# Create A Backup Task

Backup tasks copy data from one location to another and keep a recoverable copy. The English UI provides two directions: "Backup to this NAS" and "Backup to Others location".

## Select Backup Direction

1. Open "Sync & Backup".
2. Go to "Backup".
3. Select "Backup to this NAS" or "Backup to Others location".

![Select backup direction](position://apps/sync-backup/backup-task#backup-task-direction-cards)

The directions mean:

- "Backup to this NAS": the destination is this NAS.
- "Backup to Others location": the destination is an external device, cloud drive, or file service.

## Create A Backup To This NAS Task

After selecting "Backup to this NAS", the flow starts from "Sources".

![Backup to this NAS](position://apps/sync-backup/backup-task#backup-task-create-source)

1. Select the source type.
2. Select the source path.
3. Select the storage location on this NAS.
4. Set the backup method.
5. Preview and save the task.

Supported source types include This NAS, External Device, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, SMB, WebDAV, FTP, and Rsync.

## Create A Backup To Another Location Task

After selecting "Backup to Others location", the flow starts from the destination.

1. Select the destination type.
2. Select the source path on this NAS.
3. Select the destination location.
4. Set the backup method.
5. Preview and save the task.

Supported destination types include This NAS, External Device, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, SMB, WebDAV, FTP, and Rsync.

## Configure Backup Execution

The backup execution method determines when the task runs. Manual backup is suitable for temporary archiving or tasks that run after confirmation. Scheduled automatic backup is suitable for long-term protection of fixed folders.

![Backup execution settings](position://apps/sync-backup/backup-task#backup-schedule-settings)

Before setting a scheduled backup, confirm that the destination can be accessed at the scheduled time.

## Configure Backup Filter Rules

Advanced settings in a backup task exclude files that do not need to be backed up. This is suitable for temporary files, system files, cache folders, or file types you specify.

For tasks that protect important data, confirm before preview that the filter rules do not exclude files that need to be backed up.

## Preview And Save The Backup Task

The preview step confirms the backup direction, source, destination, connection, and execution method. Save the task after confirming the settings.

After saving, the task appears on the "Backup" page. When a task record exists, click the blank area of the task to open the task detail page. Click a local NAS file path in the task to jump to "Files".

![Backup task list](position://apps/sync-backup#backup-task-list)

## FAQ

| Question | Handling or suggestion |
| --- | --- |
| Should I Create A Sync Task Or A Backup Task | Choose a sync task if you want two locations to stay consistent. Sync is suitable for continuously syncing work files between a computer and NAS, or between this NAS and another Zettlab NAS. Choose a backup task if you want to keep a copy. Backup is suitable for copying important data to this NAS, an external device, a cloud drive, or a file service. |
| Which Direction Should I Choose For A Backup Task | To save data from an external device, cloud drive, or file service to this NAS, choose "Backup to this NAS". To save data from this NAS to another location, choose "Backup to Others location". |