How to Back Up n8n Workflows

1# Export all workflows to a backup directory
2n8n export:workflow --all --output=./n8n-backups/workflows/
3
4# Export all credentials (encrypted, requires same encryption key to restore)
5n8n export:credentials --all --output=./n8n-backups/credentials/
6
7# Docker: run the export inside the container
8docker exec -it n8n n8n export:workflow --all --output=/home/node/.n8n/backups/workflows/
9
10# Cron job for daily backups at 2 AM
11# Add to crontab: crontab -e
120 2 * * * cd /path/to/n8n && n8n export:workflow --all --output=/backups/n8n/workflows/$(date +\%Y-\%m-\%d)/ >> /var/log/n8n-backup.log 2>&1

1# SQLite backup (stop n8n first)
2systemctl stop n8n
3cp ~/.n8n/database.sqlite /backups/n8n/database-$(date +%Y-%m-%d).sqlite
4systemctl start n8n
5
6# PostgreSQL backup (n8n can keep running)
7pg_dump -U n8n -h localhost n8n > /backups/n8n/n8n-db-$(date +%Y-%m-%d).sql
8
9# Docker PostgreSQL backup
10docker exec n8n-postgres pg_dump -U n8n n8n > /backups/n8n/n8n-db-$(date +%Y-%m-%d).sql
11
12# Back up the encryption key (critical!)
13echo "N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY=$N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY" > /backups/n8n/encryption-key-$(date +%Y-%m-%d).env
14chmod 600 /backups/n8n/encryption-key-$(date +%Y-%m-%d).env

1// Code node: Process workflow data for backup storage
2const workflows = $input.all();
3const timestamp = new Date().toISOString().split('T')[0];
4
5const backupData = {
6  backupDate: timestamp,
7  totalWorkflows: workflows.length,
8  workflows: workflows.map(item => ({
9    id: item.json.id,
10    name: item.json.name,
11    active: item.json.active,
12    updatedAt: item.json.updatedAt,
13    nodes: item.json.nodes,
14    connections: item.json.connections,
15    settings: item.json.settings
16  }))
17};
18
19return [{
20  json: backupData,
21  binary: {
22    data: {
23      data: Buffer.from(
24        JSON.stringify(backupData, null, 2)
25      ).toString('base64'),
26      mimeType: 'application/json',
27      fileName: `n8n-backup-${timestamp}.json`
28    }
29  }
30}];

1# Restore all workflows from CLI backup
2n8n import:workflow --input=/backups/n8n/workflows/
3
4# Restore credentials (requires same N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY)
5n8n import:credentials --input=/backups/n8n/credentials/
6
7# Restore PostgreSQL database
8psql -U n8n -h localhost n8n < /backups/n8n/n8n-db-2026-03-27.sql
9
10# Restore SQLite (stop n8n first)
11systemctl stop n8n
12cp /backups/n8n/database-2026-03-27.sqlite ~/.n8n/database.sqlite
13systemctl start n8n