How to fix ContinuousBackupsUnavailableException: Continuous backups are not enabled on the table in DynamoDB

DynamoDBBEGINNERMEDIUMUpdated Dec 29, 2025· 176 views

Point-in-time recovery (PITR) is disabled on your DynamoDB table. You must enable continuous backups before you can restore to a specific point in time.

Quick fix

Fixes ContinuousBackupsUnavailableException

aws dynamodb describe-continuous-backups --table-name YOUR_TABLE_NAME
  1. Check the current continuous backup status
  2. Enable continuous backups using the AWS CLI
  3. Verify continuous backups are now enabled
  4. Enable via AWS Management Console (alternative)
dynamodb — error
aws dynamodb describe-continuous-backups --table-name YOUR_TABLE_NAME
ContinuousBackupsUnavailableException: Continuous backups are not enabled on the table

What this error means

DynamoDB offers point-in-time recovery (PITR), which provides automatic continuous backups of your table data. This allows you to restore a table to any point in time within the last 35 days. When you attempt to restore a table using the RestoreTableToPointInTime API without having first enabled continuous backups, AWS throws the ContinuousBackupsUnavailableException error. Continuous backups must be explicitly enabled on a table before DynamoDB begins creating recovery points. This is a safety feature to ensure you have this capability available when you need it.

Typical symptoms

  • RestoreTableToPointInTime API calls fail with ContinuousBackupsUnavailableException
  • The AWS Console shows PITR Status as "Disabled" in the Backups tab
  • describe-continuous-backups AWS CLI command shows PointInTimeRecoveryStatus as DISABLED
  • Unable to recover from accidental deletions or data corruption

Common causes

  1. Point-in-time recovery (PITR) has never been enabled on the table
  2. PITR was previously enabled but has been disabled and not re-enabled
  3. The table was created before enabling PITR (it does not automatically enable)

How to fix "ContinuousBackupsUnavailableException: Continuous backups are not enabled on the table"

1Check the current continuous backup status

First, verify whether continuous backups are enabled on your table using the AWS CLI:

bash
aws dynamodb describe-continuous-backups --table-name YOUR_TABLE_NAME

Look at the PointInTimeRecoveryDescription object. If PointInTimeRecoveryStatus shows DISABLED, continuous backups are not enabled. The output will look like:

json
{
  "ContinuousBackupsDescription": {
    "PointInTimeRecoveryDescription": {
      "PointInTimeRecoveryStatus": "DISABLED"
    }
  }
}
2Enable continuous backups using the AWS CLI

Enable point-in-time recovery for your table by running:

bash
aws dynamodb update-continuous-backups \
    --table-name YOUR_TABLE_NAME \
    --point-in-time-recovery-specification PointInTimeRecoveryEnabled=true

Replace YOUR_TABLE_NAME with your actual DynamoDB table name. This command enables continuous backups immediately and DynamoDB will start creating recovery points.

3Verify continuous backups are now enabled

After enabling, verify the status changed to ENABLED:

bash
aws dynamodb describe-continuous-backups --table-name YOUR_TABLE_NAME

You should see:

json
{
  "ContinuousBackupsDescription": {
    "PointInTimeRecoveryDescription": {
      "PointInTimeRecoveryStatus": "ENABLED",
      "EarliestRestorableDateTime": "2025-01-01T14:30:00Z",
      "LatestRestorableDateTime": "2025-01-02T14:30:00Z"
    }
  }
}

Note the EarliestRestorableDateTime - DynamoDB needs time to capture recovery points, so the earliest restore time may be current time minus a few minutes.

4Enable via AWS Management Console (alternative)

If you prefer using the AWS Console instead of CLI:

1. Navigate to the DynamoDB console
2. In the left sidebar, select Tables
3. Click on your table name
4. Go to the Backups tab
5. Under Point in Time Recovery, click Edit
6. Toggle Turn on point-in-time recovery to enabled
7. Click Save changes

The console will confirm when PITR has been enabled.

5Now attempt your restore operation

Once continuous backups are enabled, you can restore to a point in time. You can restore using:

bash
aws dynamodb restore-table-to-point-in-time \
    --source-table-name YOUR_TABLE_NAME \
    --target-table-name YOUR_TABLE_NAME_RESTORED \
    --restore-date-time 2025-01-02T10:00:00Z

Or use the AWS Console: Go to your table's Backups tab and select Restore to point in time.

Important: Restores always create a new table, not replacing the original. You can then rename or migrate data as needed.

Advanced notes

Important considerations for continuous backups:

Recovery Window: After you enable PITR, DynamoDB begins capturing recovery points. The earliest restoreable datetime is typically current time minus a few seconds. You can restore to any point within the last 35 days once PITR is active.

Cost: Point-in-time recovery does NOT incur additional charges beyond your normal DynamoDB costs. It uses continuous backups that are managed by AWS.

Disabling PITR: If you disable PITR and later re-enable it, the recovery window resets. You lose the ability to restore to points before re-enabling. Be careful when toggling PITR off.

Deleted Tables: If you delete a table with PITR enabled, AWS automatically creates a system backup retained for 35 days at no cost, allowing recovery of the deleted table.

Cross-Region Restore: PITR can restore to a different AWS Region if needed, useful for disaster recovery scenarios.

Secondary Indexes: When you restore using PITR, Global Secondary Indexes (GSIs) and Local Secondary Indexes (LSIs) are restored to the state they were in at the restore timestamp.

Frequently asked questions

What does "ContinuousBackupsUnavailableException" mean?
DynamoDB offers point-in-time recovery (PITR), which provides automatic continuous backups of your table data. This allows you to restore a table to any point in time within the last 35 days. When you attempt to restore a table using the RestoreTableToPointInTime API without having first enabled continuous backups, AWS throws the ContinuousBackupsUnavailableException error.
How do I fix "ContinuousBackupsUnavailableException"?
Point-in-time recovery (PITR) is disabled on your DynamoDB table. You must enable continuous backups before you can restore to a specific point in time.
What causes "ContinuousBackupsUnavailableException"?
Point-in-time recovery (PITR) has never been enabled on the table PITR was previously enabled but has been disabled and not re-enabled The table was created before enabling PITR (it does not automatically enable)
Is the "ContinuousBackupsUnavailableException" error serious?
It is a medium-severity error — more of a blocker than a risk. The steps above resolve it.

Official resources & further reading