Backing up your n8n workflows is one of the most important tasks for ensuring business continuity and automation reliability. Whether you're self-hosting or using a cloud provider, making sure your automations are backed up regularly can save you hours of reconstruction time in case of corruption, migration failures, or accidental deletions. In this guide, you'll learn how to backup n8n workflows using easy step-by-step methods that work across setups.
By the end of this article, you’ll be able to protect your automation assets with both manual and automated backup techniques — perfect for solo makers, teams, and growing businesses using n8n.
Why Backup Your n8n Workflows?
n8n is a powerful, open-source workflow automation tool. As your use of n8n grows — from simple email alerts to full UI-driven agent systems — so does the importance of protecting your automation infrastructure.
Here are key reasons to back up your workflows:
- Avoid data loss in case of system crashes, software bugs, or failed upgrades
- Migrate easily between servers, Docker instances, or cloud platforms
- Maintain workflow versioning as your automations constantly evolve
- Enable team collaboration by sharing backup files across environments
Whether you're running n8n in Docker or locally installed, these backup options will apply to you.
Methods for Backing Up n8n Workflows
There are two main ways to backup your n8n workflows: manual exports and automated scripts. Let’s explore both.
Manual Backup via the UI (Export)
This is the simplest method and requires no technical skills.
Step-by-step:
- Log in to your n8n dashboard
- Navigate to any workflow you want to export
- At the top right, click the three-dot menu (•••) and choose "Export"
- This will download a
.jsonfile of your workflow
You can use this file to import the workflow later, restore it when needed, or share it with your team.
Tip: Store these
.jsonbackups in cloud drives like Google Drive or Dropbox for added safety.
This manual method works great for one-time exports or for workflows you're actively editing, but it doesn’t scale well. That’s where automatic backups come in.
Automate Your n8n Workflow Backups
If you're using a self-hosted version of n8n (via Docker, local OS install, or VM), automated backup scripts are your best friend.
There are a few elements of n8n to consider backing up:
| Component | What it Contains | Backup Method |
|---|---|---|
| Workflows | All workflow nodes and logic | Export from DB or API |
| Credentials | Sensitive API keys/tokens (encrypted) | DB dump or .n8n folder |
| Settings & Users | System-level config, email settings, etc. | DB and environment |
Let’s walk through the popular options.
Option 1: Backup via n8n’s SQLite / Postgres Database
If you're using SQLite (default for many users), the database file contains all workflows, credentials (encrypted), tags, and user data.
For SQLite:
- Locate your
database.sqlitefile (usually under~/.n8n) - Schedule a cron job or script to regularly copy this file somewhere safe:
cp ~/.n8n/database.sqlite /backups/n8n/database_$(date +%F).sqlite
You can add this to crontab to run daily.
For Postgres:
If you’re using an external Postgres database (recommended for teams), run:
pg_dump -U n8n_user -h localhost n8n_db > /backups/n8n/backup_$(date +%F).sql
This will securely export your entire n8n data, which you can restore on any future instance.
Option 2: Workflow Export via API (for Advanced Backup)
n8n also allows accessing workflows programmatically via its REST API.
You can configure a script to:
- Authenticate with a user token
- Use the
/workflowendpoint to get all workflows - Save each one as a separate
.jsonfile
While this method is more technical, it gives you workflow-version-only backups — useful for versioning in Git or CI pipelines.
Pro Tip: Combine this with tools like n8n Google Drive integrations to upload exports directly via automation.
Option 3: Full Folder Backup (.n8n or Docker Volume)
If you're running n8n on your local machine or in Docker, you can simply back up the entire .n8n directory or volume.
For Docker users:
docker cp n8n_container:/home/node/.n8n /path/to/backup
You can automate this using N8N itself or external cron jobs.
Restoring Workflows from Backup
There are two main ways to restore your backups depending on what type you made:
Restore from JSON Export (UI)
- Log in to your n8n instance
- Click "New Workflow"
- Click the ••• menu > Import from File
- Upload your
.jsonbackup
Within seconds your workflow is back online.
Restore from Database Dump
For SQLite:
cp database_backup.sqlite ~/.n8n/database.sqlite
Restart n8n and your data will be restored.
For Postgres:
psql -U n8n_user -d n8n_db < database_backup_2024-04-01.sql
Then restart your service or Docker container.
Always test restoration in a staging environment before overwriting production data.
Bonus: Version Control for Workflows
You can use Git to version control your exported JSON workflows.
For example:
git init
git add *.json
git commit -m "Backup on April 1, 2024"
Combine this with a GitHub Actions workflow to keep your automation backed up as part of your DevOps cycle.
Some teams even connect their n8n to repositories using custom nodes or automation agents that export workflows nightly.
Best Practices for Secure and Reliable Workflow Backups
- Encrypt sensitive backup files, especially if they contain credentials
- Store backups in multiple locations (local drive, cloud, external disk)
- Use environment variables for credentials, so you can redeploy easily
- Automate backups weekly or nightly for production systems
- Test your restoration process at least once every few months
FAQ
How often should I backup n8n workflows?
For production environments, backups should be done daily. For smaller or experimental setups, weekly may be enough.
Can I use n8n to back up itself?
Yes! You can create a workflow in n8n that triggers a shell command to export workflows or database files and upload them to cloud storage.
Are credentials backed up with workflows?
No, credentials are stored separately in the database and not included in flow .json exports. Be sure to back up your database too.
What’s the easiest way to restore a deleted workflow?
Simply re-import the .json backup of that workflow using the “Import” option in the UI.
Does n8n support Git versioning natively?
Not yet, but you can export workflows regularly and push them to a Git repo manually or via automation.
Using these strategies, you now know how to backup n8n workflows with confidence. Whether you're exporting by hand, scripting automated backups, or versioning with Git, your automation setup will always be one step ahead of disaster.
Looking to take your backups further? Check out how to run n8n on Synology NAS for a secure, self-hosted infrastructure or learn how to run n8n locally for testing and recovery.