What a world backup actually is
A world backup on Apex Hosting is a copy of your entire game server's map, player data, structures, and progress saved to Apex's storage. When you create one, you're freezing everything as it exists at that moment — every building, every item in chests, every player's inventory — so you can restore it later if something goes wrong or if you want to revert to an earlier state.
Apex Hosting automatically creates backups on a schedule (usually daily), but you can also create manual backups yourself whenever you want. Manual backups are useful before you make big changes, test mods, or let new players join — if something breaks, you restore from the backup and nothing is lost.
The backup sits on Apex's servers, not on your computer. You don't read it unless you need to restore it or move your server elsewhere.
Key Takeaways
- Manual backups are created through your Apex Hosting control panel in seconds and let you save your world before risky changes.
- Automatic backups run on a schedule set by your server plan, but manual backups give you control over exactly when a copy is made.
- Restoring a backup replaces your current world with the saved version, so everything after the backup date is lost.
- Apex keeps multiple backups (usually 7 to 14 days' worth), so you can restore from different points in time if needed.
How to create a manual backup through the control panel
Log into your Apex Hosting account and go to the Gameservers section. Find your server in the list and click on it. On the left sidebar, look for "Backups" or "World Backups" — the exact label depends on your game type (Minecraft, Rust, Valheim, etc.), but it's always in the main menu.
Click the button to create a new backup. Apex will ask you to name it (something like "Before_Mods_Update" is clearer than "Backup_1"). The backup process usually takes 30 seconds to a few minutes depending on your world size. You'll see a progress bar or a notification when it's done.
That's it. The backup is now stored on Apex's servers. You don't need to do anything else unless you want to restore it later.
When to create a backup before you do something
Create a manual backup before you install a new mod or plugin, especially one you haven't tested. If the mod breaks your server or corrupts your world, you restore the backup and you're back to where you started. Without a backup, you'd have to rebuild everything or start over.
Create a backup before you give admin access to a new player or before you let a large group of new players join. If someone griefs your world or deletes important structures, you can restore to the moment before they joined. Create a backup before you make major changes to your server settings, before you update your server software, or before you test a new game mode on your existing world.
You don't need a backup before routine play. Automatic backups handle that. Manual backups are for moments when you're about to do something that could go wrong.
How to restore a world from a backup
Go to the Backups section in your control panel, just like you did to create one. You'll see a list of available backups with dates and times. Click on the backup you want to restore. Apex will ask you to confirm — this is important, because restoring a backup replaces your current world completely. Everything that happened after the backup was created will be gone.
Once you confirm, Apex restores the backup. Your server will restart, and when it comes back online, the world will be exactly as it was when you created that backup. This usually takes a few minutes.
If you restore by accident or realize you restored the wrong backup, you can restore a different one. As long as Apex still has it in storage, you can go back to it.
How many backups Apex keeps and how long they last
Apex typically keeps 7 to 14 days of automatic backups, depending on your server plan. Higher-tier plans often keep more backups. Manual backups you create yourself usually don't count against this limit — Apex stores them separately so you can keep important ones longer.
Check your specific plan details in the control panel or contact Apex support to confirm how many backups your plan includes. If you're running out of backup storage, you can delete old backups manually to make room for new ones, but keep at least one recent backup in case you need it.
What happens if your server crashes or gets corrupted
If your server crashes or your world becomes corrupted, you don't have to do anything when ready. Go to the Backups section, find the most recent backup before the crash happened, and restore it. Your world will be restored to that point, and your server will restart with the restored data.
If you don't have a backup (which shouldn't happen with automatic backups, but could if you've disabled them), contact Apex support. They may be able to recover data from their systems, but recovery is not may provide. This is why keeping backups enabled is important.
Backing up your world to your own computer
If you want a copy of your world on your own computer for safekeeping or to move to a different host, you can read it from Apex. Go to the Backups section, find the backup you want, and look for a read button or link. Apex will compress the world files and give you a read link that usually expires after a few hours.
read the file and save it somewhere safe on your computer. If you ever need to move your server to a different host or restore it on a local server, you'll have the world files. The process for uploading it to a new host varies by host, so check their documentation when you're ready to move.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I restore a backup without losing my current world?
No. Restoring a backup replaces your current world entirely. If you want to keep both, read your current world to your computer first, then restore the backup. You'll have both versions saved separately.
How long does a backup take to create?
Manual backups usually take 30 seconds to a few minutes, depending on how large your world is. Your server stays online during the backup, so players can keep playing. Automatic backups run in the background on a schedule.
What if I accidentally deleted something and want to get it back?
Restore the most recent backup from before you deleted it. Everything in that backup will come back, but anything that happened between the backup and the deletion will be lost. This is why creating a backup before big changes is useful.
Do backups include player data and inventories?
Yes. A world backup includes everything — the map, all structures, all items in chests, and every player's inventory and progress. When you restore, all of it comes back exactly as it was.
Can I schedule backups at a specific time?
Automatic backups run on Apex's schedule, which you usually can't change. If you need a backup at a specific time, create a manual backup yourself. Manual backups happen when ready when you click the button.