> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.rivestack.io/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Backups & Restore

> Automated backups, retention policies, and point-in-time recovery

## Overview

Rivestack Solo and HA clusters include automated daily backups stored in S3-compatible object storage. Backups use [pgBackRest](https://pgbackrest.org/), the industry-standard backup tool for PostgreSQL, with support for full backups and point-in-time recovery (PITR).

<Info>Automated backups are available on **Solo and HA clusters**. Free tier databases do not include backups — [upgrade to Solo](/pricing) for daily backups and point-in-time recovery.</Info>

## How backups work

* **Backup tool**: pgBackRest
* **Storage**: S3-compatible object storage (off-site, separate from your database nodes)
* **Backup type**: Full backups
* **WAL archiving**: Continuous WAL (Write-Ahead Log) archiving for point-in-time recovery
* **Encryption**: Backups are encrypted at rest in S3

Every backup captures a consistent snapshot of your entire PostgreSQL cluster, including all databases, users, and extensions.

## Automated schedule

By default, backups run **daily at 3:00 AM UTC**. You can customize the schedule from the dashboard.

### View backup schedule

1. Navigate to your HA cluster in the dashboard.
2. Open the **Backup** tab.
3. The current schedule is shown at the top.

### Change backup schedule

1. Open the **Backup** tab of your cluster.
2. Click on the backup schedule configuration.
3. Set your preferred cron schedule.
4. Save changes.

## Retention

| Setting               | Default |
| --------------------- | ------- |
| Full backup retention | 14 days |

Backups older than the retention period are automatically deleted.

## Manual backups

You can trigger a backup at any time:

1. Navigate to your cluster's **Backup** tab.
2. Click **Create Backup**.
3. The backup starts immediately. You can monitor progress in real time.

Each backup record shows:

* Backup name and type
* Size (in MB)
* Status (running, success, failed)
* Timestamp

## Restore

Rivestack supports three restore methods:

### Restore from latest backup

Restores your cluster to the most recent successful backup.

1. Open the **Backup** tab.
2. Click the restore icon on the desired backup.
3. Select **Latest** as the restore type.
4. Type "I confirm" to proceed.
5. Click **Restore**.

### Point-in-time recovery (PITR)

Restore your cluster to any specific moment within your backup retention window. This is useful for recovering from accidental data deletion or corruption.

1. Open the **Backup** tab.
2. Click the restore icon.
3. Select **PITR** as the restore type.
4. Choose the target **date and time** (UTC).
5. Type "I confirm" to proceed.
6. Click **Restore**.

<Warning>PITR requires continuous WAL archiving. The target timestamp must fall within the retention window of your backups.</Warning>

### Restore from a specific backup

Choose a specific backup from your history to restore from.

1. Open the **Backup** tab.
2. Click the restore icon.
3. Select **Specific backup** as the restore type.
4. Choose the backup from the dropdown.
5. Type "I confirm" to proceed.
6. Click **Restore**.

## What to expect during a restore

* The restore runs as a background job. You can monitor progress in real time on the dashboard.
* Your cluster will show a **Restoring** status during the operation.
* Existing data on the cluster will be replaced with the restored data.
* Connections may be briefly interrupted during the restore.
* You'll receive an email notification when the restore completes.

## Restore history

View all past restore operations in the **Backup** tab. Each record shows:

* Source backup
* Restore type (latest, PITR, specific)
* Status (success, failed, running)
* Start and finish timestamps
* Error details (if failed)