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To import a decklist into MTG Arena, copy its simplified text to your computer’s clipboard, open Decks, choose IMPORT in the lower-left corner, and accept the confirmation. The resulting deck normally appears as Imported Deck; you can rename and edit it, including crafting cards you do not own.

Exporting is less straightforward. Wizards of the Coast documents an Add to Decks option for Draft and Sealed event decks in a February 2020 announcement, but the official material reviewed through October 13, 2026 does not provide a current, general procedure for exporting an ordinary constructed deck or copying it to the clipboard. This guide separates the documented workflow from what remains unconfirmed.

Import and export in Arena: what is actually documented

There are two different workflows that are often described with the same words:

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Use case Where the list comes from What happens Evidence status
Import a decklist Text copied from another program to the computer clipboard A new deck is created in your Arena deck collection Described in Wizards’ getting-started guide and support article
Limited-event “export” A Draft or Sealed event deck inside Arena An Add to Decks button adds the event decklist to your other decks Described in Wizards’ February 7, 2020 State of the Game article; the instructions are dated
General constructed export An ordinary constructed deck in the current client A current official clipboard-copy or file-export path is not established No current step-by-step was found in the official material reviewed through October 13, 2026

The distinction matters. Import is a current, repeatable clipboard operation. The Limited-event feature is an older, narrowly described in-client action. It should not be presented as proof that every constructed deck has the same export button or menu.

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How do I import a decklist into MTG Arena?

Use a decklist in the simplified text format that Arena recognizes. Wizards’ guide describes the first action as: “Copy the desired decklist into your computer’s clipboard.” The list can be displayed by any program, provided the text is copied correctly.

  1. Prepare the list outside Arena. Open the source list in a text editor, browser page, or other program and select the simplified decklist text. Copy it to the computer clipboard. Do not copy surrounding commentary, headings, card images, or formatting that is not part of the list.
  2. Sign in to MTG Arena. Finish the normal login process and wait for the main client screen.
  3. Open Decks. Select the Decks tab to reach your deck collection.
  4. Choose IMPORT. The IMPORT control is in the lower-left area of the Decks screen.
  5. Accept the confirmation. When Arena recognizes the clipboard contents, accept the success confirmation shown by the client.
  6. Locate the new deck. Wizards’ getting-started guide says the default name is Imported Deck. Select it and rename it if you want a more useful label.
  7. Edit the deck. Open Edit Deck to review the cards, choose a format, and make changes. Select Done when you finish.

If the list was not copied properly, Wizards’ support instructions say Arena displays an error. Copy the decklist again, ensuring that the clipboard contains the simplified list, then repeat the import action.

What “simplified” means for the clipboard

A simplified list identifies cards with quantities and names, rather than relying on images or a site-specific visual layout. A typical line has a quantity followed by a card name, such as 24 Mountain. The source program is not important; the text structure is.

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Before copying, use a quick checklist:

  • Select the actual text list rather than a web page’s surrounding explanation.
  • Include the quantity and card name for each entry.
  • Keep the selection complete so the beginning and end of the list are not cut off.
  • Copy again if you are unsure what is currently on the clipboard; Arena only sees the clipboard contents at the time you press IMPORT.

What happens after a successful import

Importing creates a deck entry; it does not guarantee that every card is in your collection or that the deck is legal in every format. The imported deck can be renamed and edited like other decks. A format selection changes which decks are shown as legal, while collection ownership is handled separately in the editor.

The confirmation means Arena accepted the list and created the deck entry. It is not a promise that the list has the right format, that all quantities meet format rules, or that you can immediately play it. Treat the imported entry as a starting point for review.

Can I name a deck when importing it?

Yes. Wizards announced on February 19, 2024 that deck names can be included in imported deck files through an optional About section. A file can begin with About, followed by a Name line, and then a Deck section.

About
Name Mono-Red Aggro

Deck
24 Mountain
4 Shock

The name section is optional. Files without it continue to import, so you can use the ordinary clipboard flow even when the source list has no About block. The example shows the quantity first and the card name second.

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Using the optional name safely

  • Put the word About on its own line.
  • Put Name followed by the deck name on the next line.
  • Begin the card list under a Deck heading.
  • Keep card entries in quantity-plus-name form.
  • If Arena rejects the file, remove the optional name block and retry with the card list alone; Wizards states that the name section is not required.

The naming block is useful when you are importing several lists and want each new entry identified immediately. It is not a requirement for a successful import, and it does not change how missing cards or format legality are handled afterward.

What if I do not own all the cards?

Open the imported deck and choose Edit Deck. Wizards’ getting-started guide says cards missing from your collection are highlighted in the editor. You can then decide which missing cards to create with available wildcards.

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Crafting the missing cards

  1. Open the imported deck in the deck editor.
  2. Look for highlighted cards that are not in your collection.
  3. Review the wildcard cost and decide whether to craft individual cards or use the editor’s Craft All control described by Wizards.
  4. Make any substitutions required by your collection or preferred format.
  5. Select Done to save the edited deck.

Import does not spend wildcards automatically merely because a list contains cards you lack. Crafting is a separate editing decision. Before using Craft All, check that you actually want every missing card and that the deck’s selected format is the one you intend to play.

If you are testing a list, you can leave missing cards highlighted while deciding what to craft. The imported deck remains useful as a reference even when it is not yet complete. If you replace cards, remember that the edited list is now your Arena version; preserve the original text elsewhere if you may want to restore it.

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Why is my imported deck not shown as legal?

A successful import and format legality are separate outcomes. Wizards explains that format selection affects which decks appear as legal, while the editor separately identifies cards missing from your collection.

  • Check the selected format. A deck built for one constructed format may not be legal in another.
  • Review the deck editor’s warnings. Highlighted cards indicate collection gaps; format indicators address legality.
  • Confirm the list was complete. A truncated clipboard selection can create an incomplete deck even when the import itself succeeds.
  • Save after editing. Select Done after changes so the revised list remains in your deck collection.

Do not treat the appearance of a new deck as a guarantee that it is immediately playable. You may need to select the correct format, acquire missing cards with wildcards, and adjust the list to meet that format’s rules.

How do I export a deck from MTG Arena?

For an ordinary constructed deck, the current official export procedure is unresolved. The Wizards materials reviewed through October 13, 2026 document how to import a clipboard list, but they do not provide a current, general step-by-step for copying a constructed deck from Arena to the clipboard or exporting it as a file.

That means a reliable article should not name a presumed button, keyboard shortcut, menu location, platform difference, or third-party workflow as if Wizards currently guarantees it. Client controls can change, and the documented Limited-event action below is not evidence of a universal constructed-deck export command.

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What Wizards did document for Limited events

In its February 7, 2020 State of the Game article, Wizards wrote that Arena had added an option to “easily export your decks from Limited events, be they Draft or Sealed.” The described interface included an Add to Decks button above the deck box. Selecting it added the Draft or Sealed decklist to the player’s other decks.

  1. Enter a Draft or Sealed event that exposes the event deck view.
  2. Look above the deck box for the documented Add to Decks control.
  3. Select it to add that event decklist to your deck collection.
  4. Open the resulting deck in Decks and edit or rename it as needed.

This is a dated, event-specific description. It does not establish a current way to export a normal constructed deck, and it does not say that the resulting list is copied to the operating system clipboard.

How to handle a constructed deck when you need a shareable list

First, inspect the current Arena client for an explicitly labeled export or copy control and consult the latest official support documentation for your client version. If neither provides a documented path, do not assume that the Limited-event Add to Decks action applies to constructed decks. The safest confirmed route in the available official guidance is the reverse operation: obtain a correctly formatted list outside Arena and use IMPORT.

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If you are moving a deck between accounts, computers, or friends, separate two tasks: preserving the card list and recreating the deck in Arena. The confirmed operation is the latter direction—clipboard text into IMPORT. A deck that exists only inside the client may require a currently supported export control that is not described in the official material cited here.

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How do I copy a decklist in Arena?

Copying a decklist into Arena is documented: the copy happens outside the client, before you press IMPORT. The official instructions do not establish a current, general “copy decklist” command for an ordinary constructed deck already stored in Arena.

For a list you already have in text form, use this sequence:

  1. Select the simplified list in the program displaying it.
  2. Copy the selection to the computer clipboard.
  3. Open Arena’s Decks tab.
  4. Select IMPORT in the lower-left corner.
  5. Accept the success message, or recopy the text if Arena reports an error.

For a constructed deck that exists only inside Arena, verify the current client’s own controls before promising that it can be copied to a clipboard or file. No current official step-by-step for that operation was established in the reviewed Wizards material.

Import troubleshooting

Arena reports an error immediately

The support article attributes this situation to a list that was not properly copied. Return to the source, select the decklist again, copy it, and retry IMPORT. Remove unrelated prose or visual page elements so the clipboard contains only the simplified list.

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If the error repeats, simplify the selection further: copy only the card entries, or use the optional About/Name and Deck structure exactly as shown by Wizards. Because the name block is optional, retrying with just the card list is a useful way to distinguish a naming-format problem from a clipboard-selection problem.

The deck imports, but the name is wrong

If you want the imported file to supply its own name, use the optional About/Name section shown in the February 19, 2024 Wizards announcement. Otherwise, locate the default Imported Deck entry and rename it in the deck collection or editor.

Cards are highlighted after import

Highlighted cards are the cards missing from your collection. Review them in Edit Deck, craft selected cards with wildcards, use Craft All only after checking the full list, or replace cards with alternatives you own.

The deck does not appear for the format I want

Review the format selector and legality indicators. Wizards distinguishes format filtering from collection ownership, so a deck can be present in your collection while being unavailable as a legal deck for a particular format.

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The imported list looks incomplete

Return to the original source and compare the visible entries with the clipboard selection. An import confirmation only tells you that Arena accepted what it received. If the first or last cards were omitted during selection, copy the complete simplified list and import it again as a separate test deck before deleting or editing the original.

A practical pre-import checklist

Use this short checklist whenever you receive a list from another player or website:

  1. Confirm that the source is text, not only card images or a visual deck builder.
  2. Select the complete simplified list, including quantities and card names.
  3. Decide whether to include the optional About/Name block.
  4. Copy the selection to the computer clipboard.
  5. Open Decks in Arena and press IMPORT.
  6. Look for the success confirmation and the new Imported Deck entry.
  7. Open Edit Deck, check the format, inspect highlighted cards, and select Done after changes.

This order prevents a common mistake: trying to solve collection or legality issues before confirming that the text itself imported correctly.

Import versus the documented Limited-event action

Question Clipboard import Limited-event Add to Decks action
Starting point A simplified list displayed outside Arena A Draft or Sealed event deck inside Arena
Primary control IMPORT in the lower-left of Decks Add to Decks above the event deck box, as described in 2020
Destination A new deck entry, normally labeled Imported Deck The player’s other decks
Can it supply a name? Yes, through the optional 2024 About/Name section The 2020 description does not establish a naming syntax
Does it prove general constructed export? No; it is an import operation No; it is explicitly a Limited-event description
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

What is known, and what should not be assumed

  • Known: Arena imports a properly copied simplified decklist from the computer clipboard.
  • Known: The import control is in the lower-left of the Decks screen, and a successful import creates a deck entry.
  • Known: The default imported name is Imported Deck, and an optional file name can be supplied through an About section.
  • Known: Missing cards are highlighted and can be crafted with wildcards, including through Craft All.
  • Known, but dated and narrow: Wizards described Add to Decks for Draft and Sealed event decks in February 2020.
  • Not established: A current universal export button, clipboard command, file format, or constructed-deck export path.

When you need to move a deck out of Arena, verify the controls in the current client and current Wizards support material. Do not substitute the Limited-event instructions for a constructed-deck procedure.

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Frequently asked questions

Does importing a deck automatically craft cards I do not own?

No. Import creates the deck entry, while missing cards are highlighted in Edit Deck. You choose whether to craft individual cards or use Craft All with available wildcards.

Can I import a list without an About section?

Yes. Wizards says the About/Name section is optional. A simplified card list can still be imported without it.

What default name should I look for after importing?

The getting-started guide identifies the default as Imported Deck. Rename that entry after you confirm the list imported correctly.

Where is the Import button?

Open the Decks tab and look in the lower-left area of the screen for IMPORT.

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Does a successful import mean the deck is legal?

No. Format selection controls legality, and collection ownership is separate. Review the selected format and the editor’s warnings before playing.

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Can I export any constructed deck with Add to Decks?

That is not established. Wizards’ February 2020 description applies specifically to Draft and Sealed event decks. It does not document a universal constructed-deck export command.

Does the Limited-event action copy a list to my computer clipboard?

The announcement says that Add to Decks adds the event decklist to your other decks. It does not say that it copies text to the operating-system clipboard.

What should I do if Arena shows an import error?

Copy the simplified list again and retry. Remove surrounding commentary or visual page content. If necessary, omit the optional name block and import the card list alone.

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Is there a documented current keyboard shortcut for exporting?

No current official shortcut is established here. Check the current client and Wizards support material rather than relying on an assumed key combination.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I import a decklist into MTG Arena?

Copy the simplified text list to your computer’s clipboard, open Decks, select IMPORT in the lower-left, and accept the confirmation. Then find the new Imported Deck entry and edit it.

Can I name a deck during import?

Yes. Use the optional About section with a Name line before the Deck section. Files without that block still import.

What if I am missing cards?

Missing cards are highlighted in Edit Deck. Craft selected cards with wildcards, use Craft All after reviewing the full list, or substitute cards you own.

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How do I export a constructed deck?

A current general constructed-deck export path is not established in the official material cited here. Check the current client and Wizards support documentation for an explicitly labeled control.

What export feature is officially documented?

Wizards described an Add to Decks button for Draft and Sealed event decks in its February 7, 2020 State of the Game announcement. It is a dated, Limited-specific description.

Why is my imported deck not legal?

Import success, format legality, and card ownership are separate. Check the selected format, legality indicators, highlighted missing cards, and whether the complete list was copied.

The Bottom Line

For a reliable MTG Arena import, copy a simplified decklist to your computer clipboard, open Decks, choose IMPORT, and review the resulting Imported Deck. You can optionally provide a name with an About/Name block, then edit the list and craft missing cards with wildcards. Wizards’ documented export feature is limited to the February 2020 Draft and Sealed Add to Decks description; do not treat it as proof of a current universal constructed-deck export command.

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