Cleaning up backups, backup versions, and replicas

Cleanup rules for backups

1. Go to the Backup section.
2. From the backup list, select the backup for which you want to clean up versions, and then click Options.
3. On the Backup scheme tab, select Custom scheme, select a backup method, and then click Turn on automatic cleanup.

4. Configure cleanup rules for the backup.

   Refer to Custom schemes for details.

Cleanup rules for backup replicas

For more information on cloud replicas of your local backups, see Replicating backups to Acronis Cloud.

1. Go to the Backup section.
2. From the backup list, select the backup for which you want to clean up replica versions, and then click Options.

3. On the Advanced tab, open the Acronis Cloud cleanup tab.

   • Use the Store no more than … recent backup versions option to enter a value that limits the maximum number of replica versions that are stored.
   • Select the Delete backup versions that are older than check box and enter a value that limits the maximum age of the older versions. The most recent versions will be kept and all other versions will be automatically deleted.

Cleaning up backups manually

When you want to delete backup versions that you no longer need, use the tools provided in the application. If you delete backup version files outside Acronis True Image, for example in File Explorer, this will result in errors during operations with the backups.

Versions of the following backups cannot be deleted manually:

• Backups stored on CD, DVD, BD, or Acronis Secure Zone.
• Nonstop backups.
• Notarized backups.

To clean up backup versions locally in Acronis True Image

1. In the Backup section, click the down arrow icon next to the backup to clean up, and then click Clean up versions.

   The Clean up backup versions window opens.

2. If you want to delete replicas, select Acronis Cloud under Delete versions from.

3. Select the required versions and click Delete.
4. Click Delete in the confirmation request.

Please wait for the cleanup operation to complete. After the cleanup, some auxiliary files may stay in the storage. Do not delete them.

Cleaning up versions that have dependent versions

Depending on the backup type and scheme, a backup version may be part of a backup version chain Sequence of minimum two backup versions that consist of the first full backup version and the subsequent one or more incremental or differential backup versions. Backup version chain continues till the next full backup version (if any).. For this reason, deleting this backup version affects the entire chain. The affected dependent versions are also selected for deletion, because data recovery from such versions becomes impossible.

• When you select a full version A self-sufficient backup version containing all data chosen for backup. You do not need access to any other backup version to recover the data from a full backup version. - the program also selects all dependent incremental and differential versions till the next full one. In other words, the entire backup chain will be deleted. However, if the chain is made up of only full versions, any of them can be deleted independently.
• When you select a differential version A differential backup version stores changes to the data against the latest full backup version. You need access to the corresponding full backup version to recover the data from a differential backup version. - it can be deleted independently.
• When you select an incremental version A backup version that stores changes to the data against the latest backup version. You need access to other backup versions from the same backup to restore data from an incremental backup version. - the program also selects all dependent incremental versions within the backup version chain Sequence of minimum two backup versions that consist of the first full backup version and the subsequent one or more incremental or differential backup versions. Backup version chain continues till the next full backup version (if any)..

To clean up backup versions by using Acronis Cloud

1. Go to https://www.acronis.com/my/online-backup/webrestore/, and then log in to your Acronis account.

2. On the Backups tab, click on the size of the backup or the replica whose versions you want to delete.

3. In the details view, click Clean up.

   You can select to delete versions older than a period selected by you, or clean up all versions except a number of recent ones.

4. Configure what to delete and click Clean up now.
5. In the confirmation dialog, click Delete.

The status of the cleanup procedure is displayed when the operation is completed.

See also

Full, incremental and differential backups

Deleting backups and replicas

Cleaning up space on Acronis Cloud