<blockquote>
  <p>Is a backup needed before updating?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>It's definitely recommended.</p>

<p>Regardless of it is an <a href="https://craftcms.com/docs/updating" rel="nofollow noreferrer">auto-update or a manual update</a>, Craft will attempt to perform a database backup if the <a href="https://craftcms.com/docs/config-settings#backupDbOnUpdate" rel="nofollow noreferrer">backupDbOnUpdate</a> config setting is set to <code>true</code> (it is by default).</p>

<p>If that is set to <code>false</code> you'd want to perform your own backup before doing a Craft update.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Will installing new updates have any affect on the pages already saved or the existing structure?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Updates should not make breaking changes to the front-end of your site.  The ones that do will be advertised as so, such as the Craft 2 => 3 update process.</p>

<p>You can see the steps that Craft goes through to make sure updating is done safely here: <a href="https://craftcms.stackexchange.com/questions/1111/how-safe-is-auto-updating">How safe is auto-updating?</a></p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-09-16T21:30:29.257Z
2017-09-16T21:30:29.257Z
Brad Bell
<p>Is a backup needed before updating? Will installing new updates have any affect on the pages already saved or the existing structure?</p>

<updates><manual-updates>
Issues with Updating
# Issues with Updating

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-09-15)

Is a backup needed before updating? Will installing new updates have any affect on the pages already saved or the existing structure?

**Tags:** updates, manual-updates


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-09-16. Score: 1

> Is a backup needed before updating?

It's definitely recommended.

Regardless of it is an [auto-update or a manual update](https://craftcms.com/docs/updating), Craft will attempt to perform a database backup if the [backupDbOnUpdate](https://craftcms.com/docs/config-settings#backupDbOnUpdate) config setting is set to `true` (it is by default).

If that is set to `false` you'd want to perform your own backup before doing a Craft update.

> Will installing new updates have any affect on the pages already saved or the existing structure?

Updates should not make breaking changes to the front-end of your site. The ones that do will be advertised as so, such as the Craft 2 => 3 update process.

You can see the steps that Craft goes through to make sure updating is done safely here: [How safe is auto-updating?](https://craftcms.stackexchange.com/questions/1111/how-safe-is-auto-updating)


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