---
title: Managing Instance snapshots with the CLI (v2)
description: This page explains how to manage Scaleway Instance snapshots with the CLI (v2)
tags: manage instance snapshot cli cli-v2
dates:
  validation: 2025-05-28
  posted: 2022-09-24
---
import Requirements from '@macros/iam/requirements.mdx'


You can use the Scaleway CLI to create, export, and import snapshots of your Instances. A snapshot is a [QCOW2 image](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qcow) of your Instance's volumes, stored in a Scaleway Object Storage bucket. It can be imported into any Availability Zone, as long as it is in the same region as the bucket in which it is hosted.

<Requirements />

- A Scaleway account logged into the [console](https://console.scaleway.com)
- [Owner](/iam/concepts/#owner) status or [IAM permissions](/iam/concepts/#permission) allowing you to perform actions in the intended Organization
- An [SSH key](/organizations-and-projects/how-to/create-ssh-key/)
- A valid [API key](/iam/how-to/create-api-keys/)
- Downloaded and installed the [Scaleway CLI v2](https://github.com/scaleway/scaleway-cli#scaleway-cli-v2)

## Creating a snapshot using the CLI

To create a snapshot from a volume using the CLI, run the following command:
```
scw block snapshot create [arg=value ...]
```

<Message type="important">
  Snapshots have been migrated to the Block Storage API. The previous command `scw instance snapshot create` is now deprecated and no longer functions.
</Message>

The following arguments and flags are available to customize your command:

```bash
ARGS:
  [volume-id]          UUID of the volume to snapshot
  [name=<generated>]   Name of the snapshot
  [project-id]         Project ID to use. If none is passed the default project ID will be used
  [tags.{index}]       List of tags assigned to the snapshot
  [zone=fr-par-1]      Zone to target. If none is passed will use default zone from the config (fr-par-1 | fr-par-2 | fr-par-3 | nl-ams-1 | nl-ams-2 | nl-ams-3 | pl-waw-1 | pl-waw-2 | pl-waw-3)

FLAGS:
  -h, --help   help for create
  -w, --wait   wait until the snapshot is ready

GLOBAL FLAGS:
  -c, --config string    The path to the config file
  -D, --debug            Enable debug mode
  -o, --output string    Output format: json or human, see 'scw help output' for more info (default "human")
  -p, --profile string   The config profile to use
```

## Creating a snapshot in the default zone from the given volume ID

To create a snapshot in the default zone from the given volume ID, run the following command. Remember to replace `11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111` with the actual ID of your volume.

```
scw block snapshot create volume-id=11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111
```

## Creating a snapshot in a specific zone from the given volume ID

To create a snapshot in a specific zone (e.g. `fr-par-1`) from the given volume ID, run the following command. Remember to replace `11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111` with the actual ID of your volume.
```
scw block snapshot create zone=fr-par-1 volume-id=11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111
```

## Creating a named snapshot in the default zone from a given volume ID

Run the following command to create a named snapshot from the given volume ID. Remember to replace `11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111` with the actual ID of your volume.

```
scw block snapshot create name=foobar volume-id=11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111
```

## Exporting a QCOW file to an Object Storage bucket from an Instance snapshot

Run the following command to export an Instance snapshot as a QCOW2 file to an existing Object Storage bucket in the same geographical region as the snapshot.

```
scw block snapshot export-to-object-storage zone=fr-par-1 snapshot-id=11111111-1111-1111-1111-111111111111 bucket=<my-bucket> key=<my-qcow2-file-name.qcow2>
```

## Importing a QCOW file from an Object Storage bucket as Instance snapshot

Run the following command to import a QCOW file as an Instance snapshot. Replace the snapshot name `my-imported-snapshot` with the name of the snapshot to create, the bucket name `my-bucket` with the name of your Object Storage bucket and the file name `my-qcow2-file-name.qcow2` with the name of your QCOW file.
Specify the size of the imoported snapshot with the `size=10GB` flag.

```
scw block snapshot import-from-object-storage zone=fr-par-1 name=<my-imported-snapshot> bucket=<my-bucket> key=<my-qcow2-file-name.qcow2> size=10GB
```

<Message type="important">
  When importing existing QCOW / QCOW2 files from Object Storage as Instance snapshots, make sure that the file has the suffix `.qcow` or `.qcow2`.
</Message>