Export from Default Environment → Import to Your New Power Platform Environment

Before you begin

  • Decide if your destination should use a managed solution (recommended for “prod”) or unmanaged (for dev).
  • Ensure the destination environment has needed connections, connection references, and environment variables (or plan to re-create/map them during import).

Part A — Export from Default

  1. Open Power Apps and switch to the Default environment.
    Power Apps environment switcher with Default selected.
    Select the Default environment.
  2. Go to Solutions → select the solution that contains your app/flows.
    Solutions list in the Default environment.
    Open Solutions and choose the target solution.
    The solution row selected in the list.
    Select the solution you plan to export.
  3. Select Export solution → Next → choose Managed (production) or Unmanaged (development) → complete the wizard to download the .zip.
    If you don’t need to publish changes before migrating, you can ignore the Before you export warning.
    Export time can range from ~5–30 minutes depending on size.
    Solution command bar with Export solution highlighted.
    Start the export.
    Export solution wizard with the Next button highlighted.
    Proceed through the wizard.
    Option to export as Managed or Unmanaged.
    Choose Managed (prod) or Unmanaged (dev).
    Final export step and confirmation banner with a download link.
    When ready, a green banner provides a download button for the .zip.

Part B — Import into your new environment

  1. Switch the environment (upper-right) to your new PAYG-linked environment.
    Environment switcher showing the destination environment selected.
    Switch to your destination environment.
  2. Go to Solutions → Import → upload the exported .zip.
    Note: If the destination environment doesn’t have Dataverse yet, choose Create a database in the Solutions window first. Then return and use Import solution.
    Solutions area with the Import command highlighted.
    Start the import.
    Create a database dialog with Currency, Language, and Create my database button.
    If needed, create a Dataverse database before importing.
    Import a solution dialog with a Browse button to select the zip file.
    Upload your exported .zip, then follow the prompts.
  3. Use Browse to choose the file you downloaded earlier, then click Import. The import can take ~5–30 minutes depending on size.
  4. Publish customizations (if you imported unmanaged) and validate the app/flows.

Tips

  • Managed vs. unmanaged: For healthy ALM, use managed in higher environments; unmanaged is for dev.
  • Source control/CI: Store solution files in Git and automate imports via pipelines (Azure DevOps/GitHub actions).

References

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