---
title: "Cloud Snapshots"
description: "Point-in-time backups for your Basic Memory Cloud knowledge base."
canonical_url: "https://docs.basicmemory.com/cloud/cloud-snapshots"
---
# Cloud Snapshots

> Point-in-time backups for your Basic Memory Cloud knowledge base.

Basic Memory Cloud includes point-in-time snapshots for backup and recovery. Create manual snapshots before major changes, or rely on automatic daily backups.

<note icon="i-lucide-info">

Create as many snapshots as you need—there's no limit. Basic Memory Cloud also creates daily automatic snapshots, so you're always protected.

</note>

<tip>

**Need to recover something now?** Go to [Restore Lost Content](https://docs.basicmemory.com/cloud/restore-lost-content) for a step-by-step recovery guide. For a single note's recent edits, [File History](https://docs.basicmemory.com/cloud/file-history) is usually faster than restoring from a snapshot.

</tip>

---

## What Snapshots Do

- **Rollback** to a previous state after accidental changes
- **Browse** historical versions of your notes
- **Restore** individual files or entire folders
- **Protect** against accidental deletion

---

## Using the Web App

Manage snapshots directly in your browser at [app.basicmemory.com](https://app.basicmemory.com).

<docs-video alt="Creating a snapshot, deleting a note, and restoring it from the snapshot" poster="/videos/posters/docs-snapshots.png" src="https://docs.basicmemory.com/videos/docs-snapshots.mp4">



</docs-video>

### View Snapshots

Go to **Settings → Snapshots** and select a workspace to see its snapshots with creation time and description.

![Snapshots list](https://docs.basicmemory.com/screenshots/cloud-app/snapshots-list.png)

### Create a Snapshot

1. Click **Create Snapshot**
2. Add an optional description (e.g., "Before reorganizing projects")
3. Confirm

![Create snapshot](https://docs.basicmemory.com/screenshots/cloud-app/create-snapshot.png)

### Restore from a Snapshot

1. On the snapshot's row, click **Restore**
2. Filter by project or search for specific files
3. Select files or folders to restore
4. Click **Restore** to copy them back

![Restore from snapshot](https://docs.basicmemory.com/screenshots/cloud-app/restore-files.png)

<note>

Restored files overwrite existing files with the same path. Consider creating a new snapshot before restoring if you want to preserve current state.

</note>

---

## Using the CLI

Manage snapshots from the command line with `bm cloud snapshot` commands.

### Create a Snapshot

```bash
bm cloud snapshot create "Before reorganization"
```

The command confirms the snapshot with its ID (a UUID), creation time, and description.

### List Snapshots

```bash
bm cloud snapshot list
```

Lists your snapshots in a table: ID, description, whether it was automatic, and creation time.

### View Snapshot Details

```bash
bm cloud snapshot show <snapshot-id>
```

### Browse Snapshot Contents

View files in a snapshot without restoring:

```bash
bm cloud snapshot browse <snapshot-id>
```

Lists the files in the snapshot with their sizes. Paths start with the project name (e.g. `my-project/notes/ideas.md`). Filter by path:

```bash
bm cloud snapshot browse <snapshot-id> --prefix my-project/notes/
```

### Restore Files

Restore paths start with the project name, exactly as `snapshot browse` shows them. Restore a specific file:

```bash
bm cloud restore my-project/notes/important.md --snapshot <snapshot-id>
```

Restore an entire folder:

```bash
bm cloud restore my-project/research/ --snapshot <snapshot-id>
```

### Delete a Snapshot

```bash
bm cloud snapshot delete <snapshot-id>
```

<warning>

Deleted snapshots cannot be recovered. Make sure you no longer need the snapshot before deleting.

</warning>

---

## When to Create Snapshots

- Before reorganizing your folder structure
- Before bulk imports from Claude or ChatGPT
- Before deleting multiple notes
- Before running automated scripts
- At project milestones

---

## Automatic Snapshots

Basic Memory Cloud creates automatic daily snapshots:

- **Frequency**: Once per day
- **Naming**: `daily-auto` prefix
- **No action required**: Happens automatically

You can rely on automatic snapshots for basic protection, but manual snapshots are recommended before major changes.

---

## Best Practices

1. **Name snapshots descriptively** - Use names like "Before Q1 reorganization" instead of "backup1"
2. **Create before bulk operations** - Imports, reorganizations, and deletions
3. **Review automatic snapshots** - Check that daily snapshots are being created
4. **Test restore occasionally** - Verify you can restore files when needed
5. **Clean up old snapshots** - Delete manual snapshots you no longer need

---

## Troubleshooting

### Snapshot Creation Failed

1. Check your subscription status: `bm cloud status`
2. Verify you're authenticated: `bm cloud login`
3. Check available storage in your account

### Can't Find a File in Snapshot

1. Use `browse` with different paths to locate the file
2. Check if the file existed at the snapshot time
3. Try an earlier snapshot if the file was deleted before the snapshot

### Restore Didn't Work

1. Confirm the exact path exists in the snapshot: `bm cloud snapshot browse <snapshot-id> --prefix <path>`
2. Make sure the path is project-prefixed, exactly as browse shows it (e.g. `my-project/notes/file.md`)
3. Re-run the restore with the corrected path — files always restore to their original location

---

## Next Steps

<card-group>
<card icon="i-lucide-cloud" title="Cloud Guide" to="https://docs.basicmemory.com/cloud/cloud-guide">

Complete cloud setup and features overview.

</card>

<card icon="i-lucide-refresh-cw" title="Cloud Sync" to="https://docs.basicmemory.com/cloud/cloud-sync">

Sync local files with push and pull.

</card>

<card icon="i-lucide-layout-panel-left" title="Web App Guide" to="https://docs.basicmemory.com/cloud/web-app">

Browse and edit notes in your browser.

</card>
</card-group>


## Sitemap

See the full [sitemap](https://docs.basicmemory.com/sitemap.md) for all pages.