HELP NEEDED everyone I have lost my latest version of workflow created, in executions I can see my latest version details, but unable to restore, any way to do it?

Questions
1

So I created a small workflow which reads google sheet responses, extract pdf file link from it, download it , send it to LLM agent chain for review and then send email forward according to details from the sheet. I did this a couple of weeks ago, and today, I only see my old verion, all my latest changes are gone, but I can still see them in my successful execution, I tried duplicating my latest execution , but it still duplicates as per the 2nd image. I have hosted locally. Any way I can restore my flow, I have tried hard reset as well, downloaded json also does not have latest flow, but the editor version only.

Describe the problem/error/question

What is the error message (if any)?

Please share your workflow

(Select the nodes on your canvas and use the keyboard shortcuts CMD+C/CTRL+C and CMD+V/CTRL+V to copy and paste the workflow.)

Share the output returned by the last node

Information on your n8n setup

  • n8n version:
  • Database (default: SQLite):
  • n8n EXECUTIONS_PROCESS setting (default: own, main):
  • Running n8n via (Docker, npm, n8n cloud, desktop app):
  • Operating system:
3

You’re experiencing a known issue where:

  • Your latest workflow changes are visible in execution history, but not in the editor.

  • Duplicating executions only gives you the version that was saved in the editor, not the one that actually ran.

  • This is common in self-hosted setups (especially with SQLite or Docker) where:

    • Changes are not saved due to volume misconfiguration.

    • Or, node parameter changes are not persisting due to a bug in the editor.

What You Can Try

1. Check Workflow History (Not Execution History)

n8n has a Workflow History feature (separate from execution history) that stores previous versions of your workflow:

  • Open your workflow in the editor.

  • Click on “Workflow History” (usually in the top-right menu).

  • Browse through saved versions.

  • You can:

    • Restore a version.

    • Clone it to a new workflow.

    • Download it as JSON.

:link: n8n Docs – Workflow History

:warning: Note: This feature may be limited depending on your license (e.g., 24 hours for Community users).

2. Copy from Execution History (Manually)

If Workflow History doesn’t help:

  • Go to Executions.

  • Open a successful run that contains your latest logic.

  • Use “Copy to Editor” to manually recreate the flow.

    • This only copies the execution path, not the full workflow structure.

    • You may need to rebuild parts manually.

3. Check for Known Bug: Node Changes Not Saving

There’s a known bug where node parameter changes don’t persist even after saving:

  • Changes revert when switching fields or pressing Ctrl+S.

  • This affects some Docker/self-hosted setups using SQLite.

:link: GitHub Issue: Node Parameter Changes Not Persisting

Workaround:

  • Try editing in a different browser.

  • Restart the container and clear browser cache.

  • If using Docker, ensure your volume is correctly mapped to persist changes:

-v ~/.n8n:/home/node/.n8n

I hope any of these helps.

4

Im sorry I am unable to send a screenshot through my browser.

5

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