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How to Build a Personal Reading Workflow With OPML: Export, Import, Syncing

If you’ve ever switched RSS readers, rebuilt your information diet, or tried to sync subscriptions across multiple devices, you’ve likely seen OPML files. But many creators, bloggers, and power users still ask:

  • “What exactly is an OPML file?”
  • “How do I use OPML to manage my subscriptions?”
  • “How can I sync my feed list across apps?”
  • “Do OPML files work with Atom, RSS, or both?”

OPML is one of the simplest yet most powerful tools in the open-web ecosystem. It allows you to export, import, back up, and organize entire sets of feeds with a single file — making it easy to migrate between apps, rebuild reading workflows, or share curated lists publicly.

This guide walks you through everything you need to build a fast, reliable, and portable reading workflow powered by OPML.

What Is OPML?

OPML (Outline Processor Markup Language) is a lightweight XML standard used to represent outlines. Over the years, it became the universal format for:

  • Exporting lists of RSS feeds
  • Importing subscriptions into a new reader
  • Backing up personal reading lists
  • Sharing curated collections of blogs or podcasts
  • Syncing large feed bundles between devices

OPML supports hierarchical “folders” as nested outlines, making it easy to organize feeds by category or topic.

A typical OPML snippet looks like:

<outline text="Tech Blogs">
  <outline text="Stratechery" type="rss" xmlUrl="https://stratechery.com/feed"/>
  <outline text="Daring Fireball" type="rss" xmlUrl="https://daringfireball.net/feeds/main"/>
</outline>

This simple format is why OPML remains the backbone of feed portability in 2025.

Why OPML Still Matters in 2025

Even with modern platforms like Substack, YouTube, newsletters, and AI-generated digests, OPML continues to be the most universal and open standard for managing independent content sources.

Long-tail search data shows users ask:

  • “How do I export OPML from my reader?”

  • “How do I import OPML into Inoreader/Feedly/NetNewsWire?”

  • “How do I sync OPML automatically?”

  • “How do I migrate from one RSS app to another?”

OPML solves all of these problems elegantly.

Key advantages:

✔ Works with RSS and Atom feeds

✔ App-agnostic (works across every major reader)

✔ Small, portable, and human-readable

✔ Excellent for backups and migrations

✔ Supports folder hierarchies for organization

✔ Ideal for power-user reading workflows

If you care about owning your reading list rather than locking it into one platform, OPML is essential.

Core Components of a Reading Workflow Powered by OPML

A full OPML workflow usually includes:

  1. Exporting your current feed list

  2. Organizing or pruning the list

  3. Importing the file into new apps

  4. Syncing subscriptions across devices

  5. Backing up your reading list

  6. Sharing curated OPML bundles

  7. Automating updates or merges

We’ll cover each step in detail.

1. How to Export an OPML File

Nearly every serious RSS/Atom reader supports OPML export.

  • Feedly

  • Inoreader

  • NetNewsWire

  • Reeder

  • NewsBlur

  • FreshRSS

  • Miniflux

  • BazQux

Why export your OPML?

  • Create a backup of your subscription list

  • Move to a new feed reader

  • Clean up old, dead, or duplicate feeds

  • Build a portable reading workflow

  • Share your list with others

Example: Exporting from Feedly

  1. Go to Settings > Organize Sources

  2. Click Export OPML

  3. Save subscriptions.opml

Example: Exporting from NetNewsWire

  1. Select File → Export Subscriptions

  2. Save as feeds.opml

Exporting creates a single XML file containing all your subscriptions and folders.

2. How to Organize Your OPML File

OPML allows you to structure your reading list with nested <outline> tags.

You can manually edit the file in any text editor or use an OPML editor. Long-tail searches like “organize OPML feeds”, “edit OPML outline”, or “clean up OPML file” reflect this need.

Tips for organizing:

  • Group feeds into meaningful categories

  • Remove inactive or dead feeds

  • Standardize naming conventions

  • Fix malformed URLs

  • Merge duplicate feeds

  • Add comments or metadata (allowed in some readers)

A well-organized OPML file makes migrating or syncing much smoother.

3. How to Import an OPML File Into Any Reader

OPML import is the foundation of feed portability.

Import steps are almost universal:

  1. Open your reader’s settings

  2. Choose Import OPML

  3. Upload your .opml file

  4. Choose whether to merge or replace your list

Example: Importing into Inoreader

  1. Settings → Import, Export & Backup

  2. Select your OPML file

  3. Choose Import folders & feeds

Example: Importing into Reeder

  1. Open Accounts

  2. Select your service or “Local”

  3. Import OPML

Within seconds, your entire reading list is replicated into the new app.

4. Syncing Your Feed List Across Devices Using OPML

One of the most searched OPML-related questions is:

“How do I sync my feed list automatically across devices?”

There are two main approaches:

Approach A: Use a Hosting Service That Handles Syncing (Most Reliable)

Services like:

  • Inoreader

  • Feedly

  • NewsBlur

  • Miniflux

  • FreshRSS (self-hosted)

…synchronize your feed list automatically across all devices.

Workflow:

  • Import OPML once

  • App handles syncing from that point forward

This is the easiest and most reliable approach.

Approach B: Use OPML Syncing Tools (More Technical)

Several tools allow you to sync OPML files via:

  • GitHub

  • Dropbox

  • iCloud

  • WebDAV

  • A self-hosted server

Some apps can monitor an OPML file and update automatically when it changes.

This method appeals to technical users who prefer self-hosting or maintaining a custom reading stack.

5. Using OPML for Backups

OPML is perfect for backing up your reading list because:

  • It’s tiny (often <50 KB)

  • It’s human-readable

  • It’s universal

  • It’s stable and forward-compatible

Best practice:

  • Export your OPML monthly

  • Store versions in cloud storage

  • Keep one offline backup

Even if a service shuts down or bugs corrupt your account, OPML ensures your feed list remains portable.

6. Sharing Curated OPML Bundles

Creators increasingly publish OPML bundles such as:

  • “My favorite tech blogs”

  • “50 newsletters worth reading in 2025”

  • “Top philosophy & humanities feeds”

  • “My podcast listening list”

This is a long-tail use case with growing search volume: “share OPML list”, “curated OPML feed list”, “best OPML files to follow”.

Benefits:

  • One-click subscription bundles

  • Easy distribution

  • Cross-platform compatibility

  • Great for content communities

Many podcasts, bloggers, and newsletter authors now publish OPML files alongside their websites.

7. Advanced OPML Techniques (for Power Users)

Once you get comfortable, OPML can power more sophisticated workflows.

✔ Merge multiple OPML files

Useful if you maintain separate personal + work reading lists.

✔ Use OPML to bootstrap new reading apps

Start every new app with a clean, organized subscription list.

✔ Use GitHub to version-control your OPML

Perfect for public “awesome feeds” lists.

✔ Programmatically generate OPML

Great for:

  • curated lists

  • automated bundles

  • enterprise reading portals

✔ Combine OPML with feed validators

Catch:

  • dead feeds

  • redirects

  • non-standard RSS/Atom structures

Tools like CorrectFeed can help keep these lists healthy and up-to-date.

Example of a Clean, Modern OPML File

Here’s a full example of a high-quality OPML outlining a curated reading workflow:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<opml version="2.0">
  <head>
    <title>My 2025 Reading List</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <outline text="Tech News">
      <outline text="Platformer" type="rss" xmlUrl="https://www.platformer.news/feed"/>
      <outline text="The Verge" type="rss" xmlUrl="https://www.theverge.com/rss/index.xml"/>
    </outline>
    <outline text="Business & Strategy">
      <outline text="Stratechery" type="rss" xmlUrl="https://stratechery.com/feed/"/>
      <outline text="Ben's Bites" type="rss" xmlUrl="https://www.bensbites.co/rss/"/>
    </outline>
    <outline text="Podcasts">
      <outline text="Acquired" type="rss" xmlUrl="https://feeds.acquired.fm/acquired"/>
      <outline text="Invest Like the Best" type="rss" xmlUrl="https://rss.art19.com/invest-like-the-best"/>
    </outline>
  </body>
</opml>

This structure:

  • Organizes feeds into clear folders

  • Uses consistent naming

  • Includes clean URLs

  • Ensures compatibility across all major readers

Best Practices for a Smooth OPML Workflow

Follow these recommendations to keep your workflow portable and maintainable:

✔ Keep folder names simple and descriptive

✔ Remove dead or redirecting feeds regularly

✔ Back up OPML monthly

✔ Validate your feed list with a tool before importing

✔ Use Git or cloud sync if you modify your OPML often

✔ Keep your OPML UTF-8 encoded

✔ Don’t rely on one platform — OPML gives you portability

These habits ensure your reading setup scales smoothly over time.

Final Thoughts: OPML Is the Backbone of a Portable Reading Workflow

OPML remains one of the most important standards for content enthusiasts, bloggers, podcasters, and power users who want control over their subscription lists.

With OPML, you can:

  • Export all your feeds in seconds

  • Import them into any reader

  • Sync subscriptions across devices

  • Organize your reading workflow

  • Build curated bundles

  • Migrate between platforms effortlessly

In a world of closed platforms, OPML keeps your reading list open, flexible, and portable.

If you want to go even further, tools like CorrectFeed can validate your feeds, check for dead URLs, keep your lists healthy, and help you publish curated OPML bundles with confidence.