Switching to Book Tracker doesn’t mean starting from scratch. The app imports your existing library from many popular tracking apps, directly via a dedicated format for each app, or from any generic CSV file by mapping the columns manually.
This tutorial gives you the full picture: which apps are supported, how the in-app import flow works, what gets imported, and what doesn’t.
Supported import sources
For every supported source below, Book Tracker has a dedicated import format that maps the columns automatically. You just export the file from the source app and pick the matching format in Book Tracker.
For the three sources with the most complex export procedure, we also have a step-by-step guide on a dedicated page.
| Source | How to import | Dedicated guide? |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | Export the library file from goodreads.com, then in Book Tracker select Goodreads as the import format. | Yes → |
| Bookpedia | Export the library from Bookpedia, then in Book Tracker select Bookpedia as the import format. | Yes → |
| Delicious Library 3 | Export the library from Delicious Library 3, then in Book Tracker select Delicious Library 3 as the import format. | Yes → |
| StoryGraph | Export the CSV from the StoryGraph, then in Book Tracker select StoryGraph as the import format. | — |
| BookBuddy | Export the CSV from BookBuddy, then in Book Tracker select BookBuddy as the import format. | — |
| Reading List | Export from Reading List, then in Book Tracker select Reading List as the import format. | — |
| Book Crawler | Export from Book Crawler, then in Book Tracker select Book Crawler as the import format. | — |
| Bookmory | Export from Bookmory, then in Book Tracker select Bookmory as the import format. | — |
| Another Book Tracker installation | Export a CSV from the source Book Tracker, then in the destination Book Tracker select Book Tracker as the import format. | — |
| Any other app | Export a CSV from your app, then in Book Tracker select Other as the import format and map the columns manually. | See generic guide → |
ℹ️ The “Other” option is the universal fallback. Any app that lets you export a CSV file is supported in some form.
How to start an import
The Import flow lives inside Book Tracker’s Settings:
- First, create a backup of your current library — How to back up your Book Tracker library. This is critical: an import is hard to undo without a backup.
- Export the library file from your source app. Follow its export instructions (or the dedicated guide for Goodreads, Bookpedia, Delicious Library 3 if applicable).
- Open Book Tracker on iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
- Go to Settings → Import.
- Select the import format that matches your source app. If your app isn’t listed by name, select Other.
- Select the file you exported in step 2.
- If you chose Other, you’ll see a field mapping screen. Match each column of your CSV to a Book Tracker field. For all other formats, this step is skipped because the mapping is automatic.
- Review the preview of the books that will be imported. You can spot obvious problems here (missing pages, wrong format) before confirming.
- Tap Confirm to start the import.
For large libraries, the import can take a few minutes. After it’s done, Book Tracker shows a summary of what was imported.
What gets imported
Most imports include:
- Title, author(s), publisher, language.
- Format (Paperback, Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook, Manga, and the other 11 specialized formats Book Tracker supports).
- Reading Status and reading dates.
- Rating.
- Tags / shelves (mapped to Book Tracker Tags).
- Purchase date and price when present.
- Notes when the source includes them.
Covers are downloaded automatically when the imported file contains a valid ISBN or an image URL. If covers are missing after import, see Why are some covers missing after import? for how to fix them.
What does NOT transfer
Some data simply can’t cross apps:
- Kindle highlights and notes — Amazon doesn’t expose them via export. See Can I import notes or highlights from Kindle?
- Day-by-day reading progress entries — most source apps export only the current status and completion date, not the timeline of progress.
- Social or community data — friends, comments, reviews on other users’ books are tied to the source platform.
- App-specific UI customizations — your shelves’ order or display preferences in the source app don’t carry over.
After importing — review and clean up
Right after a large import, take a moment to:
- Spot-check 10–20 books to make sure title, author, and format look correct.
- See Why are some books showing 0 pages after import?.
- Check covers. For any that are missing, you can fetch them automatically from Settings or add them manually.
- If something went wrong, don’t panic: you have the backup you took in step 1.
Best practices
- Always back up first. It’s the single most important step.
- Use the dedicated format when one is available. Automatic field mapping means fewer mistakes.
- For Other, take 30 seconds to verify the field mapping screen before confirming.
- Wait a few minutes after a big import before triggering iCloud sync to other devices. See Tips for syncing large libraries in our iCloud troubleshooting FAQ.
- Don’t re-import the same file twice. You’ll get duplicates. If you need to re-do an import, restore the pre-import backup first.
Related
How to export your library from Book Tracker.
Which apps can I import my library from? — short version of the table above.
How to fix common CSV import issues — troubleshooting for the Other / CSV path.