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Back up self-hosted workflows to Google Drive on a schedule

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1. Workflow Overview

How it works This workflow automatically backs up all your n8n workflows to Google Drive on a schedule. The workflow: Creates a new timestamped backup folder in Google Drive Fetches all workflows f...

Best for

  • DevOps automation workflows
  • advanced n8n builders looking for reusable templates

Tools used

n8n-nodes-base.stickynote, n8n-nodes-base.googledrive, n8n-nodes-base.n8n, n8n-nodes-base.splitinbatches, n8n-nodes-base.converttofile, n8n-nodes-base.sort, n8n-nodes-base.filter, n8n-nodes-base.limit

Source and attribution

This workflow is cataloged by N8N Workflows and links back to its original n8n.io source page by Shahzaib Anwar.

Original n8n.io source

1.1 Workflow description

Title
Back up self-hosted workflows to Google Drive on a schedule
Workflow name
Back up self-hosted workflows to Google Drive on a schedule

How it works

This workflow automatically backs up all your n8n workflows to Google Drive on a schedule.

The workflow:

  • Creates a new timestamped backup folder in Google Drive
  • Fetches all workflows from your n8n instance
  • Converts each workflow into a JSON file
  • Uploads every workflow backup into the newly created folder
  • Automatically deletes older backup folders to keep storage clean

This helps prevent accidental workflow loss and removes the need for manual exports.


Setup steps

Setup usually takes less than 10 minutes.

  1. Connect your Google Drive credentials
  2. Connect your n8n API credentials
  3. Select the Google Drive folder where backups should be stored
  4. Adjust the Schedule Trigger interval if needed
  5. Run the workflow once manually to test it

Detailed setup notes are included inside the workflow using sticky notes.


Requirements

  • Self-hosted n8n instance
  • n8n API access enabled
  • Google Drive account
  • Google Drive OAuth2 credentials configured in n8n

Features

  • Fully automated workflow backups
  • Timestamped backup folders
  • JSON export for every workflow
  • Automatic cleanup of older backups
  • Community-template friendly
  • No hardcoded credentials

Backup naming format

Backup folders are created using this format:

n8n-backup-YYYY-MM-DD-HH-mm

Example:

n8n-backup-2026-05-13-10-30


Notes

  • The workflow keeps the newest backup folder and deletes older ones automatically
  • You can modify the cleanup logic to keep the last 3–5 backups instead
  • Sticky notes are included throughout the workflow for easier customization

1.2 Logical Blocks

This catalog entry is organized from the workflow JSON. The node-level section below shows the executable blocks available for review before importing the template.

2. Block-by-Block Analysis

Block 1 - Sticky Note

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 2 - Sticky Note1

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 3 - Sticky Note2

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 4 - Sticky Note3

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 5 - Sticky Note4

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 6 - Create folder

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive - googleDrive
Config choices
Version 3

Block 7 - Get many workflows

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.n8n - n8n
Config choices
Version 1

Block 8 - Loop Over Items

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.splitInBatches - splitInBatches
Config choices
Version 3

Block 9 - Convert to File

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.convertToFile - convertToFile
Config choices
Version 1.1

Block 10 - Upload file

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive - googleDrive
Config choices
Version 3

Block 11 - Search files and folders

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive - googleDrive
Config choices
Version 3

Block 12 - Sort

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.sort - sort
Config choices
Version 1

Block 13 - Filter

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.filter - filter
Config choices
Version 2.3

Block 14 - Delete folder

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive - googleDrive
Config choices
Version 3

Block 15 - Limit

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.limit - limit
Config choices
Version 1

Block 16 - Schedule Trigger

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger - scheduleTrigger
Config choices
Version 1.3

3. Summary Table

Workflow Back up self-hosted workflows to Google Drive on a schedule
Complexity advanced
Nodes 16
Categories DevOps
Author Shahzaib Anwar
Published 13 May 2026

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

  1. 1. Download the workflow JSON

    Use the JSON export at /data/workflows/15683/15683.json as the source template for this automation.

  2. 2. Import the template into n8n

    Open n8n, import the downloaded JSON, and review each node before activating the workflow.

  3. 3. Configure credentials and variables

    Replace placeholder credentials, API keys, webhook URLs, account IDs, and environment-specific values with your own settings.

  4. 4. Test with sample data

    Run the workflow manually or in a staging workspace, inspect node output, and confirm downstream systems receive the expected data.

  5. 5. Activate and monitor

    Enable the workflow only after testing, then monitor executions, errors, and rate limits during the first production runs.

5. General Notes & Resources

Review imported nodes carefully before activation. This catalog entry is intended to help you inspect the workflow structure, understand required services, and find related templates faster.

Node names, credentials, schedules, webhook paths, and external service limits may need adjustment for your workspace.

Frequently asked questions

What does Back up self-hosted workflows to Google Drive on a schedule do?

How it works This workflow automatically backs up all your n8n workflows to Google Drive on a schedule. The workflow: Creates a new timestamped backup folder in Google Drive Fetches all workflows f...

What do I need before importing this workflow?

Review the workflow JSON, configure any required credentials in n8n, and test the automation in a safe workspace before using it in production.

Can I customize this workflow?

Yes. Use the block-by-block analysis and the downloadable JSON to inspect each node, then adjust credentials, prompts, schedules, filters, or destinations for your DevOps use case.