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Export Air Quality Data

Use Visualization & Data Export to select AirQo monitoring locations, configure the data you need, review the result, and download it as CSV, Excel, PDF, or JSON.

Important: finer-than-hourly data​

Finer-than-hourly readings require the direct API

The Nexus export workflow is not the supported path for finer-than-hourly sensor downloads. If you need a resolution finer than hourly, including raw or minute-level readings, use the direct raw-data API endpoint instead.

The Nexus Raw data type or Raw frequency option does not replace the direct API workflow for sub-hourly readings. The API raw-data response is uncalibrated and requires a secret API token plus a Standard Tier subscription or above.

Before you begin​

  • Sign in: You must be authenticated in Nexus.
  • Permission: In an organization workspace, your role must include Data Export. If the permission is missing, the Review & Download action may not appear.
  • Data availability: If the selected locations have no readings for the requested filters, Nexus can still download location metadata. A metadata-only file uses a -metadata suffix.
  • Supported formats: The sidebar starts with CSV or JSON. CSV continues to a format picker for CSV, Excel, or PDF; JSON downloads directly.

Open the export page​

  1. Sign in to AirQo Nexus.
  2. Open the workspace sidebar.
  3. Select Visualization & Data Export.
WorkspaceURL
Individualhttps://nexus.airqo.net/user/data-export
Organizationhttps://nexus.airqo.net/org/<your-org>/data-export

Organization workspaces show Sites and Devices. Individual workspaces also show Countries and Cities.

The page at a glance​

Data Export page with location tabs, selection table, configuration sidebar, and review action

  1. Help banner: Open the in-product tutorial when you need a guided tour.
  2. Location tabs: Choose Sites, Devices, Countries, or Cities.
  3. Selection table: Search, paginate, and select the rows to include.
  4. Export Configuration: Set the title, device category, data type, pollutants, frequency, file type, and date range.
  5. Visualize Data: Open an insights chart for selected locations.
  6. Review & Download: Preview the selection, configure columns, and start the download.

Step 1: Select locations​

Location tabs​

TabWhat it selectsAvailability
SitesIndividual monitoring locationsIndividual and organization
DevicesIndividual devices and their categoriesIndividual and organization
CountriesA country and its monitoring sitesIndividual only
CitiesA city and its monitoring sitesIndividual only

Search filters the current tab. The table shows 10 rows per page by default. The header checkbox selects the current page only; it does not select every row across all pages.

Selections persist when you change pages or tabs. Review & Download (N) displays the count for the active tab. Select Clear All to remove every selection across all tabs.

Customize a country or city​

Selecting a country or city includes its sites by default. A summary card shows how many sites are included.

Selected grid summary showing included sites and the Customize Sites action

  1. Select Customize Sites or Modify Sites on the summary card.
  2. Search by site name, city, or country.
  3. Use Select All, Deselect All, or individual checkboxes.
  4. Select the footer action to confirm the selected sites.

Customize Sites dialog with search, bulk selection, site checkboxes, and confirmation action

This is the recommended way to export only part of a city or country.

Step 2: Configure the export​

Export Configuration sidebar on the Devices tab

File title​

Optional. Enter a short name such as kampala-pm25-january. If you leave it blank, Nexus generates a name from the export dates.

Device category​

This control is active on the Devices tab. The available categories are:

CategoryValueBehavior
Low Cost SensorlowcostStandard low-cost sensor selection.
Reference MonitorbamForces Data Type to Raw.
MobilemobileRestricts Frequency to Raw.
GasgasGas-device selection.

On Sites, Countries, and Cities, the device category control is disabled.

Data type​

Data Type describes how the measurement is processed:

  • Raw: Unprocessed sensor output.
  • Averaged: Averaged readings.
  • Calibrated: Quality-adjusted readings where available.
  • Consolidated: Consolidated data for the selected request.

Reference monitors always use Raw. Remember that Data Type and Frequency are separate choices: Raw data type does not mean minute-level frequency.

Pollutants​

Choose at least one pollutant:

  • PM2.5 - fine particulate matter.
  • PM10 - particulate matter with a larger aerodynamic diameter.

The selected pollutants affect the columns available in the preview and downloaded file.

Frequency​

Frequency controls the time resolution or aggregation of the exported readings.

FrequencyMeaningMaximum range per request
RawNexus raw-frequency option; use the direct API for finer-than-hourly data31 days
HourlyOne hourly aggregation90 days
DailyOne daily aggregation365 days
WeeklyOne weekly aggregation365 days
MonthlyOne monthly aggregation365 days
YearlyOne yearly aggregation365 days

The available frequency options depend on the device category. Mobile devices are restricted to Raw. Other categories normally offer Hourly through Yearly.

Need data finer than hourly?

Use the direct Raw Sensor Data API. It provides raw, minute-level readings through the raw-data endpoint. The direct API is the supported approach for sub-hourly downloads; do not rely on the Nexus export page's Raw data-type label for this use case.

File type​

  • CSV: Continues through the review step and then lets you choose CSV, Excel, or PDF.
  • JSON: Downloads directly after confirmation and skips the format picker.

Date range​

The default range is the last seven days. Nexus validates the range against the selected frequency and blocks requests that exceed the limit in the table above. For long periods, choose a coarser frequency or split the export into valid date ranges.

Step 3: Review and choose columns​

Select Review & Download (N) to open the preview.

Export Preview dialog with metadata, configuration summary, column configuration, and confirmation action

The preview shows:

  • The selected locations and their metadata.
  • The export configuration, including data type, frequency, response format, date range, and selected columns.
  • A Configure columns control.
  • A Data May Be Incomplete notice. This is informational and is always shown; it warns that readings can contain gaps or may be absent for the selected filters.

Configure columns​

Configure columns menu with selected-column count and grouped fields

All available columns start selected. Use the column picker to remove fields you do not need. Groups can include:

  • Location: Site or device name.
  • Core data: Date and time, frequency, and sensor manufacturer.
  • Metadata: Latitude, longitude, temperature, and humidity when available.
  • Pollutants: The PM2.5 and PM10 fields selected in the export configuration.

At least one column must remain selected before downloading.

If there are no measurements, Nexus changes the primary action to a metadata-only download. The resulting file confirms the selected locations but does not contain measurement rows.

Step 4: Choose a download format​

When the sidebar File Type is CSV, confirming the preview opens the format picker.

Download format dialog with CSV, Excel, and PDF choices

  • CSV: One file containing all rows. Best for analysis and data exchange.
  • Excel: One worksheet per selected location. Available when at least two locations are selected.
  • PDF: A formatted summary. Large exports may be rejected; use CSV for large analytical datasets.
  • JSON: Selected directly in the sidebar and downloaded without this dialog.

Default filenames use the export dates. A custom File Title replaces the default base name, and metadata-only downloads add -metadata.

Visualize selected data​

Select rows and then choose Visualize Data to open Air Quality Insights. Use it to check selected locations, choose a pollutant and date range, and inspect a trend before downloading.

Air Quality Insights dialog with location selection and a trend chart

Selecting a table row can also open that site's details page, where you can review its current reading, recent trend, forecast, and health guidance.

Troubleshooting​

IssueWhat to do
Review & Download is disabledSelect a date range, at least one location, and at least one pollutant.
Review & Download is not visibleAsk an organization administrator to grant the Data Export permission.
The date range is too largeUse the frequency-specific maximum: 31 days for Raw, 90 for Hourly, or 365 for Daily and coarser frequencies.
A country or city has no sites selectedOpen Customize Sites and select at least one site, or deselect the grid.
The download contains only metadataThe selected filters returned no measurements. Try another period, location, pollutant, or data type.
PDF is too largeReduce the date range or columns, or choose CSV.
Download failsRetry once. If the problem continues, reduce the request size and check your connection.
Selection count looks wrongThe count in the header reflects the active tab; selections on other tabs remain stored.
  • Give each export a descriptive File Title.
  • Keep only the columns you need.
  • Use CSV for large data analysis and Excel for a smaller, per-location workbook.
  • Use JSON when another application or script consumes the response.
  • Use Visualize Data before a large download to confirm that the selected locations are reporting.
  • Split long requests according to the frequency-specific limits.
  • Use the direct Raw Sensor Data API for finer-than-hourly or minute-level data.