How to Use TimeShift to Backup and Restore Ubuntu Linux
======
Have you ever wondered how you can backup and restore your **Ubuntu** or **Debian system** ? **Timeshift** is a free and opensource tool that allows you to create incremental snapshots of your filesystem. You can create a snapshot using either **RSYNC** or **BTRFS**.
[![TimeShift-Backup-Restore-Tool-Ubuntu][1]][2]
With that. let’s delve in and install Timeshift. For this tutorial, we shall install on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS system.
### Installing TimeShift on Ubuntu / Debian Linux
TimeShift is not hosted officially on Ubuntu and Debian repositories. With that in mind, we are going to run the command below to add the PPA:
```
# add-apt-repository -y ppa:teejee2008/ppa
```
![Add-timeshift-repository][1]
Next, update the system packages with the command:
```
# apt update
```
After a successful system update, install timeshift by running following apt command :
```
# apt install timeshift
```
![apt-install-timeshift][1]
### Preparing a backup storage device
Best practice demands that we save the system snapshot on a separate storage volume, aside from the system’s hard drive. For this guide, we are using a 16 GB flash drive as the secondary drive on which we are going to save the snapshot.
```
# lsblk | grep sdb
```
![lsblk-sdb-ubuntu][1]
For the flash drive to be used as a backup location for the snapshot, we need to create a partition table on the device. Run the following commands:
```
# parted /dev/sdb mklabel gpt
# parted /dev/sdb mkpart primary 0% 100%
# mkfs.ext4 /dev/sdb1
```
![create-partition-table-on-drive-ubuntu][1]
After creating a partition table on the USB flash drive, we are all set to begin creating filesystem’s snapshots!
### Using Timeshift to create snapshots
To launch Timeshift, use the application menu to search for the Timeshift application.
![Access-Timeshift-Ubuntu][1]
Click on the Timeshift icon and the system will prompt you for the Administrator’s password. Provide the password and click on Authenticate
![Authentication-required-ubuntu][1]
Next, select your preferred snapshot type.
![Select-Rsync-option-timeshift][1]
Click ‘**Next**’. Select the destination drive for the snapshot. In this case, my location is the external USB drive labeled as **/dev/sdb**
![Select-snapshot location][1]
Next, define the snapshot levels. Levels refer to the intervals during which the snapshots are created. You can choose to have either monthly, weekly, daily, or hourly snapshot levels.
![Select-snapshot-levels-Timeshift][1]
Click ‘Finish’
On the next Window, click on the ‘**Create**’ button to begin creating the snapshot. Thereafter, the system will begin creating the snapshot.
![Create-snapshot-timeshift][1]
Finally, your snapshot will be displayed as shown
![Snapshot-created-TimeShift][1]
### Restoring Ubuntu / Debian from a snapshot
Having created a system snapshot, let’s now see how you can restore your system from the same snapshot. On the same Timeshift window, click on the snapshot and click on the ‘**Restore**’ button as shown.
![Restore-snapshot-timeshift][1]
Next, you will be prompted to select the target device. leave the default selection and hit ‘**Next**’.
![Select-target-device-timeshift][1]
A dry run will be performed by Timeshift before the restore process commences.
![Comparing-files-Dry-Run-timeshift][1]
In the next window, hit the ‘**Next**’ button to confirm actions displayed.
![Confirm-actions-timeshift][1]
You’ll get a warning and a disclaimer as shown. Click ‘**Next**’ to initialize the restoration process.
Thereafter, the restore process will commence and finally, the system will thereafter reboot into an earlier version as defined by the snapshot.
![Restoring-snapshot-timeshift][1]
**Conclusion**
As you have seen it quite easy to use TimeShift to restore your system from a snapshot. It comes in handy when backing up system files and allows you to recover in the event of a system fault. So don’t get scared to tinker with your system or mess up. TimeShift will give you the ability to go back to a point in time when everything was running smoothly.