You can move a working n8n setup from a mini PC to a VM, but the safe method depends on whether you want to transfer the whole self-hosted instance or only its workflows. For a whole-instance move, preserve the deployment’s data, database and credential-encryption key; a workflow export alone is not a complete migration. Keep the mini PC available until you have tested the VM.
Choose what you are moving
First identify how n8n runs on the mini PC: Docker or npm, SQLite or PostgreSQL, and self-hosted or n8n Cloud. n8n supports Docker and self-hosting, but the right transfer method depends on the instance you have and the state you need to preserve. See n8n’s hosting documentation.
| Migration goal | What it means | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|
| Move the whole self-hosted deployment | Recreate the deployment on the VM and transfer its persistent data and any separately configured database or file storage. | A workflow export is not a full instance backup. On Docker, preserve the n8n data directory and encryption key. |
| Move workflows to a separate instance | Export or package workflows and import them into the destination instance. | This does not by itself transfer all instance state. The current CLI package feature is Preview. |
| Move from n8n Cloud to self-hosted | Import workflows into a self-hosted instance and recreate credentials there. | n8n Support says there is no automated Cloud-to-self-hosted migration; Cloud credentials cannot be exported. |
The Cloud limitation is specific to Cloud migration; do not apply it automatically to a self-hosted mini-PC-to-VM move. Support’s details are at Migrating from cloud to self-hosted.
Inventory the mini PC before copying anything
Write down the source configuration before preparing the VM. This helps distinguish data stored in n8n’s persistent directory from data held in a separate database or storage service.
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- Record whether n8n runs in Docker or via npm, and note the installed n8n version.
- Identify the database: SQLite or PostgreSQL. If PostgreSQL is separate from the n8n container, account for its data and connection settings independently.
- For Docker, identify the host path or volume mounted at
/home/node/.n8n. Note whether binary data or other files are stored outside that directory. - Record the configured credential-encryption key and where it is supplied. Do not assume it is stored in the same place as the database.
- List the public URL, hostname, reverse proxy, TLS, DNS, firewall rules, webhook endpoints and OAuth callback URLs that the source uses.
- Note community nodes, external services and other dependencies that the destination will need.
This inventory is operational guidance, not a universal n8n migration recipe: database, binary-data and community-node arrangements vary by installation.
Back up the source and preserve credential access
Retain a recoverable backup before changing the working instance. The Server CLI’s --backup option exports workflows and credentials, but n8n documents that this is not a complete self-hosted instance backup. Its CLI guidance points to separate backup and restore guidance for a complete backup. Credential exports can expose sensitive information, so protect the files and remove them securely when they are no longer needed. See Use the command line.
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For Docker deployments, n8n says to persist /home/node/.n8n even when PostgreSQL is used. The directory contains essential user data, including the credential-encryption key; without the same key, existing credentials cannot be decrypted. Keep the destination data and key together, and protect the key as a secret. See the n8n Docker image README.
Prepare the VM to match the source
Install the same n8n version initially where practical, and configure the destination with the corresponding database and storage arrangement. Set up the persistent n8n directory if using Docker, and make sure the destination can use the original encryption key. Also configure the hostname, proxy, TLS, DNS and firewall for the VM’s actual network setup; there is no single set of URL or proxy settings that fits every deployment.
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Do not start two active copies against shared state or allow both instances to process the same production triggers during cutover. Plan when the old instance will stop and when the VM will become the active endpoint. For a self-hosted move, transfer the full state using a backup and restore approach appropriate to the actual deployment; copying only workflows may leave out settings or data required by the instance.
Use workflow packages only when workflows are the scope
For moving workflows between instances from the command line, n8n’s current documentation recommends its CLI package commands. Packages can include workflow folders, projects and references, and can check an import before writing. The feature is marked Preview and may change, so verify the commands against the installed n8n version and test the import before relying on it. See Export and import workflows.
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The Server CLI’s workflow and credential export route is a narrower alternative, not a substitute for a complete deployment backup. If exporting credentials, handle the resulting files as sensitive because their contents may be visible. For Git-based movement between source-control environments, n8n documents that feature for Business and Enterprise plans and warns that pushing and pulling to the same instance can overwrite work; it is an environment workflow, not a whole-host migration. Details are in Create environments with source control.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Validate the VM before retiring the mini PC
After restoring or importing, check the destination with the old instance still available for recovery. These are practical cutover checks rather than a claim that every n8n deployment uses the same procedure.
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- Open the VM’s n8n interface and confirm that the expected workflows, projects and settings are present.
- Test representative credentials by running workflows that use them. A visible credential entry alone does not prove that it can be decrypted and used.
- Run representative workflows manually and inspect their results and execution history.
- Check scheduled triggers and webhooks. Confirm that external services can reach the VM’s public endpoint and that DNS, TLS, firewall and proxy routing behave as intended.
- Verify OAuth callbacks and any external integrations that depend on the hostname or public URL.
- Run n8n’s security audit and review findings for credentials, database, file system, nodes and instance settings. The audit is available through the CLI, API or an n8n node; see Security audit.
Once the VM is handling the expected executions and callbacks, stop the old instance and retain its backup for the recovery period you consider appropriate. If a credential fails or a workflow is missing, avoid deleting the source or overwriting the only backup while you diagnose whether the issue is an incomplete transfer, a missing dependency or an encryption-key mismatch.
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