Importing and Exporting Tunnels

Overview

WireGuird provides built-in tools for importing WireGuard configuration files and exporting your tunnel collection as zip archives. This makes it easy to backup your VPN configurations or migrate them between systems.

Importing Configuration Files

WireGuird supports importing both individual configuration files and zip archives containing multiple tunnels.

Supported Import Formats

.conf files: Standard WireGuard configuration format
.zip archives: Compressed files containing one or more .conf files

Both formats can be imported through the same dialog interface.

Import Process

Open the import dialog

Click the Add Tunnel button in the main WireGuird window.A native file chooser dialog opens with the title: “Wireguird - Choose tunnel files (*.conf, *.zip)”

Select files

The file picker is pre-filtered to show only:

Files ending in .conf
Files ending in .zip

You can select multiple files simultaneously by using:

Ctrl+Click to select multiple individual files
Shift+Click to select a range of files

Confirm import

Click OK to import the selected files.WireGuird processes each file:

.conf files are copied directly to /etc/wireguard/
.zip archives are extracted (see below)

Verify import

The tunnel list automatically refreshes, and imported tunnels appear in alphabetical order.

// Source: gui/tunnels.go:346-405
btnAddTunnel.Connect("clicked", func() {
    dialog, err := gtk.FileChooserNativeDialogNew(
        "Wireguird - Choose tunnel files (*.conf, *.zip)", 
        window, 
        gtk.FILE_CHOOSER_ACTION_OPEN, 
        "OK", 
        "Cancel"
    )
    
    filter, err := gtk.FileFilterNew()
    filter.AddPattern("*.conf")
    filter.AddPattern("*.zip")
    filter.SetName("*.conf / *.zip")
    
    dialog.AddFilter(filter)
    dialog.SetSelectMultiple(true)
    
    // ... processing logic
})

Imported configuration files are copied to /etc/wireguard/, the standard location for WireGuard configurations on Linux. The original files remain unchanged.

Importing from Zip Archives

Zip archives are particularly useful for importing multiple tunnel configurations at once.

Zip Archive Structure

WireGuird extracts all .conf files from zip archives, regardless of their directory structure:

tunnels.zip
├── office.conf          ← Extracted
├── home.conf            ← Extracted
├── subfolder/
│   └── server.conf      ← Extracted
└── README.txt           ← Ignored (not .conf)

Extraction Process

When you import a zip file:

Archive is opened

WireGuird opens the zip archive and scans all files inside.

.conf files are identified

Only files ending in .conf are processed. Other files are ignored.

Files are extracted

Each .conf file is extracted and written to /etc/wireguard/ with its original filename.

Tunnel list updates

All extracted tunnels appear in the tunnel list immediately.

// Source: gui/tunnels.go:1167-1196
func parseZipArchive(target string) error {
    rc, err := zip.OpenReader(target)
    if err != nil {
        return err
    }
    defer rc.Close()
    
    for _, f := range rc.File {
        // parse only .conf files from zip archive
        if !f.FileInfo().IsDir() && strings.HasSuffix(f.FileInfo().Name(), ".conf") {
            fr, err := f.Open()
            if err != nil {
                return err
            }
            defer fr.Close()
            
            data, err := ioutil.ReadAll(fr)
            if err != nil {
                return err
            }
            
            err = ioutil.WriteFile(filepath.Join(TunnelsPath, f.FileInfo().Name()), data, 666)
            if err != nil {
                return err
            }
        }
    }
    
    return nil
}

Directory structure within the zip archive is not preserved. All .conf files are extracted directly to /etc/wireguard/ using their filename only.

Handling Duplicate Names

If you import a .conf file with the same name as an existing tunnel:

The existing file will be overwritten
No confirmation dialog is shown
Make sure to backup important configurations before importing

Importing a configuration file with an existing name will silently overwrite the existing file in /etc/wireguard/. Always export/backup your tunnels before bulk importing.

Exporting Tunnels

WireGuird can export all your tunnel configurations as a single zip archive for backup or migration purposes.

Export Process

Click Export button

Click the Zip Tunnels button (button_zip_tunnel) in the main window.A save dialog opens with the title: “Wireguird - zip tunnels -> Save zip file”

Choose save location

Navigate to your desired save location and optionally modify the filename.Default filename format: wg_tunnels_[day]_[month]_[year].zipExample: wg_tunnels_5_March_2026.zip

Confirm overwrite (if needed)

If a file with the same name exists, a confirmation dialog asks if you want to overwrite it.

Export completes

WireGuird creates a zip archive containing all .conf files from /etc/wireguard/.

What Gets Exported

The export function creates a complete backup of your tunnel configurations:

All .conf files in /etc/wireguard/ are included
Files maintain their original names
File permissions are preserved
The zip archive is organized with all configs in a single directory

// Source: gui/tunnels.go:462-537
btnZipTunnels.Connect("clicked", func() {
    d, err := gtk.FileChooserDialogNewWith2Buttons(
        "Wireguird - zip tunnels -> Save zip file", 
        window, 
        gtk.FILE_CHOOSER_ACTION_SAVE, 
        "Cancel", 
        gtk.RESPONSE_CANCEL, 
        "Save", 
        gtk.RESPONSE_ACCEPT
    )
    
    d.SetDoOverwriteConfirmation(true)
    t := time.Now()
    d.SetCurrentName(fmt.Sprint("wg_tunnels_", t.Day(), "_", t.Month(), "_", t.Year(), ".zip"))
    
    // ... walks through TunnelsPath and creates archive
})

Archive Structure

The exported zip file has the following structure:

wg_tunnels_5_March_2026.zip
└── wg_tunnels_5_March_2026/
    ├── office.conf
    ├── home.conf
    ├── eu-server.conf
    └── backup-vpn.conf

The zip archive contains a root directory named after the zip file (without extension), with all configuration files inside. This structure is compatible with WireGuird’s import function.

Backup Best Practices

Regular Backups

Create regular backups of your tunnel configurations:

Before major changes: Export before editing multiple tunnels
After adding tunnels: Backup when you add new VPN connections
Periodic snapshots: Create monthly or weekly backups for peace of mind

Backup Storage

Local Storage
Cloud Storage

Store zip exports on:

External USB drives
Network-attached storage (NAS)
Separate partitions or drives

Pros: Fast, full control, no internet requiredCons: Vulnerable to hardware failure, not accessible remotely

WireGuard configuration files contain private keys and sensitive information. Always encrypt your exported zip files before storing them in the cloud or on shared systems.

Encrypting Exports

To securely store your exported tunnels:

# Encrypt the exported zip with GPG
gpg --symmetric --cipher-algo AES256 wg_tunnels_5_March_2026.zip

# This creates: wg_tunnels_5_March_2026.zip.gpg
# You can safely store this encrypted file

# To decrypt later:
gpg --decrypt wg_tunnels_5_March_2026.zip.gpg > wg_tunnels_5_March_2026.zip

Alternatively, use encrypted storage solutions or password-protected zip utilities.

Migrating Between Systems

Use export and import to move your tunnel configurations to a new machine:

Export from old system

Open WireGuird on your current system
Click Zip Tunnels and save the archive
Copy the zip file to your new system (USB drive, cloud, network transfer)

Install WireGuird on new system

Follow the installation instructions for your Linux distribution.

Import to new system

Open WireGuird on the new system
Click Add Tunnel
Select your exported zip archive
All tunnels appear in the tunnel list

Verify configurations

Select each tunnel and verify the configuration details are correct.

WireGuard configurations are portable between Linux systems. However, some configurations with system-specific PostUp or PreDown commands may need adjustment on the new system.

Manual Import/Export

Advanced users can also manage configurations manually:

Manual Import

# Copy configuration files directly to WireGuard directory
sudo cp /path/to/your/config.conf /etc/wireguard/

# Set appropriate permissions
sudo chmod 600 /etc/wireguard/config.conf

# Press F5 in WireGuird to refresh the tunnel list

Manual Export

# Copy all configs to a backup directory
sudo cp /etc/wireguard/*.conf ~/wireguard-backup/

# Create a zip archive
cd ~/wireguard-backup
zip -r wg-backup-$(date +%Y%m%d).zip *.conf

WireGuird automatically detects configuration files in /etc/wireguard/ regardless of how they were added. Press F5 to refresh the tunnel list after manual changes.

Troubleshooting Import/Export Issues

Import Fails

If import doesn’t work:

Check file permissions: Ensure WireGuird has write access to /etc/wireguard/
Verify file format: Make sure files are valid WireGuard .conf format
Check zip structure: Ensure the zip contains .conf files (not just folders)
Look for errors: Check the WireGuard logs panel for error messages

Export Fails

If export doesn’t work:

Check destination permissions: Ensure you have write access to the save location
Verify disk space: Ensure sufficient space for the zip archive
Check source files: Ensure /etc/wireguard/ contains .conf files

Missing Tunnels After Import

Press F5 to manually refresh the tunnel list
Check /etc/wireguard/ to verify files were copied
Ensure filenames end in .conf (case-sensitive)
Check file permissions: ls -la /etc/wireguard/

Get Started

User Guide

Advanced

Development

Importing and Exporting Tunnels

Overview

Importing Configuration Files

Supported Import Formats

Import Process

Importing from Zip Archives

Zip Archive Structure

Extraction Process

Handling Duplicate Names

Exporting Tunnels

Export Process

What Gets Exported

Archive Structure

Backup Best Practices

Regular Backups

Backup Storage

Encrypting Exports

Migrating Between Systems

Manual Import/Export

Manual Import

Manual Export

Troubleshooting Import/Export Issues

Import Fails

Export Fails

Missing Tunnels After Import

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Get Started

User Guide

Advanced

Development

​Overview

​Importing Configuration Files

​Supported Import Formats

​Import Process

​Importing from Zip Archives

​Zip Archive Structure

​Extraction Process

​Handling Duplicate Names

​Exporting Tunnels

​Export Process

​What Gets Exported

​Archive Structure

​Backup Best Practices

​Regular Backups

​Backup Storage

​Encrypting Exports

​Migrating Between Systems

​Manual Import/Export

​Manual Import

​Manual Export

​Troubleshooting Import/Export Issues

​Import Fails

​Export Fails

​Missing Tunnels After Import

Build docs developers (and LLMs) love

Overview

Importing Configuration Files

Supported Import Formats

Import Process

Importing from Zip Archives

Zip Archive Structure

Extraction Process

Handling Duplicate Names

Exporting Tunnels

Export Process

What Gets Exported

Archive Structure

Backup Best Practices

Regular Backups

Backup Storage

Encrypting Exports

Migrating Between Systems

Manual Import/Export

Manual Import

Manual Export

Troubleshooting Import/Export Issues

Import Fails

Export Fails

Missing Tunnels After Import