Title: Copy a link to a prepared database backup
Author: WordPress VIP Documentation
Published: August 31, 2023
Last modified: December 11, 2025

---

 1. [Databases](https://docs.wpvip.com/databases/)
 2. [Database Backups](https://docs.wpvip.com/databases/backups/)
 3. Copy a link to a prepared database backup

#  Copy a link to a prepared database backup

A shareable link to a generated Database Backup copy that is available for download
can be retrieved from the VIP Dashboard or with VIP-CLI.

 * VIP Dashboard
 * VIP-CLI

In [the application view of the VIP Dashboard](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-dashboard/application-view/):

 1. Select an environment from the environment dropdown located at the upper left of
    the VIP Dashboard.
 2. Select “**Database**” from the sidebar navigation at the left of the screen.
 3. Select **“Database Backups”** from the submenu.

Database Backup copies that are available for download are displayed near the top
of the Database Backups panel below the label “**Active Backup Copy**“.

A shareable link to an available backup file can be copied by selecting the “**Copy
Link**” button.

**The link has a 15 minute expiration.**

![](https://docs.wpvip.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/12/Database-Backups-1.
png?w=1024)

Screenshot example of the Backups panel with a prepared database backup file available
for download

Generate a Database Backup copy file with the VIP-CLI command `[vip export sql](https://docs.wpvip.com/vip-cli/commands/export/sql/)`
and include the `--skip-download` option to prevent the download of the file and
instead retrieve a shareable download URL for the file.

**The link has a 15 minute expiration.**

This method is useful for automation workflows or for downloading the file at a 
later time.

When `vip export sql` is run with the `--skip-download` option the step to check
for sufficient download space on the user’s local machine will be skipped.

Example command and output:

    ```lang-shell
    $ vip @example-app.production export sql --skip-download

    ✓ Preparing for backup download 
      - Exporting database backup with timestamp 2025-12-08T17:03:08.000Z
    ✓ Creating backup copy 
    ✓ Requesting download link 
      - Download URL: https://vipgo-site-import.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/db_backups/2025-12-08T1703UTC-example-app.go-vip.net-db-backup.sql.gz?X-Amz-Algorithm=abcdefg&X-Amz-Credential=X-Amz-Signature=123456
    - Checking if there's enough storage 
    - Downloading file 
    ```

Last updated: December 11, 2025