How to export or back up your Distill.io monitors

Use JSON to back up or transfer your Distill.io monitor configurations. In the Watchlist, select monitors or choose the all-monitors scope, then open the top-right hamburger menu and choose Export → JSON. Choose the scope and download the timestamped file. To restore it, use Watchlist → Import → JSON. Exports do not include alert actions or historical change records, so this is a configuration backup rather than a complete account-history backup.

Export a JSON backup

Open the Watchlist.
Select the monitors you want with their checkboxes, or choose the all-monitors scope if you want the entire Watchlist. Distill’s export guide says the all-monitors scope exports the whole Watchlist regardless of selection.
Open the hamburger menu in the top-right corner and choose Export → JSON.
Choose the export scope and click Download.
Find the timestamped JSON file in your system’s Downloads folder, then move or copy it to a location you use for backups.

Distill recommends taking regular backups to protect against accidental deletion or configuration loss. A useful routine is to export after meaningful changes to selectors, conditions, or schedules, and keep dated copies so you can identify the version you need.

Choose JSON or CSV

For a backup you may want to restore, choose JSON. CSV is useful as a simplified list or for a bulk URL workflow, but it does not preserve the same monitor configuration.

Export	Best for	What it preserves	Key limitation
JSON	Restoring configured monitors or transferring them	More configuration, including selectors, conditions, schedules, and settings; selector configuration can include selector type and expression, included or excluded selectors, and page-loading delay.	Alert actions and historical change records are excluded.
CSV	A simplified monitor record or bulk URL workflow	Basic information such as URLs, names, labels, and content types; CSV may also include created or changed dates, current monitored text, and recent error status.	It does not preserve advanced configurations such as schedules, conditions, selector configuration, or monitor on/off state.

If the goal is to recreate working monitors, choose JSON even if a CSV is easier to inspect in a spreadsheet. A CSV can help you review or reuse basic records, but it is not a substitute for the fuller configuration backup.

Restore or transfer monitors from JSON

On the destination device, open the Distill Watchlist and choose Import → JSON.
Select the backup file from the device, or paste the JSON content if using that import option.
Review the preview, including monitor names, URLs, and configurations. Confirm that the file is the one you intend to import.
In the import flow, add common alert actions as needed. Existing alert actions are not carried in the export.
Choose whether the imported monitors should run on Local or Cloud, then complete the import.

Distill describes Local monitors as running on your device, while Cloud monitors run on Distill’s servers. Local checks require the browser or app to remain open for monitoring; Cloud checks continue when your device is off. Distill says Cloud operation requires a subscription. Verify the execution mode during import, especially when moving from a computer that stayed on to one that may be shut down.

What the export does not back up

Change history: historical change records are not included. Exporting monitor settings will not move the record of earlier page changes to a new PC.
Alert actions: email notifications, webhooks, and other alert actions are excluded. Recreate or review these after import; the import flow includes a step for adding common actions.

Keep this distinction in mind when someone asks how to move “local history of monitoring (changes)” to another PC: the documented JSON export preserves monitor configuration, not the historical changes. The available export guide does not describe a way to transfer that history as part of the JSON or CSV export.

Practical backup checklist

Export JSON after important monitor configuration changes.
Keep the original timestamped file and store a separate copy somewhere you can access from the destination device.
Before importing, confirm the file is the intended backup and inspect the previewed monitor names and URLs.
After importing, check each monitor’s Local or Cloud mode, then recreate and verify alert actions.
Do not expect prior change records to appear on the new device from this export.

Troubleshooting

Problem	Likely cause	What to do
The backup is missing settings I expected.	You exported CSV, which is a simplified format.	Return to the Watchlist and export as JSON for the fuller monitor configuration.
Some monitors are missing from the export.	The selected-monitor scope included only checked items.	Repeat the export and choose the all-monitors scope to export the full Watchlist.
The imported monitors have no prior changes.	Historical change records are not included in exports.	Use the JSON for monitor configuration; do not treat it as a history archive.
Email notifications or webhooks do not work after import.	Alert actions are omitted from exports.	Add or verify the alert actions in the import flow or after importing.
Monitoring stops when the destination computer is off.	The imported monitors may be running locally.	Review the Local or Cloud choice. Cloud checks run on Distill’s servers and require a subscription according to Distill’s guide.
The JSON will not import or the preview is unexpected.	The wrong file may have been selected, or the content may not be a valid monitor export.	Choose the timestamped JSON export, paste the complete JSON if using paste import, and inspect the names and URLs in the preview before continuing.

Where ScreenshotNeo fits

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curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webp

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Frequently asked questions

Does exporting monitors delete them from the Watchlist?

The export workflow downloads a copy of the selected configuration; it is not described as a delete operation.

Can I use a JSON backup to move monitors to another computer?

Yes. Import the JSON on the destination device and review the preview and execution mode. Remember that change history and alert actions are not included.

Should I choose Local or Cloud after importing?

Choose based on where you need checks to run. Local checks depend on the browser or app being open on your device. Cloud checks continue when the device is off and require a subscription according to Distill’s guide.

Will the export preserve whether a monitor is on or off?

Distill’s export comparison identifies monitor on/off state as a JSON-only field, not a CSV field.