Local Scratch Pad YAML Export creates empty file

[mnwills18-svg]

Expected Behavior

That a fully populated YAML file with just the requested folders you selected be created.

Actual Behavior

An empty YAML file seems to get created and saved even though I selected a folder with 66 requests in it.

Reproduction Steps

1. Scratchpad dropdown arrow
2. Select Export
3. Select the requests/folders to export
4. Click Export button
5. Select Insomnia v5
6. Click done button
7. Select where you want to save file to
8. Click Export button
9. Go to path location where file saved to and you will see it has saved an empty file (0kb)

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the issue tracker for this problem.

Which sync method do you use?

• Git sync.
• Insomnia Cloud sync.
• Local only

Additional Information

No response

Insomnia Version

12.2.0

What operating system are you using?

Windows

Operating System Version

Version: Insomnia 12.2.0 Build date: 19/12/2025 OS: Windows_NT x64 10.0.26100 Electron: 38.4.0 Node: 22.20.0 Node ABI: 139 V8: 14.0.365.10-electron.0 Architecture: x64

Installation method

Downloaded from website

Last Known Working Insomnia version

No response

[rats001]

issue solve

[mnwills18-svg]

Yes thank you, seems to be working now today, populated YAML file now getting created.

[riwarek]

issue solve

Are you sure? I have two insomnias on win10 and win11 in version 12.2.0. This under win11 still produces empty yaml. Also under win 11 when I try to export stuff using HAR I receive flat structure of endpoints without Script and Auth under each of them.

[lukipela72]

Running on a Mac - looks like 12.2.20 is still the latest version, there. When I check for updates, it doesn't find any.

[RBA-SmartTID]

I can confirm that yaml file exports empty. First many attempts works and then it suddenly just stops working and will not stop exporting empty yaml file. Exporting as HAR format, seems to work fine. First time I have ever tried to export in that format. So I can't confirm if that export format stops working after a while as well.

[mnwills18-svg]

I was the originator of the issue of which it started working but now again today seems to be an issue again and producing empty yaml file when trying to export from scratchpad so don't know if this is an intermittent issue or not? Have re-opened the issue for investigation.

[RBA-SmartTID]

Maybe I should followup with a comment that the yaml-file is actually created, it's just completely empty.

[oltronix]

Same for me, I also get a completely empty folder if I try a "export all data" export from preferences > Data, if I try the HAR export of my scratch pad collection I get an unexpected error:

Error: Cannot create a string longer than 0x1fffffe8 characters
at Object.slice (node:buffer:636:37)
at Buffer.toString (node:buffer:864:14)
at getResponseContent (https://insomnia-app.local/assets/index-CKJRkwQp.js:87:1890)
at async exportHarResponse (https://insomnia-app.local/assets/index-CKJRkwQp.js:85:13435)
at async exportHar (https://insomnia-app.local/assets/index-CKJRkwQp.js:85:12890)
at async exportRequestsHAR (https://insomnia-app.local/assets/index-CKJRkwQp.js:85:12060)
at async onDone (https://insomnia-app.local/assets/trial.start-Bqt_OF2K.js:1214:37460)
at async onDone (https://insomnia-app.local/assets/trial.start-Bqt_OF2K.js:1214:34092)

[lukipela72]

Insomnia just self-updated to 12.3.0 on my Mac and in that version YAML export appears to work, fine!
So, from my end, I would be ok to close - @mnwills18-svg

[oltronix]

I am on the latest version on a PC and the export gives an empty file. However I tried starting insomnia as administrator now and that worked. Seems like that should not be necessary though.

[riwarek]

It works as expected under win10. Ran in non-admin mode.
BTW current build has about 470 MB. Previous has about 250 MB.
Is it intentional?