Hi Danusia, thanks for these helpful tools and the attention on this issue! I wanted to also provide a little clarity around the circumstances that I experienced - which were the direct result of trying to set up a podcast feed on Substack for the first time. I think it's hugely relevant that these losses seem directly linked to the podcast infrastructure on Substack. Here's what happened to me:
For me, there WAS an “are you sure you want to delete this podcast” warning. I WAS sure - It was just very unclear to me that by deleting the podcast feed I’d set up on the same day (April 17th), I’d be deleting six months worth of previously posted video content which had never been intended for podcast purposes. To my knowledge, no subscriber data was wiped for me - this is a particularly devastating and urgent issue for Lucy and I hope it gets the attention it deserves.
In my case, the Substack team responded rapidly once I emailed them (the AI help bot was not helpful), and I’m super grateful that they were communicative and able to recover a handful of posts (5 out of about 30).
Sadly, it seems there is a platform-wide structural issue around how content and publication data is linked to podcasts that I’d love to see tended to.
Here’s what I’m doing in the meantime: Exporting all Substack data on a monthly basis - I’ve got a recurring date in my diary. Saving video/audio files and drafts of all written content in my personal cloud. Saving comment notification emails. The Shuffle podcast is set up as a separate section now, rather than linked to my publication as a whole, and I’ll certainly be doing a mass export and consulting Substack in advance if I decide to delete it at any point.
Chelsey, thank you so much for sharing this so clearly. It's incredibly helpful to have the detail of your case here, especially given how different the outcomes were for you and for Lucy.
That distinction—that your podcast was newly created, while Lucy’s was simply being removed from navigation—is vital. And yes, the fact that both losses trace back to Substack’s podcast infrastructure suggests a deeper, structural fragility that needs URGENT attention.
As a podcast creator myself—with more than 300 episodes over the past 8 years—I’ve deliberately chosen not to host audio on Substack for this very reason. It’s why my podcast appears via a separate Apple link in the nav bar instead. It’s clunkier, but the idea of losing that archive? I couldn’t risk it!
I’m so glad Substack responded quickly for you and that you were able to recover some posts (though even 5 out of 30 is a harsh margin). Your recovery routine is gold—especially the recurring backup, the decision to host your podcast as a separate section, and the layered storage strategy. I may add a few of those tips into the next version of the Safety Kit, with credit to you if that’s okay. Just let me know.
We absolutely need more transparency on how Substack links content, podcasts, and sections and what risks we take when tidying, deleting, or republishing. I hope this thread keeps growing with real-world stories like yours. It’s the only way we build pressure—and better tools.
Appreciate you! Happy for you to share/add anything helpful - and I'm definitely going to get more familiar with my RSS feed based on everything above, so thank YOU!
So glad, Chelsey! Your insights added so much to this and I really appreciate the generosity in sharing your experience so clearly. I’ll weave a few of those bits in and credit you where it helps others. And yes to the RSS feed—unsexy but mighty! ❤️
I felt it too, a kind of lurch in the body before the mind could catch up. There’s something sacred about the spaces we build online, and watching one vanish like that… it stays with you. I’m so glad you’re saving it. That’s what this is for. 💕
Thank you for putting this kit together. I've only been here for a couple of months but I publish 3 times per week, plus countless notes, and free downloadable resources. I'm going to apply this to a T! I must say that I find Substack sometimes fidgety. Lots of settings, not always clear, stats are a bit all over the place at times... Some functionalities are clunky as well. So here we are.
Thank you and I’m so glad the kit landed at just the right time for you. Publishing that often (plus notes and resources!) means you’ve already built a serious body of work—protecting it is absolutely worth the effort. And yes… “fidgety” is such a perfect word for it. You’re not alone in finding things clunky or unclear. Hopefully this gives you some calm in the chaos. 💪
How horrifying for Lucy! I have nowhere near as many subscribers and my income from here is but a small portion of my overall income, and yet, I would be panicked if all my content disappeared, so I can only imagine how Lucy is feeling.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Danusia! I've already implemented what I need and it was quick and easy.
Right? Even imagining it gives that sickening jolt. Whether you have 50 subscribers or 50,000, it’s still your voice, your archive, your labour—and losing it would be a gut punch.
I’m so glad you acted on the kit straight away. That’s exactly why I made it: quick to implement, but with real protection built in. Thank you for taking it seriously—and for holding Lucy in this with such care 🙏🏼
Exactly! So much of ME goes into the work I put out into the world – because otherwise why would I share it? It’s important to me and would be distressing to see it disappear. I have seen that Lucy is rebuilding and doing so with so much positivity and hope. I’m happy to have found and used the kit, but also happy to have stumbled on some more wonderful Substack peeps! <3
This could not have been more timely. Thank you!!! I just spent a week and a half in that disbelief and gut turning. Though I wouldn’t have lost nearly the volume your friends lost. Still, my blood sweat and tears, all my posts, my rough drafts, my podcasts, plus my 109 subscribers earned from the last 5 months. I merely changed my email address because I am moving from Gmail to Proton mail. I accidentally put the wrong domain name: @protonmail.com instead of @proton.me. Essentially it was a typo. Instead of waiting for a click in a validation email to make the change like 99.9% of all platforms, Substack changed my email to the erroneous one and locked me out of my account.
The help was a joke, too. Not only did it take days for a response, the response I got only “offered” me account deletion:
Hi there, We can't grant access to the account xxx@protonmail.com. We see you're stating that you entered a typo. SInce there's no account recovery method we can't give you access to the account or change the email address for you. This is why we offer account deletion. Hope that makes sense! Kind regards, Violet @ Substack
So I begged Proton for help, if by some crazy chance they could help me since they own the protonmail.com domain. Turns out you can create up to 10 email aliases, including those ending with “protonmail.com.” So PHEW, but clearly a glitch could put me right back there with even more to lose. Needless to say I will be following all of your thoughtful instructions.
This is wild and honestly horrifying. A single typo should never be enough to lock someone out of their work, their community, their income. That Substack’s idea of support was account deletion is beyond unacceptable.
I’m so relieved Proton gave you a backdoor (and bless them for those aliases), but that scramble should never have been necessary. Thank you so much for sharing this, it’s exactly the kind of cautionary tale others need to see. I’m so glad you’re safe for now, and following the kit going forward. You deserve better. We all do.
Thank you Danusia. I’m lurking on Substack in an effort to understand what happens here prior to starting a Substack if my own. I had a seized feeling in my chest reading about the losses people experienced and am grateful for your well-thought -out recovery steps. Thank you.
Lou, I really appreciate you saying this, especially as someone watching from the edges. That “seized” feeling? I felt it too. I’m so glad the kit offered some grounding before you get going. We need more thoughtful voices here, and I hope you start your Substack when it feels right. I’ll be cheering you on.
Hey Danusia, and everyone. It's possible to export all your posts with one click from your publication settings. The posts export with images, markups and text and are ready for re-importing to another pub or platform.
Hey Karen I’m so happy you chimed in. We do refer to this in the kit, but your post explains it so clearly and practically—it’s such a helpful companion resource. I’ll make sure to point more people directly to it. And thank you for flagging the bit about welcome emails too—easy to forget, but critical to keep. Love seeing this kind of knowledge-sharing in action.
Outstanding work, Danusia! This is precisely the kind of guide we need to help protect our work, particularly in the absence of stronger measures from Substack. With your permission, I would love to translate this into Portuguese and share it with our rapidly growing community. Of course, all credit will be given to you and properly linked to your original page. I believe it would be an invaluable resource for us. Thank you! ❤️
Yes, absolutely—you have my full permission to translate it. I’d be honoured. The more this reaches people who need it, the better. Thank you so much for helping spread the word and protect more creators. Please do send me the link once it’s live—I’d love to share it on my end too!
Done!! I’ll repeat here what I wrote there: Thank you very much for kindly allowing me to translate and share your work with our Portuguese-speaking community. I truly appreciate your generosity and the care you put into creating such a valuable resource for all of us. ❤️
Right? The fact that we even need a kit like this says it all. Until the platform steps up, we protect ourselves—and each other. Thanks for reading and sharing it!
Thank you so much—truly appreciate that. Lucy has felt so much support in this community this week, even amid the frustration. Hopefully this helps us all feel a little more secure going forward.
This post is gold—especially the bit about setting up an auto backup through Zapier. What a great idea! Thank you for putting all of this together in one place. This week has been gutwrenching to witness as a creator who has put a lot of my eggs in the Substack basket.
Thank you, Katie—I’m so glad it landed. This week’s been a jolt for so many of us who’ve poured energy and trust into this platform. That Zapier trick feels like a tiny act of defiance, doesn’t it? Quietly saying: I’m not leaving, but I’m not naïve either. Let’s keep making the basket stronger, together. 💥
Thank you so much for this. I have noticed an export posts option, but feel too scared to try it. It’s in settings right before the danger zone and it says export all data including posts, subscriber list and related data. Has anyone done this? I’d like to know it works before I try it 😬 xx
Totally fair to feel nervous, Anna—that “Danger Zone” label does not exactly scream “safe to click.” But yes, that Export All Data button is designed for backups, not deletions. It should generate a downloadable zip file with your posts, subscriber list, and other metadata.
Still, Substack gives very little preview or explanation of what’s inside—so if you try it, do it without making other changes nearby. A few creators I know of have tested it safely, but because it sits so close to account deletion, I agree it’s worth double-checking. Right now I’m unwilling to go near this. But that’s my decision.
If you do hit export, let it run its course and download the file, but maybe open it after you’ve backed up your subscriber list separately—just to feel extra secure. You’re not alone in being cautious here.
I’ve used that export option several times with no problem. You get notified when the export is done. It exports the posts too but I wouldn’t say they’re in a particularly usable format, or at least, not when I took a peek at it.
Delighted to hear that and honoured to have your fledgling publication in the fold. May it grow strong, well-protected, and gloriously glitch-resistant. If you need help with any step, just say the word.
Thank you so much and it’s hard to fathom Lucy’s loss.
IFTTT is a brilliant shout! That kind of simple automation can make all the difference when you’re busy creating and not thinking about backup. Love that you’ve already set it up. I’ll look at adding IFTTT as an option in the next update. Appreciate you sharing this!
Hi Danusia, thanks for these helpful tools and the attention on this issue! I wanted to also provide a little clarity around the circumstances that I experienced - which were the direct result of trying to set up a podcast feed on Substack for the first time. I think it's hugely relevant that these losses seem directly linked to the podcast infrastructure on Substack. Here's what happened to me:
For me, there WAS an “are you sure you want to delete this podcast” warning. I WAS sure - It was just very unclear to me that by deleting the podcast feed I’d set up on the same day (April 17th), I’d be deleting six months worth of previously posted video content which had never been intended for podcast purposes. To my knowledge, no subscriber data was wiped for me - this is a particularly devastating and urgent issue for Lucy and I hope it gets the attention it deserves.
In my case, the Substack team responded rapidly once I emailed them (the AI help bot was not helpful), and I’m super grateful that they were communicative and able to recover a handful of posts (5 out of about 30).
Sadly, it seems there is a platform-wide structural issue around how content and publication data is linked to podcasts that I’d love to see tended to.
Here’s what I’m doing in the meantime: Exporting all Substack data on a monthly basis - I’ve got a recurring date in my diary. Saving video/audio files and drafts of all written content in my personal cloud. Saving comment notification emails. The Shuffle podcast is set up as a separate section now, rather than linked to my publication as a whole, and I’ll certainly be doing a mass export and consulting Substack in advance if I decide to delete it at any point.
Chelsey, thank you so much for sharing this so clearly. It's incredibly helpful to have the detail of your case here, especially given how different the outcomes were for you and for Lucy.
That distinction—that your podcast was newly created, while Lucy’s was simply being removed from navigation—is vital. And yes, the fact that both losses trace back to Substack’s podcast infrastructure suggests a deeper, structural fragility that needs URGENT attention.
As a podcast creator myself—with more than 300 episodes over the past 8 years—I’ve deliberately chosen not to host audio on Substack for this very reason. It’s why my podcast appears via a separate Apple link in the nav bar instead. It’s clunkier, but the idea of losing that archive? I couldn’t risk it!
I’m so glad Substack responded quickly for you and that you were able to recover some posts (though even 5 out of 30 is a harsh margin). Your recovery routine is gold—especially the recurring backup, the decision to host your podcast as a separate section, and the layered storage strategy. I may add a few of those tips into the next version of the Safety Kit, with credit to you if that’s okay. Just let me know.
We absolutely need more transparency on how Substack links content, podcasts, and sections and what risks we take when tidying, deleting, or republishing. I hope this thread keeps growing with real-world stories like yours. It’s the only way we build pressure—and better tools.
Huge thanks again.
Appreciate you! Happy for you to share/add anything helpful - and I'm definitely going to get more familiar with my RSS feed based on everything above, so thank YOU!
So glad, Chelsey! Your insights added so much to this and I really appreciate the generosity in sharing your experience so clearly. I’ll weave a few of those bits in and credit you where it helps others. And yes to the RSS feed—unsexy but mighty! ❤️
Saving, thank you. I felt physically sick for Lucy.
I felt it too, a kind of lurch in the body before the mind could catch up. There’s something sacred about the spaces we build online, and watching one vanish like that… it stays with you. I’m so glad you’re saving it. That’s what this is for. 💕
Thank you for putting this kit together. I've only been here for a couple of months but I publish 3 times per week, plus countless notes, and free downloadable resources. I'm going to apply this to a T! I must say that I find Substack sometimes fidgety. Lots of settings, not always clear, stats are a bit all over the place at times... Some functionalities are clunky as well. So here we are.
Thank you and I’m so glad the kit landed at just the right time for you. Publishing that often (plus notes and resources!) means you’ve already built a serious body of work—protecting it is absolutely worth the effort. And yes… “fidgety” is such a perfect word for it. You’re not alone in finding things clunky or unclear. Hopefully this gives you some calm in the chaos. 💪
Brilliant. Thank you so much
We all need to be so careful protecting our precious work Bonnie. Hope the Kit helps you!
Great post, thank you 🙏
Hope it helps protect you and your work Jo!
How horrifying for Lucy! I have nowhere near as many subscribers and my income from here is but a small portion of my overall income, and yet, I would be panicked if all my content disappeared, so I can only imagine how Lucy is feeling.
Thank you so much for sharing this, Danusia! I've already implemented what I need and it was quick and easy.
Right? Even imagining it gives that sickening jolt. Whether you have 50 subscribers or 50,000, it’s still your voice, your archive, your labour—and losing it would be a gut punch.
I’m so glad you acted on the kit straight away. That’s exactly why I made it: quick to implement, but with real protection built in. Thank you for taking it seriously—and for holding Lucy in this with such care 🙏🏼
Exactly! So much of ME goes into the work I put out into the world – because otherwise why would I share it? It’s important to me and would be distressing to see it disappear. I have seen that Lucy is rebuilding and doing so with so much positivity and hope. I’m happy to have found and used the kit, but also happy to have stumbled on some more wonderful Substack peeps! <3
This could not have been more timely. Thank you!!! I just spent a week and a half in that disbelief and gut turning. Though I wouldn’t have lost nearly the volume your friends lost. Still, my blood sweat and tears, all my posts, my rough drafts, my podcasts, plus my 109 subscribers earned from the last 5 months. I merely changed my email address because I am moving from Gmail to Proton mail. I accidentally put the wrong domain name: @protonmail.com instead of @proton.me. Essentially it was a typo. Instead of waiting for a click in a validation email to make the change like 99.9% of all platforms, Substack changed my email to the erroneous one and locked me out of my account.
The help was a joke, too. Not only did it take days for a response, the response I got only “offered” me account deletion:
Hi there, We can't grant access to the account xxx@protonmail.com. We see you're stating that you entered a typo. SInce there's no account recovery method we can't give you access to the account or change the email address for you. This is why we offer account deletion. Hope that makes sense! Kind regards, Violet @ Substack
So I begged Proton for help, if by some crazy chance they could help me since they own the protonmail.com domain. Turns out you can create up to 10 email aliases, including those ending with “protonmail.com.” So PHEW, but clearly a glitch could put me right back there with even more to lose. Needless to say I will be following all of your thoughtful instructions.
This is wild and honestly horrifying. A single typo should never be enough to lock someone out of their work, their community, their income. That Substack’s idea of support was account deletion is beyond unacceptable.
I’m so relieved Proton gave you a backdoor (and bless them for those aliases), but that scramble should never have been necessary. Thank you so much for sharing this, it’s exactly the kind of cautionary tale others need to see. I’m so glad you’re safe for now, and following the kit going forward. You deserve better. We all do.
Oh mi! I have thought very recently that I’m using the wrong email address for my Substack. Horror story for sure. Glad you got back in!!
Thank you Danusia. I’m lurking on Substack in an effort to understand what happens here prior to starting a Substack if my own. I had a seized feeling in my chest reading about the losses people experienced and am grateful for your well-thought -out recovery steps. Thank you.
Lou, I really appreciate you saying this, especially as someone watching from the edges. That “seized” feeling? I felt it too. I’m so glad the kit offered some grounding before you get going. We need more thoughtful voices here, and I hope you start your Substack when it feels right. I’ll be cheering you on.
Hey Danusia, and everyone. It's possible to export all your posts with one click from your publication settings. The posts export with images, markups and text and are ready for re-importing to another pub or platform.
I export my posts every few months and explained exactly how to do it here: https://pubstacksuccess.substack.com/p/3-x-2-minute-jobs-to-save-your-substack
Note: welcome emails are not exported so keep a separate back up of those.
Hey Karen I’m so happy you chimed in. We do refer to this in the kit, but your post explains it so clearly and practically—it’s such a helpful companion resource. I’ll make sure to point more people directly to it. And thank you for flagging the bit about welcome emails too—easy to forget, but critical to keep. Love seeing this kind of knowledge-sharing in action.
Outstanding work, Danusia! This is precisely the kind of guide we need to help protect our work, particularly in the absence of stronger measures from Substack. With your permission, I would love to translate this into Portuguese and share it with our rapidly growing community. Of course, all credit will be given to you and properly linked to your original page. I believe it would be an invaluable resource for us. Thank you! ❤️
Yes, absolutely—you have my full permission to translate it. I’d be honoured. The more this reaches people who need it, the better. Thank you so much for helping spread the word and protect more creators. Please do send me the link once it’s live—I’d love to share it on my end too!
Done!! I’ll repeat here what I wrote there: Thank you very much for kindly allowing me to translate and share your work with our Portuguese-speaking community. I truly appreciate your generosity and the care you put into creating such a valuable resource for all of us. ❤️
Thank you for this! It’s crazy that Substack isn’t protecting our work.
Right? The fact that we even need a kit like this says it all. Until the platform steps up, we protect ourselves—and each other. Thanks for reading and sharing it!
Thank you. This is valuable information, Danusia. Appreciate having you in the Substack community.
Thank you so much—truly appreciate that. Lucy has felt so much support in this community this week, even amid the frustration. Hopefully this helps us all feel a little more secure going forward.
This post is gold—especially the bit about setting up an auto backup through Zapier. What a great idea! Thank you for putting all of this together in one place. This week has been gutwrenching to witness as a creator who has put a lot of my eggs in the Substack basket.
Thank you, Katie—I’m so glad it landed. This week’s been a jolt for so many of us who’ve poured energy and trust into this platform. That Zapier trick feels like a tiny act of defiance, doesn’t it? Quietly saying: I’m not leaving, but I’m not naïve either. Let’s keep making the basket stronger, together. 💥
Thank you so much for this. I have noticed an export posts option, but feel too scared to try it. It’s in settings right before the danger zone and it says export all data including posts, subscriber list and related data. Has anyone done this? I’d like to know it works before I try it 😬 xx
Totally fair to feel nervous, Anna—that “Danger Zone” label does not exactly scream “safe to click.” But yes, that Export All Data button is designed for backups, not deletions. It should generate a downloadable zip file with your posts, subscriber list, and other metadata.
Still, Substack gives very little preview or explanation of what’s inside—so if you try it, do it without making other changes nearby. A few creators I know of have tested it safely, but because it sits so close to account deletion, I agree it’s worth double-checking. Right now I’m unwilling to go near this. But that’s my decision.
If you do hit export, let it run its course and download the file, but maybe open it after you’ve backed up your subscriber list separately—just to feel extra secure. You’re not alone in being cautious here.
I’ve used that export option several times with no problem. You get notified when the export is done. It exports the posts too but I wouldn’t say they’re in a particularly usable format, or at least, not when I took a peek at it.
Thanks for this thorough guide. I am taking steps to safeguard my fledgling publication.
Delighted to hear that and honoured to have your fledgling publication in the fold. May it grow strong, well-protected, and gloriously glitch-resistant. If you need help with any step, just say the word.
Oh no! Poor Lucy! How gutting! Thank you for making this guide for us!
I use a tool/app called IFTTT (If this, then that) which is similar to Zapier and Make.
I have just set up a ‘recipe’ to create a new Google Doc when a new item is added to my RSS feed. That might be helpful for backing up posts.
Thank you so much and it’s hard to fathom Lucy’s loss.
IFTTT is a brilliant shout! That kind of simple automation can make all the difference when you’re busy creating and not thinking about backup. Love that you’ve already set it up. I’ll look at adding IFTTT as an option in the next update. Appreciate you sharing this!