---
title: Pinako Import & Migration Guide
description: Import from Session Buddy, Toby, Workona, Tabs Outliner, OneTab, and more.
canonical: https://pinako.pro/docs/import/
---

# Pinako Import & Migration Guide

> Markdown version of https://pinako.pro/docs/import/ - same content, agent-friendly format.
> Site map for agents: https://pinako.pro/llms.txt

_How Pinako converts data from popular tab-organizer and session-manager extensions_

## Session Buddy {#import-session-buddy}

Pinako automatically detects whether you are importing a Session Buddy Export file or a Backup/Restore file and handles both.

Your Session Buddy data is imported into a "Session Buddy" [Library Group](#guide-library-groups), with each collection (or session) becoming its own [Library](#guide-libraries).

-   **Collections** (export format) or **Sessions** (backup format) each become a separate Library within the group. The collection or session name is used as the Library title.
-   **Windows** within each collection/session are preserved as separate window rows inside the Library, maintaining the separation between your browser windows.
-   **Pinned tabs** are marked with a yellow [star](#guide-stars) in Pinako, so you can easily identify which tabs were pinned in your original session.
-   **Session timestamps** (backup format only): if your export includes Created, Modified, and Generated dates, these are saved in the Library's description card so you can reference when the session was captured.

## Toby {#import-toby}

Your Toby collections are imported into a "Toby" [Library Group](#guide-library-groups), with each collection becoming its own [Library](#guide-libraries).

-   **Collections** each become a separate Library within the group, using the collection name as the Library title.
-   **Tabs** within each collection are grouped under a single window row inside the Library. If you gave a tab a custom name in Toby, that name is preserved over the original page title.
-   **Tags** on a collection are carried over to the [tags](#guide-tags) on the window node in Pinako. They are searchable through Pinako's search bar.
-   **Notes** attached to a collection are converted to Pinako [Notes](#guide-notes) on the Library. The text content is preserved and viewable in the Library's notes panel.

Toby's Spaces (the top-level grouping above collections) are not included in Toby's export file, so they cannot be carried over.

## Workona Tab Manager {#import-workona}

JSON only. Workona's .txt export does not preserve sufficient data.

When you import your Workona data export (`userData-*.json`), Pinako converts your workspace structure as follows:

-   **Spaces** become [Library Groups](#guide-library-groups); each Space gets its own Group on the Libraries panel.
-   **Sections** within a Space each become an individual [Library](#guide-libraries) inside that group.
-   **Resources** appear as a collapsible Window Group row at the top of the Library, with each resource section as a window underneath. Your saved links (including Google Docs, uploaded files, and other resource URLs) become tab nodes within those windows.
-   The **Tabs** section appears as a separate window in the same Library.
-   **Notes** and **Task Lists** are converted to Pinako [Notes](#guide-notes) attached to the Library. Task Lists are converted to rich-text checkbox lists. You can view and edit them from the Library's Notes tab.
-   Any **descriptions** on your resources are preserved as [Memos](#guide-memos) on the corresponding tabs.

After import, you'll find all your Spaces on the Libraries panel as groups. You can expand any group to see its Libraries, then drag tabs or windows to your main tree or other libraries, or reorganize your Libraries and Library Groups as you please.

## Tabs Outliner {#import-tabs-outliner}

Your Tabs Outliner tree is imported with its full hierarchy preserved:

-   **Windows and Saved Windows** remain as window nodes in Pinako.
-   **TO group** nodes become Pinako [folder](#guide-folders) nodes.
    -   When Pinako folders are dragged into the main tree, any folders nested inside folders will be parsed and separated into windows. If you wish to use organization container nodes in the main tree, you can use Pinako [Window Group](#guide-group-nodes) nodes, which can also be nested inside each other, but respect the logic of live browser windows (for example: no windows "inside" other windows, only Window Groups).
-   **Text notes** placed inline in your TO tree are converted to [memos](#guide-memos) and attached to their parent window, group, or folder.
-   **Collapsed/expanded state** of windows and groups is preserved.

## BrainTool {#import-braintool}

When you import your BrainTool data (`.org` file), Pinako converts your topic tree as follows:

-   **Topics** (headings without a URL) become [**folders**](#guide-folders) in a [Library](#guide-libraries), preserving your full nesting structure.
-   **Pages** (headings with a URL) become **tabs**, nested under their parent topics.
-   **Body text** on any topic or page is saved as a [**memo**](#guide-memos) on that item.
-   [**Tags**](#guide-tags) are preserved as Pinako tags; you can search for them from the search bar.
-   **TODO/DONE** markers are prepended to the item's title (e.g. "TODO: Review draft"). The item's title can always be easily edited. (You can also use [star](#guide-stars) colors to create visual cues for "todo", "done", "urgent", etc., or use the tags for such labels to make them searchable.)
-   Special topics like **SCRATCH** and **SESSION** are imported as top-level folders with their contents intact.

After import, your entire BrainTool topic tree will appear as a single library. From there you can drag items to your main tree, reorganize them across libraries and [Library Groups](#guide-library-groups).

## Link Map {#import-link-map}

Your Link Map tree is imported preserving its nested structure:

-   **Windows** become window nodes, using your custom alias as the title if one was set.
-   **Tabs** are imported with their URLs, titles, favicons, and any custom aliases.
-   **Notes** placed in your Link Map tree are converted to [memos](#guide-memos) and attached to their parent window or tab.
-   **Collapsed/expanded state** is preserved for all nodes.
-   **Tab nesting** (tabs nested under other tabs) is maintained in the imported library tree.

## TabXpert {#import-tabxpert}

Your TabXpert sessions are imported with their organizational structure intact:

-   **Sessions** (windows) become window nodes, each with their original title.
-   **Active tabs and closed/saved tabs** are both imported. TabXpert tracks these separately; Pinako combines them under the same window as closed/saved tabs that can be reopened on demand.
-   **Folders** within sessions become [folder](#guide-folders) nodes in Pinako, preserving any nesting depth. Folders can contain tabs and other folders, maintaining the structure you had in TabXpert.
-   **Tags** on sessions are carried over to Pinako. They appear on the corresponding window row and are searchable through Pinako's search bar.