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Backups

Back up the full DATA_DIR. That directory contains the app state you need to recover a Reclaimerr instance.

Backup Contents

  • database/reclaimerr.db
  • secrets.env
  • logs/ if you need local audit history
  • any custom static assets stored under the app data tree

Why Backups Matter

  • The database stores settings, schedules, candidates, requests, and history.
  • secrets.env contains the generated secrets used to decrypt sensitive data.
  • Without the full data directory, a restore may be incomplete or inconsistent.

Built-in Database Backups

Reclaimerr can back up its own database while it runs, so you do not need to stop it first.

  • The Back Up Database task runs weekly (Sunday at 1 AM by default, before automatic deletion) and writes backups/reclaimerr-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.db inside DATA_DIR.
  • It keeps the newest 4 backups. Change this under Settings → General → Database Backups.
  • Download backup now on the same card makes a fresh copy and downloads it. Earlier scheduled backups are listed there for download too.
  • If the backups folder is not writable, the task fails and sends a task failure notification.

These copies contain service API keys, media server tokens, and email settings, so only admins can download them. Keep them private.

The backups/ folder lives inside DATA_DIR, on the same disk as the database. Copy it somewhere else as well.

Restoring a Database Backup

  1. Stop Reclaimerr.
  2. Replace DATA_DIR/database/reclaimerr.db with the backup file, renamed to reclaimerr.db.
  3. Start Reclaimerr. Migrations run on start, so a backup from an older version upgrades itself.

Restoring onto a new install also needs the original secrets.env. Without it, the saved API keys and tokens cannot be decrypted and must be entered again.

Backup Routine

  • Stop the app or take a filesystem snapshot before copying the database.
  • Copy the entire data directory to a separate location.
  • Keep at least one off-host copy.
  • Test a restore on a non-production instance before relying on the process.

Restore Steps

  1. Stop Reclaimerr.
  2. Restore the saved DATA_DIR contents.
  3. Make sure ownership and permissions match the runtime user.
  4. Start the app and verify /api/version and the UI load correctly.
  5. Check settings, tasks, and history for expected state.