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# Auto Snapshots

Automatically create snapshots of your VM on a schedule or at key lifecycle events.

> 📸 Screenshot:

## Fields

Field | Description
--- | ---
Enable | Turn auto-snapshotting on or off for this VM.
Prefix | Text prefix added to the start of every auto-snapshot name (e.g. `auto`, `backup`). Helps distinguish automatic snapshots from manual ones in the Snapshots list.
Frequency | When to create the snapshot — On Start, Daily, Weekly, Monthly, or On Shutdown.
Retention | Maximum number of auto-snapshots to keep. When the limit is reached, the oldest auto-snapshot is deleted automatically before a new one is created.

## Frequency Options

Option | When it runs
--- | ---
On Start | Every time the VM starts
Daily | Once per day when the VM is running
Weekly | Once per week when the VM is running
Monthly | Once per month when the VM is running
On Shutdown | Every time the VM shuts down or is stopped

## Retention Strategy

The Retention count controls how many auto-snapshots are kept at any time. Once the limit is reached, the oldest auto-snapshot (matching the configured prefix) is removed before creating the new one.

For example, with a prefix of `auto` and retention of `7`, you will always have the last 7 auto-snapshots available as a rolling backup window.

> Tip: Use a unique prefix for auto-snapshots so manual snapshots are never accidentally removed by the retention cleanup.

## Safety Snapshot on Restore

When restoring any snapshot, you can opt to create a safety snapshot of the current VM state first. This gives you a rollback point in case the restore doesn't go as expected. The option appears in the restore confirmation dialog.