How to restore files from a cloud backup
With Tornova Backup you restore in two places: you choose the files on the website, and Tornova App on your PC completes the restore. You sign in, open Restore, pick the computer and the files, choose a destination and select Restore Now. This guide walks through each step, explains what happens when a file already exists, and shows how to check the result.
How a web-first restore works
Restore in Tornova Backup is split in two on purpose. You select the files on the website, where you can browse your backed-up files and their versions securely, protected by your sign-in, your permissions and, where it is used, two-step verification. Then Tornova App on the chosen PC receives the request and carries out the restore.
The website alone cannot write files to your PC. That is why Tornova App must be installed on the computer, able to communicate with Tornova, and signed in where required. If it is not running yet, a restore that is waiting continues as soon as it is.
Before you start
- Tornova App is installed on the PC that should receive the files. If you are restoring to a new PC, see Restore files to a new PC.
- The PC is online. The restore needs a connection to Tornova.
- There is enough free space at the destination. If the disk is full or unavailable, the restore stops and reports the problem.
- You have permission. In an Organization, Restore permission is separate from Backup permission, and a Restore Lock can block restoring. See the section on permissions below.
- If two-step verification (MFA) is on for your account, have your authenticator ready, because a restore needs the extra check before it starts.
The steps
- Sign in to your Tornova account on the website and open Restore
- Choose the computer the files were backed up from (the source)
- Choose the computer that should receive them (the destination)
- Browse the backed-up files, and the versions if you need an older one, and tick the files and folders you want
- Choose where they should go: back where they were, or a folder you pick
- Choose what happens if a file with the same name exists
- Select Restore Now
- Follow the progress in Tornova App and in Activity
If you are already in Tornova App, select Open Restore on Web and the website opens ready to restore to the PC you are using. After you start the restore, you can close the website. Tornova App handles the work on your PC.
On the website, there are also Restore to Original and Download. Restore to Original sends files back to the folder they came from. Download fetches small selections straight from the browser, and the limits are shown on the page.
When a file with the same name already exists
This is common: you restore a folder and some of its files are still on the PC. Tornova asks what to do, and you choose one of three options.
Name conflict options
| Option | What happens | When to use it |
|---|
| Keep both | The restored file is saved beside the existing one (this is the default) | When you are not sure which copy you need |
|---|
| Skip | The existing file is left alone, and the backed-up one is not restored | When you only need the files that are missing |
|---|
| Replace | The backed-up file overwrites the existing one, after you confirm | When the PC copy is damaged or wrong |
|---|
Because Keep both is the default, a first test restore does not overwrite anything. Replace asks for confirmation before it goes ahead.
How to check that the restore worked
Watch the status. A restore shows as Ready, then Restoring, then Completed. If files could not be restored, it shows Failed with the reason. Tornova never shows a restore as completed unless every file was actually restored.
- The Restore page in Tornova App lists the restores you started, with the status, number of files, total size, destination, progress and finish time. Open one to see the result for each file.
- Select Open Folder in Tornova App when it is done to go straight to the files.
- Completed restores are also listed in Activity.
- Open two or three of the restored files yourself, especially large ones, to make sure they work.
If the Restore page in the app is empty, no restore has been started from the website yet.
Permissions, MFA and the restore allowance
Restore is controlled separately from backup. A person who can back up files does not automatically get unrestricted ability to restore them. For an Organization, the Organization Admin can switch restore permission off for a user or turn on a Restore Lock for the Organization or a Team. Business accounts default to Restore Lock on and Personal accounts default to off. If restore is unavailable, ask your Organization Admin.
Each plan includes a restore allowance equal to its backup storage. For more on plans, see Pricing.
If the restore does not go to plan
- The connection drops. The restore is not marked complete. Your cloud backup is untouched, and you can restore the missing files again from the website.
- The destination runs out of space or becomes unavailable. Tornova stops the restore and reports it. Free some space or choose another folder and try again.
- Nothing happens. Check that Tornova App is installed on the destination PC, online and signed in where required.
- You cannot find the older version you want. Versions exist only if versioning was turned on before the changes. See File versions and Trash explained.
Still stuck? The guide Backup not working? Common problems and what they mean covers the common causes, and the Support page shows how to reach us.
Practise before you need it
The best time to learn a restore is when nothing is wrong. Pick an unimportant file, restore it with Keep both, and open it. Repeat with a different file every few months. If you are restoring after a deletion, How to restore deleted files covers the steps that come before the cloud backup, and the Tornova features page lists the restore options.
Frequently asked questions
How do I restore backed up files from a cloud backup?
Sign in to the website, open Restore, choose the computer and the files, choose where they should go, and start the restore. Tornova App on the PC completes it. This is the same cloud file restore flow whether you restore one file or a folder.
Can I restore from the website only?
You choose the files on the website, but Tornova App on the PC completes the restore. Small selections can also be downloaded straight from the browser.
Can I close the website after I start a restore?
Yes. Tornova App handles the restore on your PC, and you can follow its progress in the app.
Can I restore files from another of my computers?
Yes, depending on your devices, your backups and your permissions. On the Restore page, choose the computer the files came from, and then the computer they should go to.
Does restoring change my backup?
No. The cloud backup stays untouched when you restore, and an incomplete restore can be retried.
Why is Restore unavailable for me?
In an Organization, your Organization Admin may have turned off restore permission for you or turned on a Restore Lock. Ask your Organization Admin.
Keep reading
JavaScript is needed to sign in, buy a plan or use the dashboard.