How do I back up and export my story bible?
Open Settings → Export & backup in any universe. Full backup (.json) downloads everything you'd need to rebuild the universe. Markdown folder (.zip, works with Obsidian) downloads your bible as readable text files. Anyone with access to the universe, including viewers, can export.
Full backup (.json)
The backup is one file containing:
- The universe's name, description, calendar and settings
- Every entry, fact, event and relationship
- Books, chapters and the stored chapter text
- Maps and pins
- Issues you've marked intentional
It doesn't contain image files (entry pictures and map images) or the change history. It's a good habit to download one before a large import, a restore, or deleting anything big.
Markdown folder (.zip)
The zip holds plain Markdown files:
- One folder per entry type (Characters, Places, Factions and so on), with one file per entry: its type, aliases and tags, summary, facts with dates and quotes, relationships as
[[links]], and notes. - A Manuscript folder with one file per chapter, by book.
- A Timeline.md listing every event.
Unzip it and open the folder as an Obsidian vault, or read it in any text editor. The Markdown folder can't be restored into Who Where When. Use the JSON backup for that.
Restore a backup
Only the universe's owner can restore.
- Open Settings → Export & backup.
- Under Restore from a backup, choose Choose backup file and pick the .json file.
- Confirm.
Restoring replaces everything in that universe with the backup's contents. It can't be undone. To keep the current version too, download a backup of it first, or restore into a new, empty universe instead.
You can also paste or open a backup file in Import. It recognizes the file and offers Restore backup.
Other exports
- History → Export CSV downloads the change log as a spreadsheet.
- Chapter text can also be copied from each chapter's page.
Deleting a universe
The owner can delete a universe from Settings → General under Danger zone. That removes every entry, chapter, image and the reader wiki, and can't be undone, so download a backup first. Co-authors see Leave universe there instead.
Common questions
Can I open my bible in Obsidian?
Yes. Download the Markdown folder, unzip it, and open the folder as a vault. Entries link to each other with double-bracket links.
Does the backup include my images and maps?
The backup records your images and maps but doesn't contain the image files. Keep your original image files.
Can I undo a restore?
No. A restore replaces everything in the universe and can't be undone, so download a backup of the current state first.
Keep your story straight
Who Where When keeps every character, place and date in your books, and tells you when the story contradicts itself.
Start your story bibleMore in Account and data
- How do I sign in to Who Where When?Who Where When has no passwords. Enter your email and open the one-time sign-in link we send you. Here's what to do if it doesn't arrive.
- Is my manuscript private?Your bible and chapters are private to you and the people you invite. Who Where When doesn't send your text to an AI unless you do.
Related
- How do History and undo work?History records every change to a universe, who made it and where it came from. Undo reverses a change without overwriting later edits.
- Story bible templateA free, copyable story bible template for characters, places, factions, items, lore and the timeline, plus how to fill it in without it becoming a chore.
- How do I review and import an AI reply?Paste an AI reply into Import, check new entries, facts and conflicts, choose what to keep, and save it as one change you can undo.