Zero Backups & Restore (Manual + Auto)

Backups & Restore (Manual + Auto)

Zero lets you create safe, portable ZIP backups of all vaults and key configuration files. You can make a backup on demand, schedule automatic backups, and restore from any backup ZIP later.

What a Zero backup contains

All vault databases (.db files)
Core configuration and registry files (e.g. config/*.json, vault index)
Optional media files (images, attachments) — controllable via the “Include media” setting
A small manifest.json inside the ZIP (timestamp, comment, “auto” flag, etc.)

Backups are standard ZIP files named like zero-backup-YYYYMMDD-HHMMSS.zip. Encrypted fields inside your vaults remain encrypted; a backup does not weaken your security.

Create a manual backup

Open Backups in the app.
(Optional) Enter a short comment (e.g., “before schema change”).
Click Create Backup.

You’ll see the new ZIP in the backups table. Use Download to copy it elsewhere, or keep it locally.

Notes

Manual backups are never auto-deleted.
If a backup is already running, you’ll see a “busy / already running” notice. Try again after it finishes.

Automatic backups

Automatic backups run in a lightweight background thread and don’t block normal app usage.

In Backups → Automatic, turn on Automatic backups.
Choose a mode:
- Daily at time: Pick a time (HH:MM) and the days of week.
- Every N minutes: Set an interval. The app enforces a minimum interval (shown in the UI) to prevent excessive backups.
Set Retention (how many auto backups to keep). Older automatic backups beyond this number are rotated (deleted). Manual backups are unaffected.
Toggle Include media if you also want attachments in backups.
Click Save.

The panel shows Next run, Last run, and Last file. You can also click Run now to trigger one immediately.

Import, rescan, and delete

Import ZIP: Bring in a backup from another machine or location. It will appear in the list once indexed.
Rescan: Rebuilds the local backup index (useful if you’ve moved ZIPs manually).
Delete: Removes the selected backup ZIP from disk and from the index.

Restore from a backup

In the backups table, click Restore on the ZIP you want.
Choose options:
- Overwrite vault files (full restore):
  - ON: Replace each vault’s .db file with the backup version (all tables in that vault revert to the backup state).
  - OFF: Skip vaults that already exist; only vaults that are missing are added.
- Create a safety backup first: Recommended. Zero makes a fresh backup before restoring so you can undo by restoring that safety ZIP later.
Confirm to start the restore.

What gets restored

Vault databases: as described above (overwrite vs skip).
Configs & registry (config/*.json, vault index): always restored and will overwrite current files.
Media files: restored if the “Include media” setting is enabled.

Good practices

Use a clear comment on manual backups before big changes.
Keep auto-backup retention reasonable (e.g., 5–10 recent copies).
Store important ZIPs off-device as well (external drive, secure location).
Before changing schemas, create a manual backup and consider testing a restore.

Troubleshooting

“Backup already running”: Wait for the current job to finish, then try again.
Imported ZIP not showing: Click Rescan to rebuild the index.
Restore didn’t change existing vaults: You likely restored with Overwrite off. Restore again with Overwrite on if you intend a full rollback.

FAQ

Are backups readable without my master password?

No. Encrypted fields in your vaults remain encrypted inside the backup. You’ll still need your master password (or a valid recovery flow) to read that data after a restore.

Can I restore on another machine?

Yes. Install Zero on the other machine, go to Backups, Import ZIP, then Restore. You’ll use your master password to access encrypted content.

Does auto-backup delete my manual backups?

No. Retention applies only to automatic backups. Manual backups are never rotated.