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Create a file/server backup ​

Set up an automated backup for your server's files and directories.

This guide walks you through connecting a server to SimpleBackups and creating your first file backup. You will need a server with SSH access (or the Backup Agent installed) and the file paths you want to protect.

Requirements ​

  • A server with its IP address, SSH username, and password or key
  • The file paths you want to back up (web application files, configuration directories, or any other data)

Connect your server ​

To back up files, you first need to connect your server to SimpleBackups. Go to your dashboard, click on your profile picture, and select Servers. Then click Connect Server.

The Servers page with the Connect Server button

You have three options for connecting your server:

Copy the command shown on screen, connect to your server via SSH, and paste the command into the terminal. This creates an SSH key and registers your server with SimpleBackups automatically.

The automatic connection screen showing the command to copy

Once the command completes, you should see a success message in your terminal.

Terminal output showing a successful server connection

Click Validate on SimpleBackups to confirm the connection. Your server will appear on the Servers page.

Manual (SSH key or password) ​

Enter your server's Host/IP address, SSH port, SSH user, and password. Specify the operations directory where SimpleBackups will perform backup operations, then click Validate.

The manual connection form with host, port, user, and password fields

Tunnel / bastion host ​

If your server is behind a private network, you can connect through a bastion host. Enter the bastion host's IP address, SSH port, user, and password, then click Validate.

The bastion host connection form

Create the backup ​

Once your server is connected, you can create a file backup:

  1. Click Backups in the navigation bar, then click Create Backup

The Backups page with the Create Backup button

  1. Select Files & Folders as the backup type and choose the server you connected

Selecting the Files and Folders backup type and server

  1. Enter the file path you want to back up (for example, /var/www) and click Validate

Entering the file path to back up

  1. Give your backup a name, set a schedule and retention policy, select your storage destination, and click Create Backup

Configuring the backup name, schedule, retention, and storage

  1. Click Run Now to run your first backup immediately

The backup detail page with the Run Now button

Once the backup completes, you can view the logs and download the backup archive from the Logs tab.

Restore a file/server backupHow to download and restore your file backups.Incremental file backupsBack up only changed files to save storage and speed up backups.