n8n Backup · Version 3.0.0
Help & support
Set up, back up, and recover with confidence.
Get started
Open the extension popup, choose Manage accounts & backups, then add an account name, your n8n instance URL, and an API key from n8n Settings > API. Grant access to that origin. Test connection, then choose Create backup. API access must be available on your n8n plan or server.
What a full backup includes
Create backup and scheduled runs include every workflow visible to the selected API key, plus credential metadata when available. The archive includes per-workflow JSON, a combined JSON file, and a manifest. Credential secrets, execution history, users, and a full server/database copy are not included. Keep an independent download and test recovery.
Choose workflows and compare versions
Choose workflows is an optional separate action. Search or filter, select workflows, and start the backup. Filters do not change the selection automatically. Compare backups from the same instance in the library. Added/removed entries can reflect selection or API access differences rather than server-side changes.
Restore without overwriting
Choose Restore on a saved backup, select a destination with workflow-create access, and preview the plan. Existing names are skipped by default, or you may choose renamed copies. Confirm to create new inactive workflows. Reconnect credentials and review subworkflow IDs, webhooks, node dependencies, and settings before testing and activating. Do not automatically repeat a failed restore: the server may have created a workflow before the response was lost. Check restore history and the destination first.
Vault and portable libraries
Enable optional vault encryption in Settings with a password of at least 12 characters. There is no password reset or recovery. Download ZIP creates a plain file; use a password-protected library export for encrypted transfers. Portable imports add backups and skip identical archives. They do not import API keys or schedules.
Schedules
Schedules run every 6 hours, day, or week while Chrome is available. An enabled vault must be unlocked. A background tab performs each run and closes after success. Missed/failed/interrupted runs appear in Settings. Sleep and browser shutdown can delay alarms; one catch-up run may run on return. Pausing stops future runs; no old backups are automatically deleted.
Connection troubleshooting
401: recopy or replace the API key. 403: check the required read/create scopes. 404: check the base URL, deployment prefix, and API availability. 429: wait for the server rate limit to clear. Network errors: check connectivity, TLS certificate, proxy, and site permission. Credential metadata may be unavailable even when workflow backup succeeds. Never send your key to support.
Storage and import troubleshooting
Check available disk space. If a local save fails, the completed ZIP may still be downloaded from the backup tab. Keep that tab open. Imports support extension-created ZIPs/libraries, with a 256 MB input and expanded-content budget, 64 MB per embedded archive/workflow entry, and up to 500 library entries. A wrong export password or integrity error prevents import; use an undamaged original copy.
Update or move to a Web Store installation
Do not uninstall the current extension merely to update it. A Web Store installation may have a different extension ID from an unpacked copy and therefore separate storage. Export a portable library first, import and verify it in the new installation, then re-add accounts, schedules, and vault settings. Keep the old installation until verification succeeds.
Contact support
Email stewardobeng@gmail.com. Include your extension version, Chrome version, n8n version and hosting type, steps to reproduce, and the exact error text with sensitive details removed. Screenshots should redact keys, private URLs, and workflow content. Never send API keys, passwords, or production archives. Publisher: Steward the Teacher. No response-time guarantee is offered.