How to back up a Redis Docker container (2026)

Want a Redis backup that actually restores? Dump it with `redis-cli SAVE # then capture the resulting dump.rdb` from inside the container instead of copying /data. a SAVE/BGSAVE forks a point-in-time RDB snapshot to disk, so you back up the finished dump.rdb (plus the AOF if enabled) rather than volatile in-memory state. Dockstash then restics the dump for encrypted, deduplicated, off-site snapshots.

Detection

What Dockstash detects

Env keys detected	REDIS_PASSWORD, REDIS_ARGS
Default port	6379
Live data paths (never copied live)	/data, /data/dump.rdb, /data/appendonly.aof
Example images	redis:7-alpine, redis:7, redis:6, redis

Commands

The dump command

redis-cli SAVE # then capture the resulting dump.rdb

The restore command

place dump.rdb in the data dir and start redis-server

a SAVE/BGSAVE forks a point-in-time RDB snapshot to disk, so you back up the finished dump.rdb (plus the AOF if enabled) rather than volatile in-memory state.

The gotchas

Gotchas to avoid

Copying an in-progress dump.rdb while Redis rewrites it yields a truncated file; trigger SAVE (or BGSAVE) first, then back up the finished RDB.
If AOF persistence is enabled, back up the appendonly.aof file(s) too — the RDB alone may lag behind the latest writes.
Redis restore requires the server to be stopped or restarted to load the RDB; you cannot hot-swap dump.rdb into a running instance.

Do it in one click with Dockstash

Dockstash runs the exact dump above, restics it off-site, and drill-tests the restore automatically — no script to maintain.

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Last updated: July 2026

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Frequently asked questions

Is Redis worth backing up at all?

It depends on your use. As a pure cache, a lost Redis is repopulated automatically. As a primary store (queues, sessions, sorted-set data), yes — back up the RDB, and the AOF if enabled.

SAVE vs BGSAVE — which does Dockstash use?

BGSAVE forks and snapshots in the background without blocking; SAVE blocks until done. Dockstash prefers a background save and then backs up the finished dump.rdb once it is written.

What about AOF (append-only file)?

If appendonly is enabled, the AOF holds the most recent writes that the RDB may not yet reflect. Dockstash captures both /data/dump.rdb and appendonly.aof so no recent data is lost.

Can I copy dump.rdb while Redis is running?

Only after a completed SAVE/BGSAVE. Copying while a rewrite is in progress can grab a partial file. Dockstash triggers the save and waits for it to finish before backing up.