What you will learn:
About backup strategies
About built-in backups with instant restore
Creating and automating backups using pg_dump
Related resources
Neon supports different backup strategies, which you can use separately or in combination, depending on your requirements.
Instant restore
With Neon's instant restore capability, also known as point-in-time restore or PITR, you can automatically retain a "history" of changes—ranging from 1 day up to 30 days, depending on your Neon plan. This feature lets you restore your database to any specific moment without the need for traditional database backups or separate backup automation. It's ideal if your primary concern is fast recovery after an unexpected event.
By default, Neon projects retain 1 day of history. You can increase your restore window on Neon as follows:
With this strategy, the only required action is setting your desired restore window. Please keep in mind that increasing your restore window also increases storage, as changes to your data are retained for a longer period.
To get started, see Instant restore.
Backups withpg_dump
For business continuity, disaster recovery, or compliance, you can use standard Postgres tools to back up and restore your database. Neon supports traditional backup workflows using
pg_dump
andpg_restore
.To learn how, see Backups with pg_dump.
Automated backups withpg_dump
If you need to automate
pg_dump
backups to remote storage, we provide a two-part guide that walks you through setting up an S3 bucket and a GitHub Action to automatepg_dump
backups on a recurring schedule. You'll also learn how to configure retention settings to manage how longpg_dump
backups are stored before being deleted.
Backup & Restore Questions?
If you have questions about backups, please reach out to Neon Support.