Use Tools → Backups to set up an encryption phrase and schedule daily backups. After setup, check that a completed backup contains the data you expect and has been copied offsite when remote storage is configured.
Keep your recovery phrase somewhere you can reach even if this site is unavailable. A backup file alone is not enough to recover encrypted data.
Check access and backup contents
Open Tools → Backups. You need backup settings access to complete setup and change the schedule. Running or downloading a backup requires backup operations access. Ask your administrator to check your feature access if the relevant controls are unavailable.
Backups contain an encrypted database dump and a manifest describing the backup. Vault and native mail archives are included when those services' backup locations are configured. The downloadable .zip packages these files together; the data artifacts inside it are encrypted.
Do not assume the bundle includes every file or service connected to your site. Check Contents, Vault snapshot, and Native mail snapshot in the schedule's Backup details, then confirm the contents of an actual completed backup. If a required snapshot says Not configured, ask your site operator to configure its backup location.
Save the encryption phrase
If Backup encryption phrase required appears, complete the one-time setup before using the regular backup controls.
For a new phrase:
- Select Create new. This creates the phrase and enables scheduled backups using the current schedule settings.
- On Save your backup encryption phrase, copy the phrase into a password manager or another secure recovery location that is independent of this site.
- Confirm I have saved this encryption phrase somewhere safe.
- Select Finish setup, then review the daily time and timezone under Schedule.
The phrase is shown only during this setup step. Finish setup closes the phrase screen; it is not proof that a backup has completed. Do not leave the screen until you have saved the phrase.
If you already have a phrase from a previous deployment, select Use existing phrase, enter it in Existing backup encryption phrase, and select Save phrase. That phrase becomes the phrase used for new backups on this site, and scheduled backups are enabled. Saving it does not upload or restore any older bundle.
Enter an existing phrase directly in the signed-in setup form. Do not send it in a support message or assistant conversation. Retain the phrases needed for older backup files as well as the current phrase.
Configure offsite storage
A backup stored only on the same server may be unavailable if that server fails. Check Offsite storage under Schedule → Backup details.
If it says Not configured (local-only), use Open storage settings from the backup warning to reach the Storage settings. Configure the appropriate remote object storage connection, or ask your site operator to do so. See Connecting and managing service providers for the storage controls and their explicit Save workflow.
After configuration, return to Backups and check that Offsite storage shows the expected destination. Then verify the origin on a completed backup:
- Local only means that backup has only a local copy.
- Remote only means that backup is available from remote storage.
- Local + remote means it has both copies.
A configured destination is not proof that an upload succeeded. Confirm the backup itself shows a remote copy. Do not assume changing storage settings copied all older local backups to the new destination.
Set the daily schedule
- Select Schedule to open Daily backup schedule.
- Turn on Automatic daily backups if it is off.
- Set Daily backup time and choose Timezone. The schedule follows the saved timezone, so check it even if the displayed time looks correct.
- Wait for Saved just now. Schedule changes autosave; there is no separate Save button.
- Select Close, then reopen Schedule to confirm the stored time, timezone, and enabled state.
If saving fails, use Try again to retry or Discard changes to return to the last loaded settings. Unsaved changes or a save error means the selected values should not yet be treated as the active schedule.
A newly enabled schedule has a 24-hour grace period before its first automatic backup becomes due if no backup has run since enablement. It may therefore not run at the first daily time immediately after setup. After a backup has run, the normal daily schedule applies.
If you need a restore point sooner, Backup now starts a manual backup. Wait for that operation to complete before treating it as a usable restore point.
Confirm automatic backups are succeeding
After the first scheduled run is due, return to Tools → Backups and check the result.
Scheduled backup in progress means the operation is still running. Backup completed identifies a finished run; check that a new entry appears in Available backups with the expected creation time.
For that entry, review its size, contents, retention tier, and origin. If you require offsite recovery, confirm Local + remote or Remote only. If you require Vault or native mail recovery, confirm those artifacts are listed.
Continue checking that new restore points appear over time. An enabled switch shows the intended schedule, not a history of successful runs. A completed backup also does not replace a restore test performed in a suitable recovery environment.
Review retention and pause the schedule
Cedros retains your configured number of recent daily snapshots, along with selected recovery points from approximately two weeks and one month ago. The total number shown may be greater than the daily count, and a newly configured site will not yet have those older recovery points.
Use Review retention on the backup list to review the daily count, or see Setting data-retention periods. Preserve any restore points you need before reducing retention.
To stop future scheduled runs, open Schedule, turn off Automatic daily backups, and wait for the save confirmation. Turning the schedule off is not a delete action for existing backups, and it does not cancel a backup already running.
Resolve common problems
Schedule and Backup now are missing. Finish the encryption-phrase setup first. If the page reports that backups could not be loaded, select Try again instead of treating it as a new setup.
The controls are disabled. Check permissions and whether the page is loading or a backup is already running. Let the current operation finish before starting another.
No retained backups yet. Setup and an enabled schedule do not create an immediate completed backup. Check the first-run grace period, the saved schedule, and any error. Use Backup now if you need an earlier restore point.
A daily backup is overdue right now. Cedros intends to run it on the next scheduler pass. If it remains overdue, ask your site operator to check the backup worker, storage, and reported errors. Do not repeatedly start manual runs to hide a scheduling problem.
Backup failed. Read the failure message and resolve the cause with your site operator. Check for an actual completed backup after retrying; a started operation is not a successful backup.
Offsite storage is configured, but the backup says Local only. Check the storage connection and upload error with your site operator. Verify a completed remote copy before relying on offsite recovery.
Backup size or growth is above the monitoring target. Read the notice alongside the run status. A size warning can describe a successfully completed backup. Review its contents and retention if the growth is unexpected.