diff --git a/quikey/importer.py b/quikey/importer.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a2dccc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/quikey/importer.py
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+import os
+import logging
+import json
+
+def PhraseFind(location):
+    filedict = {}
+    for r, d, f in os.walk(location):
+        for file in f:
+            if ".txt" in file:
+                filepath = os.path.join(r, file)
+                filejson = os.path.join(r, "." + file[:-4] + ".json")
+                #if filejson doesn't exist, skip that file on import
+                if not os.path.isfile(filejson):
+                    logging.error("json config file does not exist for %s ... Skipping import on this key!" % filepath)
+                    continue
+                else:
+                    with open(filejson) as openfile:
+                        try:
+                            filedata = json.load(openfile)
+                        except json.JSONDecodeError:
+                            logging.error("Invalid json detected on %s. Skipping import on this key." % filejson)
+                            continue
+                    #check if the 'type' setting is a phrase. If it isn't then skip it
+                    if (filedata.get('type') == "phrase"):
+                        modes = filedata.get('modes')
+                        #modes in autohotkey are 1 for abbreviation, 3 for hotkey. Use this to check what we want to message
+                        if sum(modes) == 1:
+                            abbreviation = filedata.get('abbreviation', {}).get('abbreviations')
+                            logging.info('Importing %s.' % (filepath))
+                        elif sum(modes) == 4:
+                            abbreviation = filedata.get('abbreviation', {}).get('abbreviations')
+                            logging.warning('Modes for %s are both abbreviation and hotkey. Using abbreviation for import' % filepath)
+                        elif sum(modes) == 3:
+                            #there are too many invalid hotkeys, such as F keys. Skip these for now
+                            logging.warning('Mode for %s is hotkey. Please manually add this phrase with an abbreviation, or change from hotkey to abbreviation.' % filepath)
+                            continue
+                        else:
+                            logging.error('Could not auto-detect mode for %s - please manually import this phrase.' % filepath)
+                            continue
+                        with open(filepath) as phrasefile:
+                            value = phrasefile.read()
+                        if len(abbreviation) > 1:
+                            print("Multiple abbreviations were found. Please select which number you would like to use and hit enter.\n")
+                            for entry in abbreviation:
+                                print(1 + abbreviation.index(entry), end=" ")
+                                print(entry)
+                            while True:
+                                try:
+                                    abbreviationselection = int(input("Your selection: ")) - 1
+                                    key = abbreviation[abbreviationselection]
+                                except IndexError:
+                                    print("%s is not a valid selection, please pick a valid entry number." % abbreviationselection)
+                                    continue
+                                except ValueError:
+                                    print("Selection must be a number, please try again.")
+                                    continue
+                                else:
+                                    break
+                        else:
+                            key = abbreviation[0]
+                        filedict[key] = value
+                    else:
+                        print("%s is not a 'phrase' type. Skipping import on this key!" % filepath)
+                        continue
+    return filedict
diff --git a/quikey/quikey.py b/quikey/quikey.py
index 2697735..8b8d21e 100755
--- a/quikey/quikey.py
+++ b/quikey/quikey.py
@@ -5,11 +5,14 @@
 import humanize
 import signal
 import os
+import logging
 
 from quikey.models import Database
 from quikey.directories import AppDirectories
 from quikey.version import __version__
 from quikey.autostart import enableAutostart, disableAutostart
+from quikey.importer import PhraseFind
+from xdg import BaseDirectory
 import subprocess
 
 MARKER = '''
@@ -95,6 +98,35 @@ def ls(ctx, show_all):
     output = AsciiTable(table)
     click.echo(output.table)
 
+@cli.command()
+@click.option('--location', '-l', default=BaseDirectory.xdg_config_home+"/autokey/data/", show_default=True, help='Location of top level directory to import from autokey')
+@click.pass_context
+def keyimport(ctx,location):
+    tags = ['autokey-imports']
+    db = ctx.obj['database']
+    importfiles = PhraseFind(location)
+    for key in importfiles:
+        contents = None
+        if importfiles[key] is not None:
+            if db.get(key) is not None:
+                click.echo('quikey phrase with key of %s already exists' % key)
+                continue
+            else:
+                contents = importfiles[key]
+        else:
+            if db.get(key) is not None:
+                click.echo('quikey phrase with key of %s already exists' % key)
+                continue
+            else:
+                contents = click.edit('\n\n'+MARKER)
+                if contents is not None:
+                    contents = contents.split(MARKER, 1)[0].rstrip('\n')
+                else:
+                    click.echo('quikey phrase with key of %s not added' % key)
+                    continue
+        db.put(key, contents, tags)
+        click.echo('quikey phrase with key of %s added.' % key)
+
 @cli.command()
 def version():
     click.echo("quikey %s" % __version__)