Import Showly Into Refract: Episodes, Movies, Ratings, Lists

Showly writes a JSON backup from Settings → Backup & Restore. Refract reads that file directly: every episode you marked as watched with its date, watched movies, your watchlist, on-hold series, ratings on Showly's 1 to 10 scale, and your lists in the same order. Showly stores the TMDB id of most titles, so matching is reliable.

Step 1: get your Showly export

You will end up with: showly_export_… .json (Android) or backup_… .json (iOS).

1. Open Showly and go to Settings → Backup & Restore.
2. Tap "Export data" and wait for Showly to write the backup.
3. Save the JSON file to the phone where Refract is installed.

Step 2: import it into Refract

1. Install Refract on iOS or Android (links at the bottom of this page) and sign in.
2. Open Settings → Import → Showly and pick the file.
3. Review the preview: it shows what the file contains, category by category, and lets you untick anything you do not want.
4. Start the import. It runs in the background with a progress bar; you can leave the app.
5. Read the completion summary. Check the completion screen for the import's undo option and its scope.

What comes across

• Every episode you marked as watched, with its date.
• Watched movies.
• Shows and movies on your watchlist, as plan-to-watch.
• On-hold series, and shows in My Shows with no episode watched yet.
• Show, episode and movie ratings, kept on Showly's 1 to 10 scale.
• Your lists and their items, in the same order.

What does not, or only partly

• Movie dates are when the entry last changed in Showly, not when you watched the film.
• Season ratings, pinned titles and specials have no equivalent and are skipped.
• Hidden titles come back into your library: Refract has no hidden state.

Frequently asked questions

Will the import overwrite what I already have in Refract?

Imports merge data into your library. Review the source-specific preview and completion summary to see what is included.

Is importing free?

Yes. Imports, like the rest of the tracker, are free with no ads and no paywall. Refract Pro is optional cosmetic supporter tiers only.

Can I undo this import?

Check the completion screen for the import's undo option and its scope.

Related

• All import guides
• Best cross-media trackers in 2026