Use Tools → Backups to create a restore point before an important change, or download a backup you already have. Wait for the backup to finish, check what it contains, and keep the .zip file somewhere you can reach if the site is unavailable.
You will also need the encryption phrase for that backup when recovering it. Keep the phrase in a secure recovery location independent of this site.
Before you start
You need backup operations access to run and download backups. If the controls are unavailable, ask your administrator to check your feature access.
If Backup encryption phrase required appears, complete Setting up automatic backups first. Setup requires backup settings access. Save the phrase before leaving the setup screen.
Check Schedule → Backup details for the configured contents and offsite storage. A backup includes an encrypted database dump and a manifest describing the backup. Vault and native mail archives are included when their backup locations are configured. Do not assume a backup contains every file or external service connected to your site.
If you have changed the schedule, wait for Saved just now, or resolve the save error, before starting a backup.
Create a backup now
- Open Tools → Backups and wait for the available backups to load.
- Select Backup now once. This starts the operation immediately; you do not need to enable the daily schedule to run a manual backup after setup.
- Watch for Backup in progress. The button changes to Backing up… while the operation runs. Large backups can take a few minutes.
- Wait for Backup completed, then find the matching entry in Available backups. Check its creation time and contents before continuing with the change you wanted to protect.
A started operation is not yet a completed restore point. If the page reports Backup failed, read the error and resolve it before relying on that run.
If you leave the page, return to Backups to check the result before starting another run. A retry after an interrupted remote upload may finish the earlier backup, so use the backup's creation time to decide whether it is recent enough for your purpose.
Manual backups also follow the site's retention policy. Download any older restore point you need to preserve before creating more backups or reducing retention.
Choose the right restore point
Each entry in Available backups shows its filename, creation time, size, retention tier, origin, and contents. Check the individual entry rather than relying only on today's settings.
Creation time. Choose a backup from before the change or problem you want to recover from. The timestamp in a filename such as cedros-backup-2026-10-02-14-30-00.zip uses UTC, so it may differ from the time displayed on the page.
Contents. Look for the database dump and any Vault or native mail data you need. Configuring an additional backup location today does not add that data to an older restore point.
Origin. Local only means the copy is on the server. Remote only means it is in remote storage. Local + remote means both copies are available. If offsite recovery matters, confirm a remote copy on the backup itself.
Retention tier. Daily, Approx. 2 weeks, and Approx. 1 month describe how the restore point is retained. These labels do not mean it is saved forever. See Setting data-retention periods before changing how many backups are kept.
Download a backup
- Find the intended entry in Available backups and confirm its creation time and contents.
- Select that entry's Download icon. Its label includes the bundle filename so you can identify the correct row.
- Wait while Cedros prepares the download. The icon shows a spinner, and other backup download controls are unavailable until the request finishes. A remote-only backup may take longer to retrieve.
- Check your browser's downloads and confirm the
.zipfile finished saving. If your browser asks where to save it, choose a secure location with enough space. - Keep the complete
.zipbundle in your recovery storage. Record which site and restore point it belongs to, and where the matching encryption phrase is held.
Cedros shows a Downloaded message when it hands the file to your browser. Check the browser's download result as well; a blocked or unfinished browser download is not a saved recovery copy.
The .zip packages the encrypted data files and their manifest together. You do not need to enter the encryption phrase just to download it. Opening the archive does not decrypt its data, and successfully opening the archive does not prove that the site can be restored.
Keep the recovery information together
Keep the bundle intact, including its manifest. Retain the phrase used for that restore point, even if the site's current phrase has changed. Store the phrase securely and separately from publicly shared files; do not send it in a support message or assistant conversation.
A downloaded backup does not expire when Cedros removes a retained server copy. Manage the downloaded file under your own storage and retention arrangements, with access limited to people responsible for recovery.
Before relying on a backup for a major migration or recovery, arrange a restore test in a suitable recovery environment. The Restore backup action replaces live data; it is not a way to preview or check a download.
Resolve common problems
Backup now is missing. Complete encryption setup first. If the page could not load, use Try again rather than starting setup again.
Backup now is disabled. Wait for loading or an existing backup to finish, and check your backup operations access.
No retained backups yet. Setup alone does not create a completed backup. Run Backup now and wait for completion, or check the daily schedule and its latest result.
The backup failed or still appears to be running. Read the status and error, then ask your site operator to check the backup operation and storage. Avoid repeatedly starting additional runs while the state is unresolved.
Download is disabled. Check your permissions, wait for loading or another download to finish, and confirm the entry has contents. An entry without artifacts cannot be downloaded.
The download failed or the backup was not found. Refresh the list and check that the restore point is still retained. If it is remote-only, ask your site operator to check remote storage access. Retry after resolving the error, and verify the browser saved a complete file.
A size or growth warning appears. Check the completion status separately. The warning may describe a completed backup whose size has crossed a monitoring target; review unexpected growth with your site operator.