You open a Japanese app and see a button that says インポート. You tap it — and nothing happens. Then you spot another button: アップロード. Are they the same thing? You tap that instead. Now you have two copies of everything.
If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Even fluent English speakers get these four words confused in Japanese — because in English we use “upload” and “import” loosely to mean almost the same thing. In Japanese, apps and business software use all four terms precisely, and mixing them up means tapping the wrong button, getting error messages you cannot read, or losing data.
This guide breaks down アップロード（upload）, ダウンロード（download）, インポート（import）, and エクスポート（export） — what each one means in Japanese, how they are used in real apps, and exactly when to use each one. We also cover related words like 同期（どうき）, 添付（てんぷ）, バックアップ, and 復元（ふくげん）that appear alongside them.
| Japanese | Reading | Direction | Meaning in plain English |
|---|---|---|---|
| アップロード | appuroodo | Device → Cloud/Server | Send a file from your device up to the internet |
| ダウンロード | daunroodo | Cloud/Server → Device | Receive a file from the internet down to your device |
| インポート | inpooto | File → App | Bring data from a file into an app or system |
| エクスポート | ekusupooto | App → File | Take data out of an app and save it as a file |
Quick Answer — アップロード vs ダウンロード vs インポート vs エクスポート
アップロード means upload (device to cloud/server)
アップロード describes the act of sending a file from your local device up to a server, cloud storage service, or website. Think of it as pushing something outward from your phone or computer onto the internet. You アップロード a photo to Instagram. You アップロード a document to Google Drive. The movement is always local → remote.
ダウンロード means download (cloud/server to device)
ダウンロード is the reverse: receiving a file from a server or cloud down to your local device. You ダウンロード an app from the App Store. You ダウンロード a PDF from a website. Movement is always remote → local.
インポート means import (file into app/system)
インポート does not involve the internet at all. It is about moving data from a file into an application. You already have the file on your device (or accessible to the app); now you are telling the app to read it and absorb the data inside. You インポート contacts from a CSV file into your address book. You インポート settings from a backup file into an app. Movement is file → app/system.
エクスポート means export (app data out to file)
エクスポート is also internet-independent. It means taking data that lives inside an app and generating a file you can save, share, or move elsewhere. You エクスポート your calendar as an .ics file. You エクスポート a spreadsheet as a CSV. Movement is app/system → file.
Why English speakers mix these up
In everyday English, “upload” and “import” blur together because many services do both in a single step — you “import photos” into Google Photos, but technically you are uploading them to a server and importing them into the app at the same time. Japanese apps tend to separate these operations clearly, and the UI labels reflect the technical step, not a user-friendly blend. Knowing which axis each word lives on — device↔cloud versus file↔app — is the key to never getting confused again.
What Does アップロード Mean?
アップロード as upload
アップロード is a loanword（外来語・がいらいご）borrowed directly from English “upload.” It is used as a noun (“an upload” → アップロード) and as a verb in the pattern アップロードする (“to upload”). In casual speech you will also hear it shortened to アプロ, especially among gamers and tech-savvy users, but in app interfaces the full form is standard.
写真をアップロードする / SNSにアップロードする
The most common context is sharing photos and videos. You will see this phrase constantly on social media, cloud storage apps, and photo services:
- 写真（しゃしん）をSNSにアップロードする — Upload a photo to social media
- 動画（どうが）をYouTubeにアップロードする — Upload a video to YouTube
- ファイルをクラウドにアップロードする — Upload a file to the cloud
Yukaこの写真、インスタにアップロードしていい？
Can I upload this photo to Instagram?
Reiいいよ！でも、サイズが大きいからアップロードに時間かかるかも。
Sure! But it might take a while to upload since the file is large.
クラウドにアップロードする / アップロードできない
When something goes wrong, Japanese error messages use アップロードできない (cannot upload) or アップロードに失敗（しっぱい）しました (upload failed). Common causes listed in app error dialogs include:
- 容量（ようりょう）が不足（ふそく）しています — Storage capacity is insufficient
- ファイルサイズが大きすぎます — The file size is too large
- ネットワークに接続（せつぞく）できません — Cannot connect to the network
Common example sentences
| Japanese sentence | English translation |
|---|---|
| 書類をGoogleドライブにアップロードしました。 | I uploaded the document to Google Drive. |
| ファイルのアップロードが完了しました。 | The file upload is complete. |
| アップロードに失敗しました。もう一度お試しください。 | Upload failed. Please try again. |
| 写真を自動的にクラウドにアップロードする設定にしています。 | I have it set to automatically upload photos to the cloud. |
| 容量がいっぱいでアップロードできません。 | I cannot upload because the storage is full. |
What Does ダウンロード Mean?
ダウンロード as download
ダウンロード is borrowed from English “download.” Like アップロード, it works as both a noun and a verb: ダウンロードする means “to download.” You will encounter it in every context where you receive content from the internet — apps, music, PDFs, software updates, game data, and more. In casual shortened speech some people say ダウソ, though you will not see this in formal app UIs.
PDFをダウンロードする / アプリをダウンロードする
Two of the most common real-world uses:
- アプリをダウンロードする — Download an app (from the App Store / Google Play)
- PDFをダウンロードする — Download a PDF
- 曲（きょく）をダウンロードする — Download a song (for offline listening)
- アップデートをダウンロードする — Download an update
Yukaこの地図アプリ、オフラインで使えるの？
Can you use this map app offline?
Reiうん、事前（じぜん）に地図データをダウンロードしておけば使えるよ。
Yeah, if you download the map data in advance, you can use it.
ダウンロードフォルダ / ダウンロード済み
Two fixed phrases that appear constantly in app interfaces:
- ダウンロードフォルダ — The downloads folder on your device
- ダウンロード済（ず）み — Already downloaded (the ～済み suffix means “already done”; you will see this on songs, episodes, or files that have been saved locally)
- ダウンロード中（ちゅう） — Currently downloading (～中 = in the middle of)
Common example sentences
| Japanese sentence | English translation |
|---|---|
| このPDFをダウンロードしてください。 | Please download this PDF. |
| アプリをダウンロードするには、こちらをタップしてください。 | To download the app, tap here. |
| ダウンロード中です。しばらくお待ちください。 | Downloading. Please wait a moment. |
| この曲はダウンロード済みです。オフラインで聴けます。 | This song has already been downloaded. You can listen offline. |
| ダウンロードフォルダに保存されました。 | It was saved to the downloads folder. |
What Does インポート Mean?
インポート as import
インポート is borrowed from English “import.” In the Japanese tech context it always means bringing data from a file into an application or system. The network is not involved — the file might be sitting in your downloads folder, on a USB drive, or sent by email. What matters is the movement from outside the app to inside the app.
Japanese apps use the verb インポートする. You will also see the native Japanese equivalent 取り込む（とりこむ）, which is common in Apple-ecosystem apps (the Photos app on Mac says 取り込む rather than インポートする in some contexts) and in contexts that feel more casual or consumer-facing.
CSVをインポートする / 連絡先をインポートする
The two most frequent real-world patterns:
- CSVをインポートする — Import a CSV file (common in spreadsheet apps, CRM tools, accounting software)
- 連絡先（れんらくさき）をインポートする — Import contacts (from a vCard or CSV into your phone address book)
- カレンダーをインポートする — Import a calendar (.ics file into a calendar app)
- 設定（せってい）をインポートする — Import settings (from a saved config file)
データを取り込む / インポートエラー
取り込む is the native Japanese verb for import/ingest. It literally means “to pull something inside.” You will encounter it in:
- 写真を取り込む — Import/ingest photos (from a camera or SD card)
- データを取り込む — Ingest/import data
When インポート fails, the error message is typically インポートエラー or インポートに失敗しました. Common causes in business software include:
- ファイル形式（けいしき）が対応（たいおう）していません — The file format is not supported
- データの形式が正しくありません — The data format is incorrect (e.g., wrong CSV column order)
- 文字コード（もじコード）が違います — The character encoding is wrong (a very common issue with Japanese CSV files — Shift-JIS vs UTF-8)
App and business examples
| Japanese sentence | English translation |
|---|---|
| 顧客リストをCSVでインポートしてください。 | Please import the customer list as a CSV. |
| 古いスマホから連絡先をインポートしました。 | I imported contacts from my old phone. |
| カレンダーファイルをアプリにインポートする方法を教えてください。 | Please tell me how to import the calendar file into the app. |
| インポートエラーが発生しました。文字コードを確認してください。 | An import error occurred. Please check the character encoding. |
| 写真をカメラから取り込みました。 | I imported the photos from the camera. |
What Does エクスポート Mean?
エクスポート as export
エクスポート is the mirror of インポート. It means taking data that is inside an application and generating a file you can save outside of it. Again, the network is not involved in the core operation — エクスポート is about creating a portable file from app data.
The native Japanese equivalent is 書き出す（かきだす）, literally “to write out.” Video editing software, design tools, and DAWs (music production apps) commonly use 書き出す instead of エクスポートする, though both are understood.
データをエクスポートする / CSVでエクスポートする
- データをCSVでエクスポートする — Export data as a CSV file
- レポートをPDFでエクスポートする — Export a report as a PDF
- 動画（どうが）を書き出す — Export/render a video
- データをエクスポートして送る — Export data and send it
Yuka売上データを上司に送りたいんだけど、どうすればいい？
I want to send the sales data to my boss — how should I do that?
ReiまずシステムからCSVでエクスポートして、それをメールに添付すればいいよ。
First export it from the system as a CSV, then attach that to an email.
設定をエクスポートする / エクスポートファイル
In app settings menus, you will frequently see options like:
- 設定をエクスポートする — Export your settings (save a config file you can import later)
- データをエクスポートする — Export your data (common in “delete my account” flows, or data portability)
- エクスポートファイル — The exported file (the noun for the resulting file)
Common example sentences
| Japanese sentence | English translation |
|---|---|
| データをExcelでエクスポートする機能があります。 | There is a function to export data in Excel format. |
| 動画の書き出しには5分かかります。 | Exporting the video will take 5 minutes. |
| 連絡先をvCard形式でエクスポートしました。 | I exported the contacts in vCard format. |
| エクスポートしたファイルをメールに添付してください。 | Please attach the exported file to an email. |
| アカウント設定はエクスポートできません。 | Account settings cannot be exported. |
Pairwise Comparisons
アップロード vs ダウンロード — device-to-cloud vs cloud-to-device
These two are exact opposites along the device ↔ internet axis. The direction is everything:
Your device ----[アップロード]----> Internet/Cloud/Server
Your device <---[ダウンロード]---- Internet/Cloud/ServerMemory tip: think of water. Upload → pushing water UP a hill (effort, sending out). Download → water flowing DOWN to you (receiving). In Japanese, both words carry this physical sense directly from the English loan.
| アップロード | ダウンロード | |
|---|---|---|
| Direction | Device → Internet | Internet → Device |
| Example | SNSに写真を投稿 | アプリを入手 |
| Error phrase | アップロードに失敗 | ダウンロードに失敗 |
| Progress phrase | アップロード中 | ダウンロード中 |
インポート vs エクスポート — data in vs data out
These two are exact opposites along the file ↔ app axis. Neither requires an internet connection.
External file ----[インポート]----> App / System
External file <---[エクスポート]---- App / System| インポート | エクスポート | |
|---|---|---|
| Direction | File → App | App → File |
| Example | CSVを住所録に読み込む | データをCSVで出力 |
| Native synonym | 取り込む | 書き出す |
| Common context | Business software, calendar apps | Reporting tools, video editors |
アップロード vs インポート — the most commonly confused pair
This is the pair that trips people up most. The surface behavior looks similar: in both cases, you are "putting something into a system." The difference is what kind of system and where the data ends up.
- アップロード — The destination is a server or cloud. The file travels over the network. Example: uploading a photo to Dropbox.
- インポート — The destination is an application's internal database. No network needed. Example: loading a CSV into a spreadsheet.
Practical test: Is the data going over the internet to a remote server? If yes → アップロード. If no, it is going from a file into an app → インポート.
ダウンロード vs エクスポート — getting a file vs generating a file
Both operations result in a file on your device, so it is easy to mix them up.
- ダウンロード — The file already exists on a remote server. You are fetching a copy of it. The content is defined by whoever put it there.
- エクスポート — The file is generated on the spot from data inside the app. It did not exist before you pressed the button.
Example: When you export your LINE chat history, LINE generates a text file from its internal database → エクスポート. When you download a PDF attached to a Tweet → ダウンロード.
Related File and Data Words
Once you know the four core words, these six related terms complete the picture. You will see all of them in app menus, settings screens, and error messages.
保存（ほぞん）— save
保存する means "to save." It refers to writing the current state of data to storage — either locally (ローカルに保存) or to the cloud (クラウドに保存). It is often confused with アップロード by beginners, but 保存 is about persisting data, not necessarily sending it anywhere. When you press Ctrl+S in a document editor, that is 保存. When you save a draft in a messaging app, that is also 保存.
Key distinction: 保存 does not imply a direction (device → cloud or otherwise). アップロード always means moving data from local to remote.
添付（てんぷ）— attach
添付する means "to attach," as in attaching a file to an email or message. The compound 添付ファイル (attachment file) is standard business Japanese. While attaching a large file to an email technically involves uploading it to a mail server, Japanese usage treats 添付 and アップロード as separate operations — you attach to email, you upload to storage or social media.
共有（きょうゆう）— share
共有する means "to share." On smartphones, tapping the share button opens the 共有メニュー (share menu). 共有 focuses on making something accessible to others, whereas アップロード focuses on the act of sending. You can アップロード something privately (so no one sees it); you 共有 something specifically to let others access it. The overlap is when you share a file by uploading it to a shared folder.
同期（どうき）— sync
同期する means "to synchronize." This is what cloud services like iCloud, Google Drive, and Dropbox do automatically — they ensure the files on your device match the files on the server. 同期 involves both アップロード and ダウンロード happening behind the scenes, managed automatically. When you see 同期中 (syncing) in an app, the app is doing アップロード and/or ダウンロード operations for you without you having to trigger them manually.
バックアップ — backup
バックアップ is a loanword from "backup." It means making a safety copy of data so it can be recovered later. On iPhones, iCloudバックアップ automatically backs up your phone to Apple's servers — technically this is an アップロード, but the operation is labelled バックアップ because its purpose is preservation and recovery, not sharing or storage. The verb is バックアップする or バックアップを取る（とる） (take a backup).
復元（ふくげん）— restore
復元する means "to restore." It is the reverse of バックアップ — you take a previously saved backup and restore the data to a device or app. On iPhones during setup, you will see バックアップから復元 (Restore from Backup). In everyday app settings menus, you might see データを復元する (restore data). Technically this involves ダウンロード from a backup server, but the operation is labelled 復元 because the purpose is recovery.
| Word | Reading | Meaning | Key distinction |
|---|---|---|---|
| 保存 | ほぞん | save | Persisting data; no direction implied |
| 添付 | てんぷ | attach | Attaching a file to a message/email |
| 共有 | きょうゆう | share | Making accessible to others |
| 同期 | どうき | sync | Auto-matching device and cloud continuously |
| バックアップ | — | backup | Saving a copy for future recovery |
| 復元 | ふくげん | restore | Recovering from a saved backup |
Common Mistakes English Speakers Make
Confusing アップロード and インポート
This is the number-one error. In English, "import photos" and "upload photos" overlap in many consumer apps. In Japanese software, they mean different operations. If an app shows インポートする, it expects a file already on your device. Tapping アップロード instead may trigger a network transfer when none is needed, or may not accept the file at all.
⚠️ Wrong: 写真をアップロードしてアプリに読み込んだ。
✅ Right: 写真をアプリにインポートした。
(I imported the photos into the app.)
Saying ダウンロード when エクスポート is correct
When someone asks "How do I get my data out of this app?", many learners default to ダウンロードする. But if the data is being generated as a new file from the app's internal records, the correct word is エクスポートする. You ダウンロード things from the internet; you エクスポート things from an app.
⚠️ Wrong: データをダウンロードしたいです。 (when you mean export from an app)
✅ Right: データをエクスポートしたいです。
(I want to export the data.)
Thinking 保存 means upload
Beginners often think 保存する and アップロードする are interchangeable. They are not. 保存 saves data to wherever it is already stored (locally, in the app, etc.). It does not send anything over the internet unless the app is set to auto-sync. If you want to make sure a file reaches a cloud server, you need to アップロードする or confirm that 同期 is enabled.
Confusing 添付 and アップロード
Both involve attaching a file to something digital, so they feel similar. But the target is different: 添付 is always about attaching to a message (email, chat, form submission). アップロード is about sending to a server or storage service. You 添付 a file to an email; you アップロード a file to Dropbox.
Not understanding CSV インポートエラー messages
If you work with Japanese business software, CSV インポートエラー messages can be confusing. Two common ones to recognize:
- 文字化け（もじばけ）が発生しました — Garbled characters appeared (mojibake — the classic Japanese encoding problem when Shift-JIS meets UTF-8)
- 列（れつ）の数が一致（いっち）しません — The number of columns does not match (your CSV has a different column count than the app expects)
Knowing these two error messages will save you significant frustration when working in Japanese office environments.
Decision Rule: Which File Word Should You Use?
Use this flowchart every time you are unsure which word to use:
START: What are you doing with the data?
|
+--[Sending/receiving over the internet?]
| |
| +--[Yes] --> Is data going FROM your device TO a server?
| | +--[Yes] --> アップロード
| | +--[No] --> ダウンロード
| |
| +--[No, no network involved]
| |
| +--[Moving data INTO an app from a file?] --> インポート (or 取り込む)
| +--[Moving data OUT of an app to a file?] --> エクスポート (or 書き出す)
|
[Keeping a safety copy for future recovery?] --> バックアップ
[Making existing saved copy match across devices?] --> 同期
[Just persisting current state locally?] --> 保存
[Attaching to an email or message?] --> 添付And here is the complete comparison in one table:
| Word | Axis | Direction | Network needed? | Native synonym |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| アップロード | Device ↔ Internet | Local → Remote | Yes | — |
| ダウンロード | Device ↔ Internet | Remote → Local | Yes | — |
| インポート | File ↔ App | File → App | No | 取り込む |
| エクスポート | File ↔ App | App → File | No | 書き出す |
| 保存 | Data → Storage | No direction | No (usually) | — |
| 添付 | File → Message | Local → Message | Depends | — |
| 同期 | Device ↔ Cloud | Both ways | Yes | — |
| バックアップ | Data → Backup copy | Local → Backup | Often | — |
| 復元 | Backup → Device | Backup → Local | Often | — |
Quick Quiz
Test yourself. Fill in the blank with the correct Japanese word from this lesson.
- You want to send your photos from your phone to Google Photos. You will ______ them.
(a) ダウンロード (b) アップロード (c) インポート - You receive an email with a PDF you need. You ______ the file from the email server to your device.
(a) アップロード (b) エクスポート (c) ダウンロード - You have a CSV of customer names and want to add them all to your CRM software. You ______ the CSV.
(a) インポート (b) 保存 (c) ダウンロード - You want to share your calendar with a colleague who uses a different app. You ______ your calendar as an .ics file.
(a) アップロード (b) エクスポート (c) 復元 - You attach a document to a business email. The Japanese word for this action is ______.
(a) アップロード (b) インポート (c) 添付 - Your phone is set to automatically copy all data to iCloud so you can recover it later. This function is called ______.
(a) 同期 (b) バックアップ (c) エクスポート
Answers: 1-b / 2-c / 3-a / 4-b / 5-c / 6-b
If you want to practise these words in real conversations with a native Japanese speaker, italki lets you book affordable 1-on-1 lessons where you can practise reading app menus, writing business emails, and navigating real Japanese software — exactly the kind of practical vocabulary that textbooks rarely cover.
Which of these four words do you find most confusing? Leave a comment below — or share a sentence using アップロード, ダウンロード, インポート, or エクスポート and we will check it for you!
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