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

Description

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.

Connect your Google Drive credentials
Connect your n8n API credentials
Select the Google Drive folder where backups should be stored
Adjust the Schedule Trigger interval if needed
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