Device Backups

Device backups capture Zaparoo configuration and user data on every Core platform. MiSTer and SteamOS backups can also include supported settings, saves, and save states. Use them before reinstalling Core, replacing storage, or moving a setup to another compatible device.

Local backups are portable ZIP files and do not require an online account. Cloud backups require a linked Zaparoo Online account and Warp for new snapshots.

Local or cloud

	Local backup	Cloud backup (Warp)
Cost	Free	Warp subscription
Where it lives	A ZIP file on the device	Off-site, in your Zaparoo Online account
When it runs	When you start it	Daily, weekly, or when you start it
History	Kept until you delete it	Latest 30 changed snapshots per device
Needs an account	No	Yes, linked to Zaparoo Online

What is included

Every backup includes:

• Core configuration
• Favorites, history, token mappings, profiles, and per-game launcher choices from the user database
• Zaparoo Frontend and terminal UI configuration
• Custom launcher and mapping TOML files
• Custom audio files from Core's assets folder: the success, fail, limit, pending, and ready sounds, plus any other .ogg, .wav, .mp3, or .flac files there

MiSTer backups also include supported platform data:

• MiSTer.ini, alternate MiSTer INI files, and Downloader configuration
• MiSTer core configuration files and input mappings
• Shared saves and save states, captured even while a personal profile is active
• Separate save and save-state directories created by device profiles
• names.txt, the legacy mappings file, and the profile name file

SteamOS backups also include supported platform data:

• EmuDeck and RetroDECK settings, following the paths each one is configured to use
• ES-DE settings, gamelists, collections, and custom systems
• Configuration, BIOS and firmware files, saves, and save states for RetroArch and the standalone emulators Core launches, such as Dolphin, PCSX2, RPCS3, Ryujinx, Cemu, DuckStation, PPSSPP, and Flycast
• Saves and settings inside the Proton prefixes of non-Steam games, such as their Documents, Saved Games, and AppData folders
• Bottles, Faugus Launcher, Kodi, Moonlight, and Steam ROM Manager configuration

Unless listed above, backups do not include platform settings, emulator configuration, saves, save states, or game library data. Support for more platform data is planned.

Backups do not include ROMs, disc images, installed games, downloaded cores, emulator runtimes, caches, Core binaries, the rebuildable media database, scraped artwork, logs, or authentication credentials. This includes shared and per-profile retroachievements.cfg files used by MiSTer profiles, because they contain plaintext passwords. Paired clients and the destination device's identity, encryption setting, and Zaparoo Online credentials are preserved during restore rather than copied from the backup.

If Core cannot include every file, it marks the backup as partial. Check the backup details for skipped categories and warnings before relying on it.

Create a local backup

From the Core terminal UI:

1. Open Settings > Backup.
2. Under Local, select Back up now.
3. Wait for the backup to finish.

Local backups are stored in the backups/files folder inside the platform's Core data directory. Manual backups remain there until you delete them. Core verifies every finished ZIP and deletes it if verification fails, so a listed backup is one that opened cleanly.

Open Settings > Backup > Local > View backups to inspect, restore, or delete a backup.

Restore a backup

Stop any active game before restoring. Core validates the archive, platform, manifest, and file hashes before replacing data.

When you restore a local or cloud backup, Core:

1. Creates a local safety backup of the current device.
2. Applies the selected snapshot as a transaction.
3. Rolls back to the previous state if the restore fails.
4. Restarts to load the restored configuration.

Core keeps the three newest automatic pre-restore safety backups. Manual backups are not pruned automatically.

A restore changes the backed-up settings and data but keeps the current device identity, encryption setting, paired clients, and Zaparoo Online link. Restoring a cloud snapshot copies it onto this device; it does not change or remove the source device or its snapshot.

Cloud backup

Want automatic off-site backups?

Warp is the paid tier of Zaparoo Online. It backs up your Zaparoo data off-site automatically and restores it to this device or a replacement, and it includes Zaparoo App Pro while you subscribe. It keeps your last 30 changed snapshots per device. US$29.99/year or US$3.99/month. Cancel anytime, full refund within 14 days. Local backups are always free.

See Warp plans

Link the device from Settings > Online, or select Link account under Settings > Backup > Cloud. Core shows a URL and one-time code to approve from your Zaparoo Online account.

Creating new cloud snapshots requires Warp. See Warp plans and pricing.

After linking, the Cloud section provides:

• Automatic backup: enables or disables scheduled uploads
• Schedule: selects daily, weekly, or manual
• Back up now: uploads a snapshot immediately
• View backups: groups snapshots by their source device and lets you inspect or restore them
• Status: shows the latest result, warnings, and service availability

The automatic-backup toggle only controls scheduling. You can run a manual cloud backup while scheduling is disabled. Linked devices can still list and restore existing snapshots after a Warp subscription ends.

Cloud snapshots transfer files in packs. An individual file close to or larger than 64 MiB cannot fit in a pack, so Core skips it and reports a partial backup. Local backups can include larger files when the device has enough free space.

Backup work slows down or pauses while a game is running to avoid competing with gameplay.

Command line

The -backup, -backups, and -restore flags use the same full-device backup system. See the Core command-line reference.

Troubleshooting

Restore is unavailable

Stop active media and wait for any launch, backup, or restore operation to finish. If Core reports a pending restore transaction, restart Core so recovery can finish before trying again.

Backup completed with warnings

Inspect the backup details to see which files or categories were skipped. Cloud backups also skip individual files that cannot fit in a 64 MiB transfer pack. If MiSTer saves are stored on USB or network storage, make sure that storage is mounted before starting the backup.

Cloud backup is unavailable

Confirm the device is linked under Settings > Online. New cloud uploads require an active Warp subscription. If the server rejected an old link, unlink and link the device again.

Backup fails for storage space

Free space on the device and retry. A restore also needs space for staging files and the automatic pre-restore safety backup.