3 Mins Read

2 January 2026

How to Save PostgreSQL Data and Make Backups

Managing and protecting your PostgreSQL database is essential for any application or project. As your database grows and accumulates important data, regular backups ensure you can recover from accidental data loss, hardware failures, or other unforeseen issues.

PostgreSQL provides several reliable methods for creating backups. In this article, we’ll cover both logical and physical backups, as well as using PgAdmin and automating backup processes.

Why PostgreSQL Backups Are Important

Every database contains valuable information, and losing it can cause significant setbacks. Backups allow you to:

  • Restore your database to a previous state if needed

  • Migrate data between servers or environments

  • Ensure business continuity in case of hardware or software failures

With PostgreSQL, you have flexible tools to manage your backups efficiently.

Logical Backups

Logical backups store the database content in a format such as SQL scripts. This method is useful for restoring individual databases, tables, or even migrating to another PostgreSQL server.

Using pg_dump

The pg_dump command allows you to export a single database into a file, for example backup_file.sql:

pg_dump -U username -h host -p port dbname > backup_file.sql

  • -U username — PostgreSQL user name

  • -h host — Database host (default port is 5432)

  • -p port — Database port (default is 5432)

  • dbname — The database you want to back up

  • backup_file.sql — The file name where your backup will be saved

Using pg_dumpall

To back up all databases on a server, including global objects such as roles and functions, use pg_dumpall:

pg_dumpall -U username > all_databases_backup.sql

This creates a single SQL file containing all databases and server-wide objects.

Physical Backups

Physical backups copy the database’s data directory directly. This method is faster for large databases and preserves the exact state of your database. PostgreSQL provides pg_basebackup for this purpose:

pg_basebackup -h host -D /path/to/backup/directory -U username -v -P

  • -h host — Server host

  • -D /path/to/backup/directory — Directory where the backup will be stored

  • -U username — Database user

  • -v — Enables verbose output

  • -P — Shows progress

Physical backups are especially useful for setting up replication or disaster recovery strategies.

Using PgAdmin

If you prefer a graphical interface, PgAdmin makes it easy to manage backups and restores. You can download it here: https://www.pgadmin.org/download/

With PgAdmin, you can:

  • Execute SQL queries efficiently

  • Create backups and restore databases using context menus

  • Select specific tables or entire databases for backup

Automating Backups

To ensure your data is always protected, you can automate backups using scripts with pg_dump, pg_dumpall, or pg_basebackup. On Linux, you can schedule these scripts with cron, and on Windows, use Task Scheduler. Automated backups reduce manual effort and minimize the risk of missing a backup

By following these methods, you can keep your PostgreSQL databases secure, easily recoverable, and well-managed. Regular backups are an essential part of maintaining a robust and reliable application.

Tags:PostgreSQL