The one thing people lose
Home Assistant backups are always encrypted. To restore one you need the encryption key from the backup emergency kit. When you set up backups, download the emergency kit and store it somewhere safe outside Home Assistant (password manager, printed copy). A backup without the key is useless, and the key stored only on the dead device is too.
What a backup contains
A full backup includes config, share, addons (only apps you installed or created manually; store apps are reinstalled), ssl and media. A partial backup is any subset of these.
By default backups are compressed .tar files in the local /backup directory, on the same disk as everything else.
Setup
- Settings → System → Backups: configure automatic backups (schedule, time, how many to keep).
- Enable backup before updating as the default. On large installs the backup can delay the update start.
- Add at least one location outside the device: network storage (NAS) or a cloud provider. Home Assistant recommends a copy outside Home Assistant and ideally one off-site.
- Home Assistant Cloud keeps one backup file of up to 5 GB: the latest one.
- Exclude what you don't need (big media folders, large databases) if backups get too large.
Restore and migration
- On a fresh install, choose restore from backup during onboarding and upload the file plus the key.
- The same path migrates to new hardware, e.g. from a Raspberry Pi to a mini PC. The target needs enough storage.
Test it
A backup strategy you haven't restored is a guess. Restore to a VM or spare device once, with the emergency kit, before you need it.