---
title: "New-VBRUnstructuredBackupVersionRetentionOptions"
description: "This cmdlet defines version-based retention policy for file backup jobs and object storage backup jobs. You can specify either a number of restore points to keep or the number of file versions to keep."
canonical: "https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/vbr/powershell/new-vbrunstructuredbackupversionretentionoptions.html"
breadcrumb: "Veeam PowerShell Reference > Veeam PowerShell Reference > Unstructured Data Backup > Working with Unstructured Data Source Jobs > Managing Backup Jobs for Protecting Unstructured Data > New-VBRUnstructuredBackupVersionRetentionOptions"
dateModified: "2026-08-19"
---

# New-VBRUnstructuredBackupVersionRetentionOptions

## Short Description
Defines version-based retention policy settings for file backup jobs and object storage backup jobs.

**Product Edition**: Standard, Enterprise, Enterprise Plus, Veeam Universal License

## Syntax
```
New-VBRUnstructuredBackupVersionRetentionOptions
 [-VersionRetentionType <VBRUnstructuredBackupVersionRetentionType>] [-ActiveFileVersionRetention <Int32>]
 [-DeletedFileVersionRetention <Int32>] [<CommonParameters>]
```

## Detailed Description
This cmdlet defines version-based retention policy for file backup jobs and object storage backup jobs. You can specify either a number of restore points to keep or the number of file versions to keep.

::: important

If you use retention options configured with the [`New-VBRUnstructuredBackupArchivalOptions`](new-vbrunstructuredbackuparchivaloptions.md) cmdlet, the settings configured with `New-VBRUnstructuredBackupVersionRetentionOptions` scripts may not work correctly.

:::

## Parameters

<table style="width:100%;" class="Blue_Table">
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <th style="width:20%;">
          <p>Parameter</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:20%;">
          <p>Description</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:20%;">
          <p>Type</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:10%;">
          <p>Required</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:10%;">
          <p>Position</p>
        </th>
        <th style="width:10%;">
          <p>Accept Pipeline Input</p>
        </th>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">ActiveFileVersionRetention</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies the number of active file versions. Veeam Backup & Replication will keep the specified number of file versions for active (not deleted) files. Once the number of file versions exceeds, Veeam Backup & Replication will remove the oldest file version from the repository.</p><p><strong>Note</strong>: If you do not specify this parameter, the number of file versions for active files is set to unlimited. Veeam Backup & Replication will delete file versions for active files from the backup repository after the specified retention period passes.</p><p>Default: <code>10</code>.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>Int32</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">DeletedFileVersionRetention</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies the number of file versions for deleted files. Veeam Backup & Replication will keep the specified number of file versions for deleted files. Once the number of file versions exceeds, Veeam Backup & Replication will remove the oldest version from the repository.</p><p><strong>Note</strong>: If you do not specify this parameter, the number of file versions for deleted files is set to unlimited. Veeam Backup & Replication will remove files versions for deleted files from the backup repository after the specified retention period passes.</p><p>Default: <code>3</code>.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>Int32</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">VersionRetentionType</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies to what repositories the version-based retention policy will be applied. You can specify one of the following filter settings:</p><ul><li><code>None:</code> use this option if you do not want to apply the version-based retention policy either to the backup or archive repository.</li><li><code>Archive:</code> use this option if you want to apply the version-based retention policy to the archive repository only.</li><li><code>BackupAndArchive:</code> use this option if you want to apply the version-based retention policy both to the backup and archive repositories.</li></ul><p><strong>Note</strong>: If you do not specify this parameter, version-based retention policy settings are applied by default both to backup and archive repositories.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>VBRUnstructuredBackupVersionRetentionType</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>False</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
    </table>

`<CommonParameters>`

This cmdlet supports Microsoft PowerShell common parameters. For more information on common parameters, see [ Microsoft Docs](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.core/about/about_commonparameters?view=powershell-7).

## Output Object
The cmdlet returns the `VBRUnstructuredBackupVersionRetentionOptions` object that contains version-based retention settings for file backup job and object storage backup jobs.

## Examples

::: example
### Example 1. Defining Retention Policy for File Versions of Active Files Both in Backup and Archive Repositories

This command shows how to define retention policy for file versions of active files. The backup and archive repositories together will keep file versions of active files for 14 days.

```
New-VBRUnstructuredBackupVersionRetentionOptions -VersionRetentionType BackupAndArchive -ActiveFileVersionRetention 14
```

:::

::: example
### Example 2. Defining Retention Policy for File Versions of Deleted Files in Archive Repository

This command shows how to define retention policy for file versions of deleted files. The version-based retention settings applies to the archive repository only and it will keep file versions of deleted files for 7 days.

```
New-VBRUnstructuredBackupVersionRetentionOptions -VersionRetentionType Archive -DeletedFileVersionRetention 7
```

:::