---
layout: api
page_title: /sys/storage/raft/snapshot-load - HTTP API
description: |-

  Use the snapshot-load endpoints to load a snapshot into your Vault cluster
  to recover individual pieces of data from the snapshot.
---

> [!IMPORTANT]  
> **Documentation Update:** Product documentation, which were located in this repository under `/website`, are now located in [`hashicorp/web-unified-docs`](https://github.com/hashicorp/web-unified-docs), colocated with all other product documentation. Contributions to this content should be done in the `web-unified-docs` repo, and not this one. Changes made to `/website` content in this repo will not be reflected on the developer.hashicorp.com website.

# `/sys/storage/raft/snapshot-load`

@include 'alerts/enterprise-only.mdx'

Manage the state of loaded snapshots within the Vault cluster.

## Load a snapshot into Vault


| Method | Path                                           |
| :----- | :--------------------------------------------- |
| `POST` | `/sys/storage/raft/snapshot-load` |

Load a new snapshot into the Vault cluster without overwriting the cluster with
the snapshot's data. After loading a snapshot, you can recover, read, and list
individual pieces of data from the loaded snapshot.

@include 'recover/loadedsnapshots.mdx'

### Sample request

```shell-session
$ curl \
    --header "X-Vault-Token: ..." \
    --request POST \
    --data-binary @raft.snap \
    http://127.0.0.1:8200/v1/sys/storage/raft/snapshot-load
```


### Sample response

```json
{
  "data": {
    "cluster_id": "2ec84695-cfe5-44f3-b351-3f08a9ccc0c8",
    "expires_at": "2025-05-25T15:07:58.187769+01:00",
    "snapshot_id": "2403d301-94f2-46a1-a39d-02be83e2831a",
    "status": "loading"
  }
}
```

## List loaded snapshots

List all snapshots currently loaded in the cluster.

| Method | Path                                     |
| :----- | :--------------------------------------- |
| `LIST` | `/sys/storage/raft/snapshot-load` |

### Sample request

```shell-session
$ curl \
    --header "X-Vault-Token: ..." \
    --request LIST \
    http://127.0.0.1:8200/v1/sys/storage/raft/snapshot-load
```

### Sample response

```json
{
  "data": {
    "keys": ["2403d301-94f2-46a1-a39d-02be83e2831a"]
  }
}
```

## Read loaded snapshot

Read the status details of a given snapshot loaded in the cluster.

| Method | Path                                           |
| :----- | :--------------------------------------------- |
| `GET`  | `/sys/storage/raft/snapshot-load/:snapshot_id` |

### Sample request

```shell-session
$ curl \
    --header "X-Vault-Token: ..." \
    http://127.0.0.1:8200/v1/sys/storage/raft/snapshot-load/2403d301-94f2-46a1-a39d-02be83e2831a
```

### Sample responses

For a snapshot loaded as a binary file:

```json
{
  "data": {
    "cluster_id": "2ec84695-cfe5-44f3-b351-3f08a9ccc0c8",
    "expires_at": "2025-05-25T15:07:58.187769+01:00",
    "snapshot_id": "2403d301-94f2-46a1-a39d-02be83e2831a",
    "status": "ready"
  }
}
```

For a snapshot loaded from a an Automated Snapshot configuration:

```json
{
  "data": {
    "auto_config_name": "config1",
    "cluster_id": "2ec84695-cfe5-44f3-b351-3f08a9ccc0c8",
    "expires_at": "2025-05-25T15:07:58.187769+01:00",
    "snapshot_id": "2403d301-94f2-46a1-a39d-02be83e2831a",
    "url": "https://example.com/raft.snap",
    "status": "ready"
  }
}
```

## Unload loaded snapshot

Unloads a currently loaded snapshot from the cluster.

| Method   | Path                                           |
| :------- | :--------------------------------------------- |
| `DELETE` | `/sys/storage/raft/snapshot-load/:snapshot_id` |

### Sample request

```shell-session
$ curl \
    --header "X-Vault-Token: ..." \
    --request DELETE \
    http://127.0.0.1:8200/v1/sys/storage/raft/snapshot-load/2403d301-94f2-46a1-a39d-02be83e2831a
```