# Retrieving a backup and "importing" it into elements

**URL:** https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/retrieving-a-backup-and-importing-it-into-elements/57262
**Category:** Elements Hosting
**Created:** [August 8, 2026, 9:33pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/retrieving-a-backup-and-importing-it-into-elements/57262 "2026-08-08T21:33:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![MHA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MHA](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/MHA)
#### Post date: [August 8, 2026, 9:33pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/retrieving-a-backup-and-importing-it-into-elements/57262/1 "2026-08-08T21:33:29Z")

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From the reactor panel I have restored a website to an earlier backup.

I would like to now access and work with this backup version in Elements software.

How does one do this?

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### Author: ![differentdan](https://dub1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/user_avatar/forums.realmacsoftware.com/differentdan/32/33530_2.png) [@differentdan](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/differentdan)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2026, 11:46am UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/retrieving-a-backup-and-importing-it-into-elements/57262/2 "2026-08-10T11:46:08Z")

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Hi @MHA,

In order to do that, you would have to download the archived backup file that is created and uploaded everytime you publish your site. It’s located here in your File Manager (or whichever site you are working on, I selected your primary website for the below example).

 ![rw-backup](https://europe1.discourse-cdn.com/flex005/uploads/realmacsoftware1/original/3X/b/e/be9d3f44f7e39acc28b76ecdb7e85f679247b539.jpeg)

That’s the only way you can get the project file back into RapidWeaver to work with.

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### Author: ![MHA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MHA](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/u/MHA)
#### Post date: [August 10, 2026, 3:48pm UTC](https://forums.realmacsoftware.com/t/retrieving-a-backup-and-importing-it-into-elements/57262/3 "2026-08-10T15:48:07Z")

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Great and always appreciate the good directions.

Mark