How to backup and restore your server Print

This article explains how to create backups of your server and how to restore them from the Game Panel. We strongly recommend keeping regular backups of your worlds and important configuration files.

1. Log in to the Game Panel

1. Go to https://panel.playnhost.com.
2. Log in with your panel credentials, or access the panel through the Game Panel button in the Client Area.

2. Open your server

3. On the panel home page, select the server you want to back up.
4. This will open the server dashboard with the console and controls.

3. Creating a manual backup

The exact layout can vary by game, but the general process is:

5. Look for a menu or tab such as Backups, Server Backups, Snapshots or similar.
6. Open the backups page. You should see a list of existing backups (if any) and an option to create a new backup.
7. Click Create Backup (or similar).
8. If there is an option to name the backup, give it a clear name (for example, “Before new modpack – 2025-12-12”).
9. Confirm and wait for the backup to finish. The server may temporarily freeze or use more resources while the backup is being created.

Tip: Create a backup before installing new mods, plugins or large updates. This makes it easy to roll back if something goes wrong.

4. Automatic backups (if available)

• Some plans or games may include automatic backups created on a schedule (for example, daily backups).
• These automatic backups usually appear in the same backups list in the panel, often with the date and time in their name.
• Check your panel and product description to see if automatic backups are enabled for your service.

5. Restoring a backup

10. Go to the Backups section for your server in the Game Panel.
11. Find the backup you want to restore. Check its date/time and name to make sure you are choosing the correct one.
12. Click the Restore or Restore Backup button for that entry.
13. Confirm that you want to overwrite the current server files with the backup. This will usually:
    • Replace your current world with the world from the backup.
    • Restore configuration files as they were when the backup was taken.
14. Wait for the restore process to complete. The server may stop and start again automatically or require you to start it manually afterward.

Warning: Restoring a backup will overwrite current data. Any changes made after the backup was created (new builds, inventory changes, new configs) will be lost.

6. Downloading backups to your computer

• If you want an extra copy of your backups, you can usually download them using:
  • The panel’s built-in file manager, or
  • SFTP (connect with an SFTP client and download the backup file/folder).
• Keeping local copies is helpful if you ever move to another server or want your own archive.

7. If a backup or restore fails

• Backup fails or stalls
  Check your panel for any error messages. If the issue persists, avoid repeatedly trying to create backups and open a ticket so we can investigate.
• Restore seems to have no effect
  Make sure you restarted the server after the restore if required. Also double-check that you restored the correct backup.

If you are unsure which files to back up or which backup to restore, please open a ticket from the Support → Submit a Ticket section and include the server name and what you are trying to achieve.