Restore files
You've lost a file, changed it by mistake, or need last week's version. This guide finds the file in your backups and gets it back.
1. Find the file
If you know its name, type part of it in the search box at the top of the window. Search looks through every snapshot, including files you've since deleted from disk. Tick Deleted from disk to see only those.
If you know where it was, open the Tree, pick the source and go to the folder. Set Show to All snapshots to see files that the latest snapshot no longer holds.
2. Pick the version
Right-click the file and select Details. The file panel lists every version under Versions, newest first, with its date and size.
3. Get it back
Choose one way:
| Way | Best for |
|---|---|
| Download | One file, or a small folder. It downloads through your browser. A folder comes as a zip file |
| Restore | Putting files back on disk, or a big folder. You choose where they go |
| Mount | Looking around a whole snapshot with your own tools, and copying what you need |
To restore:
- Select Restore on the version, or right-click a file or folder and select Restore….
- Under Restore to, choose Next to the original. KopiaLens writes a dated copy beside the original, for example
report (2026-09-01).docx, so nothing is overwritten. - Select Preview to see what would happen.
- Select Restore… and confirm.
Warning: Where it came from with Replace different or Match snapshot overwrites the files on disk with the backed-up versions. Use Next to the original or a separate folder unless you mean to replace them.
A whole folder or snapshot
- For a folder, right-click it in the Tree and select Restore….
- For a whole snapshot, right-click it in the Snapshots tab and select Restore this snapshot….
Restore writes to the computer running KopiaLens. In Docker, the destination must be a folder mounted into the container. Restore, download and mount describes every option.