Nightly n8n backup to Google Drive

Description

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 ensures your cloud storage remains organized without manual intervention.

What's New in v5 (Optimized)

Lightning-Fast Search:** Optimized Google Drive nodes with specific queries (name contains 'n8n_') and limits. This prevents the workflow from scanning your entire Drive, reducing execution time from minutes to seconds.
Dynamic ID Mapping:* Updated the *Code node** to map folder IDs on the fly. The workflow now "remembers" IDs for n8n_backups and n8n_old, allowing for seamless transitions even if folders are newly created.
Modernized Loops:* Fully migrated from legacy "Split In Batches" to the modern *"Loop Over Items"** architecture for better stability and readability.
Smart Purge Logic:* Uses a Javascript-based *Code node** (you can delete) to extract timestamps from filenames and strictly delete files older than 30 days.
Auto-Healing Infrastructure:** Intelligent check-and-create logic. If the system detects a missing folder, it creates it and immediately passes the new ID to the rest of the flow.

Prerequisites

Google Drive Account:** OAuth2 credentials required. Console Cloud Setup
n8n Version:* Recommended *v1.70.1** or higher (Required for modern Loop nodes).
n8n API Key:** Required for the "Get many workflows" node to fetch your local data. API Key Guide
Permissions:** Ensure the Google Drive API is enabled in your Google Cloud Project.

Configuration

Credentials: Update all Google Drive nodes with your OAuth2 credentials and the "Get many workflows" node with your n8n API Key.
Folder Detection: The "GET CURRENT FOLDER" node is pre-configured to find folders starting with n8n_. Do not rename the base folders unless you update the search query.
Dynamic Paths: The node "MOVE INTO OLD FOLDER" now uses a smart fallback expression:
{{ $node["Code"].json.ids.n8n_old || $node["Create n8n_old"].json.id }}
This ensures it always finds the correct destination.

Automated Purge Settings:

Retention Policy: Open the "you can delete" Code node. You can modify const THIRTY_DAYS_IN_MS to change your retention period.
Activation: Enable the "PURGE DAYS" Schedule Trigger (set to 30 days by default) to start the cleanup cycle.

Last updated

March 2026 (v5.2 Optimized)