CAUTION: Restoring a backup of an entire confluence site will:

  • Wipe out all Confluence content in the database. Please ensure that your database is backed up before you start.
  • Log you out after the restoration process. Please make sure you know the login details contained in the data that you are about to restore.

This page describes how to restore data from an XML backup file into an existing Confluence installation. If you want to restore data into a new site, follow the instructions on restoring from backup during setup.

You need System Administrator permissions in order to perform this function.

Related pages:

(warning) The information on this page does not apply to Confluence Cloud.

Notes before you start:

  • All content replaced. Restoring a site from backup will replace all your content, as described in the warning above.
  • Selective space restoration not possible. You cannot select a single space to restore from the entire site backup when the backup contains more than one space.

  • Version compatibility. Confluence supports importing site and space backups into the same major version only. In Confluence, the major version is up to the second number, eg 5.4.3's major version is 5.4. Importing an old XML backup file to a new major version (for example, Confluence 5.5 to Confluence 5.6) is not supported.

     Import into 5.4.xImport into 5.5.xImport into 5.6.x
    Site backup from 5.5.1(error)(tick)

    (error)

    Space backup from 5.4.2(tick)(error)(error)
  • XML backups should not be used to upgrade Confluence. Upgrade Confluence by following: Upgrading Confluence.

Restoring data from an XML backup

You can restore data from an XML backup file located somewhere on your local computer or a shared drive, or you can copy the XML file into the Confluence installation and restore it from there. The second option is recommended for large backup files. Both options are described below.

To restore data from an XML backup located outside Confluence:

  1. Choose the cog icon , then choose General Configuration under Confluence Administration
  2. Choose Backup and Restore in the left-hand panel.
  3. Choose Choose File and browse for the backup file.
  4. Uncheck Build Index if you want to create the index at a later stage.
  5. Choose Upload and Restore.

To restore data from an XML backup located in your Confluence installation:

  1. Copy your XML backup zip file into the restore directory in your Confluence home directory. For example:
    • On UNIX: /opt/java/src/confluence/deployments/conf.atlassian.com/home/restore
    • On Windows: C:\Program Files\Atlassian\Application Data\Confluence x.x\restore
  2. Choose the cog icon , then choose General Configuration under Confluence Administration
  3. Choose Backup and Restore in the left-hand panel.
  4. The zip file that you copied in step 1 will appear in the list of files under the heading Restore a backup from the Confluence Home Directory on your Confluence Administration Console. Select the zip file.
  5. Uncheck Build Index if you want to create the index at a later stage.
  6. Choose Restore.

Notes

  • Production backup strategy preferred. Atlassian recommends that you follow the Production Backup Strategy for your production Confluence site, because Confluence XML backups are not recommended for non-evaluation sites.
  • Restoring from other backups. If your daily backup zip files cannot be restored for some reason, but you have backups of both your database and your Confluence home directory, then it is still possible to restore from these backups.
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