PostgreSQL point-in-time recovery (PITR) lets you rebuild a database from a physical base backup and replay archived write-ahead log (WAL) records until a chosen moment. The essential setup is wal_level = replica or higher, archive_mode = on, and a reliable archive_command or archive_library. On a restore server, restore_command supplies the archived WAL and a recovery target tells PostgreSQL when to stop.
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A pg_dump file by itself is not PITR: it is a logical export, not a base image plus a continuous sequence of physical WAL changes. You need both pieces, a retention policy that keeps them together, and monitoring that detects failed archiving before the source server runs out of local disk.
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What PostgreSQL PITR actually restores
PostgreSQL writes changes to write-ahead log before the corresponding data-file changes are considered durable. WAL segments therefore contain the ordered record of changes needed to move a physical database copy forward. PITR starts with a consistent physical base backup, then replays archived WAL segments in sequence.
Recovery does not have to continue to the newest available record. You can stop at a timestamp, a named restore point, a log sequence number (LSN), a transaction ID, or a selected target timeline. That makes it possible to recover to just before an accidental DROP, a bad deployment, or another known event while leaving later WAL unapplied.
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The base backup and every required WAL segment form one recovery chain. A base backup without subsequent WAL can recover only to the point represented by that backup. Archived WAL without a usable base backup cannot construct a complete database cluster.
Design the archive before changing PostgreSQL
Choose durable storage and retention
Place archived WAL on storage that survives a failure of the database host. A second copy in another failure domain or an off-site location protects against a host, storage, or site outage. The archive mechanism is deliberately left to the administrator: it can be a simple file copy, a script that performs several operations, or an integration with backup and recovery software.
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Check version and operating-system details
Use settings and recovery procedures appropriate to the PostgreSQL major version running the cluster. The examples below use the syntax documented for PostgreSQL 17 and common Unix commands. Windows needs equivalent command syntax, paths, quoting, and service-management steps.
Plan for failure, not only success
An archive command that fails is not harmless. PostgreSQL can keep accumulating unarchived WAL on the database host while it retries or waits, eventually consuming local capacity. Alerting must therefore cover archive failures, archive lag, destination capacity, and the growth of local WAL storage. Log the archive script’s operations and exit status so an operator can identify the first failed segment.
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Enable continuous WAL archiving
In the primary server’s postgresql.conf, configure the WAL level and one archiving method:
| Setting | Required value or role |
|---|---|
wal_level |
replica or higher |
archive_mode |
on |
archive_command |
Shell command that transfers each completed WAL segment |
archive_library |
Alternative library used instead of a shell command |
The PostgreSQL Global Development Group states that enabling WAL archiving requires wal_level set to replica or higher, archive_mode set to on, and either an archive_command or an archive_library. archive_mode is a server-start setting, so changing it requires a full server restart rather than only a configuration reload. It cannot be enabled while wal_level is minimal.
Set the command placeholders correctly
Within archive_command, PostgreSQL replaces %p with the path of the WAL file to archive and %f with that file’s name. The command must return success only after the segment is safely present at the destination. A command that reports success before the copy is durable can create an archive gap that is discovered only during recovery.
The official Unix example is:
test ! -f /mnt/server/archivedir/%f && cp %p /mnt/server/archivedir/%fThis protects an existing destination file from being overwritten. Adapt the path and behavior to your environment. Confirm that the PostgreSQL service account can read the source WAL directory and write to the archive, and decide how the script handles an existing file, partial transfer, encryption, compression, remote transport, and transient network errors.
On Windows, the official documentation shows the equivalent approach using copy. Use Windows paths and quoting appropriate for the service account that runs PostgreSQL; do not paste Unix paths unchanged.
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Use a script when archiving is more than one operation
A script is appropriate when a segment must be compressed, encrypted, copied to a remote system, checksummed, and then recorded as complete. Keep the script idempotent: rerunning it for an already archived filename should not corrupt or silently replace a valid object. Return a nonzero status for any failed step, and write enough detail to the PostgreSQL log or an operational log to identify the segment and destination involved.
Take and retain a physical base backup
- Confirm that archiving is enabled and that newly completed WAL segments are reaching the archive destination.
- Run a PostgreSQL physical base-backup procedure supported by your major version and store the result on durable storage.
- Record the backup’s start and completion information, PostgreSQL major version, source cluster, archive location, and retention expiry.
- Keep the base backup and the continuous WAL sequence that follows it under the same documented retention policy.
- Validate that the backup can be read and that the archive contains the WAL needed to progress beyond the backup’s ending point.
A logical dump such as pg_dump can be useful for object-level migration or selective restores, but it does not replace this physical base-backup-plus-WAL design. PITR depends on an unbroken WAL sequence from the selected base backup to the recovery target.
Prepare a restore server
Perform recovery on a separate, isolated PostgreSQL installation when possible. Use a compatible PostgreSQL major version, provision storage for the base backup, replayed data, and any temporary WAL, and restrict access until you have verified the recovered state.
- Install and initialize the restore cluster according to the PostgreSQL version you are recovering.
- Stop the restore server before replacing its data directory with the chosen physical base backup.
- Place the base-backup files in the restore data directory and verify ownership and permissions.
- Configure
restore_commandso PostgreSQL can retrieve each requested archived segment. The official Unix example is:
restore_command = 'cp /mnt/server/archivedir/%f %p'Here, %f is the requested WAL filename and %p is the path where PostgreSQL expects it. Replace the copy operation with your archive’s retrieval tool when the archive is remote, encrypted, compressed, or managed by another system. The retrieval command must distinguish “file is not available yet” from a permanent corruption or permission error and must return an appropriate status.
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- Configure exactly one recovery target for this run. Select the target that corresponds to the incident or test you are investigating.
- Start the restore server and follow its recovery log. PostgreSQL restores the base backup, requests archived WAL through
restore_command, and stops when the selected target is reached. - After recovery stops, verify the target data and application consistency before allowing normal clients to connect.
Choose a recovery target
| Target type | When it is useful | Typical setting name |
|---|---|---|
| Timestamp | Recover to just before or after a known clock time, such as an accidental change. | recovery_target_time |
| Named restore point | Stop at an application-created marker placed before a risky operation. | recovery_target_name |
| LSN | Stop at an exact WAL position when an investigation identifies the relevant log sequence. | recovery_target_lsn |
| Transaction ID | Stop relative to a known transaction identifier. | recovery_target_xid |
| Timeline | Choose the branch of history to replay after a prior recovery created multiple timelines. | recovery_target_timeline |
Use one target that matches the evidence you have. A timestamp target is convenient for an incident report, but it depends on the event time being identified accurately. An LSN or transaction target is more precise when database logs or application records provide that information. A timeline target controls which history branch is eligible; it does not by itself specify the stopping moment.
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Recovery-target behavior, parameter placement, and exact stopping semantics can vary by PostgreSQL major version. Consult the documentation for the version being restored and record the target value in the recovery runbook.
Verify that the archive is healthy every day
- Check command results: an archive script should report success only after the destination contains a complete, readable segment.
- Watch local WAL growth: a sudden increase can indicate a failed command, a full destination, a permission problem, or a broken network path.
- Check destination capacity and retention: archive storage must have room for incoming segments and for every retained base-backup chain.
- Review logs: retain enough context to identify the first failed filename, error, retry, and eventual success.
- Test retrieval: a file that can be written is not necessarily readable from the restore host; periodically retrieve representative segments using the same mechanism as recovery.
- Test a complete restore: a successful copy test does not prove that a base backup and all dependent WAL can produce a usable database.
Protect configuration files separately
WAL archiving protects database changes recorded in WAL; it does not preserve manual edits to postgresql.conf, pg_hba.conf, or pg_ident.conf. Back up these files, any included configuration fragments, service-unit definitions, certificates, and archive scripts through a separate configuration-management or file-backup process.
When rebuilding a server, restore the configuration that matches the recovered cluster and review authentication, network listeners, extensions, tablespace paths, and archive settings before exposing the instance to clients. Keep secrets out of publicly readable backup locations and limit access to files that contain credentials.
Common failure modes and fixes
archive_mode was changed but archiving never starts
archive_mode takes effect only after a server restart. Confirm the running value after the restart and verify that the instance is not using wal_level = minimal.
The archive directory contains gaps or duplicate files
Inspect the archive command’s placeholder expansion, destination path, collision handling, and exit status. A command that overwrites files, ignores copy errors, or returns success too early can make the archive look complete while leaving unusable segments. Make the operation atomic from the archive’s point of view and preserve the first valid file for each WAL filename.
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WAL fills the database disk
Treat this as an active incident. Check the archive command log, destination permissions, free space, network reachability, and encryption or compression failures. Do not delete local WAL simply to reclaim space until you understand whether the archive chain is complete; deletion can remove the only copy needed for recovery.
Recovery reports that a WAL file cannot be found
Confirm that the selected base backup predates the target, the requested filename exists in the archive, and the restore command can read it using the restore server’s account. Check for retention cleanup that removed a required segment and for a timeline mismatch after an earlier recovery.
The restored database stops at the wrong moment
Recheck the target type and value, the timezone interpretation of a timestamp, and whether the event occurred before or after the selected boundary. Use an LSN, transaction ID, or named restore point when logs provide a more exact marker than wall-clock time.
Only a dump is available
A logical dump can restore the objects and rows represented in that dump, but it cannot replay WAL to an arbitrary moment between dumps. Establish a physical base-backup and continuous-archive process for future PITR requirements.
Compare archive designs by recovery outcomes
| Design concern | Question to answer before deployment |
|---|---|
| Durability and off-site resilience | Does a host or site failure leave at least one usable archive copy? |
| Recovery-point granularity | Can the design supply every completed WAL segment needed to stop at the chosen timestamp, LSN, transaction, or restore point? |
| Retention and deletion safety | Which base backups depend on each segment, and what prevents premature deletion? |
| Monitoring and alerting | Will operators be warned about command failures, archive lag, destination capacity, and local WAL growth? |
| Restore speed | Can the restore host retrieve the base backup and required WAL quickly enough for the recovery objective? |
| Operational complexity | Are compression, encryption, remote transfer, retries, and auditing implemented consistently and tested? |
| Major-version compatibility | Have the archive and recovery procedures been validated with the PostgreSQL major version in use? |
A practical restore rehearsal
- Choose a retained base backup and a recovery target whose expected result is known.
- Provision an isolated restore host with sufficient storage and the same PostgreSQL major version.
- Copy or mount the base backup, configure
restore_command, and set one recovery target. - Start recovery while capturing logs, retrieval errors, elapsed time, and the last WAL segment requested.
- Confirm that PostgreSQL stops at the requested target and that key tables, row counts, and application invariants match the expected state.
- Record the restore duration, archive gaps encountered, manual steps, and any permissions or capacity changes required.
- Update the runbook and repeat the exercise after major version changes, archive-tool changes, or retention-policy changes.
A rehearsal converts a theoretical archive into an operational recovery capability. It also exposes problems that ordinary archive-success checks cannot: an incomplete base backup, an inaccessible off-site copy, an incorrect restore command, missing configuration files, or a recovery target that the team cannot identify precisely.
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