Use this whenever you're picking up an exported n8n workflow JSON (your own backup, or one shared by someone else) and need to get it running in a fresh n8n instance.
Steps
- From the main Workflows list, click Create workflow → Start from scratch. Importing does not happen from that list's dropdown, it happens inside the editor.
- Once on the blank canvas, open the "..." menu (top-right) → Import from file.
- Select the workflow's
.jsonfile, it loads as a full node graph. - Every node showing a red warning triangle needs a credential assigned, click into it, pick from the credential dropdown, save.
- For any HTTP Request node authenticating via a URL query parameter (like an API key in
?key=...), there's often no saved credential to pick, just paste the key directly into the URL field instead. - Once every warning triangle is gone, Publish (or toggle Active) to make it live.
Gotcha
Saving a node's configuration is not the same as the live workflow using that change. After any edit to a node inside a workflow that's already published, you need to publish again, otherwise real incoming triggers keep running the old version behind the scenes, even though the editor shows your fix.
Quick reference
Checklist before trusting a freshly imported workflow:
- No red warning triangles on any node
- Credentials assigned everywhere they're needed
- Workflow published/active
- One real test message sent through, not just a manual "Execute step"