Prerequisites
Before setting up backup schedules, ensure you have:- Active subscription - Backup schedules require a Pro or Starter plan subscription
- Backup Storage add-on - Enable the backup storage add-on in your project settings (billed at $0.02 per GB per month)
- Production or staging instance - Backup schedules can only be created for production and staging instances (not development)
Why Automatic Backups Matter
Automatic backup schedules provide:- Peace of mind - Your data is backed up automatically without manual intervention
- Point-in-time recovery - Restore your database to any backup point when issues occur
- Compliance - Meet business continuity and disaster recovery requirements
- Testing - Use production backups in staging to test with real data
Accessing Backup Settings
To access backup schedule settings:- Navigate to your project’s Deployments page
- Click the Backups tab at the top of the page
- Click the Backup Scheduler tab within the backups section
Creating a Backup Schedule
Click “New Schedule” to create your first backup schedule. You’ll need to configure:Schedule Name
Give your schedule a descriptive name (e.g., “Production Daily Backup” or “Staging Weekly Backup”). This helps you identify schedules at a glance.Branch to Backup
Select which branch (production or staging) you want to backup. The latest build of the selected branch will be backed up automatically. Note: You can create up to 3 backup schedules maximum per branch.Backup Frequency
Choose how often backups should run: HourlyRun backups every X hours at a specific minute. Useful for critical systems that need frequent backups.
- Run Every: Number of hours between backups (1-24)
- At Minute: Minute of the hour to run (0-59)
Run backups once per day at a specific time. Recommended for most production instances.
- Time (UTC): When to run the backup each day
Run backups once per week on a specific day and time. Good for staging environments or less critical systems.
- Day of Week: Monday through Sunday
- Time (UTC): When to run the backup
Run backups once per month on a specific day and time. Suitable for archival purposes.
- Day of Month: Day 1-28 (to avoid issues with months that don’t have 29-31 days)
- Time (UTC): When to run the backup
Retention Policy
Set how many backups to keep before automatically deleting the oldest ones. When the retention limit is reached, the oldest backup is automatically deleted to make room for new ones.Managing Backup Schedules
Editing Schedules
Click the “Edit” button to modify an existing schedule:- Change frequency, time, or retention policy
- Update the schedule name
- Note: You cannot change which branch a schedule backs up—create a new schedule for a different branch
Deleting Schedules
Click the “Delete” button to remove a schedule. You’ll be prompted to confirm deletion and can optionally delete all backups created by that schedule. Warning: Deleting backups is permanent and cannot be undone.Next Steps
- Restore a backup to test your backup process
- Download backups for off-site storage
- Set up production instance with automatic backups enabled
- Configure manual backups for importing existing backups

