When you first install Rewind, your backup begins automatically. You might notice the first backup takes longer than expected — and that’s completely normal. This article explains why, and what to expect moving forward.
How Long Initial Backups Typically Take
For most customers, your first backup should complete within a few hours. If your account contains a larger amount of data or is more complex, it may take anywhere from several hours to a few days. The exact timing depends on the size of your account and the platform’s API limits.
You’ll Be Notified Once it's Completed
You’ll receive a confirmation email once your first backup is complete. After that, future backups will run automatically in the background — no action needed on your part.
Why Your First Backup Takes the Longest
The first backup takes the most time because Rewind is backing up everything it’s designed to protect in your connected environment. That means we’re scanning your entire account to identify and store all supported data from the very beginning. Many platforms also limit how many API requests we can make per hour, which can affect how quickly we’re able to process your data—even if your account doesn't contain a large amount of it.
Regardless of how long your first backup takes to complete, the good news is: that’s the longest it’ll ever take. Once your first backup is done, future backups will be much faster because we only need to capture what’s new or changed.
In summary:
- Your first backup captures all the supported data in your account.
- It might take a while, especially if there’s a lot to back up.
- This is a one-time process—backups afterward are quicker.
- Some delays are due to platform-imposed API rate limits.
What Makes Future Backups Much Faster
After the first backup, Rewind only captures new or updated content. If you haven’t made many changes, the backup will complete quickly. Here’s what makes future backups faster and more efficient:
- Only new or changed content is backed up — no need to duplicate everything.
- Fine-grained change detection allows us to track updates at a detailed level.
- Automated daily backups typically run overnight with no disruption.
- Manual backups are also quick since we’re only capturing recent changes.
When to Contact Customer Support
f you’re ever concerned about how long your first backup is taking—especially if it seems longer than it should based on how much data you have—please reach out to our Support team. We’re always happy to check in, confirm everything is running smoothly, and help you feel confident your data is safe.