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How to Restore Your VPS from a Backup or Snapshot

Restore your VPS from a backup or roll back to a snapshot from the panel. Learn what changes, how long it takes and how to check that everything is fine.

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To restore your VPS from a backup, open the Backups tab, find a backup with status Ready, click Restore and follow the three-step wizard. The server shuts down, the whole disk goes back to how it was on the date of the copy, and the server starts again by itself in a few minutes. To go back to a snapshot instead, use Roll back in the Snapshots section.

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Warning

Restoring replaces the current disk. Everything that changed after the date of the backup is lost, including files, databases and the access password. If you want to keep what you have now, create a new backup first and restore the old one afterwards.

Before you restore

  • Make sure the backup you pick is the right one. The list shows the date, the system that was installed and the size.
  • If the server holds data you may still need, create a fresh backup first (see VPS backups and snapshots). If you are close to your backup limit, delete an old one you no longer need.
  • Tell anyone who uses the server. It is offline while it restores.
  • The server must be active, and no other operation can be running.

Restore a backup step by step

  1. Sign in to the panel, open your VPS and go to the Backups tab.
  2. In the Backups section, find the copy you want. Only backups with status Ready can be restored.
  3. Click Restore on that row. The Restore a backup wizard opens.
  4. Backup: confirm the copy you want. You can pick a different one from the list.
  5. What changes: read the summary and tick "I understand that changes made after that date will be lost". The summary reminds you of these things:
    • The server shuts down while it is restored and starts again by itself.
    • Everything goes back to how it was on the date of the backup.
    • The password goes back to the one from that day.
    • If the backup is from before your last reinstall, the operating system from that time comes back too.
  6. Confirm: type the name of your server to confirm and click Restore backup.

A box titled "Working on it" appears at the top of the tab while the restore runs: "Restoring a backup: the server shuts down, gets restored and starts again. It can take several minutes." You can leave the page and come back.

Roll back to a snapshot

If you took a snapshot before a change, rolling back is much faster than restoring a backup:

  1. Open the Backups tab and choose the Snapshots section.
  2. Click Roll back next to the snapshot you want.
  3. Confirm. Your server goes back to that moment and everything that changed afterwards is lost.

If you saved the memory when you took the snapshot, the server comes back with everything open as it was. Snapshots disappear when you reinstall the system, so they can't help after a reinstall. Backups can.

After the restore

  1. Wait until the server shows Online in the header of the panel.
  2. Log in with the access password from the date of the backup. The panel shows the current one on the Overview tab, in the connection card.
  3. Check your services (web server, database, game servers or whatever runs there) and your latest data.
  4. Review the Activity tab: it records "Backup restored" with the time and who did it.
  5. Reapply anything you did after the backup date, such as updates or new users.

Troubleshooting

  • Restore is disabled. The server has to be active, another operation can't be running, and the backup must be Ready. If you share the server, you also need the permission to restore backups. See sharing VPS access.
  • It takes longer than expected. Bigger disks take longer. Check the "Working on it" box and the Activity tab before trying anything else.
  • The tab shows "The last operation failed". Try again once. If it fails again, open a ticket with the backup name and the time.
  • I can't log in after restoring. The password and SSH keys are the ones from the backup date. Use the password shown on the Overview tab or your old key.
  • I don't want the old system back. A backup tagged Before reinstall brings back the system from before your last reinstall. If you want the current system, restore a more recent backup, or reinstall instead (see reinstall your VPS).

FAQ

How long does it take to restore a VPS backup?

It depends on the size of the disk. The panel says it can take several minutes, and the server comes back by itself when it is done.

Can I restore only some files from a backup?

No. A restore replaces the whole disk. To rescue only a few files, make a new backup of the current state first, restore the old one, copy what you need out, and restore the new backup afterwards.

Does restoring change my IP address?

No. The server keeps its IP; only the disk contents (and the access password) go back to the backup date.

What if there is no Backups tab?

Backups are optional. If your service doesn't include them, the tab doesn't appear. You can ask support about enabling them, or reinstall the system as a clean start.

When you are ready to run something that matters, take a look at our VPS plans.

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How to Restore Your VPS from a Backup or Snapshot