Synology first backup setup with Hyper Backup

DSM 7.3 status (as of the October 2025 reversal + March 2026 Update 3)

• Synology's 2024 announcement of 'verified drives only' on the 2025-series Plus was partially reversed in DSM 7.3 (October 2025). On 2024-and-older Plus models (DS923+, DS1522+, DS1821+, DS2422+, RS1221+, etc.), non-Synology drives still work for Hyper Backup pool creation — they show as 'Unverified' with a warning, but pool creation, expansion, encryption, and the Smart Recycle retention all function normally. On 2025-series Plus (DS725+, DS925+, DS1525+, DS1825+, DS425+), the restriction is stricter — confirm your specific model's status against `kb.synology.com` before assuming third-party drives will work.
• This page's procedure assumes DSM 7.3.2-86009 Update 3 (March 2026) or later. Hyper Backup itself is included in the DSM Update bundle; you don't manage it separately. If your DSM is on 7.2.x or earlier, update via Control Panel > Update & Restore before starting the wizard — older Hyper Backup versions have wizard UX differences (key file download timing, encryption-prompt placement) that this walkthrough's screenshots don't match.
• Active Backup for Business (the package that lets you push backups OUT from Windows/Mac/VMs INTO this Synology) is a separate Package Center install and is unaffected by the drive-verification policy — it just needs DSM 7.x.

Before installing Hyper Backup

• Decide what's irreplaceable on this NAS — `homes/` user folders, `photo/` library, `Document/` shares, app data — and write that list before opening the wizard. A backup that includes everything (including iso/ download caches, package repositories, transcoded thumbnails) burns destination space and slows restores.
• Pick a destination type up front: local USB drive, second NAS (rsync or Hyper Backup Vault), cloud provider (Synology C2, Backblaze B2, S3-compatible), or `rsync` to a remote server. Local USB is fastest to restore from; cloud survives the home; second NAS at a relative's place is the strongest single-destination option if it exists.
• Generate a strong encryption passphrase if the destination is anywhere other than fully-trusted local hardware. Hyper Backup encrypts client-side before upload, but losing the passphrase means losing the backup — store it in a password manager that itself has an offsite copy.
• Confirm DSM version is current. Hyper Backup interoperates closely with DSM updates; running an out-of-date DSM can mean tasks fail in ways the wizard doesn't surface until the next scheduled run.

Setting up the first Hyper Backup task

• Install via Package Center > search Hyper Backup > Install. Open the package; choose Data backup task (not LUN backup unless this NAS hosts iSCSI volumes for VMs).
• Pick the destination type from the list. Local Shared Folder is the wrong choice if the goal is real backup — a 'backup' on the same volume disappears with the volume. Even a local USB drive on a different physical disk is a better starting point.
• On the Data Backup screen, select the specific shared folders + Application data (Note Station, Synology Photos, MailPlus, etc.) you decided on. Avoid selecting `@eaDir/` thumbnail caches — they regenerate from originals and waste space.
• Set the schedule. Daily at off-peak hours (early morning) is the default starting point; smart-renaming/integrity check on Sunday works for most home loads.
• Set rotation: Hyper Backup's Smart Recycle option keeps recent versions dense (hourly for 24h, daily for a week, weekly for a month) without unbounded growth. Pick that unless you have a specific retention policy.
• Save the configuration export file (Hyper Backup offers this on completion) somewhere the NAS doesn't host — it documents the task without exposing the encryption key.

Encryption key custody (the part operators skip)

• If encryption is enabled, Hyper Backup generates a long key file (`.pem`-like) and a passphrase. The passphrase unlocks the key; the key unlocks the backup.
• If the NAS dies, you restore on a new NAS by re-attaching the destination and providing the passphrase. Without the passphrase, the backup is unrecoverable — there is no Synology-side key escrow for end-user backups.
• Store the passphrase in a password manager that has its own offsite copy (e.g., 1Password/Bitwarden synced + a paper print in a safe). The exported key file can sit alongside, but the passphrase is the actual gate.
• If this is a household NAS, decide now whether a partner or family member needs key access too — relying on a single person's password vault is fragile.

First-run verification

• After the first run completes (this can take hours to days for large libraries on slow upload), open Hyper Backup > Backup Status. Confirm the task shows Success and a non-zero Backup Size matching what you selected.
• Click Backup Explorer (the file-tree icon). Browse into a backed-up folder, find a small known file, click Restore > to a temporary location, and open it. This is the only real proof the backup is restorable.
• If the destination is a remote cloud or second NAS, run an integrity check (Hyper Backup > task > More > Settings > Backup Verification > Verify). On Smart Recycle weekly schedule it runs automatically; for first-time setup, trigger it manually.
• Record the first-success timestamp in a place outside the NAS (calendar reminder, password manager note, household ops doc). Future restore drills compare against this baseline.

Last reviewed

2026-05-18 · Reviewed by HomeTechOps. Reviewed for Synology Hyper Backup first-time setup using Synology's official Hyper Backup specifications, the NIST conservative-backup framing for independent copies, and the encryption-passphrase-as-recovery-key rule from the Backup and data protection guidance.

Source-backed checks

HomeTechOps turns official docs and conservative safety rules into a shorter runbook. These links are the source trail for the page direction.