{"item":{"id":"wf-backup-restore","product":"openclaw","language":"en","title":"Verify a backup by restoring into a separate directory","summary":"Inventory and verify an OpenClaw archive, then restore into a test target. Keep credentials private; an archive existing on disk is not a recovery test.","contentType":"guide","category":"deployment","revision":2,"canonicalUrl":"https://botclaw.tech/items/wf-backup-restore","sourceUrls":["https://docs.openclaw.ai/cli/backup"],"sourcePublishedAt":"2026-10-01T13:51:23.773Z","reviewedAt":"2026-10-01T00:00:00.000Z","collectedAt":"2026-10-01T13:51:23.773Z","updatedAt":"2026-10-01T13:51:29.241Z","source":{"id":"botclaw-editorial","name":"BotClaw","origin":"editorial"},"summaryMethod":"editor","applicability":{"version":null,"platforms":["OpenClaw CLI host with separate test storage"],"requirements":["Enough space for an archive and an isolated restore target","Private storage: archives may contain authentication material"]},"verification":{"kind":"official_documentation","checkedAt":"2026-10-01T00:00:00.000Z","urls":["https://docs.openclaw.ai/cli/backup"],"limitations":["Original BotClaw acceptance procedure based on linked official documentation. Product commands were not executed; check your installed version."]},"body":{"introduction":"Choose what you need to recover: configuration, workspace, memory and session state. Define that inventory before creating the archive, so missing data is detectable. The procedure below is a review checklist based on the current backup CLI, not a recorded restore.","sections":[{"heading":"Inspect and create","paragraphs":[],"steps":["Run the dry-run inventory and compare included paths with your recovery list. Keep the report private if it exposes account paths.","Create the backup with verification enabled. Store the archive in a separate protected location and record its checksum privately.","Verify the archive and restore into a new empty test directory. Do not target the active configuration or overwrite a working gateway."],"code":"openclaw backup create --dry-run --json\nopenclaw backup create --verify\nopenclaw backup verify <archive>\nopenclaw backup restore <archive> --target ./restored-openclaw"},{"heading":"Recovery acceptance","paragraphs":["Compare the restored inventory with your list: expected files, nonempty memory and the intended session records. Inspect configuration without connecting the restored instance to live messaging. Declare runtime recovery only after a separately authorized, isolated startup and a harmless baseline task."]},{"heading":"Common failures","paragraphs":["A config-only backup may omit the data needed for your recovery goal. A checksum verifies archive identity, not application usability. If verification fails, preserve the archive, record the error and create a fresh backup; do not destroy the sole remaining copy."]}]},"indexable":true,"supersededBy":null,"review":{"state":"current","pendingChanges":0,"policyDays":7}}}