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How to import ChatGPT conversations in Obsidian

Authors
  • avatar
    Name
    Rahul
    Twitter

Stop losing your valuable ChatGPT conversations. MissionControl for ChatGPT lets you export any conversation in multiple formats - Markdown for Obsidian, JSON for developers, CSV for analysis, or plain text. Here's exactly how to do it.

Export a ChatGPT conversation using MissionControl

Step 1: Open the Export Dialog

Navigate to any ChatGPT conversation and click the three-dot menu button in the conversation header (next to the pin icon). Select "Export" from the dropdown.

Export Dropdown

Step 2: Choose Your Export Format

The export dialog shows 5 format options:

Export Formats

📄 Text File (.txt)

What it is: Plain text with simple message structure

Best for:

  • Basic backups
  • Reading in any text editor
  • Maximum compatibility

All markdown formatting is removed for clean, readable text.

📊 CSV File (.csv)

What it is: Spreadsheet format with columns

Best for:

  • Data analysis in Excel/Sheets
  • Importing into databases
  • Bulk processing conversations

Perfect for analyzing conversation patterns or building datasets.

⚙️ JSON File (.json)

What it is: Structured data format

Best for:

  • Developers and programmers
  • Automated processing
  • Building custom tools

Machine-readable format for integration with other tools.

📝 Markdown File (.md)

What it is: Formatted text with headers and code blocks

Best for:

  • Importing to Obsidian, Notion, or other note apps
  • Preserving formatting and code blocks
  • Creating documentation

All markdown formatting, code blocks, and structure are preserved perfectly.

Below the format selection, you'll see:

Assistant Messages Only checkbox

  • ✅ Check this if you only want ChatGPT's responses (no prompts)
  • ❌ Leave unchecked for the full conversation with your questions

The dialog shows how many assistant messages are available: "(12 available)"

Export Assistant Only

When to use "Assistant only":

  • Creating a reference library of AI-generated content
  • Extracting code solutions without questions
  • Building documentation from explanations only

When to use full conversation:

  • Preserving complete context
  • Understanding the flow of discussion
  • Keeping everything for future reference

Step 4: Export the File

  1. Click the blue "Export" button at the bottom-right
  2. The button shows "Exporting..." with a spinning animation
  3. Your file downloads automatically to your Downloads folder
  4. The dialog closes when complete

File naming: Files are named automatically:

  • Format: conversation-title_YYYY-MM-DD.extension
  • Example: python-tutorial_2025-01-15.md

What Happens During Export?

MissionControl performs advanced text cleaning to ensure your export is clean and compatible:

Cleaned automatically:

  • Zero-width invisible characters removed
  • Smart quotes converted to regular quotes
  • Unicode spaces normalized
  • ANSI color codes stripped
  • Excessive whitespace reduced
  • Special symbols sanitized

Preserved perfectly:

  • All markdown formatting (in .md export)
  • Code blocks with syntax highlighting
  • Message timestamps
  • Conversation structure
  • Lists, links, and formatting

Importing to Obsidian (Markdown Export)

Import In Obsidian

If you export as Markdown, here's how to import to Obsidian:

  1. Find the .md file in your Downloads folder
  2. Move it to your Obsidian vault folder
  3. Open Obsidian - the file appears immediately
  4. Add frontmatter for better organization

Never lose a valuable ChatGPT conversation again. Get MissionControl for ChatGPT now!