# Backups (/docs/postgres/database/backups)

> For the complete Prisma documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://www.prisma.io/docs/llms.txt). A markdown version of any docs page is available by appending `.md` to its URL.

Manage and restore database backups in Prisma Postgres

Location: Postgres > Database > Backups

## Overview [#overview]

On [Starter, Pro, and Business plans](https://www.prisma.io/pricing), Prisma Postgres automatically creates snapshots of your database to support recovery and backup workflows. Navigate to the **Backups** tab of your Prisma Postgres instance in the [Prisma Console](https://console.prisma.io/?utm_source=docs\&utm_medium=content\&utm_content=postgres) to view and re-instantiate your available backups.

Snapshots are created *daily*, but only on days when the database has activity. Depending on your plan, you will see a different number of available snapshots:

| Plan     | Snapshot retention |
| -------- | ------------------ |
| Starter  | Last 7 days        |
| Pro      | Last 7 days        |
| Business | Last 30 days       |

Database changes or events that occurred after the most recent snapshot may not be restored.

For more details about backup availability and plan-specific features, visit our [pricing page](https://www.prisma.io/pricing).

> [!NOTE]
> In the future, Prisma Postgres will provide more fine-grained backup mechanisms based on user specific configurations and with point-in-time restore functionality.

## Manually creating a backup file via `pg_dump` [#manually-creating-a-backup-file-via-pg_dump]

If you would like to create a backup file of your database, you can use `pg_dump` with a [direct connection](https://www.prisma.io/docs/postgres/database/connecting-to-your-database). This is useful for migrating data between databases or creating a local copy of your database.

## Prerequisites [#prerequisites]

Before you begin, make sure you have:

* **Node.js** installed (version 16 or higher).
* **PostgreSQL CLI Tools** (`pg_dump`) for creating backups. Use Postgres version 17 as Prisma Postgres is based on this version.
* A **direct connection string** for your Prisma Postgres database.

## 1. Install PostgreSQL command-line tools [#1-install-postgresql-command-line-tools]

To create backups, ensure you have the PostgreSQL command-line tools installed. Run the following commands based on your operating system:

  

#### macOS

```bash
brew install postgresql@17
which pg_dump
which pg_restore
```

#### Windows

```bash
# Download from the official PostgreSQL website:
# https://www.postgresql.org/download/windows/
# During installation, select "Command Line Tools".
# Then verify with:

where pg_dump
where pg_restore
```

#### Linux

```bash
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install postgresql-client-17
which pg_dump
which pg_restore
```

> [!NOTE]
> If you installed PostgreSQL but still see a "command not found" error for `pg_dump` or `pg_restore`, ensure your installation directory is in your system's `PATH` environment variable.

### 2. Creating the Backup with `pg_dump` [#2-creating-the-backup-with-pg_dump]

Get your direct connection string by following [Connecting to your database](https://www.prisma.io/docs/postgres/database/connecting-to-your-database).

You can now dump the database by running the following command and using your own connection string:

```bash
pg_dump --dbname="postgres://USER:PASSWORD@db.prisma.io:5432/?sslmode=require" > ./mydatabase.bak
```

This will create your backup file named `mydatabase.bak` in the current directory.

## Related pages

- [`Connect to Prisma Postgres without Accelerate`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/postgres/database/switch-from-accelerate): Replace a hosted Prisma Postgres Accelerate connection without moving your database or data
- [`Connecting to your database`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/postgres/database/connecting-to-your-database): Choose the right Prisma Postgres connection string for your runtime, tool, and workload.
- [`Connection pooling`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/postgres/database/connection-pooling): Use Prisma Postgres connection pooling for concurrent application traffic.
- [`Extensions`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/postgres/database/postgres-extensions): Enable and use standard PostgreSQL extensions with Prisma Postgres.
- [`Query Insights`](https://www.prisma.io/docs/postgres/database/query-insights): Inspect slow queries, connect Prisma calls to SQL, and apply focused fixes with Prisma Postgres.