---
title: Backing up PingAccess using a JSON file
description: Back up your PingAccess configuration by copying a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) file to another system.
component: pingaccess
version: 9.1
page_id: pingaccess:backing_up_and_restoring_pingaccess:pa_backing_up_pa_using_a_json_file
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingaccess/9.1/backing_up_and_restoring_pingaccess/pa_backing_up_pa_using_a_json_file.html
llms_txt: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingaccess/llms.txt
docs_for_agents: https://developer.pingidentity.com/build-with-ai/docs-for-agents.md
revdate: February 6, 2023
section_ids:
  about-this-task: About this task
  steps: Steps
---

# Backing up PingAccess using a JSON file

Back up your PingAccess configuration by copying a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) *(tooltip: \<div class="paragraph">
\<p>An open, lightweight data-interchange format that uses human-readable text to store and transmit data.\</p>
\</div>)* file to another system.

## About this task

Back up your PingAccess configuration by copying a JSON file to another system.

|   |                                                                                                                                             |
| - | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
|   | Large PingAccess configurations can take upwards of 30 minutes to export. During an export, you cannot modify the PingAccess configuration. |

## Steps

1. Click **Settings**, then go to **System > Configuration Export/Import**.

2. Click **Export Configuration**.

   The downloaded file name is `pa-data-<timestamp>.json`.

   |   |                                                                                                                                                                                   |
   | - | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
   |   | The *\<timestamp>* value is formatted `MM-DD-YYYY.hh.mm.ss`. For example, a date and time of January 31, 2020 1:35 PM would be encoded as `01-31-2020.13.35.00` in the file name. |

3. Copy the generated file to another system.

4. If you plan to restore PingAccess in a new environment, copy the `<PA_Home>/conf/pa.jwk` file, and save it with the generated JSON file.