Manual method
- Open GitHub Settings > Account > Export account data and start an export.
- Save the emailed tar.gz archive before its seven-day link expires.
- For each repository you are authorized to preserve, follow GitHub’s repository-backup guide; retain Git history, Git LFS objects and wiki where relevant.
- Check a sample commit and issue, and list release assets or other content saved separately.
Coverage and limitations: The personal account export is metadata, not proof of a complete backup of every repository, release, artifact or organization. A Download ZIP of a branch does not preserve Git history.
Size and time to allow
Illustrative planning size: 5 GB; scenario range 0.01–100 GB. This is a storage-planning example, not a measured average. Your archive may be smaller or larger. Several small repositories plus metadata; repositories containing media or large binary history can exceed this.
Preparation and hands-on time: Account preparation is asynchronous without a fixed deadline established here; budget hours plus repository transfers.
For the 5 GB example, network transfer alone is approximately:
| Connection download speed | Transfer estimate |
|---|---|
| 10 Mbit/s | 1.6 hr |
| 50 Mbit/s | 20 min |
| 100 Mbit/s | 10 min |
These calculations use decimal GB and 70% of the advertised speed. Tiny transfers can take longer because of startup overhead. Local exports do not need an internet download; use these numbers only for a network transfer. Preparation, retries, extraction, checking and a cloud upload are additional; use upload speed for the latter.
Where and how to keep it
An encrypted external SSD/HDD is the practical primary archive. A sufficiently large USB key is useful for an extra transport copy. For off-site protection, add private cloud storage with encryption and enough quota.
Create a dated github/YYYY-MM-DD/ folder. Keep received originals unchanged, use a separate working copy, and note the account/profile, selected dates, formats and known gaps in a private README. Compare file sizes, check any supplied checksums, and open sample files from the backup before considering the task finished. Repeat after meaningful additions. Follow the storage, archive-checking and large-file guide.
Sources and review
Public documentation was reviewed on 27 October 2026. No signed-in export or restoration was performed. Account options and availability can change; follow the current provider instructions.