# Backing Up NFTs

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](https://console.filebase.com).
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.

{% hint style="info" %}
Make sure to select the correct chain. The same wallet address may hold different NFTs on different networks.
{% endhint %}

### 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.

{% hint style="warning" %}
Recently minted NFTs may not appear immediately. Marketplace APIs may take time to index new tokens.
{% endhint %}

## 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.

{% hint style="info" %}
Consider creating a dedicated bucket for NFT backups to keep your content organized.
{% endhint %}

## 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