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No. Supabase-managed database backups do not include the contents of files stored through the Storage API. They can include the database records that describe buckets and objects, but those records do not restore the files themselves. To protect a project that uses Storage, back up the objects separately.
What a Supabase database backup contains
Supabase distinguishes between Storage metadata and file contents. Bucket and object metadata is stored in Postgres tables such as storage.buckets and storage.objects, so that metadata may be present in a database backup. The actual files are stored outside the database and are excluded from Supabase-managed database backups. Supabase’s database overview explains the backup scope, and its Storage quickstart describes where files are stored.
That separation matters during recovery: a restored database can show bucket and object records even when the corresponding file contents are missing. Database point-in-time recovery (PITR) does not bring back Storage objects that were excluded from the database backup.
How to make a separate copy of Storage files
Supabase documents several ways to download Storage objects. Choose based on how many files you have and how repeatable the copy needs to be; no single method is established as best for every project. See the Storage download guide for current details.
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| Method | Best suited to | Considerations |
|---|---|---|
| Dashboard | Downloading individual files | Supabase documents downloads from the Storage section; this is a manual approach. |
| Supabase CLI | Repeatable workflows and copying objects between projects | Supabase documents commands for listing and copying objects. Check the current CLI documentation for syntax and flags before automating. |
| S3-compatible client | Bulk transfers or larger collections | Supabase documents an S3-compatible endpoint and names AWS CLI, rclone, and Cyberduck as possible clients. Its guidance says these tools can transfer large collections more efficiently than downloading files individually. |
For any method, check that the copy preserves the bucket structure you need and that you can write the objects back to the intended destination. Test with a small sample before depending on the process for a full recovery.
Restoring or moving a project requires a Storage step
When restoring a database or moving data to a new project, treat the database and Storage objects as separate parts of the recovery. Supabase’s backup and restore guidance describes separate object migration for legacy logical dashboard backups: the database may contain file metadata even when the objects in the S3 buckets are absent.
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Project cloning also does not copy Storage objects or settings, according to Supabase’s clone guidance. For paused-project recovery, its recovery guide instructs users to download the database backup and Storage objects separately before the old project is deleted, then restore the database and copy the objects.
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- Restore the database in the destination project.
- Copy the Storage objects into the intended buckets in that project.
- Check that representative files can be retrieved and that the restored metadata corresponds to available objects.
What backup plans and PITR do—and do not—change
Supabase documents daily database backups and PITR availability on paid plans. Plan availability and retention terms can change; consult the current backup feature documentation and your project’s dashboard for applicable details. These database backup features do not include Storage file contents.
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Supabase’s production checklist says database backups are not available for download on Free Plan projects and points to PITR for finer-grained database recovery. That is about database backups, not a separate copy of Storage objects. If your recovery plan depends on Storage files, arrange and test an object-copy process independently.
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