# How to backup secret\_key.txt?

**URL:** <https://discourse.mailinabox.email/t/how-to-backup-secret-key-txt/16420>\
**Category:** uncategorized\
**Created:** [May 6, 2026, 10:14am UTC](https://discourse.mailinabox.email/t/how-to-backup-secret-key-txt/16420 "2026-05-06T10:14:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Gideon-IT-UK](https://discourse.mailinabox.email/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/a5b964/32.png) [@Gideon-IT-UK](https://discourse.mailinabox.email/u/Gideon-IT-UK)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 10:14am UTC](https://discourse.mailinabox.email/t/how-to-backup-secret-key-txt/16420/1 "2026-05-06T10:14:24Z")

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I cannot SFTP the secrey\_key.txt file to keep my backup safe. I get a permission error. I’m logging in using my admin username and password but I still don’t have permission! How can I copy it? (I’m using FileZilla). I’ve managed to copy the encrypted and cache folders - but not the all important key file!

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**Author:** ![mokiejovis](https://discourse.mailinabox.email/user_avatar/discourse.mailinabox.email/mokiejovis/32/1999_2.png) [@mokiejovis](https://discourse.mailinabox.email/u/mokiejovis)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 2:02pm UTC](https://discourse.mailinabox.email/t/how-to-backup-secret-key-txt/16420/2 "2026-05-06T14:02:42Z")

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Login via SSH and elevate to root privileges.

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**Author:** ![Gideon-IT-UK](https://discourse.mailinabox.email/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/a5b964/32.png) [@Gideon-IT-UK](https://discourse.mailinabox.email/u/Gideon-IT-UK)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 5:31pm UTC](https://discourse.mailinabox.email/t/how-to-backup-secret-key-txt/16420/3 "2026-05-06T17:31:59Z")

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So I can’t do it directly from FileZilla? Do I need to make copy of the file somewhere else on the MiaB machine then SFTP it to my backup location?

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**Author:** ![mokiejovis](https://discourse.mailinabox.email/user_avatar/discourse.mailinabox.email/mokiejovis/32/1999_2.png) [@mokiejovis](https://discourse.mailinabox.email/u/mokiejovis)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 5:56pm UTC](https://discourse.mailinabox.email/t/how-to-backup-secret-key-txt/16420/4 "2026-05-06T17:56:58Z")

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You can’t do it directly from filezilla because your user is non-privileged and you can’t elevate in filezilla. (also, don’t use filezilla. It has bundled malware for years. Switch to WinSCP)

Login via SSH and run  
`sudo cat /home/user-data/backup/secret_key.txt`

That will display the contents of the file in your terminal. Copy and paste it somewhere safe. Done!

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**Author:** ![Gideon-IT-UK](https://discourse.mailinabox.email/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/g/a5b964/32.png) [@Gideon-IT-UK](https://discourse.mailinabox.email/u/Gideon-IT-UK)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2026, 8:53pm UTC](https://discourse.mailinabox.email/t/how-to-backup-secret-key-txt/16420/5 "2026-05-06T20:53:34Z")

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Thanks!  
That’s very helpful.