{
  "schema": "https://storagestudio.us/schema/wiki-page.v1",
  "title": "Incremental backup",
  "slug": "glossary-incremental-backup",
  "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-incremental-backup",
  "markdown_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-incremental-backup.md",
  "category": "Glossary",
  "category_url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary/",
  "tags": [
    "glossary",
    "backups"
  ],
  "summary": "An incremental backup copies everything once, then saves only what has changed each time after. Data Backup works this way.",
  "published_at": "2026-10-01T06:16:27.000Z",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-01T05:36:03.000Z",
  "headings": [],
  "links_out": [
    {
      "slug": "glossary-backup-version",
      "label": "Backup version",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-backup-version"
    },
    {
      "slug": "data-backup",
      "label": "Data Backup",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/data-backup"
    },
    {
      "slug": "backup-versions",
      "label": "Backup versions",
      "exists": true,
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/backup-versions"
    }
  ],
  "links_in": [
    {
      "slug": "glossary-backup-version",
      "title": "Backup version",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-backup-version"
    },
    {
      "slug": "backup-versions",
      "title": "Backup versions: what's kept and for how long",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/backup-versions"
    },
    {
      "slug": "data-backup",
      "title": "Data Backup",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/data-backup"
    },
    {
      "slug": "compared-with-time-machine",
      "title": "Storage Studio and Time Machine",
      "url": "https://storagestudio.us/wiki/compared-with-time-machine"
    }
  ],
  "diagrams": [],
  "images": [],
  "screenshots_pending": [],
  "faqs": [],
  "text": "An incremental backup copies everything the first time, then saves only what has changed on each run after that. Later backups are quicker and take far less room than full copies would, yet each one can still be restored as a complete set. Storage Studio's Data Backup works this way. Each version stores just what changed since the one before, so the first backup of a set is the longest — for a cloud destination, it can take a while — and the ones after it are usually quick. Because every version builds on earlier ones, let Storage Studio manage the backup's folder at the destination rather than moving or deleting parts of it by hand. See also: Data Backup · Backup versions · Backup version",
  "markdown": "An **incremental backup** copies everything the first time, then saves only what has changed on each run after that. Later backups are quicker and take far less room than full copies would, yet each one can still be restored as a complete set.\n\nStorage Studio's **Data Backup** works this way. Each [version](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-backup-version) stores just what changed since the one before, so the first backup of a set is the longest — for a cloud destination, it can take a while — and the ones after it are usually quick.\n\nBecause every version builds on earlier ones, let Storage Studio manage the backup's folder at the destination rather than moving or deleting parts of it by hand.\n\nSee also: [Data Backup](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/data-backup) · [Backup versions](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/backup-versions) · [Backup version](https://storagestudio.us/wiki/glossary-backup-version)\n"
}