A backup file alone does not prove that you can bring your Home Assistant setup back after a failure. Check what the archive contains, keep the encryption key, store a copy away from the Home Assistant device, and plan a restore on a separate test system. Do not test by overwriting the system that controls your home.

This guide follows the official Home Assistant backup documentation. The menu steps below apply to installations with Supervisor, such as Home Assistant OS. Home Assistant Container has a different procedure; see its official documentation. No restore of a specific installation is claimed here.

Editorial note: this article was prepared with AI assistance and checked against official Home Assistant documentation as of October 26, 2026. No installation was tested; the owner must perform a restore test on a separate system.

Key facts

Write down what you need to recover: Home Assistant settings, apps and their data, sensor history, media, and any external database or network storage. The selected backup parts depend on your installation type. A database hosted outside Home Assistant is not automatically included in the settings backup.

Encrypted backups require the emergency kit and encryption key. Keep these somewhere separate from the Home Assistant device. A second copy on the same disk does not protect you if that disk fails.

Checklist before a failure

1. Open Settings → System → Backups and check the date of the latest successful backup and which data and apps it includes.
2. Make sure you can access the Home Assistant account used when the backup was created and have saved the emergency kit.
3. Copy the archive to another computer or storage device. For critical data, consider another copy away from home.
4. Record the installation type and external dependencies, such as databases, NAS storage, and radio coordinators. Do not put passwords or encryption keys in this note.
5. Confirm that you can start a separate test device and that it has enough storage.

Home Assistant recommends keeping a backup outside the device where Home Assistant runs. A remote file confirms that you have another copy; it does not prove that a restore will succeed.

Test a restore without risking your live system

Use a separate test device or virtual machine. Keep it disconnected from real devices and do not give it control over your home. Leave the live radio coordinator disconnected.

For Home Assistant OS, follow the onboarding flow on the test installation, choose Upload backup, select the archive and choose the parts you need. Enter the encryption key if asked. Wait for the restore and restart to finish; do not unplug the system or refresh the page during the process.

Log in using the account that existed when the backup was taken. Check the dashboards, automations, integrations and apps you need. Then check external dependencies, such as a database, network storage and radio coordinator, separately. Do not run automations that could affect locks, heating, power or water. A successful startup is not proof that every integration or scenario works.

If you do not have a safe test system, do not restore over your live home just to check a backup. Check the contents, key and separate copy now, and label the restore as untested until you can use a separate target.

Record the result

Keep a short note with the archive date, installation type, selected data, where the archive and key are stored, the restore result and anything that still needs manual setup. If you did not restore the archive on a separate system, write “backup created; restore not tested.”

Frequently asked questions

Does seeing the backup in the list mean it works?

No. It means Home Assistant has a record of the backup. A separate restore test is needed to verify that the archive can bring the system back.

Should I include history and media?

Include them when they matter to your recovery plan. They make backups larger and can increase restore time. Back up external databases separately when needed.

How often should I test a restore?

Choose a schedule based on how much data you can afford to lose, and revisit it after major changes. Home Assistant does not prescribe one universal restore-test interval.

Sources: Home Assistant backups, Home Assistant Container tasks.