How far back do backups go / how long are they retained?

Backup retention — how far back you can go and how long copies are kept — depends on the kind of backup and your plan. This article explains what to expect.

What's kept

Every server is backed up automatically twice a day (00:00 and 12:00 UTC by default; pick your own two Backup times on the Backups page). Open your server → Backups to see how far back you can go — the page lists every backup available for your server. Manual backups (Back up now) keep the newest 3; a new one replaces the oldest. Backups are also kept for 30 days after a server is deleted.

Free restores by plan: Budget: none unless you chose a Backups option; Supreme: backups from the last 3 days; Ultimate: the last 7 days — or longer if you chose a longer Backups option when ordering (e.g. 7 or 14 days), which you can change later with Change plan. Older backups cost $3 each to restore, which unlocks that backup for 7 days. Manual backups are always free to restore and download.

Keeping extra copies yourself

1. Download a copy of your world (and mods/plugins/configs) before any big change.
2. Name each copy with a date so you can find the right point later.
3. Keep several recent copies rather than overwriting one, so you have real history.
4. Store them somewhere safe on your own machine or cloud storage.

Tip: For anything critical, also download a copy and store it safely — it's extra protection on top of the automatic backups.

Frequently asked questions

How many days of backups do you keep automatically? Your server is backed up automatically twice a day, and the Backups page lists every backup available for your server. Free restores cover your plan's window (the last 3 days on Supreme, the last 7 days on Ultimate), or longer if you chose a longer Backups option when ordering; older backups can be restored for $3 each.

Will I get more retention on Supreme or Ultimate? Higher plans get longer free restores: none on Budget unless you chose a Backups option, the last 3 days on Supreme, the last 7 days on Ultimate. A longer Backups option chosen when ordering (e.g. 7 or 14 days) extends that, and you can change it later with Change plan. Older backups can be restored on any plan for $3, which unlocks that backup for 7 days.

What's the safest approach today? Rely on the automatic twice-daily backups, use Back up now before big changes, and keep a downloaded copy of anything critical for extra protection.