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You can move a self-hosted n8n setup from a mini PC to a VM, but a workflow export alone is not necessarily a complete migration. First decide whether you need to move the whole deployment or only selected workflows. For a Docker deployment, preserve the persistent /home/node/.n8n data and its credential encryption key; then validate the VM before you retire the working machine.
Choose what you are moving
n8n supports self-hosted installations, including Docker deployments. Before planning a move, identify how the mini PC runs n8n, which database it uses, and whether it relies on external file storage or other services. Also establish whether the source is self-hosted or n8n Cloud: those are different migration cases. n8n’s hosting documentation describes its deployment options.
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| Approach | What it is for | Important limitation |
|---|---|---|
| Move the whole self-hosted deployment | Moving the existing instance and its data to a VM while aiming to retain its settings and usable credentials. | Account for the source’s database, persistent data, and any external storage; a workflow export by itself does not establish that all instance state has moved. |
| Move workflows between instances | Transferring selected workflows, projects, and references to a distinct n8n instance. | Workflow transfer is not the same as moving the entire host’s state. The CLI package feature is marked Preview in the current documentation. |
| Move from n8n Cloud to self-hosted | Starting a self-hosted instance with workflows brought over from a Cloud account. | n8n Support says there is no automated Cloud-to-self-hosted migration method; Cloud credentials cannot be exported and must be entered again. |
The Cloud limitation applies to a Cloud source, not automatically to a self-hosted mini-PC-to-VM move. If the working mini PC runs self-hosted n8n, assess its actual data and configuration rather than assuming Cloud migration rules apply.
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For Docker, n8n’s image guidance says to persist /home/node/.n8n even when using PostgreSQL. The directory contains essential user data, including the credential encryption key. If the key is lost, n8n cannot decrypt credentials already stored with it. See the n8n Docker image README.
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That makes the data directory and key central to keeping existing credentials usable; do not treat the database as the only state to copy. The exact migration procedure depends on your deployment. Work out where the database and any binary or other external files live, and include them in a recoverable backup and restore plan. The cited Docker guidance establishes the directory and key requirement, not a universal recipe for every database, storage mode, or community node.
For workflow-only moves, use the appropriate transfer method
CLI packages
For moving workflows between instances from the command line, n8n recommends its CLI package commands. Packages can include workflow folders, projects, and references, and the documented process can check an import before writing it. The feature is currently Preview, so confirm that the installed n8n version supports the commands and test the destination import before relying on it. Details are in n8n’s export and import workflows documentation.
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Server CLI exports
The Server CLI’s --backup flag exports workflows and credentials; it is not a complete backup of a self-hosted instance. n8n’s CLI documentation points to separate guidance for a complete backup and restore. The same documentation warns that decrypted credential exports expose sensitive information, so protect those files and remove them securely when they are no longer needed. Read n8n’s command-line documentation before using this route.
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- Inventory the source. Record whether it runs Docker or npm, the n8n version, the database type, where persistent data is stored, and any external storage or services the workflows depend on. Identify the instance’s public URL, proxy, and callback arrangements if applicable.
- Make and retain a backup. Choose a backup and restore method appropriate to the complete deployment if you intend to move the whole instance. If moving workflows only, retain the source and a recoverable copy of the relevant data while you test. Keep credential exports protected because decrypted exports reveal sensitive values.
- Prepare the VM. Set up the intended n8n deployment and account for the source’s database and storage configuration. For Docker, ensure the destination will use the preserved n8n data and credential key when the goal is to continue using stored credentials.
- Transfer the matching scope of data. Restore the whole deployment using a plan suited to its actual components, or use a documented workflow-transfer method if only workflows are moving. Do not label a workflow export as a complete instance backup.
- Validate before cutover. Check that stored credentials work, then run representative workflows. Verify scheduled triggers, webhooks, and any external callbacks that matter to your setup. If the hostname, proxy, or public URL changes, check DNS, TLS, firewall rules, webhook URLs, and OAuth callback configuration against the destination’s actual setup; no single setting is correct for every VM.
- Retire the old instance only after the destination is proven. Keep the mini PC available as a recovery point until the VM is operating as intended. When cutting over, avoid having both instances run the same scheduled or webhook-driven automations in a way that could duplicate actions.
These are operational safeguards, not a claim that n8n prescribes this exact checklist. The right backup and restore details depend on how the source was built.
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Keep migration separate from ongoing environment promotion
n8n’s source-control environments use Git to move work between instances. This is an ongoing environment workflow, not a general whole-host backup or migration method. The feature is available on Business and Enterprise plans, and n8n warns that pushing and pulling to the same instance can risk overwriting work. See Create environments with source control for its scope and cautions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Run a security check after the move
Once the destination is stable, n8n’s security audit can help identify risks involving credentials, the database, file system, nodes, and instance settings. It is available through the CLI, API, or an n8n node; consult the security audit documentation for the available methods.
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