Synology Hyper Backup Setup Guide

Hyper Backup is Synology's primary backup tool. It provides scheduled, versioned, deduplicated backup from your Synology NAS to local external drives, remote NAS units, rsync targets, or cloud storage (Backblaze B2, Amazon S3, Synology C2, and others). This guide covers the three most common Hyper Backup configurations: NAS-to-USB-drive for local backup, NAS-to-cloud for offsite backup, and NAS-to-NAS for second-site replication. These three, combined, form a complete 3-2-1 backup implementation on Synology hardware.

Hyper Backup vs Snapshot Replication vs Active Backup

Synology provides several backup tools with different purposes:

• Hyper Backup: Backs up NAS folders to an external destination (USB, cloud, remote NAS). Versioned backup. Keeps multiple restore points. Best for: offsite backup, cloud backup, protecting NAS data against drive failure or ransomware
• Snapshot Replication: Btrfs filesystem snapshots. Point-in-time recovery of the NAS filesystem itself. Near-instantaneous, low overhead. Best for: rapid recovery from accidental deletion or ransomware when the snapshot folder is isolated
• Active Backup for Business: Agentless backup of Windows PCs, VMs, and Microsoft 365 data to the Synology NAS. This backs up your computers to the NAS. Different direction. Best for: business PC protection

This guide covers Hyper Backup. For a full 3-2-1 backup strategy, combine Hyper Backup (offsite/cloud destination) with Snapshot Replication (local fast recovery).

Step 1: Install Hyper Backup

Hyper Backup is a Package Center application:

1. Open Package Center in DSM
2. Search for Hyper Backup
3. Install. Approximately 60MB

For cloud destinations, you will also need the relevant Hyper Backup Vault packages or credentials. For Backblaze B2, you need a Backblaze account and an Application Key. For Synology C2, a Synology account. For Amazon S3, AWS IAM credentials. Create these accounts/credentials before starting the backup wizard to avoid interruption.

Step 2: NAS-to-USB Local Backup

Connect an external USB drive to the Synology NAS. The drive should be formatted as ext4 or btrfs for Hyper Backup compatibility (NTFS works but without some deduplication benefits).

1. Open Hyper Backup and click the + button → Data backup task
2. Select Local folder & USB
3. Choose the USB drive as the destination. Create a subfolder name (e.g. hyper-backup)
4. Select the shared folders to back up. Include all folders with important data. System configuration is backed up separately via DSM's Configuration Backup
5. Set your backup schedule. Daily at a time when the NAS is idle (e.g. 3:00 AM)
6. Set retention policy. Number of backup versions to keep. Default 7 versions covers a week of daily backups
7. Enable Client-side encryption with a strong passphrase. Essential if the USB drive might leave your premises

Run the initial backup manually via Back Up Now. For large data volumes (multi-TB), the initial backup takes hours. Run it when NAS can be left undisturbed.

Step 3: NAS-to-Cloud Offsite Backup

Offsite cloud backup protects against local disasters (fire, theft, flood). Backblaze B2 is the most cost-effective option for most users ($0.006/GB/month, free egress for the first 3× stored).

1. Create a Backblaze account at backblaze.com. Under App Keys, create an application key with Read/Write access to a specific bucket
2. Create a new bucket in Backblaze (type: Private) with Object Lock disabled unless you want immutable backups
3. In Hyper Backup, + → Data backup task → Backblaze B2
4. Enter your Backblaze Application Key ID and Application Key. Select your bucket
5. Select folders, set schedule, enable encryption with a passphrase you can remember (and have stored separately)

For a 1TB Hyper Backup to Backblaze B2, monthly cost is approximately $6 AUD at current exchange rates. Initial backup speed is limited by your NBN upload speed. A 1TB initial backup at 20Mbps upload takes approximately 110 hours. Plan for this over several days.

Step 4: Restore Testing

A backup that has never been tested is not a backup. After the initial backup completes, test restoration:

1. In Hyper Backup, right-click the backup task → Restore
2. Select specific files or folders to restore (not the full volume. Test with a sample folder)
3. Choose a destination (restore to original location or an alternate path)
4. Verify the restored files are intact and accessible

Also use the Integrity Check feature: right-click the task → Integrity check. This verifies all backup versions are readable and uncorrupted. Schedule integrity checks monthly or quarterly. Without regular integrity checks, you may discover a backup is corrupt only when you need it.

🇦🇺 Australian Buyers: Costs and Cloud Options

Cloud backup cost comparison for Australian users (March 2026 AUD):

• Backblaze B2: ~$0.009/GB/month (~$9/TB/month). No egress fee for Hyper Backup. Best value for large backups
• Synology C2 Storage: Plans from ~$10 AUD/month for 100GB to ~$48 AUD/month for 1TB. Higher cost but native Synology integration and AU/APAC data residency options
• Amazon S3 (standard): ~$0.033/GB/month (more expensive, not recommended for bulk backup. Use S3 Glacier Deep Archive for archival at ~$0.0015/GB/month)
• Wasabi: ~$0.0088/GB/month, no egress fees, S3-compatible. Similar to Backblaze B2 in pricing

Hyper Backup supports all of the above. Backblaze B2 and Wasabi are the most cost-effective for large volumes. Synology C2 is convenient for smaller backups and users who prefer Synology's support ecosystem.

See the 3-2-1 backup strategy guide for how to structure local, offsite, and cloud backup together, and the Synology Australia guide for model recommendations.

Use our free NAS Sizing Wizard to get a personalised NAS recommendation.

Related reading: our NAS buyer's guide, our 3-2-1 backup guide, and our NAS explainer.