Version History

When you change, update, edit, or delete an individual file without changing the file name, Backblaze creates a new version of the file. In this article, the terms updating, changing, deleting, or editing a file will be referred to as “modifying” a file.

Version History

Backblaze backs up the data files that are currently on your computer and selected external hard drives. If a backed-up file is modified or deleted, Backblaze retains a copy of the pre-modification or previously deleted file for a period of time before removing it from your backup in a data center. This is known as Version History. If you delete or save a new version of a file by mistake, you can recover the earlier versions if you are within the time period that is specified in Version History.

By default, Backblaze retains a 30-day Version History of your files. After 30 days, the updated, changed, or deleted versions are removed from your Backblaze backup leaving only the most recent, current version of your files in your backup. 

If your version of the Backblaze client is 7.0 or newer, you can increase your Version History from 30 days to 1-Year (365 days) or Forever. Increasing Version History to one year means that all of your files are available to restore for one year after they are modified. If you want to retain modified files forever, you can increase your Version History to Forever.

Examples

The following examples describe how you can use Version History.

30-Day Version History

If you add a file to your computer on 03/28/2023, and you have Version History set to 30 days and you delete that file on 04/01/2023, you can recover that deleted file from your Backblaze backup through 05/01/2023. After that point, Backblaze removes it from your backup, and it is no longer available for recovery.

One-Year Version History

You can add one-year Version History with no additional cost for storage. If you select one-year Version History, then all of the versions of your backed-up files, whether you update, change, or fully delete them from your computer, remain in your Backblaze backup for one year after you modify or delete them from your device. This remains the case for as long as you have this option selected and your account is in good standing.

If you add a file to your computer on 03/28/2023, and the file continues to be in its original state on your computer and your Backblaze account and backup are in good standing, that file is available for recovery. 

If you modify that file on 04/01/2023, and you have Version History set to one year, you can recover that modified file from your Backblaze backup through 04/01/2024 as long as your account remains in good standing.

Forever Version History

You can use the Forever Version History to retain modified or deleted file versions beyond one year. For information about Forever Version History pricing, click here. If you choose this option, files that were modified on your computer or external hard drives remain in your Backblaze backup indefinitely while this option is selected and your account is in good standing

If you add a 200 MB file to your computer on 03/28/2023, you can recover the file as long as it stays on your computer and your Backblaze account and backup are in good standing.

If you delete that file on 04/01/2023, you can recover that file from Backblaze forever (assuming that your Backblaze account and backup are in good standing). However, on 04/01/2024, the 200 MB of space that the file takes up begins accruing charges.

If you edit that file on 04/01/2023 and save the file again, but the new file is now 300 MB, you can still recover the original 200 MB file, along with the edited 300 MB file forever (assuming that your Backblaze account and backup are in good standing). However, on 04/01/2024, the 200 MB of space that the original file takes up begins accruing charges. Since the new 300 MB version of zebra.jpg remains on your computer, it does not accrue charges.

If you delete the 300 MB file on 05/01/2023 and Version History is set to Forever, then on 05/01/2024, both of the two file versions begin accruing charges.

Increasing Version History 

You can change your Version History settings from 30 days to one year or forever at any time. However, the increase in retention is effective only after the point when you enable the setting. Meaning, if you change your setting from 30 days to one year, files that were previously cleared from your backup after 30 days are not available. Your existing 30-day Version History and any versions of the files that you modify going forward are now retained in accordance with your new Version History settings.

Decreasing Version History 

You can decrease your Version History settings from forever to one year or for 30 days at any time. Similarly, you can change your settings from one year to 30 days at any time.

Moving from one-year to 30 days means that you can recover modified files only over the previous 30 days. At your renewal date, the one-year Version History charge will not renew.

Moving from forever to one year means that you can recover modified files only over the previous one year, and you are charged for any outstanding balance. Moving from forever to 30 days means that you are able to recover modified files only over the previous 30 days, and you are charged for any outstanding balance for files that were modified over one year ago. 

Recovering Former Versions

To recover older versions of files, create a restore. To go back in time, you can use the “To” drop-down menu to see the previous versions of files. Changing the “To” field shows your backup status as of that date and time. Rolling back time lets you find and download previous versions of your files.

Requirements

To take advantage of extended Version History, you must have Backblaze version 7.0 or later on the machine that you want to extend the Version History.

With Extended Version history, files that you remove over 30 days ago, or external drives that you disconnect for longer than 30 days are retained on Backblaze servers. However, files or drives that are not present for longer than 30 days do not appear in your current backup view. You can adjust the date and time preferences on the View/Restore Files page to locate the data that was deleted, overwritten, or otherwise removed from the computer that you back up. For more information, see Restore Deleted or Previous File Versions.