# Exporting/Importing flows
**URL:** https://discourse.nodered.org/t/exporting-importing-flows/1134
**Category:** Feature Requests
**Created:** [28 June 2018 06:17 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/exporting-importing-flows/1134 "2018-06-28T06:17:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Trying\_to\_learn](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/Trying_to_learn)
#### Post date: [28 June 2018 06:17 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/exporting-importing-flows/1134/1 "2018-06-28T06:17:09Z")
When in NR, and you want to export a few nodes you can select them and click on the menu and say EXPORT TO CLIPBOARD.
Doing that, the paste button is already pressed and the contents are there.
Recently I have been importing (the other side of what was just mentioned) and I’m confused why when you say IMPORT FROM CLIPBOARD, you have to “paste”.
Originally I thought it was reasonable, but the more I use it, the less I agree.
Given that you may want to put “something else” there, and so that would give you the option… Doesn’t really hold water/work when I think about it.
As most systems support only ONE clipboard, you wouldn’t select that option if the clipboard wasn’t already set up.
Just wondering/suggesting.
Thanks.
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### Author:  [@knolleary](https://discourse.nodered.org/u/knolleary)
#### Post date: [28 June 2018 06:47 UTC](https://discourse.nodered.org/t/exporting-importing-flows/1134/2 "2018-06-28T06:47:02Z")
You have to explicitly paste your flow into the import dialog because browsers are not permitted to freely read the contents of your clipboard for security reasons.