Bulk Download

Bulk Download allows you to export ChatGPT conversations, Projects, Group Chats, Library files, Images, and Archived Chats in one operation, creating a complete local archive for your Obsidian vault.

Prerequisites

• Extension installed and configured
• Download folder configured
• ChatGPT page must be open in a browser tab

Access Bulk Download

Click the “Bulk Download” button in the extension popup to open the bulk download page.

Step 1: Configure Download Settings

Download Folder

Verify your download folder is set correctly. Files will be saved to Downloads/{folder-name}/.

Filename Pattern

Choose your preferred filename format:

• Current Date - Title
• Title - Current Date
• Original Date - Title
• Title - Original Date
• Updated Date - Title
• Title - Updated Date

Custom patterns can use placeholders such as {date}, {original_date}, {updated_date}, and {title}.

Download Images

Toggle ON to download ChatGPT-generated images to an images/ subfolder and link them from the exported Markdown.

Step 2: Select Content to Download

The extension supports downloading from different sources:

Chat Pages

Download regular ChatGPT conversations from your chat history.

Options:

• Latest conversations: Download the most recent conversations
• All conversations: Download your entire chat history

GPT Projects

Download conversations from ChatGPT Projects and preserve the project context when available.

Options:

• Selected project: Download conversations from one project
• All projects: Export conversations across available projects

Group Chats

Download ChatGPT group chats (/gg/ URLs).

Options:

• Latest group chats: Download recent group conversations
• All group chats: Download all accessible group chats

Library Files

Download ChatGPT Library images and document files.

Options:

• Download files individually
• Download files as a ZIP archive
• Skip already downloaded files

Images

Batch export images from https://chatgpt.com/images/.

Options:

• Download images individually
• Download images as a ZIP archive
• Skip already downloaded images

Archived Chats

Export archived ChatGPT conversations separately.

Options:

• Latest Archived: Export the latest archived page
• All Archived: Keep fetching until archived history is exhausted

Archived conversation exports are saved under an Archived Chats/ folder.

Step 3: Configure Sync Safety

The More Configuration section includes controls for duplicate handling, images, and rate limiting.

Skip Already Synced Records

When enabled, successful exports are remembered in local browser storage. During the next batch export:

• Previously synced conversations are skipped
• Conversations with a newer ChatGPT updated time can be exported again
• Export history stays local in your browser

Request Delay

Use request delay settings to add a random pause between ChatGPT API requests. This helps reduce 429 rate-limit errors during large exports.

Step 4: Start Download

1. Review your configuration
2. Click “Start Download” button
3. Monitor the progress indicator
4. Wait for download to complete

Important: Keep the page open during download. Do not close the browser or navigate away.

Download Results

After download completes, you’ll see a summary:

• Success Count: Conversations downloaded successfully
• Failed Count: Conversations that failed to download
• Skipped Count: Items skipped because they were already synced or downloaded
• File Location: Path to your downloaded files

Download History

View all past download operations:

1. Scroll down to “Download History” section
2. See details for each download:
   • Timestamp
   • Download mode
   • Success/failed/skipped counts
   • File location

Performance & Limits

Performance Tips:

• Average: ~2-3 seconds per conversation
• Keep ChatGPT tab active during download
• Stable internet connection required
• For large batches (100+), consider downloading in smaller chunks

File Organization

Downloaded files are organized as follows:

Downloads/
  obsidian/
    2026-01-18-conversation-title-1.md
    2026-01-18-conversation-title-2.md
    images/
      image-id-1.png
      image-id-2.png
    Archived Chats/
      archived-conversation-title.md
    Project Name/
      project-conversation-title.md

Library Files and Images mode can also download local assets individually or as ZIP archives, depending on your selection.

Obsidian Metadata

Exported Markdown includes Obsidian-ready YAML frontmatter for easier search and filtering:

Common fields include date, originalDate, updatedDate, platform, sourceUrl, sourceId, messageCount, tags, url, and projectName.

Deep Research Exports

ChatGPT Deep Research final reports are exported as readable Markdown, with safer handling for nested Markdown and code fences.

Importing to Obsidian

After bulk download:

1. Navigate to Downloads/obsidian/ (or your configured folder)
2. Select all markdown files you want to import
3. Move or copy them into your Obsidian vault
4. Optionally move the images/, Archived Chats/, project folders, or downloaded asset folders as well
5. Open Obsidian to view your imported conversations

Troubleshooting

“ChatGPT page required”:

• Open https://chatgpt.com/ in a tab
• Refresh the page
• Reopen bulk download

“Extension can’t connect to ChatGPT”:

• Refresh your ChatGPT tab
• Wait a few seconds
• Try again

Download stops midway:

• Check internet connection
• Ensure ChatGPT tab is active
• Refresh ChatGPT page and retry

Some conversations failed:

• Check download history for error details
• Failed items can be retried individually
• May be due to network issues or conversation access restrictions

Best Practices

1. Start small: Test with a few conversations first
2. Monitor progress: Don’t close browser during download
3. Check results: Review download history after completion
4. Regular archives: Schedule periodic downloads to keep your local archive up to date
5. Keep skip enabled: Use “Skip already synced records” to avoid duplicates while still allowing updated conversations to re-export
6. Organize in Obsidian: Use Obsidian’s tags, folders, Bases, or Dataview to organize imported conversations

FAQ

Q: Can I download while using ChatGPT? A: Yes, but keep the tab active. Don’t navigate away during download.

Q: Where are files saved? A: Files are saved to Downloads/{your-folder-name}/ on your local machine.

Q: Can I cancel a running download? A: Yes, close the bulk download page. Already-downloaded files will remain in your Downloads folder.

Q: Do I need to keep the page open? A: Yes, the download process requires the page to remain open. Closing it will stop the download.

Q: How do I avoid duplicate downloads? A: Enable “Skip already synced records” in More Configuration. The extension stores successful export records locally and skips fresh duplicates. If ChatGPT shows a newer updated time for a conversation, it can be exported again.

For more help, contact [email protected]