Export Pages to Markdown

Export pages

Export your Confluence pages to markdown format with all attachments, formatting, and hierarchy preserved.

Getting Started with Export

Accessing the Exporter

There are two ways to access the export functionality:

1. From a Specific Page:

  • Navigate to the Confluence page you want to export
  • Click the ••• (More actions) menu in the top-right corner
  • Select "Export to Markdown"

2. From Global Access:

  • Click on the Apps menu in Confluence
  • Select "Markdown Importer & Exporter"
  • Choose "Export" mode
  • Select any page or space to export

Export Options

Single Page Export

Export a single Confluence page to markdown format.

How to use:

  1. Navigate to the page you want to export
  2. Click ••• (More actions) menu
  3. Select "Export to Markdown"
  4. Choose "Single Page Only"
  5. Click "Export"
  6. Download the generated markdown file

What gets exported:

  • Page content in markdown format
  • All inline images and attachments
  • Code blocks with syntax highlighting
  • Tables, lists, and formatting
  • Local references to attachments

Best for:

  • Quick exports of individual pages
  • Sharing specific documentation
  • Creating backups of important pages

Page Tree Export

Export a page and all its child pages with preserved hierarchy.

How to use:

  1. Navigate to the parent page
  2. Click ••• (More actions) menu
  3. Select "Export to Markdown"
  4. Choose "Include Child Pages"
  5. Review the page tree preview
  6. Click "Export"
  7. Download the ZIP file

Features:

  • Maintains page hierarchy as folder structure
  • Preserves parent-child relationships
  • Includes all nested pages
  • Organizes attachments by page
  • Creates a complete documentation structure

Best for:

  • Exporting documentation sections
  • Backing up related pages
  • Creating portable documentation sets

Space Export

Export an entire Confluence space with all pages and attachments.

How to use:

  1. Open the app from global access
  2. Select "Export" mode
  3. Choose the space to export
  4. Review the space summary (page count, size)
  5. Configure export options
  6. Click "Export Space"
  7. Wait for processing (may take a few minutes)
  8. Download the complete ZIP archive

Features:

  • Complete space backup
  • All pages and child pages included
  • Full attachment handling
  • Organized folder structure
  • Preserves page hierarchy

Best for:

  • Full space backups
  • Space migrations
  • Documentation archives
  • Offline documentation

Understanding Export Results

File Structure

When you export, you'll receive a ZIP file with the following structure:

confluence-export/
├── Home.md
├── Getting Started/
│   ├── index.md
│   ├── Installation.md
│   └── Quick Start.md
├── Features/
│   ├── index.md
│   ├── Import Features.md
│   └── Export Features.md
└── attachments/
    ├── Getting Started/
    │   ├── screenshot1.png
    │   └── diagram.png
    └── Features/
        ├── demo.gif
        └── example.pdf

Attachment References

All images and attachments are referenced using relative paths:

![Screenshot](./attachments/Getting%20Started/screenshot1.png)

[Download PDF](./attachments/Features/example.pdf)

Internal links between pages are converted to markdown links:

See the [Installation Guide](./Getting%20Started/Installation.md) for details.

Check out our [Features](./Features/index.md) documentation.

Formatting Preservation

Supported Confluence Elements

The exporter preserves all standard Confluence formatting:

Text Formatting:

  • Bold, italic, strikethrough, underline
  • Headings (H1-H6)
  • Block quotes
  • Horizontal rules
  • Colored text (as inline HTML)

Lists:

  • Unordered lists
  • Ordered lists
  • Nested lists
  • Task lists with checkboxes

Code:

  • Inline code
  • Code blocks with syntax highlighting
  • Language specification preserved

Tables:

  • Standard tables
  • Column alignment
  • Header rows
  • Complex table structures

Media:

  • Images with alt text
  • File attachments
  • Image galleries (as individual images)

Special Elements:

  • Info, warning, note, and tip panels (as blockquotes)
  • Expand/collapse sections (as standard content)
  • Status labels (as text)
  • User mentions (as text with @ symbol)

Confluence-Specific Features

Macros: Most Confluence macros are converted to equivalent markdown or plain text:

  • Info/Warning/Note panels → Blockquotes
  • Code block → Fenced code blocks
  • Table of contents → Generated list
  • Expand → Regular content with heading

Page Properties: Optional frontmatter can include:

---
title: Page Title
author: John Doe
created: 2024-01-15
modified: 2024-01-20
space: DOCS
page_id: 123456789
---

Export Customization

File Naming Options

Choose how exported files are named:

  • Page titles: Use Confluence page titles
  • Slugified names: Convert to URL-friendly names (default)
  • Numbered: Add sequential numbers for ordering
  • Custom prefix: Add prefix to all files

Folder Structure Options

Hierarchy-based (default): Mirrors Confluence page tree

Parent Page/
├── index.md
└── Child Page.md

Flat structure: All pages in one folder

Parent-Page.md
Child-Page.md

By space: Organize by Confluence space

DOCS/
  └── pages/
TEAM/
  └── pages/

Attachment Handling

By page (default): Organize attachments by source page

attachments/
├── Page 1/
│   └── image.png
└── Page 2/
    └── file.pdf

Flat structure: All attachments in one folder

attachments/
├── image.png
└── file.pdf

By type: Group attachments by file type

attachments/
├── images/
│   └── image.png
└── documents/
    └── file.pdf

Advanced Features

Batch Export

Export multiple spaces or page trees in one operation:

  1. Open from global access
  2. Select "Batch Export" mode
  3. Choose multiple spaces or parent pages
  4. Configure export options
  5. Export all at once
  6. Receive separate ZIP files for each

Incremental Export

Export only pages modified since last export:

  1. Enable "Track exports" in settings
  2. Perform initial full export
  3. Subsequent exports only include:
    • New pages
    • Modified pages
    • New/updated attachments
  4. Merge with previous exports manually

Selective Export

Choose specific pages to include or exclude:

  1. Start space or tree export
  2. Review page list
  3. Uncheck pages to exclude
  4. Export selected pages only

Export Tips & Best Practices

Before Exporting

  1. Review content: Ensure pages are up-to-date
  2. Check permissions: Verify you have access to all pages
  3. Clean up: Remove outdated or duplicate pages
  4. Organize: Structure pages logically in Confluence

During Export

  1. Stay online: Maintain internet connection
  2. Keep browser open: Don't close the tab
  3. Be patient: Large spaces take time to process
  4. Monitor progress: Watch for any error messages

After Export

  1. Verify structure: Check folder organization
  2. Test links: Ensure internal links work
  3. Check attachments: Verify all files are present
  4. Review formatting: Spot-check markdown rendering

For Best Results

  1. Export incrementally: Start with small sections
  2. Test first: Try single page before full space
  3. Use metadata: Enable frontmatter for tracking
  4. Keep backups: Store exports in version control
  5. Document structure: Include README files

Common Export Scenarios

Documentation Backup

Export your Confluence spaces regularly for backup:

  • Use space export for complete backups
  • Schedule regular exports (weekly/monthly)
  • Store in secure location
  • Version your backups

Documentation Portability

Create portable documentation that works offline:

  • Export complete spaces or sections
  • Host as static site (e.g., MkDocs, Jekyll)
  • Share with external stakeholders
  • Create customer-facing docs

Content Migration

Move documentation to another platform:

  • Export from Confluence to markdown
  • Use markdown as universal format
  • Import to new platform
  • Verify content after migration

Archiving Old Content

Archive completed projects or old documentation:

  • Export project documentation
  • Include all attachments
  • Compress and store
  • Document archive location

Troubleshooting

Export Fails

Large exports timing out:

  • Export in smaller sections
  • Use selective export to exclude unnecessary pages
  • Try during off-peak hours

Missing attachments:

  • Check attachment permissions in Confluence
  • Verify files exist on pages
  • Try re-uploading attachments

Formatting issues:

  • Complex macros may not convert perfectly
  • Review exported markdown
  • Make manual adjustments if needed

File Access Issues

Permission denied:

  • Verify you have view access to all pages
  • Ask space admin for necessary permissions
  • Export only pages you can access

Missing pages:

  • Check page restrictions in Confluence
  • Verify pages haven't been deleted
  • Ensure space access is granted

Getting Help

If you encounter issues with export:

  1. Check this documentation for solutions
  2. Review Known Issues
  3. Contact support at [email protected]
  4. Visit our support portal

When reporting issues, include:

  • Export type (page, tree, or space)
  • Number of pages
  • Error messages
  • Browser and version
  • Confluence Cloud instance details