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You can preserve period-tracking data without keeping it synced to a cloud account: export it from the tracker or health app, save the original archive, and make an encrypted local copy before deleting anything or changing apps. For iPhone users, Apple documents both an export from the Health app and an encrypted computer backup. Clue and Flo offer different export routes, but neither export should be assumed to restore cleanly into another tracker.
What should I do before turning off sync or deleting an account?
Export first, verify the resulting files, and only then change accounts, remove the app, or disable a sync setting. An export is a preservation copy, not a guarantee that another app can import or restore your history. Treat the export, a device backup, and a future migration as separate tasks: each can preserve different things, and one does not automatically replace the others.
- Request the export while you can still access the account. Follow the tracker’s in-app process or export the data from the health repository that holds it. If an export requires contacting support or registering an account, allow time for that step before removing the app or changing account access.
- Download and preserve the original. Keep the archive exactly as delivered, then make a separate working copy if you need to inspect or convert files. Do not rename or edit the only copy; the untouched file is your reference if a working copy becomes unreadable.
- Open or inspect the archive before relying on it. Check that it contains the expected dates and fields. Record the app name, app version, export date, and a file checksum in a note kept with the backup. This makes it easier to distinguish an older export from a newer one and to notice if a file has changed unexpectedly.
- Make a second copy on encrypted local storage. This could be an encrypted computer backup or an encrypted removable drive. Keep one copy offline, and protect another copy with a separate password. A USB drive is only a storage destination; unless it is encrypted, anyone who can access it may be able to read its files.
- Only remove intermediary copies after verification. If a service delivered a download link or used an online storage destination, confirm the local copy works before deleting any intermediary copy. Keep the archive even if your main goal is to move to a different app.
Do not email raw health files or send them through chat. They may contain more sensitive information than the period dates you intend to preserve. Keep the archive’s password separate from the archive itself. If you export more than once, label each copy with its export date rather than overwriting the only verified version.
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A useful final check is to open the archive, confirm it is not empty or corrupted, and look for the dates and data categories you expected. File names alone do not show that an export includes all your history. If the export is password-protected, confirm you can still open it with the password you saved separately. Do these checks before deleting an account, because access to request a new export may no longer be available afterward.
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How do I export data from Clue?
Clue’s documented export is a self-service request in the app. It provides a password-protected ZIP containing tracked data and app settings in JSON format.
- Open Clue and go to More Menu → Settings → Download my data.
- Choose Request data.
- Use the download link Clue emails you. The link expires after 72 hours, so download the archive promptly.
- Keep the ZIP unchanged, then extract a separate copy to inspect its contents. Clue says the file includes tracked data and Clue app settings.
Clue Support described the export on September 12, 2026: “Your data file will be sent in JSON format and includes your tracked data and your Clue app settings.” The ZIP is password-protected; store its password securely and separately from the file.
The 72-hour window is a practical reason to request the export when you are ready to download and secure it, rather than requesting it and leaving the email unattended. After downloading, retain the original ZIP and inspect a copy of its contents. JSON is intended to represent structured values, not necessarily a polished report for everyday reading. If you need a human-readable record, keep the archive as-is and work from a duplicate rather than changing or replacing the original.
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It gives you a copy of the data to retain, inspect, or potentially work with outside the app. It does not provide a documented one-click route to restore the archive into Clue or import the history into another tracker. Clue says it has no direct import from other period or health apps and no import from a Clue backup file.
Apple Health synchronization does not fill that gap: Clue says it covers data tracked after permission is granted, not history tracked before that permission. If you are switching apps, keep the archive and separately check what history the destination app accepts. Do not assume that turning on Health permissions will backfill records that were already tracked in Clue.
In practice, the Clue file is valuable as a preservation copy even if it cannot be restored through Clue’s import tools. If a destination app accepts only selected history or does not accept imports, keep the JSON archive and manually re-enter only the history that destination supports. Confirm the receiving app’s accepted fields before investing time in conversion; the presence of a JSON export by itself does not establish compatibility.
How do I request an export from Flo?
Flo’s documented process starts with a request to its support team through the app, rather than a self-service download screen. Flo offers a TXT file for reading and a JSON file for machine-readable values.
- In Flo, open avatar/Menu → Help → Contact us.
- Send a request for a data export.
- When the files are provided, download and preserve both formats if you want a readable copy as well as data that another tool may be able to process.
- Check the files before changing your account or relying on them as your only copy.
Flo Health Support described the JSON option on April 24, 2026: “JSON file: machine-readable data (digital values only) — best for transferring your data to another app.” A machine-readable file is not necessarily directly importable by a particular destination app; check that app’s accepted formats and fields before making a switch.
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The distinction between TXT and JSON is useful when deciding what to request. TXT is the reading-oriented option; JSON is the machine-readable option Flo describes for transfer. Neither description guarantees that a doctor, another tracker, or a different software tool can use the file without additional steps. Flo cautions that its exports are raw files and may not be useful to share directly with a doctor. If you need to discuss your history with a clinician, do not assume the raw export is a formatted medical summary.
Because the request goes through Contact us, save the files when they are provided and verify that they open. The cited export description does not state a download-link expiry period or password protection for Flo’s files, so do not assume either is included. Protect the local copies yourself and avoid sending them as unencrypted email attachments.
What should Anonymous Mode users know?
Flo says users in Anonymous Mode must register before exporting. If you use that mode, account registration is therefore a prerequisite for the documented export process; make the request and verify the resulting files before removing access to the account. Consider the account requirement when planning the sequence: do not leave export until after you have changed the account or removed the app.
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Apple documents two distinct ways to preserve Health data: export a copy from the Health app and create an encrypted computer backup. They serve as separate recovery paths, so keep both if you want both an accessible export and a device backup.
- On the iPhone, open the Health app and tap your profile picture.
- Choose Export All Health Data and save the resulting archive to a computer. This action exports Health data available on the device, not just period-tracking entries.
- Create an encrypted backup of the iPhone on a computer. Apple identifies an encrypted computer backup as a way to back up Health data without using iCloud for that backup.
- If you do not want ongoing Health syncing to iCloud, go to Settings → Apple Account → iCloud → Show All → Health and turn Health sync off.
- Keep the exported archive and encrypted computer backup separately, then verify that the archive is accessible before relying on either copy.
Apple’s Health App & Privacy documentation says: “The Health app also gives you the ability to export a copy of your Health app data available on your device.” Apple also states that Health data on a locked, passcode-protected device is encrypted. That device protection is useful, but it is not a substitute for encrypting a computer backup or removable drive.
Exporting all Health data is broader than exporting one period tracker’s records. The archive may include other Health data available on the device, so protect it as sensitive information even if you initiated the export only to preserve cycle history. Choose a private local destination on the computer and make sure the archive is accessible there before changing iCloud settings. Keep the export separate from the encrypted computer backup: the export is a copy you can inspect, while the computer backup is another recovery path for the device data.
The recommended order is important: export Health data first, save that archive to a computer, create the encrypted computer backup, and then turn off Health in iCloud if you no longer want ongoing sync. This sequence leaves you with local copies before changing the setting. Apple’s guidance supports encrypted computer backups as an alternative backup route; it does not mean the Health app export itself is necessarily encrypted or that every other app’s data is included in the same way.
Does turning off iCloud Health sync replace a backup?
No. Turning off sync changes whether Health data continues to sync through iCloud; it is not the same action as exporting a copy or creating an encrypted computer backup. Save and verify your local copies before changing the sync setting. If you only turn sync off without exporting or making a computer backup, you have not created the separate local recovery copies described here.
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What is the Android fallback if my tracker has no clear export option?
There is no single documented export-and-restore route established for every Android period tracker or Health Connect integration. Treat instructions from the specific app as authoritative, and capture the app’s raw archive before changing accounts or replacing it.
Google documents a way to create one-time or scheduled archives delivered by email download link, Google Drive, Dropbox, or another supported destination. For a no-cloud workflow, choose a download link, download the archive to a computer, and move it to encrypted local storage. Archives may be ZIP or TGZ. If the process used an online destination, delete intermediary cloud copies only after you have verified the local copy.
A Google archive is not proof that a period-tracking app can restore its data from that archive. Check which service or app owns the data and whether its own export and import instructions cover the records you need. Google’s archive process can provide a way to download data, but the route and restore behavior of a specific tracker or Health Connect integration must be checked separately.
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For a strictly local workflow, the download-link option is a way to retrieve the archive without selecting an ongoing online storage destination, but the file still has to be downloaded and moved to encrypted local storage. Treat any temporary online copy as an intermediary, not as your final backup. Keep it until you have opened the local archive and confirmed it contains the expected records; only then remove the intermediary copy if you do not want it retained there.
Which export route is most portable?
Portability depends on the file format and the destination app’s import support, not merely on whether an export exists. The documented routes differ in how you request an export, what files are described, and what is known about importing the result. Compare the initiation method, file format, protection details, link expiry, historical coverage, and import support before choosing a tracker based on portability.
| Service or data source | How export starts | Documented format or protection | Import or history limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clue | In-app request: More Menu → Settings → Download my data → Request data | Password-protected ZIP; extracted data and settings are JSON. Email download link expires after 72 hours. | Clue says it does not import other apps’ data, its own backup file, or previously tracked Apple Health data. |
| Flo | In-app support request: avatar/Menu → Help → Contact us | TXT for reading and JSON for machine-readable values; protection and link expiry are not stated in Flo’s cited export description. | Flo describes JSON as best for transferring data, but the cited description does not establish import support for a particular destination app. |
| Apple Health | Health app profile picture → Export All Health Data | Apple describes an export copy of data available on the device. Format and export-password protection are not stated in the cited description. | Clue’s Apple Health sync only covers data tracked after permission is granted; it does not import previously tracked data. |
| Google archive | Request a one-time or scheduled archive | ZIP or TGZ; delivery can use a download link or supported destinations such as Google Drive or Dropbox. | A general archive does not establish a restore route for every Android tracker or Health Connect integration. |
The methods differ in how much of the process is self-service. Clue’s documented route begins in the app and delivers a time-limited email link. Flo requires a request through in-app support. Apple offers an export command in Health and separately documents an encrypted computer backup. Google offers one-time or scheduled archives with several delivery destinations, but an archive from a broad service is not equivalent to an app-specific migration tool.
File format is only one comparison point. Clue’s extracted data is JSON inside a password-protected ZIP; Flo offers a TXT reading option and JSON values; Apple’s cited description establishes an export copy but does not specify the format or password protection; Google archives may be ZIP or TGZ. The evidence does not establish the same protection, link expiry, or historical scope for every service. Where a detail is not documented, plan to secure your own local copy and verify the contents rather than assuming a particular feature.
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If your priority is migration, confirm the receiving app’s import format and scope before treating any export as portable. Ask whether it imports the file type, whether it accepts historical records, and whether the particular fields you care about can be used. If the destination cannot import the archive, preserve it anyway and manually re-enter only the history the destination supports. Keeping an archive is worthwhile even when it is not a one-click restore file: it retains a copy of your original records independently of the new app.
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How should I protect a period-data backup on a computer or USB drive?
Use encryption on the backup destination as well as a device passcode, and keep the delivered original untouched. A removable drive is useful for an offline copy, but the fact that a drive is removable does not by itself make its contents encrypted. An encrypted USB flash drive or encrypted external storage drive can be a practical offline destination, provided you can protect and later access it.
- Encrypt the computer backup and the removable drive you use for local storage.
- Keep one backup copy offline and protect another with a separate password.
- Retain the original ZIP, JSON, XML, or TXT files without editing them; use copies for conversions or other experiments.
- Record the export date, app name, app version, and file checksum so you can identify the correct archive later and detect accidental changes.
- Open the archive and confirm the expected dates and fields before deleting an account, removing an app, or deleting a temporary online copy.
- Avoid unencrypted email or chat attachments for raw health exports.
On iPhone, Apple says Health data is encrypted when the device is locked and protected by a passcode. That statement applies to data on the device; for a computer backup or USB drive, use the relevant encryption feature for that storage location. Do not treat a device passcode as proof that a separately saved export or computer backup is encrypted.
Keep the password or recovery information needed to unlock the storage somewhere separate from the drive itself. A backup that cannot be opened is not a useful recovery copy, so include access to the encryption password in your backup plan without placing it in an unprotected note beside the files. The goal is twofold: protect sensitive records from someone who finds the storage, and retain a way for you to recover them later.
What should I check before switching period-tracking apps?
First identify where the records live: in the period-tracking app, in Apple Health, or in another service. Then export from the relevant source or sources before removing anything. A Health export covers Health data available on the device; it should not be mistaken for an export of every app’s private account records. Likewise, an app export may include the tracker’s own recorded data and settings without being a full device backup.
Next, check the destination app’s import instructions rather than relying on the export app’s description of its file. A JSON file can be machine-readable and still not match another app’s import format. An archive can preserve history without offering a restore button. Clue’s documented limitations are explicit: it does not import external tracker data, its own backup file, or historical Apple Health data that predates permission. Retain your export if you migrate, and re-enter only the supported history instead of trying to force a full transfer the destination does not accept.
Finally, verify both the preservation copy and the new app’s result. Keep the archive unchanged, use a copy for any conversion or manual review, and compare the dates or fields you intended to move. Do not delete the old account just because the new app has started recording new entries; new tracking does not establish that older records transferred.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I save my period-tracking data directly to a USB drive?
Yes, if the app lets you download or save its export where you can access it, you can copy the archive to removable storage. For an offline backup, use an encrypted drive and keep the delivered original unchanged. Verify that the archive opens from the local copy before deleting a temporary online copy.
Will a JSON export open like a normal document?
Not necessarily. JSON is structured data rather than a formatted report, so it may be easier to read with a JSON viewer or a text editor than in a word processor; retain the original file even if you make a more readable copy. A machine-readable format also does not guarantee that another app can import it.
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Does Apple Health export only menstrual-cycle records?
No. The documented command is “Export All Health Data,” so the archive can include other Health data available on the device. Treat the export as broadly sensitive, even if you only need period history.
Can I keep a backup without turning off sync immediately?
Yes. Export and verify the archive first; you can decide separately whether to change sync settings. Keeping a verified copy before changing sync gives you a recovery option if you later change your mind.
Can I import a Clue export into another period tracker?
Not automatically based on the documented Clue information. Clue says it has no direct import from other period or health apps and does not import a Clue backup file. Check the destination app’s import requirements; keep the archive even if you need to enter supported history manually.
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Clue says Apple Health synchronization covers data tracked after permission is granted, not previously tracked history. Keep a separate export of the records you want to preserve.
What should Flo users request: TXT or JSON?
Flo offers TXT for reading and JSON for machine-readable values and transfer to another app. Flo describes the JSON as best for transferring data, but that does not mean a particular destination app can import it. Its exports are raw files and may not be useful to share directly with a doctor.
Can I back up Apple Health without iCloud sync?
Apple documents exporting a copy from the Health app and creating an encrypted computer backup. Its iPhone guide also says Health sync can be turned off in iCloud settings. Export and save the archive, create the encrypted computer backup, and then disable sync if that is your preference.
Is a Google archive a restore file for an Android period tracker?
Not necessarily. Google archives may be ZIP or TGZ, but that does not establish that every period-tracking app or Health Connect integration can restore from them. Check the specific app’s export and import instructions and verify the local archive.
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Export while you still have account access, preserve the original file, verify its contents, and store a second copy on encrypted local storage. Keep the archive even when you are switching apps: JSON, TXT, ZIP, or TGZ files can preserve records without being directly importable. On iPhone, Apple’s Health export and encrypted computer backup are separate local recovery paths; turn off iCloud Health sync only after those copies are made and checked.
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