This article explains how to manage and reduce the data storage used by your ProBackup account. Use these options when you want to stay within your storage limits or simply reduce the amount of data being kept in your backups.
ProBackup offers four ways to control your storage usage: adjusting your data retention period, excluding older files, excluding files by size or extension, and excluding specific projects or lists.
1. Adjust your data retention period
The data retention period controls how long ProBackup keeps versions of your records and deleted items. Reducing this period is the quickest way to lower your storage usage.
Go to Settings > Data retention.
Select a shorter retention period for Versions and Deleted items.
Click Save to apply the changes.
Note: Available retention periods depend on your subscription plan. You can choose between 6 months, 2 years, or 4 years.
2. Exclude old files
You can exclude files based on when they were uploaded to your app. This is useful if you only want to back up recent files and skip older ones, even when those files are still active in your app.
Go to Settings > Data retention.
Locate the option to exclude files based on upload date.
Set the time period (for example, exclude files uploaded more than 2 years ago).
Click Save.
Use case: You do not want to back up PDF files that were uploaded in 2020, even though they are still in use in your app today.
3. Exclude files by size or extension
You can also exclude files based on their size or file type. This helps you skip large files or formats you do not need to protect.
Go to Settings > Data retention.
Set a maximum file size (for example, exclude files larger than 1 GB).
Add file extensions you want to exclude (for example, .zip).
Click Save.
Tip: If you set the file size limit to 0, all attachments will be excluded from your backup.
4. Exclude your biggest projects and lists
If a few large projects or lists account for most of your storage, you can exclude them from the backup scope. To find which ones use the most space:
Go to Settings > Data retention.
Click Request report to receive a breakdown of data usage per project.
Once you receive the report, identify the projects or lists you want to exclude.
Follow the steps in How to manage your backup scope to exclude them.