Paperless backup automatically under Docker

In today’s digital world, you increasingly need to rely on tools such as Paperless-NGX. Here is the complete Paperless Backup automatically !

In this post, I’ll show you how to implement a robust backup strategy for your Paperless-NGX system, from configuring the backup file to automating the process.

Please note: This concerns your records, documents, accounting, tax data and all other important information that you store in Paperless.
Never forget: A hard drive can break down – due to water damage, fire, burglary or even a lightning strike.
If you want to keep your data – because you depend on it – back it up regularly!
Lost data is irretrievably lost.

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More articles in this series:

• Paperless: Why document management and performance scope
• Paperless: NGX Docker installation
• Paperless: Adding documents basics
• Paperless: Customize and optimize
• Paperless: Internet Sharing Compendium
• Paperless: Apps for on the go
• Paperless backup automatically under Docker

Step 1: The Heart of the Backup – The Batch File

Paperless-NGX stores your data in two critical places: a PostgreSQL database (for metadata like titles, tags, and correspondents) and the media directory (for the actual document files). To create a complete backup, you need to secure both components.

Here is an improved backup script that handles this task. Copy the following code into a text editor and save it as Backup Paperless.bat.

@echo off
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion

:: Current date in YYYY-MM-DD format
for /f "tokens=2 delims==" %%I in ('"wmic os get localdatetime /value | findstr ="') do set dt=%%I
set "YYYY=%dt:~0,4%"
set "MM=%dt:~4,2%"
set "DD=%dt:~6,2%"
set "DATE=%YYYY%-%MM%-%DD%"

:: Destination directory for backups
:: NOTE: Adjust this path to match your configuration!
set "BACKUP_DIR=D:\Paperless_Backups"

:: Path to the Paperless media directory
:: NOTE: Adjust this path to match your configuration!
set "MEDIA_DIR=C:\Your\Path\to\paperless\media"

:: Ensure the destination folders exist
if not exist "%BACKUP_DIR%\db" (
    mkdir "%BACKUP_DIR%\db"
)
if not exist "%BACKUP_DIR%\media" (
    mkdir "%BACKUP_DIR%\media"
)

echo Starting PostgreSQL backup...
:: NOTE: Replace the container name with your actual name (e.g., paperless-ngx_db_1)
docker exec paperless-dbpg pg_dumpall -U paperless --encoding=UTF8 > "%BACKUP_DIR%\db\paperless_db_%DATE%.sql"

echo Starting media backup...
:: Creates a compressed TAR archive of the entire media directory
tar -czf "%BACKUP_DIR%\media\paperless_media_%DATE%.tar.gz" -C "%MEDIA_DIR%" .

:: --- Keep only THREE versions ---
echo Removing old backups...
echo ...PostgreSQL backups
for /f "skip=3 delims=" %%F in ('dir /b /o-d "%BACKUP_DIR%\db\paperless_db_*.sql"') do (
    echo Deleting %%F
    del "%BACKUP_DIR%\db\%%F"
)

echo ...Media backups
for /f "skip=3 delims=" %%F in ('dir /b /o-d "%BACKUP_DIR%\media\paperless_media_*.tar.gz"') do (
    echo Deleting %%F
    del "%BACKUP_DIR%\media\%%F"
)

echo Backup complete: %DATE%.

Important adjustments you need to make:

• set "BACKUP_DIR=...": Set the path where you want to store your backups. An external drive or network path is ideal.
• set "MEDIA_DIR=...": Provide the absolute path to your media folder, which you configured in your docker-compose.yml.
• docker exec ...: Replace paperless-dbpg with the correct name of your PostgreSQL container. You can find this by running docker ps in your command prompt.

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Step 2: Automate Backups with Windows Task Scheduler

Manual backups are often forgotten. The solution is automation! With Windows Task Scheduler, you can automatically run your backup script on a schedule you define.

Here’s how to set up the task:

1. Open Task Scheduler: Search for “Task Scheduler” in the Start Menu and open the application.
2. Create a New Task: Click on Action > Create Basic Task… in the menu.
3. Name and Describe the Task: Choose a descriptive name like “Paperless-NGX Backup” and a short description.
4. Choose the Schedule:
   • Trigger: Select when you want the task to start. “Daily” is a good choice for regular backups.
   • Time: Set a time when your computer is on but you are not actively using it (e.g., 2:00 AM).
5. Action:
   • Select “Start a program.”
   • For “Program/script,” enter the full path to your Backup Paperless.bat file (e.g., C:\Users\YourName\Scripts\Backup Paperless.bat).
   • Important: In the “Start in” field, enter the directory where the batch file is located (e.g., C:\Users\YourName\Scripts).
6. Finish: Click “Finish” to save the task.

From now on, your backup script will run automatically at the times you set. This simple but effective method will give you a reliable data backup, minimizing the risk of losing your digital paperwork.

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