How to Download and Share Your n8n Workflows (JSON)

To download an n8n workflow, you simply export it as a JSON file directly from the n8n canvas or the workflows list. This file acts as a complete blueprint of your automation, containing all nodes, their configurations, and the connections between them. This process is fundamental for creating backups, migrating workflows between different n8n instances (like from self-hosted to cloud), and sharing your creations with colleagues or the wider community. Crucially, this export is designed with security in mind, as it does not include your sensitive credentials, making it safe to share.

Why Bother Downloading Your n8n Workflows?

Let’s be honest, you’ve just spent hours, maybe even days, crafting the perfect automation. It’s a beautiful symphony of nodes, logic, and data transformation. So, what’s next? You activate it and hope for the best? As an automation professional, hope isn’t a strategy. This is where learning how to download your n8n workflow becomes one of the most important habits you can build.

Think of it this way:

• Disaster Recovery: I’ve seen it happen. A server fails, a configuration gets messed up, or a well-meaning colleague makes an accidental change. Having a JSON backup of your workflow means you can restore your masterpiece in minutes, not rebuild it from memory over days.
• Collaboration: Working with a team? You can’t just huddle around one screen. Downloading a workflow allows you to pass it to a teammate for review, debugging, or improvement.
• Migration: Maybe you started on a self-hosted Docker instance and now want to move to the convenience of n8n Cloud. Or vice-versa. Your downloaded JSON file is your passport, allowing you to move workflows between environments seamlessly.
• Version Control: This is the big one for technical teams. Treating your workflows like code by storing them in Git (like on GitHub) is a game-changer. You get a full history of changes, the ability to roll back to previous versions, and a structured way to manage updates.

The Nuts and Bolts: How to Download an n8n Workflow

Thankfully, n8n makes this process incredibly straightforward. You don’t need to be a command-line wizard or an API guru to do it.

Downloading from the Workflow Canvas

This is the most common method. You’re already in the workflow, tweaking and testing. Here’s all you do:

1. With your workflow open on the canvas, look at the top-right corner.
2. You’ll see a set of icons. Find the one that looks like a downward-pointing arrow pointing into a tray—that’s your Download button.
3. Click it.

That’s it! Your browser will download a file named something like My Awesome Workflow.json. It’s that simple.

What’s Actually in That JSON File?

So you have this file, but what is it? Think of the JSON file as a blueprint for a Lego set. It lists every single piece (your nodes like HTTP Request, Google Sheets, OpenAI), all the custom settings for each piece (the URL, the spreadsheet ID, the AI model), and a precise map of how they all connect.

But here’s the most important part—the part that shows n8n was built with security and practicality in mind. The JSON file does not contain your credentials. It doesn’t have your API keys, your OAuth tokens, or your database passwords. Instead, it just has a placeholder, an internal ID that says, “Hey, when you import this, you’ll need to connect your credentials here.” This makes it safe to share your workflow’s logic without ever exposing your secrets.

Sharing is Caring: Best Practices for Sharing n8n Workflows

Once you have your JSON file, you can share it. How you do it depends on your goal.

For anyone serious about automation, I can’t recommend the Git approach enough. It turns your workflows from disposable scripts into managed, versioned assets. There are even incredible community-driven GitHub repositories out there with thousands of example workflows that you can learn from.

The Other Side of the Coin: Importing a Workflow

Downloading is only half the story. To use a shared or backed-up workflow, you need to import it. In your n8n dashboard, click the “Add workflow” button and you’ll see options to “Import from file” or “Paste code.”

Common Gotchas and How to Fix Them

When you import a workflow, you’ll almost certainly run into this: nodes with a little warning triangle. Don’t panic! This is normal.

1. Missing Credentials: This is the most common one. As we discussed, credentials aren’t included in the download. Just click on the node, go to the credentials dropdown, and select or create your own. The warning will disappear.
2. Version Mismatches or Missing Nodes: If the workflow was created with a newer version of n8n or uses a community node you haven’t installed, you might see an error. Usually, updating your n8n instance or installing the required community node from Settings > Community Nodes will fix it.

A Real-World Example: Automated Backups to GitHub

Let’s get meta. You can actually build an n8n workflow that automatically backs up all of your other n8n workflows! I have one of these running on my own instance, and it’s a lifesaver.

Here’s the basic logic:

1. Schedule Trigger: Kicks off the workflow once a day.
2. n8n API Node: Set to Workflow > GetAll to list every workflow on your instance.
3. SplitInBatches Node: To process each workflow one by one.
4. GitHub Node: Configured to File > Create/Update. It takes the JSON content of each workflow and commits it to a specific folder in a GitHub repository. The commit message can even be dynamic, like “Automated backup for [Workflow Name] on [Date].”

This simple automation ensures that every piece of work you do is automatically versioned and backed up off-site. It’s the ultimate peace of mind for any automation builder.

Ultimately, the ability to download an n8n workflow is more than just a feature; it’s a cornerstone of the platform’s flexibility and open nature. It empowers you to protect your work, collaborate effectively, and contribute to a thriving community. So go ahead, start downloading!