Exporting Keap contacts for an offline backup takes under 10 minutes: log in, navigate to Contacts, apply any filters you need, select all records, trigger an export via the Actions menu, configure your fields, and download the CSV. Store it in a secure location and repeat on a set schedule.

Your Keap contact database is irreplaceable. Cloud storage is reliable, but it is not a substitute for a local backup you control. Accidental deletions, corrupted imports, and platform outages all happen – and when they do, your recovery speed depends entirely on how recent your last export was.

Step 1: Log In to Your Keap Account

Open your browser and go to app.keap.com. Enter your credentials and click Log In. If your organization runs multiple Keap accounts, verify you are in the correct one before proceeding – the account name appears in the top navigation bar. Enable two-factor authentication if you have not already; it is the single fastest way to prevent unauthorized access to your contact data.

Step 2: Navigate to the Contacts Section

From the main navigation, click Contacts. This opens the full contact list – the starting point for every export. Keap loads all records by default, so if you have a large database, the list takes a moment to populate before filters become active. Do not start selecting records until the full count is visible at the top of the list.

Step 3: Filter Your Contacts (Optional)

Filtering before export keeps your backup file clean and targeted. Use Keap’s search bar and filter panel to narrow by tag, lead source, owner, last activity date, or any custom field your team tracks. For a full-database backup, skip this step and export everything. For a targeted backup – active clients only, a specific campaign segment, or contacts owned by one rep – set your filters here before moving on. Active filters carry over between sessions, so always confirm the filter state before selecting records.

Step 4: Select Contacts and Open the Actions Menu

Check the selection box at the top of the contact list to select all visible records. Keap confirms the count next to the checkbox – verify that number matches your expected total before continuing. Then open the Actions dropdown at the top of the list and choose Export. This queues the export and moves you to the configuration screen.

Step 5: Configure Your Export Fields

Keap presents a field-selection screen where you choose exactly what data lands in your CSV. For a comprehensive backup, select all available fields: first name, last name, email addresses, phone numbers, tags, custom fields, lead source, and campaign history. Choose CSV as your export format – it opens cleanly in Excel, Google Sheets, and imports into every major CRM and ATS without conversion.

Expert Take

The field-selection step is where most teams underinvest. Exporting only name and email produces a file that works for a mail merge but not for a real restore. Export every custom field, every tag, and every note field your team actually uses. The file size difference is negligible. The data difference is not – especially when you need to reconstruct a contact’s full history after an accidental deletion.

Step 6: Download the Export File

After confirming your field selection, Keap queues the export. Smaller databases produce a download link immediately in the browser. Larger databases take a few minutes to compile – Keap sends the download link to the email address on your account when it is ready. Click the link, save the CSV to your local machine, and note the filename and folder path so you can find it later.

Step 7: Store and Verify Your Backup

Save the file in a location you actively manage – a dated folder on your local drive, your business Dropbox folder, or Google Drive with folder-level access controls. Then open the CSV and spot-check it: confirm the row count matches your expected contact total, verify that custom fields populated correctly, and confirm tags came through as readable text. A backup you have never opened is a backup you have never actually verified.

Set a recurring calendar reminder to repeat this export on a schedule that reflects your database’s change velocity. Teams adding contacts daily need weekly exports at minimum. Teams with slower growth do well running this monthly. Either way, build the habit now – before you need it.

For a broader look at protecting your Keap data beyond manual exports, see 10 Essential Strategies for Protecting Your Keap CRM Data in HR & Recruiting.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a Keap contact export take?

Small databases export in under a minute. Databases with tens of thousands of contacts take two to five minutes for Keap to compile – after which a download link arrives by email.

What format does Keap use for contact exports?

Keap exports contacts as a CSV file. That format opens in Excel, Google Sheets, and imports cleanly into virtually every CRM and ATS on the market without any conversion step.

Can I automate recurring Keap exports?

Keap’s built-in UI does not include a scheduled export feature. You can automate this process using Make.com – a scenario that runs on a schedule, pulls contact data via the Keap API, and deposits the file into Dropbox or Google Drive. That approach gives you hands-free recurring backups without logging into the UI each time.

What should I do if my export is missing contacts?

Check your filter settings first – an active filter left over from a previous session is the most common cause of a partial export. Clear all filters, select all contacts, and re-run the export. If records are still missing after a clean export, run through 11 Quick Checks for Missing Keap Contacts Before Calling Support before opening a ticket.