# Save and manage projects

> Autosave, local export, and encrypted cloud save — three save paths that capture your dataset, canvas, instructions, and agent history together. Pick the one that matches how portable and how shared you need the project to be.

*Source:* https://recense.ai/docs/projects-and-saving

## What a project contains

- Source dataset(s) and all metadata edits.
- Workspace items: tables, charts, notes, layout positions, groups, tags.
- Dataset instructions and agent conversation history.
- Encryption preferences.

## Autosave

- Recense autosaves to browser storage every 30 seconds.
- Autosave provides crash recovery even before you explicitly save.
- Autosaved projects are available when you return to the same browser.

## Local file export

- Export a .recense file from the Project Manager.
- These files are portable — open them on any machine.
- Optional encryption for exported files.

> **⚠ Keep your encryption key**  
> If you encrypt local exports, make sure you keep a copy of your encryption key. Another device can't open encrypted files without it.

## Cloud save (Pro)

- Save projects to encrypted cloud storage.
- Projects are encrypted on your machine before upload — Recense servers never see unencrypted data.
- Cloud projects require a passphrase. If lost, cloud projects created with it cannot be recovered.
- Upload datasets to cloud storage for access from other devices.

## Project Manager

The Project Manager lets you:

- Save and open local or cloud projects.
- Rename, delete, or export saved projects.
- Upload datasets to cloud storage.
- Manage encryption settings and export your encryption key.

## Next steps

- **[Security and privacy](/docs/security-and-privacy)** — How encryption, residency, and data handling work end to end.
- **[Team and billing](/docs/team-and-billing)** — Team plans, cloud save eligibility, and seat management.
- **[Troubleshooting](/docs/troubleshooting)** — Common save / sync issues and how to resolve them.