{"url":"https://nexovirt.com/proxmox-snapshots","title":"Proxmox snapshots: schedule, roll back & manage · NexoVirt","description":"How Proxmox snapshots work: snapshot vs backup, scheduled snapshots, rollback and retention, and how to manage them for every guest in one panel.","markdown_url":"https://nexovirt.com/proxmox-snapshots.md","sections":[{"heading":"Proxmox snapshots: create, schedule and roll back","content":"A Proxmox snapshot saves a VM or container at one point in time so you can roll back in seconds. It lives on the guest's own storage, so it is a safety net before a change, not a backup. NexoVirt lets you take, roll back and delete snapshots for every guest on every host from one panel and its REST API.\n\n[Install free](https://docs.nexovirt.com/getting-started/installation/) [How snapshots work](#how)"},{"heading":"How do Proxmox snapshots work?","content":"A snapshot records only what changes after it is taken, which is why it is near-instant.\n\nA snapshot freezes a guest's disk, and for QEMU/KVM VMs optionally its running memory (`vmstate`), at one moment. LXC containers snapshot their filesystem. Rolling back returns the guest to exactly that state and discards everything written since.\n\nSnapshots need storage that supports them: ZFS, LVM-thin, Ceph RBD or qcow2 disks do; plain LVM and raw files on directory storage do not. On the command line they are `qm snapshot` for VMs and `pct snapshot` for containers."},{"heading":"Snapshot or backup?","content":"Use both: a snapshot protects you from your own changes, a backup from losing the disk or the host.\n\n| Aspect | Snapshot | Backup (vzdump or PBS) |\n|---|---|---|\n| Speed | Seconds | Minutes to hours for a full copy |\n| Where it is stored | Same storage as the guest | Separate storage or Proxmox Backup Server |\n| Survives disk or host loss | No | Yes, when stored elsewhere |\n| RAM state | Optional for VMs (vmstate) | No |\n| Best for | Undo before an upgrade or config change | Disaster recovery, history, off-site copies |\n\nThe full comparison with the three backup modes, retention and Proxmox Backup Server is in the guide [Proxmox snapshot vs backup](https://nexovirt.com/blog/proxmox-snapshots-and-backups).\n\n- ## Can Proxmox schedule snapshots?\n\nNot natively. Proxmox VE schedules backups, but has no snapshot scheduler. Teams run qm snapshot or pct snapshot from cron, or a script against the API that takes a rolling snapshot (hourly or nightly) and deletes old ones in the same run.\n- ## How does a rollback work?\n\nRollback reverts the guest to the snapshot. A VM snapshot with RAM state resumes where it was; without it the guest restarts from the saved disk. Everything after the snapshot is lost, so take one right before a risky change.\n- ## Do old snapshots get deleted?\n\nNo. Proxmox never prunes snapshots, and each one keeps its changes on storage, so a long chain costs disk space and some performance. Keep a few recent ones and delete the rest on a schedule."},{"heading":"Manage snapshots on every host from one panel","content":"No per-node logins: snapshots, backups and restores sit on each guest's page in NexoVirt.\n\n- ### Snapshots per guest\n\nTake a snapshot before a change, roll back with a confirmation step and delete it when you are done, for any VM or container on any host.\n- ### REST API for automation\n\nCreate, roll back and delete snapshots over a token-authenticated API, so a scheduled snapshot with pruning is a short script.\n- ### Backups and PBS next to it\n\nRun a backup now, browse a guest's backups and restore one. Proxmox Backup Server connections and prune policies are managed in the same panel.\n- ### Snapshots for your customers\n\nHosting customers can take and roll back their own snapshots in the customer portal, with a snapshot limit per guest.\n\n[See the Proxmox control panel](https://nexovirt.com/proxmox-control-panel) [All features](https://nexovirt.com/features)"},{"heading":"Proxmox snapshot FAQ","content":"What are Proxmox snapshots?A Proxmox snapshot captures a VM or container at a point in time so you can roll it back later. It records only subsequent changes, so it is near-instant to take. QEMU/KVM VMs can also save their RAM state (vmstate); LXC containers snapshot their filesystem. Snapshots require a storage backend that supports them, such as ZFS, LVM-thin or qcow2.\n\nWhat is the difference between a Proxmox snapshot and a backup?A snapshot is a fast rollback point stored on the same storage as the guest, so it does not survive disk or host loss and is not a backup. A backup (vzdump or Proxmox Backup Server) is a full copy on separate storage, meant for disaster recovery and retention. Use snapshots for quick rollbacks before a change, and backups for real recovery, they complement each other.\n\nCan Proxmox take automatic or scheduled snapshots?Proxmox VE schedules backups natively but has no built-in snapshot scheduler. Teams automate snapshots with a cron job calling qm snapshot / pct snapshot, or a script that drives the API on a timer and prunes old snapshots. NexoVirt exposes snapshot create, rollback and delete through its REST API and panel, so automatic and scheduled snapshots across every host are a short script.\n\nHow do I roll back a Proxmox snapshot?Rollback reverts the guest to the snapshot's state. For a VM without a saved RAM state, stop the guest first; with vmstate it can resume live. Rollback discards any changes made after the snapshot was taken, so take a snapshot right before a risky change and roll back if it goes wrong.\n\nDo Proxmox snapshots get deleted automatically?No. Proxmox does not auto-prune snapshots, and each one keeps its deltas on storage, so many snapshots consume disk. Keep a small rolling set and delete older ones on a schedule with cron or the API.\n\nCan I manage snapshots across multiple Proxmox hosts?Yes. NexoVirt lets you create, roll back and delete snapshots for every VM and container across all your hosts and clusters from one panel or its REST API, so you never have to log into each node."},{"heading":"Keep reading","content":"- [ Proxmox snapshot vs backup The comparison table, the vzdump backup modes and retention. ](https://nexovirt.com/blog/proxmox-snapshots-and-backups)\n- [ LXC vs QEMU How snapshots differ for containers and virtual machines. ](https://nexovirt.com/lxc-vs-qemu)\n- [ Docker in a Proxmox LXC Snapshot the container before you upgrade Docker inside it. ](https://nexovirt.com/blog/docker-in-unprivileged-proxmox-lxc)"},{"heading":"Start running NexoVirt today","content":"Free for homelabs with unlimited VMs on up to 2 nodes. Running a hosting business? Upgrade in place when you grow, no migration.\n\n[Install free](https://docs.nexovirt.com/getting-started/installation/) [See pricing](https://nexovirt.com/pricing)"}],"faq":[{"question":"What are Proxmox snapshots?","answer":"A Proxmox snapshot captures a VM or container at a point in time so you can roll it back later. It records only subsequent changes, so it is near-instant to take. QEMU/KVM VMs can also save their RAM state (vmstate); LXC containers snapshot their filesystem. Snapshots require a storage backend that supports them, such as ZFS, LVM-thin or qcow2."},{"question":"What is the difference between a Proxmox snapshot and a backup?","answer":"A snapshot is a fast rollback point stored on the same storage as the guest, so it does not survive disk or host loss and is not a backup. A backup (vzdump or Proxmox Backup Server) is a full copy on separate storage, meant for disaster recovery and retention. Use snapshots for quick rollbacks before a change, and backups for real recovery, they complement each other."},{"question":"Can Proxmox take automatic or scheduled snapshots?","answer":"Proxmox VE schedules backups natively but has no built-in snapshot scheduler. Teams automate snapshots with a cron job calling qm snapshot / pct snapshot, or a script that drives the API on a timer and prunes old snapshots. NexoVirt exposes snapshot create, rollback and delete through its REST API and panel, so automatic and scheduled snapshots across every host are a short script."},{"question":"How do I roll back a Proxmox snapshot?","answer":"Rollback reverts the guest to the snapshot's state. For a VM without a saved RAM state, stop the guest first; with vmstate it can resume live. Rollback discards any changes made after the snapshot was taken, so take a snapshot right before a risky change and roll back if it goes wrong."},{"question":"Do Proxmox snapshots get deleted automatically?","answer":"No. Proxmox does not auto-prune snapshots, and each one keeps its deltas on storage, so many snapshots consume disk. Keep a small rolling set and delete older ones on a schedule with cron or the API."},{"question":"Can I manage snapshots across multiple Proxmox hosts?","answer":"Yes. NexoVirt lets you create, roll back and delete snapshots for every VM and container across all your hosts and clusters from one panel or its REST API, so you never have to log into each node."}]}