Data Export & Backup

Export your training data, back up your progress, and sync across devices with cloud storage.

Braking Lab stores your training data locally and in the cloud (for registered users). This guide covers how to export, backup, and manage your data to ensure you never lose your progress.

Storage Architecture

How Data Is Stored

Braking Lab uses a hybrid storage model:

Storage Type	What’s Stored	Capacity
localStorage	Settings, preferences, calibration	~10MB
IndexedDB	Lap telemetry, custom exercises	1GB+
Cloud (Supabase)	Synced data for registered users	Unlimited

Guest vs. Registered Users

Guest Users

All data stored locally in browser
Data persists until browser cache cleared
No sync between devices
Export for manual backup recommended

Registered Users

Local storage plus cloud sync
Automatic backup to Supabase
Sync across multiple devices
Recoverable if local data is lost

Exporting Data

Full Data Export

Export all your training data:

Go to Settings > Data Management
Click Export All Data
Choose export format (JSON)
Download the backup file
Store in a safe location

What Gets Exported

The export includes:

Session history - All your training sessions and scores
Custom exercises - Exercises you’ve created (up to 50)
Lap data - Imported telemetry and braking zones
Settings - Your preferences and calibration
Notes - Track notes and braking zone notes
Progress data - Your improvement metrics

Selective Export

Export specific data types:

Sessions Only

Training session history
Scores and statistics
Smaller file size

Exercises Only

Custom exercises you’ve created
Exercise configurations

Laps Only

Imported lap telemetry
Braking zone data
Largest portion of data

Export Format

Exports are in JSON format:

Human-readable structure
Compatible with data tools
Can be modified if needed
Includes metadata for validation

Importing Data

Restoring from Backup

Restore your data from an export:

Go to Settings > Data Management
Click Import Data
Select your backup file
Choose what to import
Confirm import

Import Options

Configure how data is imported:

Option	Description
Replace All	Delete existing data and import
Merge	Add imported data to existing
Skip Duplicates	Only import new items

Data Validation

During import:

File format is validated
Data integrity is checked
Incompatible data is skipped
Report shows what was imported

Cloud Sync

Enabling Cloud Sync

For registered users:

Sign in to your account
Go to Settings > Sync
Enable Cloud Sync
Choose what to sync

Sync Settings

Configure sync behavior:

Auto-sync - Sync automatically in background
Manual sync - Only sync when you trigger it
Sync frequency - How often to check for changes
Conflict resolution - How to handle conflicts

What Syncs

Cloud sync includes:

Session history
Custom exercises
Track notes
Progress data
Settings and preferences

Note: Lap telemetry is NOT synced to cloud due to size. Use manual export for lap data backup.

Sync Status

View sync status:

Last sync time shown in Settings
Sync indicator in the app header
Pending changes count displayed
Error notifications if sync fails

Managing Storage

Viewing Storage Usage

Check how much data you’re using:

Go to Settings > Data Management
View Storage Usage section
See breakdown by data type
Compare to available storage

Storage Breakdown

Data Type	Typical Size
Settings	< 1 MB
Sessions	10-50 MB
Custom Exercises	5-20 MB
Lap Telemetry	500 MB - 1 GB
Notes	1-5 MB

Clearing Data

Free up space by removing old data:

Clear Cache

Removes temporary data
Doesn’t affect your saved data
Frees minimal space

Delete Old Sessions

Remove sessions older than X days
Keeps your best sessions
Significant space savings

Delete Laps

Remove individual lap files
Largest space savings
Cannot be recovered

Storage Limits

Browser storage limits:

Chrome/Edge - Typically 60% of free disk space
Firefox - Up to 2GB per origin
Safari - Limited, data may be purged after 7 days of inactivity

Data Privacy

What Data Is Stored

Braking Lab stores:

Your training sessions and scores
Custom exercises you create
Imported telemetry data
App settings and preferences
Account information (if registered)

What We Don’t Store

Your iRacing credentials (only OAuth tokens)
Payment information (handled by payment provider)
Personal driving data beyond what you import

Data Ownership

Your data belongs to you:

Export anytime
Delete anytime
We don’t sell or share your data
Cloud data encrypted at rest

Deleting Your Account

To permanently delete your account:

Go to Settings > Account
Click Delete Account
Export your data first (recommended)
Confirm deletion
30-day recovery window
Data permanently deleted after

Backup Best Practices

Regular Backups

Recommended backup schedule:

Weekly - Export if actively training
Before updates - Export before major app updates
Before device changes - Export before changing browsers/computers
After milestones - Export after achieving goals

Backup Storage

Where to keep your backups:

Cloud storage (Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox)
External hard drive
Multiple locations for redundancy
Avoid storing only on the same computer

Backup Naming

Use clear file names:

brakinglab-backup-2024-01-15.json
brakinglab-backup-2024-01-15-sessions-only.json

Troubleshooting

Lost Data

If data appears missing:

Check if you’re signed in (for cloud sync)
Check browser storage settings
Try a different browser
Restore from backup if available

Import Fails

If import doesn’t work:

Verify file format is correct JSON
Check file isn’t corrupted
Try importing smaller portions
Contact support if issues persist

Sync Issues

If cloud sync isn’t working:

Check internet connection
Sign out and sign back in
Check sync settings
Try manual sync
Contact support if persistent

Browser Storage Cleared

If browser cleared storage:

Guest user data cannot be recovered
Registered users can re-sync from cloud
Future: Export regularly to prevent loss

Third-Party Services Disclaimer

iRacing® is a third-party service not affiliated with Braking Lab. Braking Lab is not responsible for its availability, functionality, or any changes to the service. All trademarks and rights belong to iRacing.com Motorsport Simulations, LLC.