How to Download Your Substack Archive
A step-by-step guide to exporting your Substack posts and uploading them to AskMyStack™
Why export your archive?
AskMyStack uses your exported Substack posts to create an interactive Q&A experience for your readers. By uploading your archive, you enable readers to ask questions and get answers drawn directly from your writing.
Before You Begin
- 1You must be the owner or admin of your Substack publication
- 2Access to the email address associated with your Substack account
- 3A few minutes to complete the export process
Log into Substack
Go to substack.com and sign in to your writer account using your email or social login.
Access Settings
Click your profile icon in the top right corner of the page, then select "Settings" from the dropdown menu.
Find the Import / Export Section
Scroll down the settings page until you find the "Import / Export" section. Look for "Export your data" near the bottom.
Direct link: Go straight to the exports section:
Request Your Export
Click the "New export" button. Substack will start preparing your archive.
Wait for Email
Substack will process your request and send an email to your registered email address when your export is ready.
Note: Export processing typically takes 5-30 minutes, but larger archives may take up to an hour.
Download the ZIP File
Open the email from Substack and click the download link. Save the ZIP file to your computer.
Important: Do not extract or unzip the file. AskMyStack needs the original ZIP file as-is.
Upload to AskMyStack
Now you're ready to bring your archive to life:
- Go to app.askmystack.com
- Sign up or log in to your account
- Click "Upload Archive"
- Select the ZIP file you downloaded from Substack
- Wait for the upload and processing to complete
Troubleshooting
"I don't see the Exports section"
The Exports option is only available to publication owners and admins. If you're a contributor or guest writer, you'll need to ask the publication owner to export the archive for you.
"My export is taking too long"
Large archives with many posts and images can take up to an hour to process. If you haven't received an email after 2 hours, try requesting a new export or contact Substack support.
"Upload failed on AskMyStack"
Make sure your file is the original ZIP from Substack (not extracted) and is under the size limit. If issues persist, try refreshing the page and uploading again, or contact us at luke@askmystack.com.
"I didn't receive the export email"
Check your spam or junk folder. The email comes from Substack, not AskMyStack. If you still can't find it, try requesting a new export.
Ready to get started?
Upload your Substack archive and let your readers explore your content in a whole new way.
Go to AskMyStackStill have questions? Check our FAQs or contact us.