---
title: "How to Create Grav Backups"
description: "Most content management systems (CMSs) have security and backup plugins available to improve performance and security to your preferences. Grav includes these features natively within the Admin..."
url: https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/website/grav-backups/
date: 2019-09-10
modified: 2021-11-19
author: "InMotion Hosting Contributor"
categories: ["Backups and Restorations", "Website"]
type: post
lang: en
---

# How to Create Grav Backups

Most content management systems (CMSs) have security and backup plugins available to improve performance and security to your preferences. Grav includes these features natively within the Admin plugin.

Similar to cPanel [backup scheduling in WebHost Manager](/support/edu/cpanel/setup-scheduled-cpanel-backups/) (WHM) (for [VPS](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/vps-hosting) / [Dedicated Hosting](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/dedicated-servers) only), Grav offers options to configure what's included in backups, different backup configurations with specified schedules, and how many backups to retain at once.

Below we'll cover how to **create ****Grav**** backups with the Admin plugin and SSH**.

- [Create Manual Backups](#backup)
  - [Retention Settings](#backup)
- [Backup Retention Settings](#backup)
  - [Retention Settings](#backup)

## Create a Backup with Grav Admin

Download an up-to-date Grav backup within minutes.

1. [Log in to your Grav Admin plugin](/support/website/install-grav-cms-admin/#dashboard).
2. Click **Tools** on the left.
3. At the bottom, modify the settings in the **Backup Profiles** section.NameProfile name for the settingsExclude PathsType directory paths to not backupEnable Scheduled JobToggle to enable automatic backupsRoot FolderType location for /backups directoryExclude FilesType files as neededRun Scheduled JobSet timeframe and time to auto-backup if enabled
4. Click **Save** at the top.
5. Click **Add item** to create a new backup profile if needed.
6. In the upper-right corner, click the down-arrow beside **Backup Now** and select your backup profile.
7. Click the *Download* icon to the right of the backup under *Backup History* for local storage.

View scheduled backups as cron jobs in the **Scheduler** tab. Backups are noted in the **Logs** section with the Notice level and backup URL.

![Grav Admin Plugin Backups Section](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/grav-backups-1024x650.png)*Configure Backups with the Admin Plugin*

### Configure Retention Settings

Grav has three retention options you can choose under **Backup Purge Configuration**:

| Backup Storage Purge Trigger | Choose whether to remove backups by maximum backup space, number of backups, or retention time |
| --- | --- |
| Maximum Number of Backups | Removes the oldest backup when set total is reached |
| Maximum Backups Space | Removes the oldest backup when storage limit is reached |
| Maximum Retention Time | Removes backups older than set amount of days |

## Create a Backup in SSH

Users with SSH access can easily create and manage backups with some straight-forward commands. Even users uncomfortable with the command line interface (CLI) should have few issues creating a Grav backup if needed.

1. [Log in to SSH](/support/server/ssh/do-you-provide-ssh-access/) or [cPanel Terminal](/support/edu/cpanel/how-to-launch-the-cpanel-terminal/).
2. [Navigate to the Grav directory](/support/website/where-to-upload-files/) with the [`cd` command](/support/server/linux/using-the-linux-cd-command/).
3. Type the command `bin/grav backup`. You'll see the prompt below upon completion.

Grav Backup
===========

Archiving 5000 files [=====================] 100% 7 secs Done…

Backup Successfully Created:
/home/cpaneluser/public_html/grav-subdomain/backup/default_site_backup--20190905201159
.zip

### Manage Settings in SSH

Manage backup purge configuration and backup profiles in the `system/``config``/backups.``yaml` or create the `user/``config``/backups.``yaml` custom configuration file. Editing backup settings in the Admin plugin will create an `user/``config``/backups.``yaml` file.

Learn more about [Grav CMS in our Support Center](/support/website/grav-backups/).

- [How do I Force HTTPS in Grav CMS?](https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/website/force-https-grav/)