ChatGPT Takeout - Export Your Conversation History

Locked in an annoying apple private relay email labrynth? This repo/tool allows you to export your complete ChatGPT conversation history as JSON and Markdown files.

Fastest: Run the GUI and easy instructions are there.

Quick Start with UI

1. Run the GUI:

   python3 chatgpt_ui.py

2. Follow the instructions in the UI to:

   • Get your cURL command from ChatGPT's Network tab
   • Choose export settings (directory, conversation limit, format options)
   • Start the export

Manual Command Line Usage

If you prefer the command line:

1. Get your cURL command:

   • Open ChatGPT in browser (https://chatgpt.com)
   • Open Developer Tools (F12)
   • Go to Network tab
   • Click "ChatGPT" in sidebar to load conversations
   • Find "backend-api/conversations" request
   • Right-click → Copy → Copy as cURL

2. Save cURL to file:

   pbpaste > curl.txt

3. Run the export:

   python3 chatgpt_takeout.py --curl-file curl.txt --zip --markdown

Options

Command Line Options:

• --curl-file: Path to file containing your cURL command
• --curl: Pass cURL string directly (quoted)
• --out: Output directory (default: chatgpt_takeout)
• --zip: Create ZIP archive
• --markdown: Include Markdown files
• --max-conversations: Limit number of conversations (0 = all)

UI Features:

• Visual cURL Instructions: Step-by-step guide with screenshots
• Directory Selection: Choose where to save your export
• Conversation Limits: Export specific number of conversations
• Size Estimates: Approximate file size before export
• Progress Tracking: Real-time export progress
• Auto-Open Results: Option to open export folder when complete

Export Structure

chatgpt_export/
├── conversations/
│   ├── conversation-id-1.json
│   ├── conversation-id-1.md
│   ├── conversation-id-2.json
│   └── conversation-id-2.md
├── manifest.list.json      # List of all conversations
└── manifest.json          # Export metadata

Size Estimates

• JSON only: ~50KB per conversation
• JSON + Markdown: ~70KB per conversation
• 1000 conversations: ~50-70MB
• ZIP compression: Reduces size by ~60-80%

Troubleshooting

"No cURL command found"

• Make sure you copied the entire cURL command
• Verify it starts with curl and contains headers

"401 Unauthorized"

• Your session may have expired - get a fresh cURL
• Make sure you copied from the correct "backend-api/conversations" request

"No conversations found"

• Try refreshing ChatGPT and clicking between conversations
• Look for the "backend-api/conversations" request in Network tab

Requirements

• Python 3.7+
• requests library: pip install requests
• For UI: tkinter (usually included with Python)

Notes

• Your cURL contains authentication tokens - keep it secure
• The tool replicates your browser's exact headers and cookies
• Export works with both chatgpt.com and chat.openai.com
• No rate limiting - exports run at full speed