If your video timestamp notes are stored locally in a Chrome extension, export a backup before uninstalling the extension, resetting the browser profile, or moving to another computer. Chrome's extension documentation states that storage.local data is stored locally and is cleared when the extension is removed, so important research should not depend on the browser profile as its only copy.
Know what you are actually backing up
A video-research backup usually contains your research metadata, not the video itself. For FootageMark, that can include local projects, source context, saved In/Out ranges, clip types, editor notes, ordering, and related workspace data represented in the backup structure.
The original media remains on the source platform. A backup of your research record does not create an offline copy of the video.
Back up before you uninstall, not after
If an extension's important workspace uses storage.local, removing the extension can clear that local storage. Do not make “reinstall and see if it comes back” your first recovery strategy.
Safer order:
- open the existing workspace while it still works;
- export the supported backup format;
- save the file somewhere outside the Chrome extension profile;
- verify that the file exists and is not zero bytes;
- only then uninstall, reset, or migrate.
Keep the backup outside the browser profile
Saving a backup only inside a temporary browser-related folder defeats the point of the backup. Put it somewhere you control, such as a normal documents folder, an external drive, or another storage location appropriate for your data-handling requirements.
If the research contains confidential source notes, choose the storage location accordingly and avoid uploading it to a service that is not approved for that material.
Use a filename that tells you what the backup contains
A descriptive filename can prevent accidental restoration of the wrong project state:
video-research-projects-2026-09-15-before-chrome-reset.jsonAvoid putting sensitive client names or secret project information into the filename if the backup may move through shared folders.
Verify the backup before changing the browser
At minimum, confirm that the file downloaded successfully and has a plausible size. If the application offers a restore workflow that validates the backup structure, use it on a safe test state when practical rather than discovering a malformed backup only after the original workspace is gone.
Do not overwrite your only working copy during a test restore.
Moving to another computer is a transfer, not automatic synchronization
Chrome's storage.local is local to the machine. If you want FootageMark research on another computer, export the JSON backup on the old machine, move that file using a method you trust, install FootageMark on the destination Chrome profile, and use the restore workflow there.
Check the restored project count, source entries, clip ranges, notes, and ordering before deleting the old backup.
Where FootageMark fits this backup workflow
FootageMark includes JSON backup and restore for its local workspace. The current product guide states that projects are stored locally in Chrome extension storage and that restore validates the backup structure before loading it. This is useful when your timestamp and clip research is valuable enough that the browser profile should not be the only copy.
You can add FootageMark from the Chrome Web Store or review the FootageMark guide for the current backup and project limits.
Do not confuse export formats with a full workspace backup
Markdown, CSV, and Source Pack exports are useful for reading and handoff. A JSON workspace backup serves a different purpose: preserving the structure FootageMark expects when restoring its local workspace.
If you need both human-readable records and recoverability, keep a readable export and a JSON backup rather than assuming one format replaces the other.
After migration, keep the old backup until you verify the new workspace
Open several restored projects and spot-check important ranges, notes, and sources. If the destination workspace looks correct, keep at least one backup for as long as your project-retention policy requires.
Backup checklist before a Chrome reset or computer move
- JSON backup exported before uninstall/reset?
- Backup stored outside the browser profile?
- File exists and has a plausible size?
- Human-readable export saved too if useful?
- Destination extension version installed?
- Restore completed without validation errors?
- Projects, sources, clip ranges, and notes spot-checked?
- Old backup retained until the new workspace is verified?
Your clip notes took hours to build. Do not make the browser profile the only copy.
FootageMark includes JSON backup and restore so a local research workspace can be exported before an uninstall, reset, or migration.