# Overview of Backup and Restore

Cloud Voice can capture a snapshot of your phone system's configuration data and store it as a backup file. You can restore that file later to the same PBX (Private Branch Exchange, the phone system that routes your calls), or use it to move settings onto a different PBX.

## Why use backup and restore

Keeping current backups of your PBX gives you a few practical advantages:

- Run backups on demand, or set them to happen automatically on a schedule.
- Copy an existing configuration from one PBX to another with minimal effort.
- Recover your system quickly if something goes wrong.

## What gets backed up

A Cloud Voice backup captures the following configuration data:

- **System Configuration**: every setting configured on the system.
- **Custom Prompts**: the recorded audio messages callers hear, such as greetings and menu prompts.
- **CDR**: the Call Detail Records, which are the logs of every call made and received.
- **Company Contacts and Phonebooks Settings**
- **Chat Data for External Chat**
- **Fax Logs**

:::note
Custom ringtones that were uploaded directly to the PBX are saved as part of the custom prompts. Ringtones that individual extension users added to their own Cloud Voice App are not included in a backup.
:::

:::note
Fax logs are backed up, but the fax files attached to them are not.
:::

## Where backups are stored

Backup files are written to a fixed default storage location. This location cannot be changed.

## How old backups are cleared

By default, the PBX keeps up to 5 backup files. Once that limit is reached, each new backup replaces the oldest one. You can leave this at the default or adjust the limit to suit your needs.

:::caution
Replaced backups are deleted permanently and cannot be recovered. If you need to keep a specific backup for the long term, download and store it somewhere safe before the limit forces it out, or raise the retention limit.
:::

For details, see [Auto Cleanup Settings](/pbx/administrator-guide/auto-cleanup-settings/).

## Backup and restore activity logs

Every backup and restore action is recorded, along with the account that performed it, so you can review exactly what happened from the PBX web interface.

For details, see [Manage Operation Logs](/pbx/administrator-guide/manage-operation-logs/).