How do you export your Goodreads library?

Best Book Tracker Apps editors · Data refreshed 3 November 2026 · Editorial assessment

Bottom line.On a computer, go to My Books, click Import and export under Tools on the left, then click Export Library. When the file is ready, a link named "Your export from" with the date and time appears; click it to download a .csv file. Goodreads' help page says export works on desktop only, and large libraries can take a few minutes. Keep the file even if you are not switching apps: it is your backup.

Facts checked 29 October 2026

What are the steps to export from Goodreads?

Sign in to Goodreads in a web browser on a computer. Goodreads' help page lists export as desktop only, so the phone app will not show it.
Go to My Books.
In the left column, under Tools, click Import and export.
Under Export, click Export Library.
Wait. For a large library the file can take a few minutes to generate. Refresh the page if nothing appears.
Click the link that appears, named "Your export from" followed by the date and time, and save the .csv file.
Rename the file with today's date and keep it somewhere you control, such as a cloud folder or an external drive.

Using a phone only? You can try requesting the desktop site in your phone's browser, but the simplest route is to do the export the next time you are at a computer.

Why export your Goodreads library at all?

Moving apps: almost every other tracker reads this file. See the import and export table.
Backup: Goodreads closed its public API to new keys in December 2020, so the export file is the main way to get your history out in bulk.
Your own analysis: a spreadsheet of your shelves lets you count books by year or author without any app.
Peace of mind: if you ever close your account, the file is the record you keep.

Which trackers import the Goodreads file?

Goodreads import options published by trackers we cover, checked 29 October 2026
App	How it takes your Goodreads history	Source
The StoryGraph	Imports currently-reading, read, to-read and did-not-finish shelves; custom shelves become tags. Step by step: moving from Goodreads to StoryGraph.	thestorygraph.com
Literal	Reads your public Goodreads profile, no file needed; also accepts the CSV.	Literal guides
Hardcover	Upload the Goodreads CSV on its Import Library page; it also takes StoryGraph exports, and a custom CSV import in beta.	Hardcover FAQ
BookBuddy	Imports the Goodreads CSV.	App Store listing
Fable	In-app Goodreads sign-in, or the CSV on the web (beta).	Fable Help
Bookly	Goodreads import listed on Google Play.	Google Play listing

Basmo publishes Kindle highlight import instead, and Magic Bookmark is not a tracker, so neither appears here.

What does not come with the export?

The export is a list of your books and what you recorded about them. Social parts of Goodreads live on Goodreads: your friends, groups and their discussions, and author follows. Literal's import guide, for example, lists friends lists, comments and reading challenges among the things that do not come across. If your Reading Challenge history matters to you, note each year's total before you switch.

Going the other way, Goodreads' help page says you cannot import from Audible, OverDrive or Libby; you add those books by searching for them. For listening history, see how to track audiobooks.

What should you check in the file before you rely on it?

Open it in a spreadsheet and check the number of rows against the number of books Goodreads shows on your shelves.
Spot-check five books: the shelf, your rating and the dates you read them.
Look for your did-not-finish books. Goodreads added a Did Not Finish shelf in March 2026; see using a DNF shelf.
Expect one finish date per book. Hardcover's FAQ notes that Goodreads exports include only the most recent finish date, with no start dates and no earlier reads, so rereads and start dates need adding by hand after any import.
If special characters look broken, reopen the file as UTF-8. Goodreads' help page gives the same advice for import errors.

How often should you export?

Once a quarter is enough for most readers, and once more before any app switch. Put a reminder in your calendar for the first week of January, April, July and October. Keep the old files: they cost nothing and let you see how your shelves looked at any point. Our printable reading log uses the same basic columns if you also keep a paper record.

Questions

Q1Can I export my Goodreads library from the app?

Goodreads' help page lists export as desktop only. Use a web browser on a computer, or request the desktop site in your phone's browser.

Q2What format is the Goodreads export?

A .csv file, which opens in any spreadsheet program and which most other trackers can import.

Q3Why is my Goodreads export taking so long?

Goodreads says the file may take a few minutes to generate for large libraries. Wait, then refresh the Import and export page until the download link appears.

Q4Does the Goodreads export include my friends and groups?

No. It is a record of your books. Friends, groups and their discussions stay on Goodreads.

Q5Can I import my Audible or Libby history into Goodreads?

Not directly. Goodreads' help page says you cannot import from Audible, OverDrive or Libby; search for each title and add it to your shelves instead.