This page tells you how to import the contents of a Confluence space into another Confluence site, via an XML backup file.

You can export the content of a space, including pages, comments and attachments. The process involves converting the data in the space into XML format. The end product is a zip file that contains XML file(s) and optionally, all the attachments in the space. To transfer this data to another Confluence site, you simply restore this zip file as described below.

Confluence will only allow you to restore a space if there is not already a space by that name on the site. If you already have a space with the identical name, you will need to delete or rename the existing space before restoring the new one.

 

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Cannot restore to a different major Confluence release

Confluence only supports forward and backward compatibility for space import and export when executed within the same major version of Confluence.

Clarifying our terminology: By major version, we mean the version defined in the first two sections of the release number. For example, Confluence 2.2 and Confluence 2.3 are different major versions. Confluence 2.2.1 and Confluence 2.2.6 are the same major version.

Restoration Data Must Share the Same Major Version Number
This means that a space export created in one major version of Confluence cannot be imported into a different major version of Confluence. For example, if you create a space export in Confluence 2.3.5, it cannot be imported into a Confluence 2.2.2 site. It can be however imported into 2.3.6. Similarly, a space export created in 2.2.2 can not be imported into 2.3.5. However, it can be restored into a Confluence 2.2.6 site.

If you try to carry out such an operation, an error message similar to the one below will be displayed and the import action will be stopped.

Screenshot: Major Version Clash on Space Restore

Workaround for restoring Spaces between Major Releases

You'll need to set up a test server, download and install the same version of confluence as the version you exported the space from, then import the space into this test server. Next upgrade Confluence on your test installation to the right major version so that you can perform the export and import this space into your production confluence successfully. Otherwise, you can try to Change the version of the space export, but please try this on a test site as well.

(info) You need to have System Administrator permissions in order to perform this function.

To restore a space,

  1. Choose Browse > Confluence Admin.
  2. Select 'Backup and Restore' in the 'Administration' section of the left-hand panel.

You can restore data in one of two ways:

  1. Upload a zipped backup to Confluence:
    • Browse for the backup file.
    • Uncheck 'Build Index' if you want to create the index at a later stage.
    • Click 'Upload and Restore'.
  2. Restore a backup from the file system:
    • Select the backup file from the form field displayed. If you do not see your backup file, make you sure that it has been copied into the /opt/java/src/confluence/deployments/conf.atlassian.com/home/restore directory.
    • Uncheck 'Build Index' if you want to create the index at a later stage.
    • Click 'Restore'.
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