How Can I Backup My Site Data?

When performing manual updates it’s always recommended to make a full backup of your site first, so if anything goes wrong, you’ll still have all your data.

Using Ghost CLI backup

The fastest way to perform a backup is to use Ghost CLI to automatically generate a zip file containing all of your site data using the ghost backup command.

Manual backup methods

If you need more control over your backups, or need to back up a Docker installation, the following sections explain how to manually back up different parts of your Ghost site.

What’s included: JSON exports are great for moving content between sites, but don’t include email analytics, member engagement data, or comments. For disaster recovery or exact site replication, back up your database and content folder directly.

Database backup

For Docker installations:

# Create a backup directory
mkdir -p ~/ghost-backups

# List containers to find your MySQL container
docker ps

# Export the database
docker exec MYSQL_CONTAINER_NAME mysqldump -u root -p ghost > ~/ghost-backups/ghost_backup.sql

For standard Ghost CLI installations:

# Create a backup directory
mkdir -p ~/ghost-backups

# Export the database (credentials are in config.production.json)
mysqldump -u ghost_user -p ghost_production > ~/ghost-backups/ghost_backup.sql

Content folder backup

For Docker installations:

# Find your Ghost volume
docker volume ls

# Create a backup using a temporary container
docker run --rm \
  -v ghost_ghost_data:/ghost_content \
  -v ~/ghost-backups:/backup \
  alpine \
  tar czf /backup/ghost_content_backup.tar.gz -C /ghost_content .

For standard Ghost CLI installations:

# Create a compressed backup of content
cd /var/www/ghost
tar czf ~/ghost-backups/ghost_content_backup.tar.gz content/

Download to local machine

# Using rsync
rsync -av your_username@your_server:~/ghost-backups/ ./ghost-backups/

# Or using scp
scp -r your_username@your_server:~/ghost-backups/ ./ghost-backups/

Export content

Log into Ghost Admin, navigate to theLabsview, and clickExportto download all content. This will be a.jsonfile, with a name likemy-site.ghost.2020-09-30-14-15-49.json.

Download routes and redirects

Staying on theLabspage, clickDownload current redirectsto get your redirects file. This will be calledredirects.yamlorredirects.jsondepending on your Ghost version. If you’re using custom routes, clickDownload current routes.yamlto get yourroutes.yamlfile.

Download themes

Navigate to theDesignsettings page, and navigate to the themes section to download your active theme, and any other themes you want to store. This will be a.zipfile.

Copy images, files and media

To download images and media, you’ll need shell access to your server. If you’re unable to gain shell access to your current web host, you may need to contact their support team. When logged in to your server,cdto thecontentdirectory: cd /var/www/ghost/content Then,ziptheimagesand other file storage directories with their contents zip -r content-files.zip images/ files/ media/ Then, to move the zip files from your server onto your local machine. scp user@123.456.789.123:/var/www/ghost/content/content-files.zip ~/Desktop/content-files.zip

Export members

Export all members in one CSV file from the Members dashboard in Ghost Admin.

Restoring your data from a manual backup

Restoring database and content backups

If you backed up your MySQL database and content folder, follow these steps to restore them: For Docker installations:

# Stop Ghost
docker stop GHOST_CONTAINER_NAME

# Restore the database
docker exec -i MYSQL_CONTAINER_NAME mysql -u root -p ghost < ~/ghost-backups/ghost_backup.sql

# Restore the content folder
docker run --rm \
  -v ghost_ghost_data:/ghost_content \
  -v ~/ghost-backups:/backup \
  alpine \
  tar xzf /backup/ghost_content_backup.tar.gz -C /ghost_content

# Start Ghost
docker start GHOST_CONTAINER_NAME

For standard Ghost CLI installations:

# Stop Ghost
cd /var/www/ghost
ghost stop

# Restore the database
mysql -u ghost_user -p ghost_production < ~/ghost-backups/ghost_backup.sql

# Restore the content folder
cd /var/www/ghost
tar xzf ~/ghost-backups/ghost_content_backup.tar.gz

# Fix permissions
sudo chown -R ghost:ghost content

# Restart Ghost
ghost start

Copy images, files and media

All images, files and media need to be copied over to your new install. After doing that, run this command to fix permissions: sudo chown -R ghost:ghost content Once this is complete, restart Ghost: ghost restart

Import content

To begin the content migration, head to theLabssection of Ghost Admin and import theghost.jsonbackup which you exported earlier.

Upload routes and redirects

From the Labs page, import the routes.yaml and redirects.yaml files that you previously downloaded for your backup data.

Upload theme

Next, upload your theme in theDesignsettings page of Ghost Admin to get your site looking the same way it did before.

Reconnect Stripe

Skip this step if you’re not using Stripe for paid subscriptions. To import paid members, Ghost needs to be connected to Stripe in Live mode before you import your members. Make sure to connect Ghost to the same Stripe account you were using on your old installation - learn more about how to connect a Stripe account in this guide.

Import members

With Stripe connected, you can now import your members CSV file. You’ll receive an email notification when the import process has completed.

Getting Started

Core Concepts

Themes

Advanced Tools

Resources

Using Ghost CLI backup

Manual backup methods

Database backup

Content folder backup

Download to local machine

Export content

Download routes and redirects

Download themes

Copy images, files and media

Export members

Restoring your data from a manual backup

Restoring database and content backups

Copy images, files and media

Import content

Upload routes and redirects

Upload theme

Reconnect Stripe

Import members

​Using Ghost CLI backup

​Manual backup methods

​Database backup

​Content folder backup

​Download to local machine

​Export content

​Download routes and redirects

​Download themes

​Copy images, files and media

​Export members

​Restoring your data from a manual backup

​Restoring database and content backups

​Copy images, files and media

​Import content

​Upload routes and redirects

​Upload theme

​Reconnect Stripe

​Import members

Using Ghost CLI backup

Manual backup methods

Database backup

Content folder backup

Download to local machine

Export content

Download routes and redirects

Download themes

Copy images, files and media

Export members

Restoring your data from a manual backup

Restoring database and content backups

Copy images, files and media

Import content

Upload routes and redirects

Upload theme

Reconnect Stripe

Import members