps only need to be taken on a single device.
• If you have iCloud sync active (default) in newer Drafts, it is highly recommend that you perform the migration while connected to a good Wifi network, and allow drafts to run for a little while after the import to complete initial sync.

Migrating Drafts

Depending on the ways you use Drafts, it may make sense to start fresh with a newer version of Drafts, or only to migrate a portion of your old drafts data. 

Migrations are performed by using the "Export Drafts" feature.  In order to import drafts from Drafts 3 to Drafts 4 or 5, follow the steps below:

• Open Drafts 3 (the old version) and navigate to Settings > Export Drafts.
• Select which drafts to export. The export can contain only the inbox, archive or pinned drafts – or all drafts.
• Select "JSON" (the default) format.
• Select the "Open in" output option.
• Tap "Run Export".
• When prompted, select the "Open in Drafts" option for where to send the export file. Both Drafts 4 and 5 support import of data from Drafts 3.
• The new version of Drafts will open. It will recognize the export file and offer to import the drafts it contains. If you accept, all the drafts will be added to the Drafts database.

Drafts imported will maintain their locations. Inbox drafts will still be in the inbox, archived drafts in the archive – and "pinned" drafts will be marked "flagged" in the newer version Drafts.

Each import will be treated as new drafts, so be careful if you choose to run multiple imports as you may create duplicates.

Migrating Custom Actions

There have been enough changes to the functioning of actions in newer versions of Drafts that it is not recommend that actions be migrated from Drafts 3.  If you have specific actions you rely on these can be recreated in newer version of Drafts - or often found in the Action Directory.