Data Portability: Exporting Your Data Before You Switch Tools
Maker's note: 기준일 2026-10-03. Written by the AZET team (AZET 운영팀) — we build and operate azet.io. Any status statement about AZET below is current as of October 3, 2026.
People switch tools all the time: a new notes app, a different calendar, another AI assistant. The moment of switching is when you discover whether your data was ever really yours. Notes that can't be exported, conversation histories with no download option, settings that can't be moved — these turn a simple change into a loss. As a team building a new AI assistant, we think about this from both sides: what users should expect from us, and how they can protect themselves with any tool.
What "portability" means in practice
Data portability is your ability to get your information out of a service in a usable form and take it elsewhere. In practice that means three things:
| Question | Good answer | Warning sign |
|---|---|---|
| Can I export? | A clear export option in settings | Only available by request, or not at all |
| In what format? | Common formats: text, Markdown, CSV, JSON | A proprietary format only that service reads |
| What's included? | Content plus useful metadata like dates | Only partial content, or no attachments |
Laws in some regions give people rights to obtain their personal data. The details vary by jurisdiction, so check what applies where you live. Regardless of legal rights, a usable export option is a good sign about how a service treats its users.
What to export before switching
Notes and documents
Export everything, including attachments. Check a few files after export to make sure formatting and images survived.
Calendars and contacts
Standard calendar and contact formats exist, and most services support them. Export both, then import into the new service and spot-check a few entries.
AI conversation histories
If you've used an AI assistant for ongoing projects, your past conversations may contain useful drafts, decisions, and research. If the service offers an export, use it. If not, copy out the parts you still need before closing the account.
Settings and custom instructions
Custom instructions, templates, and saved prompts often take time to refine. Copy them into a plain text file you keep.
A simple routine
- Quarterly: export data from the services you rely on most and store the files somewhere you control.
- Before switching: export everything, verify a sample, then import into the new tool.
- After switching: keep the export for a while before deleting the old account.
- When choosing a new tool: check for an export option before you invest months of data in it.
Questions to ask any new tool
- Is there a self-service export option, and in what format?
- What happens to my data if I delete my account?
- Is there a clear explanation of what's stored and for how long?
These answers belong in a product's documentation or privacy terms. If you can't find them, that tells you something.
Where AZET stands
We're building azet, an AI assistant at azet.io. As of October 2026 it's in an early-access waitlist that you join by registering an email, and pricing hasn't been published. We're not describing export features of an unreleased product. We'd encourage early users to ask us these same questions — and to hold us to clear answers.
FAQ
What is data portability? Your ability to get your information out of a service in a usable form and move it elsewhere.
Which export formats are best? Common, open formats such as plain text, Markdown, CSV, and JSON are easiest to reuse.
Should I export AI chat histories? If they contain drafts, decisions, or research you still need, yes. Use the service's export option if it has one.
How often should I export my data? A quarterly export of the services you rely on most is a reasonable habit, plus a full export before switching.
Does azet support data export? As of October 2026 azet is in an early-access waitlist at azet.io, and we haven't published feature details or pricing.
Join the waitlist
You can register an email at https://azet.io — free, with no obligation. Whatever tools you use, keep a copy of what matters somewhere that's yours.