How do I export contacts from GoHighLevel?

Go to Contacts, then Smart Lists in the sub-account. Use Advanced Filters, tick the contacts or choose Select All Contacts, set your columns under Manage Fields, then click More and Export. When the job finishes, download the CSV from Contacts, then Bulk Actions.

Why can't I see the export option in GoHighLevel?

HighLevel says only admin users can export contacts. If More does not show Export, your role is probably not an admin role. Ask an Agency Admin or Location Admin to run the export, or to raise your permissions. Downloading the finished file is also limited to those two admin roles.

Does the GoHighLevel export include notes, tags and custom fields?

Tags and custom fields are included when they are among your selected columns. Each contact's latest note is included, cut to its first 255 characters. Names, emails and phone numbers are included. Text and email history, and automation history, are not.

How long is my GoHighLevel export file available?

HighLevel says an export file stays downloadable from Bulk Actions for 30 days. After that the download link is disabled, so run the export again. Because the export runs as a background job, you can keep working and you get a push notification when the file is ready.

Can I export just one smart list or a filtered group?

Yes. The export starts from the Smart Lists view, and HighLevel's steps use Advanced Filters to narrow the list before you select contacts. Save the filter as a smart list to repeat it. The CSV then holds only the selected contacts and the visible columns.

Is there a limit on how many contacts I can export?

HighLevel's export article states no maximum row count or file size, and says the system is built for large datasets. It does state other limits: admin-only access, 255-character notes, 30-day download window, one sub-account per export and no scheduled exports. Split very large files in your spreadsheet if it struggles.

How do I export contacts from every sub-account?

Run the export separately inside each sub-account, then merge the CSV files in a spreadsheet. HighLevel's article says exports are per sub-account or location. If you have many, an API script that loops through locations is quicker, but it needs a developer.

How do I export my companies list as well?

Companies have their own export under Contacts, then Companies, using the checkboxes and the action bar, and the file includes custom company fields. It is separate from the contact export, so run both if you use the Companies object.

By Alpit Patel and the aibrevo team · October 12, 2026 · Updated October 13, 2026 · 4 min read

How to Export Contacts From GoHighLevel to a CSV File

Quick answer

Open Contacts > Smart Lists, filter and select the contacts, then choose More > Export. The export runs in the background and the CSV appears under Contacts > Bulk Actions for 30 days. Only admins can export, the file holds just the columns visible in the table, notes are cut at 255 characters and message history is not included.

Updated October 13, 2026 · Reviewed by Alpit Patel, Founder

Part of the guide: GoHighLevel setup guide

Key takeaways

Path: Contacts > Smart Lists, filter, select, then More > Export (or the three dots beside Add Contact > Export). Download from Contacts > Bulk Actions when the row shows Complete.
Only admin users can export. The finished file stays downloadable for 30 days, and only Agency Admins and Location Admins can download it.
The CSV holds only the columns visible in the Contacts table, so set Manage Fields first. It includes tags, custom fields (if selected) and the latest note cut to 255 characters.
Automation history, past emails and SMS logs are not exported. Scheduled exports do not exist, and each sub-account is exported on its own.
For automated or recurring pulls, HighLevel's API has a documented Search Contacts endpoint (POST /contacts/search).

Open Contacts > Smart Lists, filter and select the contacts you want, then click More > Export. The export runs in the background, and the CSV is waiting under Contacts > Bulk Actions for 30 days. Two things catch people out: the file contains only the columns currently visible in the table, and it does not contain message history.

Checked on October 12, 2026 against HighLevel’s help article on exporting contacts to a CSV (the article carries no date). This page covers the export itself. If you are leaving the platform, the timeline for deleted data is in what happens to your data when you cancel, and the cutover order is in the guide to migrating from GoHighLevel.

Admin onlywho can run the export

30 dayshow long the finished file stays downloadable

255characters kept of each contact's latest note

1sub-account per export, no scheduled exports

What are the exact steps to export contacts?

HighLevel’s export guide gives this order:

In the sub-account, go to Contacts > Smart Lists.
Narrow the list with Advanced Filters, then tick the contacts you want. To take everything, tick the box beside the filter fields on the left and click Select All Contacts.
Click Manage Fields and tick or untick columns. The CSV contains only the columns visible in the Contacts table, so do this before exporting.
With contacts selected, click More > Export, or use the three dots beside + Add Contact > Export. Confirm your selection in the export window and click Export.
A message confirms the job started. Click Check Progress or carry on working; you get a push notification when the file is ready.
Go to Contacts > Bulk Actions, find the row with Operation Export and Status Complete, and click the download arrow. The file name looks like Export_Contacts_All_Oct_2025.csv.

What does the CSV include, and what is missing?

In the file	Not in the file
Names, email addresses, phone numbers	Past emails and SMS logs
Tags	Automation history
Custom fields, if selected	Note text beyond the first 255 characters
Each contact’s latest note, up to 255 characters	Any column hidden in the Contacts table

Notes are the quiet loss. A contact with a long intake note comes out cut off, so for notes that matter, copy them another way before you rely on the CSV. Conversation history is the other gap. If you need your message history for compliance or records, ask HighLevel support what it can provide, and read the backup list in our cancellation FAQ.

What limits does the export have?

Permissions: only admin users can export. Only Agency Admins and Location Admins can download the finished file from Bulk Actions.
Retention: the file can be downloaded for 30 days, then the link is disabled.
Scope: exports run per sub-account or location. To combine several, merge the CSVs in a spreadsheet.
Scheduling: scheduled or automatic exports are not available.
Size: HighLevel states no maximum row count or file size and says the export system is built for large datasets. We could not find a published number, so test with your real list.

Imports have their own file-size rules, which are separate. Our research page on CRM import limits covers those across platforms.

Why is my GoHighLevel export not working?

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
No Export option under More	Your role is not an admin role	Ask a Location Admin or Agency Admin to run it, or raise your role
CSV is missing columns you wanted	Columns hidden in the Contacts table	Manage Fields, tick the columns, export again
Notes end mid-sentence	Notes are cut at 255 characters	Copy long notes separately before relying on the file
No download icon in Bulk Actions	Job still running, or you are not an admin	Wait for Status: Complete, or use an admin login
Download link is disabled	Older than 30 days	Run the export again
Only one location’s contacts	Exports are per sub-account	Repeat in each sub-account and merge

Can I export contacts through the API instead?

Yes, if you need a repeatable pull. HighLevel’s developer docs list a Search Contacts endpoint as a POST to /contacts/search that filters contacts with advanced filters. HighLevel’s API help article states rate limits for public V2 apps of 100 requests per 10 seconds and 200,000 requests per day for each app per resource. We did not verify the exact page-size field for that endpoint, so read the request schema in the docs before building a loop. Our API integration guide covers authentication and common patterns.

Need help getting data out cleanly?

A messy export becomes a messy import. If you are moving contacts to another CRM, pre-cleaning duplicates and merging fields first saves days; see our CRM data cleaning guide. aibrevo works with its partner company autoesta, whose team delivers GoHighLevel builds; aibrevo’s CRM team scopes the project with you. Book a 30-minute call if you want a second pair of eyes before you cancel anything.

Sources

HighLevel Support, How to export contacts to a CSV in HighLevel, undated, checked October 12, 2026.
HighLevel Support, Export companies (CSV download), as listed in search results, checked October 12, 2026.
HighLevel Developer Docs, Search Contacts, checked October 12, 2026.
HighLevel Support, HighLevel API, rate limits, checked October 12, 2026.

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