description: Convert alert rules from data sources such as Mimir, Loki, and Prometheus into Grafana-managed alert rules. This enables you to operate and manage these rules using Grafana Alerting.
labels:
products:
- cloud
- enterprise
- oss
title: Import data source-managed rules to Grafana-managed rules
# Import data source-managed rules to Grafana-managed rules
You can convert existing alert rules from data sources such as Mimir, Loki, and Prometheus into Grafana-managed alert rules. This enables you to operate and manage these rules using Grafana Alerting.
This guide explains two methods for importing data source-managed rules:
- Using the [Grafana Alerting user interface](#import-rules-with-grafana-alerting) to import rules from connected data sources or Prometheus rule YAML files.
- Using [command-line tools](#import-rules-with-command-line-tools) like `mimirtool` and `cortextool` to import rules from YAML files.
Importing rules is a safe operation: the original data source–managed rules remain intact in their original location. During import, the rules are converted into Grafana-managed rules while preserving their configuration and behavior.
Choose the method that best fits your workflow. As a best practice, test and validate your import process before migrating all alert rules.
## How it works
When you use any of the import methods, data source–managed rules are copied to another folder as Grafana-managed rules.
The original data source–managed rules remain intact in their original location.
The copied rules are converted to Grafana-managed rules, preserving their behavior by using equivalent Grafana-managed features. The following settings are applied during the conversion:
- **Unique UIDs**
The newly created rules are assigned unique UIDs.
If you don’t want a UID to be auto-generated, you can specify one using the `__grafana_alert_rule_uid__` label.
- **Query offset**
A query offset is applied to each rule. For example, an offset of `1m` adjusts the query's time range to `To: now-1m`.
The rule query offset is taken from the `query_offset` value in the rule group configuration. If empty, it defaults to the [`rule_query_offset` configuration setting](ref:configure-grafana-rule_query_offset), which is `1m` by default.
- **Missing series evaluations to resolve**
The [Missing series evaluations to resolve](ref:missing_series_evaluations_to_resolve) setting is set to `1` to replicate Prometheus’s alert eviction behavior.
- **Rule group labels**
Labels defined at the rule group level are added as labels to each imported rule within the group.
- **Sequential evaluation**
Imported rules are evaluated sequentially within each rule group, mirroring Prometheus behavior. This differs from native Grafana-managed alert rules, where the evaluation order is not enforced. For more details, refer to [evaluation strategies](ref:evaluation-strategies).
- **Feature compatibility**
The rule group `limit` option and the `query` function within alert rule templates are not currently supported in Grafana-managed rules. If the `limit` option is present, the import fails. However, rules with `query` in templates are imported.
{{<admonitiontype="note">}}
Rules with the label `__grafana_origin` are not included in rule imports. These rules are typically created by apps such as **Kubernetes Monitoring**, **Synthetic Monitoring**, and other **Grafana plugins**.
{{</admonition>}}
## Import rules with Grafana Alerting
You can use the Grafana Alerting user interface to import rules from the following sources:
- Connected Mimir and Loki data sources with the ruler API enabled
- Prometheus YAML rule files
Imported rules using this method are editable in the user interface. Like regular Grafana-managed rules, you can later export them for provisioning.
#### Before you begin
To use Grafana Alerting to migrate rules, you need the following [RBAC permissions](/docs/grafana/latest/administration/roles-and-permissions/access-control/):
The Folders permission is optional and only necessary if you want to create new folders for your target namespace. If your account doesn't have permissions to view a namespace, the tool creates a new one.
To convert data source-managed alert rules to Grafana managed alerts:
1. Go to **Alerting > Alert rules**.
2. Navigate to the Data source-managed alert rules section and click **Import to Grafana-managed rules**.
3. Choose the **Import source** from which you want to import rules:
- Select **Existing data source-managed rules** to import rules from connected Mimir or Loki data sources with the ruler API enabled.
- Select **Prometheus YAML file** to import rules by uploading a Prometheus YAML rule file.
4. In the **Data source** dropdown, select the data source that the imported alert rules will query.
5. (Optional) In Additional settings, select a target folder or designate a new folder to import the rules into.
If you import the rules into an existing folder, don't choose a folder with existing alert rules, as they could get overwritten.
6. (Optional) Select a Namespace and/or Group to determine which rules are imported.
7. (Optional) Turn on **Pause imported alerting rules**.
Pausing stops alert rule evaluation and doesn’t create any alert instances for the newly created Grafana-managed alert rules.
8. (Optional) Turn on **Pause imported recording rules**.
Pausing stops alert rule evaluation behavior for the newly created Grafana-managed alert rules.
9. (Optional) In the **Target data source** of the **Recording rules** section, you can select the data source that the imported recording rules will query. By default, it is the data source selected in the **Data source** dropdown.
10. Click **Import**.
A preview shows the rules that will be imported. If your target folder contains folders with the same name of the imported folders, a warning displays to inform you. You can explore the warning to see a list of folders that might be overwritten.
Click **Yes, import** to import the rules.
## Import rules with command-line tools
You can also use command-line tools to import data source-managed rules as Grafana-managed rules: use `mimirtool` for Mimir and Prometheus rules, and `cortextool` for Loki rules.
Both tools provide `rules` commands to import rules groups. For example:
-`rules load` can import rule groups from files.
-`rules sync` can read rule files and applies only the differences compared to existing Grafana-managed rules. This is useful for automation workflows and pipelines.
By default, rules imported using the API or command-line tools are **Provisioned** and not editable in the user interface. To make them editable, enable the [X-Disable-Provenance](#x-disable-provenance) header.
#### Before you begin
You need to have installed [`mimirtool`](/docs/mimir/latest/manage/tools/mimirtool/) or [`cortextool`](https://github.com/grafana/cortex-tools) (version `0.11.3` or later).
You need a service account with the following [RBAC permissions](/docs/grafana/latest/administration/roles-and-permissions/access-control/):
You need to a service account token with your service account. For more details, refer to [service accounts and service account tokens](/docs/grafana/latest/administration/service-accounts/).
### mimirtool
To convert and import them into a Grafana instance, you can use the `mimirtool rules load` command:
This command imports Prometheus alert rules defined in `rule_file.yaml` as Grafana-managed alert rules. It's important to know that:
1. When using the `<GRAFANA_BASE_URL>/api/convert/` endpoint, `mimirtool` interacts with Grafana—not with a Mimir instance. In this case, `MIMIR_TENANT_ID` must always be set to `1`.
1. The [`X-Grafana-Alerting-Datasource-UID` header](#x-grafana-alerting-datasource-uid) configures the data source that the imported alert rules will query. Use multiple `--extra-headers` flags to include other [optional headers](#optional-headers).
Similarly, the `rules sync` command can import and update Grafana-managed alert rules.
The `--concurrency` flag must be set to `1`, as the default value of `8` may cause API errors.
This `sync` command reads rules from the file, compares them with the existing Grafana-managed rules in the instance, and applies only the differences—creating, updating, or deleting rules as needed.
```output
## Sync Summary: 0 Groups Created, 1 Groups Updated, 0 Groups Deleted
```
For more information other Mimirtool commands and options, see the [Mimirtool documentation](/docs/mimir/latest/manage/tools/mimirtool/#rules) and the [Mimir HTTP Rule API documentation](/docs/mimir/latest/references/http-api/#ruler-rules:~:text=config/v1/rules-,Get%20rule%20groups%20by%20namespace,DELETE%20%3Cprometheus%2Dhttp%2Dprefix%3E/config/v1/rules/%7Bnamespace%7D,-Delete%20tenant%20configuration).
### cortextool
For Loki alert rules, use [`cortextool`](https://github.com/grafana/cortex-tools) (version `0.11.3` or later) with the `--backend=loki` flag. For example:
Additional configuration headers for more granular import control include the following:
#### `X-Disable-Provenance`
When this header is set to `true`:
- The imported rules are not marked as provisioned.
- They can then be edited in the Grafana UI.
- They are excluded from the `GET` and `DELETE` operations on the [`/api/convert` endpoints](#compatible-endpoints).
Do not enable this header when using the `rules sync` command, as it relies on the `GET` and `DELETE` operations to detect and update existing rules.
#### `X-Grafana-Alerting-Alert-Rules-Paused`
Set to `true` to import alert rules in paused state.
#### `X-Grafana-Alerting-Recording-Rules-Paused`
Set to `true` to import recording rules in paused state.
#### `X-Grafana-Alerting-Datasource-UID`
The UID of the data source to use for alert rule queries.
#### `X-Grafana-Alerting-Target-Datasource-UID`
The UID of the target data source for recording rules. If not specified, the value from `X-Grafana-Alerting-Datasource-UID` is used.
#### `X-Grafana-Alerting-Folder-UID`
Enter the UID of the target destination folder for imported rules.
#### `X-Grafana-Alerting-Notification-Settings`
JSON-encoded [`AlertRuleNotificationSettings` object](#alertrulenotificationsettings-object) that allows setting the contact point for the alert rules.
| `receiver` | `string` | Yes | `"grafana-default-email"` | Name of the contact point (receiver) to which alerts are routed. Must exist in Grafana before import. |
| `group_by` | `[]string` | No | `["alertname","grafana_folder","cluster"]` | Label set used by Alertmanager to aggregate alerts into a single notification. |
| `group_wait` | `duration` | No | `"30s"` | How long Alertmanager waits before sending the first notification for a new group. |
| `group_interval` | `duration` | No | `"5m"` | Time to wait before adding new alerts to an existing group's next notification. |
| `repeat_interval` | `duration` | No | `"4h"` | Minimum time before a previously-sent notification is repeated. Must not be less than `group_interval`. |
| `mute_time_intervals` | `[]string` | No | `["maintenance"]` | One or more mute time interval names that silence alerts during those windows. |
| `active_time_intervals` | `[]string` | No | `["maintenance"]` | List of active time interval names. Alerts are suppressed unless the current time matches one of them. |
The API endpoints listed in this section are supported in Grafana and are used by `mimirtool` and `cortextool`, as shown earlier. These endpoints are compatible with [Mimir HTTP API](/docs/mimir/latest/references/http-api/).
The `POST` endpoints can be used to import data source–managed alert rules. They accept requests in both YAML and JSON. If no media type is specified, YAML is assumed.
| POST | `/convert/prometheus/config/v1/rules` | [Create or update multiple rule groups](#create-or-update-multiple-rule-groups) across multiple namespaces. Requires [`X-Grafana-Alerting-Datasource-UID`](#x-grafana-alerting-datasource-uid). | None |
| POST | `/convert/prometheus/config/v1/rules/:namespaceTitle` | Create or update a single rule group in a namespace. Requires [`X-Grafana-Alerting-Datasource-UID`](#x-grafana-alerting-datasource-uid). | [Set rule group](/docs/mimir/latest/references/http-api/#set-rule-group) |
The `GET` and `DELETE` endpoints work only with provisioned and imported alert rules. All `GET` endpoints support both JSON and YAML response formats based on the `Accept` header: use `application/json` for JSON responses, or `application/yaml` for YAML responses. YAML is the default format when no `Accept` header is specified.
| GET | `/convert/prometheus/config/v1/rules` | Get all imported rule groups across all namespaces. | [List rule groups](/docs/mimir/latest/references/http-api/#list-rule-groups) |
| GET | `/convert/prometheus/config/v1/rules/:namespaceTitle` | Get imported rule groups in a specific namespace. | [Get rule groups by namespace](/docs/mimir/latest/references/http-api/#get-rule-groups-by-namespace) |
| GET | `/convert/prometheus/config/v1/rules/:namespaceTitle/:group` | Get imported rule group in a specific namespace. | [Get rule group](/docs/mimir/latest/references/http-api/#get-rule-group) |
| DELETE | `/convert/prometheus/config/v1/rules/:namespaceTitle` | Delete all imported alert rules in a namespace. | [Delete namespace](/docs/mimir/latest/references/http-api/#delete-namespace) |
| DELETE | `/convert/prometheus/config/v1/rules/:namespaceTitle/:group` | Delete a specific imported rule group. | [Delete rule group](/docs/mimir/latest/references/http-api/#delete-rule-group) |
#### Create or update multiple rule groups
```
POST /convert/prometheus/config/v1/rules
```
Creates or updates multiple rule groups across multiple namespaces. This endpoint expects a request with a map of namespace titles to arrays of rule groups, and returns `202` on success.
This endpoint has no Mimir equivalent and is Grafana-specific for bulk operations.
