Import and export boards
Back up a board as a .refboard archive, restore it, and move boards between browsers and devices.
FlashBoards stores your work in your browser, so a .refboard archive is your backup and your way to move a board to another device. It holds the board layout and its media in one file.
NoteExport is not sharing
Exporting gives you a file you keep. To let other people view a board through a link, see Shared boards.
Export the active board
Open the Media Browser
Click Files (the stacked squares button) in the bottom toolbar.
Open more actions
Click the three-dot More actions button in the Media Browser toolbar.
Choose Export Board
Pick Export Board. In Chrome and Edge, your browser first asks where to save the .refboard file when the board is large (over about 512 MB) or some media sizes are unknown; pick a folder and click Save. Smaller boards, and boards in other browsers, download straight away. A progress overlay shows while the file is written.
You can also export from the FlashBoards menu (the logo at the top left): Export → Board archive… saves a .refboard, and Export → Board as PNG… saves an image. Import → Board archive… and Import → Media… are in the same menu.
If some media couldn't be included, a warning says how many files are missing. Archives can't be larger than 4 GB.
If you cancel the save dialog, nothing is exported and you see Export cancelled. If the dialog fails, FlashBoards may try a normal browser download. That fallback can handle only archives up to about 512 MiB. For larger boards, retry in desktop Chrome or Edge, or split the board. If another save dialog is already open, finish or cancel it first.
To save only some files, select them in the Media Browser and click Download selected as ZIP: a plain ZIP of the files, not a board archive. Export PNG… saves the board as an image.
Import a board
- Drop a
.refboard(or compatible.zip) file onto the board, or - Open Files, click More actions, then Import Board and choose one or more files.
Each archive opens as a new board, with its groups intact. Imported boards don't count toward your plan's board limit; on the Free plan you can keep up to three of them (see Board limits). In the web app, you can import a .refboard or compatible .zip board archive even while viewing a shared read-only board. It opens as a separate local board; it does not add content to or change the shared board.
WarningLoose files are different
Import Board is only for board archives. For individual images, videos or audio, use Import Media in the same menu or drag the files onto the canvas. See Supported formats.
Back up many boards at once
Board Archives exports one board at a time or every board to a folder. See Board Archives.
Import errors
Board import accepts only .refboard or .zip files, and tells you if a file is empty, unsupported or not a board archive. Export the board again or choose another file.
If you see "Archive group refers to a missing item", nothing is imported. Export the board again from the current app. If that doesn't help, open the original board, ungroup and regroup the affected items, then export again.
Missing media warnings
A missing-media warning means some files couldn't be read. Run Check board health on the board (see Storage), make sure the items still show on the canvas, replace any that are gone, and export again. Media your browser has already removed can't be recovered.
Move a board to another device
- Export the board on the old device.
- Copy the
.refboardfile over (cloud drive, USB, AirDrop). - On the new device, drop it onto a board or use Import Board.
Keep the .refboard extension. For read-only access without a file, you can also publish the board.
For agents
A connected agent can import a .refboard file from a public HTTPS link (up to 50 MB, 20 a day) as a new board, or export a board to your browser's downloads, with execute_board_action (importBoardArchive, exportBoardArchive). An import never replaces an existing board. See Archives and storage.