How to export Jira issues to Excel or CSV before you switch (2026)

What export options does Jira have?

Atlassian's Export search results page covers Jira Cloud. Its docs now call issues "work items", so you will see both words. Every option starts the same way: select the ••• More actions menu, then Export.

The "Excel CSV" options are CSV files. Pick CSV unless you have a reason not to. Atlassian also warns against uploading a downloaded CSV to Google Sheets or Excel, because the file may execute macros.

How do you export all Jira issues to CSV?

These are the steps from Atlassian's export issues in CSV format article (Cloud only, updated February 20, 2026):

1. In Jira, select Filters > Search work items. (Or open a project and select List.)
2. Enter a search that returns the work items you want, for example every project.
3. Select the ••• More actions menu and choose Export.
4. Select Export CSV - all fields.

The export runs in the background. Per Atlassian's export over 10,000 work items article, you get an in-product notification with a download link when it finishes, and you don't need to stay on the page. Large exports can take several minutes.

Atlassian says the file is UTF-8. Older versions of Excel may read it as ANSI and show strange characters or drop content. Open it in a program that supports UTF-8 if that happens.

What if you have more than 10,000 work items?

The same Atlassian article says the asynchronous CSV export from the Issue Navigator supports up to 10,000 work items. Its current method for more:

1. Note the total result count for your original JQL.
2. Split the results into batches by a field such as project, issue type, status or a date range. Atlassian recommends created because it doesn't change.
3. Check that each batch returns fewer than 10,000 results.
4. Export each batch as CSV and merge the files by hand.
5. Confirm the batch totals add up to the original count, so nothing is missed or duplicated.

Atlassian marks an older workaround, editing the export URL with pager/start, as deprecated as of March 2026. Don't build your plan on it. You can also use the Apps menu to open results in Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel.

What does Jira Data Center do differently?

Data Center menus read Export >> CSV (All fields) and CSV (Current fields), per Atlassian's missing CSV export article. If the options are gone, a Jira admin can re-enable the "Excel (CSV, All)" and "Excel (CSV, Current)" modules of the Issues Views Plugin under Settings > Manage apps.

The limit is lower. Atlassian's 1000-issue export article describes a 1,000-issue cap on CSV exports. An admin can raise it under Administration > System > General configuration > Advanced Settings:

• jira.search.views.default.max sets how many issues export by default.
• jira.search.views.max.limit sets the ceiling for all users. It must be at least as large as the default.

No restart is needed. Atlassian warns that pulling very large result sets at once may cause an OutOfMemoryException, which "can cause database corruption or an application crash." It says memory problems are less frequent from Jira 8.2, so raising the limit is safe there. Server support ended February 15, 2024, and Atlassian says its Server steps are untested.

What doesn't export cleanly?

• Attachment files. Atlassian says Jira Cloud does not natively support downloading attachment files in bulk. It suggests exporting attachment URLs via CSV or using a Marketplace app.
• Change history. None of the export pages above list work item history among the exported data, and the XML field reference doesn't list history or sprints. Open a sample in your spreadsheet before you assume it is there.
• Comments in Word and XML. CSV (all fields) puts each comment in its own "Comment" column, in chronological order. Word includes comments. XML can include them through the comments field.
• Attachments and time tracking in XML. Attachments appear only if your administrator has enabled them, and time tracking fields only if time tracking is on.
• Forms. Jira's form data exports separately to XLSX, through Export XLSX (form data).

Can an admin back up the whole site?

Yes, on Cloud. Atlassian's Export data from Jira Cloud page describes the Backup manager:

1. Select Settings, then System.
2. Under Import and export, select Backup manager.
3. Under "Backup for cloud," select Create backup for cloud.
4. Optionally include attachments, avatars and space logos.
5. When it finishes, select Download backup file.

The backup includes work items and field content, board and sprint data, users and groups, comments, space configuration and the media files you select. It leaves out automation flows (which can be exported and imported manually), third-party apps and app data, and some Jira Service Management and Jira Product Discovery features. If you include attachments, allow 48 hours between backups.

Atlassian describes backups as a way to restore and recover data or migrate to Jira Data Center. Treat it as insurance, not a spreadsheet. Organization admins can also block exports for certain apps or classification levels, so a blocked export is worth checking with them.

A pre-switch checklist

1. List the projects you need and check each project's work item count.
2. Export each project (or batches under 10,000) as CSV (all fields).
3. Check that comments, custom fields and the columns your new tool needs are present.
4. Pull attachment files another way, since there is no native bulk download.
5. Export automation flows you want to rebuild.
6. Create a site backup, with attachments if you can wait 48 hours before another.
7. Compare row counts to your original search totals.
8. Keep the subscription active until the new tool has the data.

When should you cancel Jira?

Atlassian's deactivate a subscription page says billing admins, organization admins and site administrators can deactivate. In the improved billing experience, a subscription deactivates 15 days after the end of the current subscription period. Free-plan subscriptions deactivate immediately. Product data is kept for a period that depends on your plan.

Finish the exports first, and keep the subscription active until the new tool has your data.

When one system makes more sense

If Jira is the only tool your team uses and engineers live in it, another off-the-shelf tracker is often the simplest move. The alternatives pages compare the options.

If Jira is one of several tools you pay for, tasks in one place, docs in another and a CRM in a third, moving them into one system on the same date means you migrate once instead of twice. The SaaS cost calculator and our software consolidation guide help you see whether that's worth it. FitMySaaS can import the CSV files as part of that build.

Questions

Can I export Jira issues to Excel?

Jira Cloud has CSV options named "Export Excel CSV" and icons that open results directly in Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. Atlassian warns that opening a downloaded CSV in Excel or Google Sheets can execute macros, so treat files with care.

Is there a limit on exporting Jira issues to CSV?

In Jira Cloud, Atlassian says the CSV export supports up to 10,000 work items. Split bigger sets with JQL. In Data Center, Atlassian describes a 1,000-issue cap that an admin can raise.

Does the Jira CSV export include comments?

Yes, with Export CSV (all fields). Atlassian says each comment lands in a separate "Comment" column in chronological order.

Can I export Jira attachments?

Not in bulk. Atlassian says Jira Cloud does not natively support downloading attachment files in bulk. It suggests exporting attachment URLs via CSV or using Marketplace apps. A Cloud site backup can include attachments.

Why does my exported Jira CSV show strange characters in Excel?

Jira exports UTF-8. Atlassian says older versions of Excel may read it as ANSI. Open the file in a text editor or spreadsheet that supports UTF-8.