How to Use AutoSync - Discord Server Backup & Restore
Complete guide on how to use AutoSync bot to create backups, restore your server, and manage your backup files.
Who it's for: Discord server administrators who want to protect their server configuration and easily restore or clone server setups.
Outcome: You will know how to create manual backups, view all backups, restore your server from backups, export backups, and use dry-run mode to preview changes.
Prerequisites
- Discord server with admin permissions
- AutoSync bot already added to your server
- Bot has required permissions (Manage Server, Manage Channels, Manage Roles)
Installation
- 1
Create a manual backup
Create a backup of your current server configuration. Manual backups are never deleted automatically, making them perfect for important snapshots before major changes. AutoSync backs up roles, channels, categories, permissions, and server settings.
/backup create - 2
View all your backups
List all available backups for your server. You'll see both manual backups (📝) and automatic backups (🤖). Auto-backups are created daily at 2:00 AM and are automatically deleted after 14 days. Each backup shows its ID, creation date, type, and server name at the time of backup.
/backup list - 3
Preview restore changes (dry-run)
Before restoring, use dry-run mode to preview what will change without actually modifying your server. This shows you exactly what roles, channels, and settings will be created or updated.
/backup restore id:your-backup-id dry-run:true
Configuration
- 1
Get detailed backup information
View detailed information about a specific backup including size, contents breakdown (roles, channels, permissions, emojis), creation date, and backup type. This helps you understand what's in each backup before restoring.
/backup info id:your-backup-id - 2
View backup statistics
Check your server's backup statistics including total backups, manual vs auto backup counts, total storage size, and oldest/newest backup dates. Useful for monitoring backup storage usage.
/backup stats - 3
Check bot health
Monitor the bot's health and system status. Shows overall health status, component health checks, and metrics (backups created, restores performed, error count). Use this to verify the bot is functioning correctly. If health shows degraded status, contact support.
/backup health - 4
Restore from a backup
Restore your server structure from any backup. This will create missing roles and channels, update existing ones, and restore server settings. Existing items not in the backup are NOT deleted (non-destructive restore). Always use dry-run first! Restore limit: Once per week per server.
/backup restore id:your-backup-id /backup restore id:your-backup-id dry-run:true - 5
Export a backup
Export a backup as a JSON file that you can download and store locally. The backup is decrypted and readable. Useful for external storage, manual inspection, or migration to other tools.
/backup export id:your-backup-id - 6
Delete a backup
Delete a specific backup permanently. ⚠️ Warning: This action cannot be undone. The backup file and database record will be permanently removed. Make sure you have other backups if needed. Consider exporting before deleting.
/backup delete id:your-backup-id - 7
Get help
View quick help and command reference. Shows a quick command list, essential tips and reminders, and a link to detailed documentation.
/backup help
Verification
Test the complete workflow: create a backup, list it, preview a restore with dry-run, and optionally restore it. You should see your backup with a unique ID, creation date, and type (Manual or Auto).
/backup create
/backup list
/backup restore id:your-backup-id dry-run:trueExpected output:
✅ Backup created successfully! 📝 Backup ID: abc123def456... 📅 Created: 2025-01-23 10:30:00 📝 Type: Manual 📋 Available Backups: 1. 📝 abc123... (Manual) - 2025-01-23 10:30:00 2. 🤖 xyz789... (Auto) - 2025-01-23 02:00:00
Common Errors & Quick Fixes
❌ Bot not responding to commands
Fix: Wait 5-15 minutes after bot startup for command registration. Refresh Discord (close and reopen). Check that the bot is online (green status). Verify bot has `applications.commands` scope. Check bot permissions in server. If issues persist, contact support.
❌ Permission denied or Missing permissions
Fix: Ensure the bot has: Manage Server, Manage Channels, Manage Roles, View Channels, and Read Message History. Check the bot's role position is above roles it needs to manage. Contact support if permissions are missing.
❌ Backup creation fails
Fix: Check that the bot has "Manage Server" permission. Verify you have admin permissions in the server. If the error persists, contact support.
❌ Restore doesn't work correctly
Fix: Always use dry-run first to preview changes. Check the bot has all required permissions. Verify the backup ID is correct. Check the bot's role position is high enough. Contact support if issues persist.
❌ Auto-backup not working
Fix: Verify bot is in the server and online (green status). Check server timezone (backups run at 2 AM server time). Use `/backup health` to check system status. If auto-backups consistently don't work, contact support.
❌ Health check shows degraded status
Fix: Use `/backup health` to see specific component issues. Check that the bot is online and has all required permissions. If the health check consistently shows degraded status, contact support with the health check details.
❌ Cannot find backup ID
Fix: Use `/backup list` to see all available backups. Copy the full backup ID (you can use the short format shown). Make sure you're using the correct backup ID for your server.
❌ Rate limiting during restore
Fix: The bot automatically handles rate limits with retries. Large servers may take longer to restore. Wait a few minutes and try again if needed. Check `/backup health` for API call metrics.
Important Notes
- →Create manual backups before making major server changes (they're never auto-deleted)
- →Use dry-run mode before every restore to preview changes
- →Check `/backup stats` regularly to monitor backup storage usage
- →Use `/backup health` to verify the bot is functioning correctly
- →Export important backups as JSON files for external storage
- →Use `/backup info` to see detailed backup contents before restoring
- →Test restore functionality in a test server first
- →Understand that restores are non-destructive (won't delete existing items)
- →Remember: Auto-backups are deleted after 14 days, manual backups are kept forever
- →Restore limit: Once per week per server
- →Use `/backup help` to see all available commands and options