Shahzaib Anwar This workflow corresponds to n8n.io template #15683 — we link there as the canonical source.
The workflow JSON
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{
"id": "nuWYPyPe0Tuzo532",
"meta": {
"templateCredsSetupCompleted": true
},
"name": "Self-Hosted n8n Workflow Backup to Google Drive",
"tags": [],
"nodes": [
{
"id": "4139a02d-c8b0-4da7-83a3-194ced8080aa",
"name": "Sticky Note",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
0,
0
],
"parameters": {
"width": 480,
"height": 688,
"content": "## Self-Hosted n8n Workflow Backup to Google Drive\n\n### How it works\n\n1. Triggers the workflow on a defined schedule.\n2. Creates a folder in Google Drive for storing backups.\n3. Retrieves workflows and processes them for backup.\n4. Converts data to a file and uploads it to Google Drive.\n5. Manages previous backup folders by searching, sorting, filtering, and deleting as needed.\n\n### Setup steps\n\n- [ ] Configure Google Drive credentials to allow API access for file operations.\n- [ ] Ensure n8n has been set up with necessary permissions to fetch and manage workflows.\n- [ ] Schedule the trigger to define how frequently backups occur.\n\n### Customization\n\nYou can customize the frequency of the schedule trigger and the criteria for old folder management."
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "0380f079-2550-4d2b-9701-698ef41a3f75",
"name": "Sticky Note1",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
560,
304
],
"parameters": {
"color": 7,
"width": 416,
"height": 304,
"content": "## Initialize backup sequence\n\nStarts the workflow on a schedule and initiates Google Drive folder creation."
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "aafe6206-63f5-4b41-8674-062ccfb69b38",
"name": "Sticky Note2",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
1008,
304
],
"parameters": {
"color": 7,
"width": 416,
"height": 304,
"content": "## Retrieve and process workflows\n\nFetches workflows and prepares them for conversion to files."
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "5599cb1c-2649-4e46-a550-016f9b651056",
"name": "Sticky Note3",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
1456,
304
],
"parameters": {
"color": 7,
"width": 416,
"height": 384,
"content": "## Convert and upload files\n\nConverts workflows to files and uploads them to Google Drive."
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "1eb4f1c1-9b0e-449a-a636-db2fa7c086b7",
"name": "Sticky Note4",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
1456,
0
],
"parameters": {
"color": 7,
"width": 1088,
"height": 272,
"content": "## Manage old backups\n\nLimits, searches, sorts, filters, and deletes old backup folders on Google Drive."
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "8c065ae0-1132-4bdd-8d27-4e2d82b87996",
"name": "Create folder",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive",
"position": [
832,
432
],
"parameters": {
"name": "=n8n-backup-{{ $now.format('yyyy-MM-dd-HH-mm') }}",
"driveId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "list",
"value": "My Drive"
},
"options": {},
"folderId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "id",
"value": "REPLACE_WITH_GOOGLE_DRIVE_PARENT_FOLDER_ID",
"cachedResultName": "Select your backup parent folder"
},
"resource": "folder"
},
"typeVersion": 3
},
{
"id": "49088be5-9f8a-4a99-bf0a-53d20203975e",
"name": "Get many workflows",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.n8n",
"position": [
1056,
432
],
"parameters": {
"filters": {},
"requestOptions": {}
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "59915bb9-4d85-47fd-8a5d-2979c4719d3a",
"name": "Loop Over Items",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.splitInBatches",
"position": [
1280,
432
],
"parameters": {
"options": {}
},
"typeVersion": 3
},
{
"id": "c5077e95-6781-480f-9701-ffe90371b69d",
"name": "Convert to File",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.convertToFile",
"position": [
1504,
432
],
"parameters": {
"mode": "each",
"options": {
"fileName": "={{ $json.name.replace(/[\\\\/:*?\"<>|]/g, \"-\") }}.json"
},
"operation": "toJson"
},
"typeVersion": 1.1
},
{
"id": "00b1981d-4a2a-4241-9b65-77cea947578b",
"name": "Upload file",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive",
"position": [
1728,
512
],
"parameters": {
"name": "={{ $binary.data.fileName }}",
"driveId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "list",
"value": "My Drive"
},
"options": {},
"folderId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "id",
"value": "={{ $('Create folder').first().json.id }}"
}
},
"typeVersion": 3
},
{
"id": "0dcd1ef9-1199-4df6-a16b-35489481c264",
"name": "Search files and folders",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive",
"position": [
1728,
112
],
"parameters": {
"filter": {
"folderId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "id",
"value": "REPLACE_WITH_GOOGLE_DRIVE_PARENT_FOLDER_ID",
"cachedResultName": "Select your backup parent folder"
}
},
"options": {},
"resource": "fileFolder",
"queryString": "n8n-backup-"
},
"typeVersion": 3
},
{
"id": "86a054be-546a-4973-8fac-d5fb5a4a16d2",
"name": "Sort",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.sort",
"position": [
1952,
112
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"sortFieldsUi": {
"sortField": [
{
"order": "descending",
"fieldName": "name"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "27285eeb-1eb9-432a-aee4-a884bc794e8b",
"name": "Filter",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.filter",
"position": [
2176,
112
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"conditions": {
"options": {
"version": 3,
"leftValue": "",
"caseSensitive": true,
"typeValidation": "strict"
},
"combinator": "and",
"conditions": [
{
"id": "0f117735-1005-4075-b4d3-dd8afe4649dd",
"operator": {
"type": "string",
"operation": "notEquals"
},
"leftValue": "={{ $json.id }}",
"rightValue": "={{ $('Create folder').first().json.id }}"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 2.3
},
{
"id": "6d659cf3-9ecf-4e42-9624-ebffb69cb73f",
"name": "Delete folder",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive",
"position": [
2400,
112
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"resource": "folder",
"operation": "deleteFolder",
"folderNoRootId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "id",
"value": "={{ $json.id }}"
}
},
"typeVersion": 3
},
{
"id": "2804086b-808e-4489-b165-f2d25def9ca7",
"name": "Limit",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.limit",
"position": [
1504,
112
],
"parameters": {},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "129e187e-8490-469c-bbed-0d1dd1d22306",
"name": "Schedule Trigger",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger",
"position": [
608,
432
],
"parameters": {
"rule": {
"interval": [
{
"field": "hours",
"hoursInterval": 10
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 1.3
}
],
"active": false,
"settings": {
"binaryMode": "separate",
"executionOrder": "v1"
},
"versionId": "c58b4c9a-003f-4946-b116-259f1646d517",
"connections": {
"Sort": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Filter",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Limit": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Search files and folders",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Filter": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Delete folder",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Upload file": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Loop Over Items",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Create folder": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Get many workflows",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Convert to File": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Upload file",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Loop Over Items": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Limit",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
],
[
{
"node": "Convert to File",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Schedule Trigger": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Create folder",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Get many workflows": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Loop Over Items",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Search files and folders": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Sort",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
}
}
}
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About this workflow
This workflow automatically backs up all your n8n workflows to Google Drive on a schedule.
Source: https://n8n.io/workflows/15683/ — original creator credit. Request a take-down →
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