# Restore a backup from the command line
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/restore-a-backup-from-the-command-line/108034
**Category:** Self-Hosting
**Tags:** how-to
**Created:** [January 31, 2019, 4:36pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/restore-a-backup-from-the-command-line/108034 "2019-01-31T16:36:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 1
### Author:  [@Discourse](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Discourse)
#### Post date: [January 31, 2019, 4:36pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/restore-a-backup-from-the-command-line/108034/1 "2019-01-31T16:36:07Z")
> 🔖 This guide explains how to restore a Discourse backup from the command line without using the Discourse web UI.
>
> 🙋 Required user level: Administrator
>
> 🔧 Console access required
Here’s how to restore a Discourse backup from the command line, without ever booting the Discourse web UI. This is handy when you’re moving servers.
## Prerequisites
Before you start, make sure you complete the following steps:
1. Download the latest backup file from the source Discourse instance.
2. Bootstrap the destination Discourse instance by running `./discourse-setup` or copying your existing `app.yml`.
3. Ensure the destination Discourse instance is on the latest version. Update it if necessary.
## Transfer the backup
1. SSH into the destination server, or otherwise create the backup folder there:
`mkdir -p /var/discourse/shared/standalone/backups/default`
1. Upload your backup file to the destination server.
`scp /path/to/backup/backup.tar.gz root@192.168.1.1:/var/discourse/shared/standalone/backups/default`
Be sure to replace the paths, filenames, and server names with the ones you are using – but you do want the backup file to end up in:
`/var/discourse/shared/standalone/backups/default`
> 📣 You can also upload and download your Discourse backup file from popular web storage sites such as Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc – you’ll need to look up the specific command line instructions based on your preferred web storage provider.
> ⚠ **DO NOT CHANGE THE FILENAME OF THE BACKUP!** Discourse treats the backup filename as metadata, so if you change the filename, restoring will not work. Stick with the original file name.
Replace `/path/to/backup/discourse-xyz.tar.gz` with the local path of your backup file, and replace `` with the IP address of destination server.
> 💡 If [Nginx is used as reverse proxy](https://meta.discourse.org/t/running-other-websites-on-the-same-machine-as-discourse/17247) make sure all paths to the backup are readable by the container and Nginx can read the `.sock` file.
## Restore the backup
1. Access your destination server and navigate to the Discourse folder:
```plaintext
cd /var/discourse
```
1. Enter the Discourse Docker app container:
```plaintext
./launcher enter app
```
1. Enable restore functionality:
```plaintext
discourse enable_restore
```
1. Restore the backup file:
```plaintext
discourse restore sitename-2019-02-03-042252-v20190130013015.tar.gz
```
> 💡 **Tip:** If you run `discourse restore` without a filename, it will list all available backup files.
> ⚠ If your site’s `backup_location` setting is configured to use S3, but you manually uploaded the backup file to the local filesystem, you need to specify `--location local`:
>
> ```plaintext
> discourse restore --location local sitename-2019-02-03-042252-v20190130013015.tar.gz
>
> ```
>
> Similarly, use `--location s3` to restore directly from an S3 backup without downloading it first.
1. Exit the Discourse Docker app container:
```plaintext
exit
```
## Rebuild
After restoring the backup, you may choose to rebuild the destination instance to ensure all settings and configurations are applied correctly.
> 📣 Now is a good time to update `/var/discourse/containers/app.yml` with full HTTPS, additional plugins or CDN configuration. Compare the `app.yml` configuration of both instances to make sure!
```plaintext
cd /var/discourse
./launcher rebuild app
```
## Enable Email
When a backup is restored, outgoing mail for non-staff is disabled. You don’t want your test server, new server, or server that you just restored a backup for some other reason to start emailing your users! Change the `disable_emails` site setting to “no” to re-enable email.
🎉 That’s it. Your Discourse server is successfully restored.
> Last edited by @pfaffman 2025-05-18T19:32:40Z
>
> > **Check document**
> >
> > Perform check on document:
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