This document provides concise guidance for instructors on creating course and user backups in Moodle, including key differences and procedures. Backups generate .mbz files for archiving, duplication, or migration purposes.
Differences Between Course Backup and User Backup
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Aspect
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Course Backup
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User Backup
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Purpose
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Archives the entire course structure, including activities, resources, and blocks.
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Includes user-related data (e.g., grades, submissions) within a course backup.
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Scope
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Course-wide: Covers settings, content, and optionally user data.
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Limited to user interactions; not a standalone backup but part of course backup.
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Output
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A single .mbz file with selected course elements.
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User data embedded in the course .mbz file, optionally anonymized.
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Access
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Via Course administration > Course reuse > Backup.
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Configured during course backup by enabling "Anonymize user information" option.
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Creating a Course Backup
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Log into Moodle and navigate to the target course.
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Go to Course administration > More > Course reuse > Backup to start the wizard.
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In "Initial settings," select desired elements (e.g., activities, blocks); user data is optional.
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You can either jump to final step or choose next. Jump to final step is recommended if you just need to backup the whole course.
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Refine selections in the "Schema" step, choosing specific sections or activities.
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Review settings, customize the filename (e.g., CourseName_Date.mbz), and click Perform backup.
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Access the .mbz file in your Course Reuse > Restore > Course backup area or download it directly.
Creating a User Backup
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Follow the course backup steps above to initiate the wizard.
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You can either jump to final step or choose next. Jump to final step is recommended if you just need to backup the whole course.
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Enable Anonymize user information to replace identifiable details with placeholders for privacy.
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Proceed through the schema, review, and perform the backup to generate the .mbz file.
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Locate the file in Course Reuse > Restore > User private back up area for download or restoration.
Note: Always download the .mbz file to your OneDrive for secure, external storage to prevent loss due to Moodle server limitations.
Warning: There is no guarantee that backups can be restored perfectly, as Moodle upgrades over time may introduce compatibility issues with older .mbz files.
Restoring from Archive
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Navigate to the course where you wish to restore a backup and select More from the administration menu.
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Choose Restore to access the restoration interface.
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To upload a new .mbz file, use the Upload a backup file section: click Choose a file, select your .mbz file, and click Restore.
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To restore an existing course or user backup, go to the Course backup area or User private backup area, select the desired .mbz file from the list, and click Restore.
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Follow the wizard to review settings, adjust user data options if needed, and complete the restoration process.
