Full Backup vs Update Snapshots
v2026.10.1 added full backups (alongside MCP Apps and installed-skill discovery). September notes already warned: make and verify a backup before updating, because rolling back the application does not restore your data.
Updater snapshots are for getting the previous runtime back. They are not a substitute for a copy you took yourself. How to copy files: Backup & Restore.
Three different copies
| Copy | What it is for | What it will not do |
|---|---|---|
| Your own full backup | Config, credentials location, sessions/memory, custom skills, conversation archives | Nothing, if you tested a restore once |
| Updater / Atomic Update snapshot | Put the previous binary/runtime back after a failed switch | Replay conversation state from before the upgrade |
| Doctor in-place repair backup (10.9) | Eligible databases can be backed up and repaired in place after a Node/SQLite upgrade | Help you if you already deleted the directory |
Before every 10.x jump
- Quit or idle the Gateway so files are not mid-write.
- Copy the directory
openclaw doctorreports. Include compressed conversation archives; 10.9 taught us those can stall migrations if handled badly. - Store the copy off the same disk.
- Then run the updater. Upgrade & Migration.