Data pruning needed in n8n
Why missing data retention policies can fill your database and slow down n8n
What is this issue?
Without data pruning configured, n8n stores all execution data indefinitely. Over time, this accumulates gigabytes of data that slow down the UI, increase backup times, and can eventually fill disk space.
Signs you need pruning:
•Execution history taking longer to load•Database size growing continuously•Backup times increasing week over week•Disk space alerts on your server
Why is this dangerous?
Disk exhaustion
Without pruning, the database will eventually fill all available storage.
Performance degradation
Large tables slow down queries, making the n8n UI sluggish.
Backup failures
Oversized databases may fail to backup within maintenance windows.
Increased costs
Cloud storage costs grow linearly with unpruned data.
How to fix it
- 1
Enable automatic pruning
Set EXECUTIONS_DATA_PRUNE=true in your environment variables.
- 2
Set retention period
Configure EXECUTIONS_DATA_MAX_AGE (e.g., '336h' for 14 days) based on your compliance needs.
- 3
Limit stored executions
Set EXECUTIONS_DATA_PRUNE_MAX_COUNT to cap the total number of stored executions.
- 4
Schedule manual cleanup
For existing data, run a one-time cleanup script to remove old executions.
Scan your workflow now
Upload your n8n workflow JSON and check for data retention configuration issues.