Nightly n8n backup to Google Drive
## Description
This template creates a nightly backup of all n8n workflows and saves them to a Google Drive folder. Each night, the previous night's backups are moved to an “n8n_old” folder and renamed with the corresponding date.
Backups older than a specified age are automatically deleted using a precise code-based verification (this feature is active for 30 days by default, but is fully configurable).
## What's New in v5
* **Modernized Loops:** Replaced the legacy "Split In Batches" node with the newer and more efficient **"Loop Over Items"** node.
* **Smart Purge Logic:** Now uses a **Code node** with Javascript (`you can delete`) to accurately calculate file age before deletion, ensuring only files strictly older than 30 days are removed.
* **Safety Checks:** Implemented logic to verify if the "n8n_old" folder exists before attempting any purge operations to prevent errors.
* **Auto-Healing:** The system now automatically creates the `n8n_backups` and `n8n_old` folders if they are missing.
## Prerequisites
* **Google Drive account and credentials:** **Get** from the following link. [Link](https://console.cloud.google.com/apis/credentials/oauthclient/)
* **n8n version:** Recommended v1.70.1 up to v2.1.4 or higher (Required for "Loop Over Items" compatibility).
* **n8n API Key:** **Guide** from the following link. [Link](https://witmovil.com/where-to-create-the-api-key-in-n8n/) (Required for the "Get many workflows" node).
* **Destination folders** (Optional, as the script can now create them, but good to have):
* “n8n_old”
* “n8n_backups”
## Configuration
1. **Google Drive:** Update all Google Drive nodes with your OAuth2 credentials.
2. **n8n Connection:** Open the "Get many workflows" node (formerly just "n8n") and select your **n8n account** credential (API Key).
3. **Schedule:** Edit the Schedule Trigger node with the desired time to run the backup.
**If you want to configure the auto-purge (delete old backups):**
1. The deletion logic is now handled in the **"you can delete"** Code node. You can edit the variable `const THIRTY_DAYS_IN_MS` in the code if you wish to change the 30-day limit.
2. Enable the “PURGE DAYS” trigger and the subsequent nodes to activate this feature.
3. Enable the workflow to run on the specified schedule.
## Last updated
December 2025
