Backing Up NFTs

Step-by-step guide to backing up your NFT collections.

This guide walks you through the process of backing up your NFT collections to IPFS using Filebase.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

• A Filebase account

• An IPFS bucket to store your backed-up NFTs

• Your wallet address for the chain you want to back up

Step 1: Navigate to NFT Backup

1. Log in to the Filebase dashboard.

2. Click on NFT Backup in the left navigation menu.

Step 2: Enter Your Wallet Address

1. Enter your wallet address in the input field.

2. Select the blockchain network where your NFTs are located from the dropdown menu.

Make sure to select the correct chain. The same wallet address may hold different NFTs on different networks.

Wallet Address Formats

Chain Type	Format	Example
EVM (Ethereum, Polygon, etc.)	0x + 40 hex chars	0x1234...5678
Solana	Base58, 32-44 chars	7EcDhS...FLtV
Tezos	tz1/tz2/tz3 + 33 chars	tz1VSUr...cjb

Step 3: Scan Your Wallet

1. Click Scan Wallet to discover NFTs.

2. Filebase will query the appropriate marketplace API to find your NFTs.

3. Wait for the scan to complete. This may take a moment depending on the size of your collection.

Step 4: Preview Your NFTs

After scanning, you'll see a preview of all NFTs found in your wallet:

• Thumbnail: Preview image of each NFT

• Name: The NFT name from metadata

• Collection: The collection the NFT belongs to

• Token ID: The unique identifier within the collection

Review the list to ensure all expected NFTs are shown.

Recently minted NFTs may not appear immediately. Marketplace APIs may take time to index new tokens.

Step 5: Select NFTs to Back Up

1. Select individual NFTs by clicking on them, or use Select All to back up your entire collection.

2. Selected NFTs will be highlighted.

3. Review your selection before proceeding.

Step 6: Choose a Destination Bucket

1. Select an IPFS bucket from the dropdown menu where backed-up content will be stored.

2. If you don't have an IPFS bucket, create one first in the Buckets section.

Consider creating a dedicated bucket for NFT backups to keep your content organized.

Step 7: Start the Backup

1. Click Backup Selected to begin the backup process.

2. Each NFT will be queued for processing.

Step 8: Monitor Backup Progress

Track the status of each NFT backup:

Status	Meaning
Queued	Waiting in line to be processed
Pinning	Currently fetching and pinning content
Pinned	Successfully backed up to IPFS
Failed	Could not complete backup

The progress view updates automatically as NFTs are processed.

Step 9: Access Backed Up Content

Once an NFT is marked as Pinned:

1. Navigate to your destination bucket in the Buckets section.

2. Find the backed-up files organized by collection and token ID.

3. Each backup includes:

   • The media file (image, video, audio)

   • The metadata JSON file

   • Any additional assets referenced in metadata

4. You can access the content via:

   • The CID through any IPFS gateway

   • Your Filebase dedicated gateway

   • Direct download from the bucket

Troubleshooting

NFTs Not Appearing in Scan

• Wait for indexing: Recently minted NFTs may not be indexed yet

• Check the correct chain: Ensure you selected the right network

• Verify ownership: Confirm the NFT is still in your wallet

Backup Failed Status

Backups may fail if:

• Source unavailable: The original media hosting is offline

• Invalid metadata: The NFT metadata is malformed

• Large file size: Extremely large media files may timeout

For failed backups, try again later or contact support if the issue persists.

Slow Backup Progress

Large collections or high-resolution media may take longer to process. The queue processes NFTs sequentially to ensure reliability.

Best Practices

1. Regular Backups: Run backups periodically to capture new acquisitions

2. Multiple Chains: Remember to back up NFTs on each chain you use

3. Verify Backups: Spot-check backed-up content to ensure completeness

4. Organize by Collection: Use descriptive bucket names for easy management