# Download a list as a spreadsheet or import one

On a computer, you can export a list you manage to a CSV spreadsheet, and you can import a CSV to add or update gifts on a list. Both are desktop-width features; on a phone, use a computer for spreadsheet export and upload.

## Export the current gifts

1. Sign in on a computer and open the list you manage.
2. Open the list's **Settings** and find **Import & export**.
3. Wait for the list's gifts to load, then choose **Export to spreadsheet** (it shows the item count, for example **Export 12 items to spreadsheet**).
4. Open the downloaded CSV in Excel, Numbers, Google Sheets or another spreadsheet app.

The download is a snapshot. Later changes on the list do not update a file you already saved, and exporting is not the purchase tracker or proof that retailer orders were completed. Check the rows before sharing the file.

## Import a spreadsheet

1. Open the list's **List options → Import List or Registry** (or **Import items…** in **Settings → Import & export**).
2. Choose the **Spreadsheet** tile. It appears beside the supported sites on a desktop-size screen.
3. In **Import a spreadsheet**, choose **Choose a CSV file**. If you do not have one, choose **Download the template**.
4. Review the preview. It shows how many rows will be added and how many will update gifts already on the list, and you can untick rows you don't want.
5. Choose **Import** with the row count, then check the list.

A row updates an existing gift when it keeps that gift's `gift_id` from an export, or when its link matches a gift already on the list. Keep the `gift_id` column if you are editing an exported file and want your changes to go back onto the same gifts. Rows without a match are added as new gifts. The spreadsheet does not stay connected afterward: editing the file again changes nothing until you import it again.

## If something is unavailable

An empty list has nothing to export. If the card says it could not load the gifts, choose **Try again**. If the Spreadsheet tile or export button is missing, use a wider browser window on a computer; they are hidden on phone-size screens and in the mobile apps.

If a download does not appear, check the browser's Downloads area and any blocked-download message. Contact support with the list link and browser if the problem continues; avoid attaching a file with private information unless needed.

Related: [Organize gifts](https://giftlist.com/help/organize-your-gifts), [edit gifts](https://giftlist.com/help/create-a-list-and-add-gifts), [import a registry](https://giftlist.com/help/import-a-wishlist).