GDPR-compliant user data export refers to providing individuals, upon their request, with a copy of their personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format. This fulfills the 'right to data portability' under the General Data Protection Regulation. It means exporting the data you hold about that specific user in a way that allows them to easily transfer it to another service, typically without excessive cost or delay, using formats like CSV or JSON.

A common example is a social media platform allowing a user to download their entire profile information, posts, and connections list. Similarly, a cloud storage provider might export a user's file metadata and account settings upon request, enabling migration to a competitor's service. Financial institutions and e-commerce sites also implement this to provide transaction histories or purchase records.

The main advantages are enhanced user control and transparency, fostering trust. It also encourages competition between service providers. Key limitations include the complexity of exporting highly interconnected data or anonymized datasets, and the need to ensure only the requesting individual's data is included. Businesses must implement secure mechanisms for these exports, prioritizing data encryption during transfer, to safeguard sensitive information.