How to Export iCloud app data

Save the dates

You can export calendars in two ways: by exporting an individual calendar with File > Export > Export, or by exporting the whole shebang as a calendar archive by choosing File > Export > Calendar Archive.

Save your reminders

Exporting data from Reminders is even simpler. Select the list you want to export and then choose File > Export to save it to a file. You can select and export multiple lists, but the file you get forgets their original lists.

Export your contacts

In Contacts, under File > Export, you can choose between exporting your entire list as a Contacts archive or in vCard format, or exporting an individual contact or group of contacts. Go for the full archive.

Prepare a PDF

As you can see, the PDF is a perfect replica of the original note, but PDFs are a bit unwieldy if, like us, most of your notes contain only text. We’d much rather export that text to a more malleable format.

Test your backup

When was the last time you actually checked your backup worked? With these apps, it’s easy to do. Simply create or use another user account on your Mac, open each app and import the data you exported earlier.

Save your notes

The Notes app doesn’t enable you to export everything at once. The File > Export as PDF command saves only the currently selected note. PDF is a good format, though, when a note contains images or annotations.

Use another app

Copying and pasting to your favorite text editor — such as Ulysses — is a fast way to copy Notes: press Cmd+A then Cmd+C in Notes to select and copy, then press Cmd+N and Cmd+V to paste it into a new document.

… and relax

The process works without any alarms or surprises: Calendar simply imports the entire archive you created earlier. It’s the same with Reminders and Contacts. In these three apps, choose File > Import, then the backup file.