Backup and Restore

Backup & restore

A backup is a single portable file containing your whole Gubbins — data, images and settings — that you can keep safe and restore from later. It's your insurance against a lost device or a browser wiping its storage.

Where to find it: the backup & restore tools (Sync / Data & storage areas).

What's in a backup

A backup is one portable .zip that bundles:

• A version-guarded JSON snapshot of your data.
• An exact copy of the .sqlite database.
• Full-resolution images.
• Your device settings.

So restoring gives you back not just your items but the whole app state.

Restoring: Merge or Replace

There are two ways to restore:

• Merge — bring the backup's data into your current inventory without destroying what's there. Non-destructive.
• Replace — wipe the current data and restore the backup exactly. Destructive.

⚠️ Heads-up Replace overwrites everything currently in Gubbins. It's deliberately well-guarded — an automatic restore-point is taken first, you get an impact preview and a storage-space check, and you must type-to-confirm — but it is destructive. When in doubt, Merge.

💡 Tip Take a backup before any big change — a large import, a bulk edit, or a Replace restore. The automatic restore-point has your back, but your own recent .zip is the surest safety net.

Backup vs sync

ℹ️ Note A backup is a point-in-time copy you keep. Cloud sync keeps devices continuously in step. Use both: sync for everyday, backups for safety and history.

Related pages

• Cloud sync — continuous multi-device sync.
• Export & import — open-format exports.
• Storage triage — reclaiming space.