---
title: "Sync-VBRUnstructuredBackupMetadata"
description: "This cmdlet downloads metadata of backup files from the long-term backup repository to the short-term repository. You can use this cmdlet to restore backup files that are located on the long-term repository but are no longer available on the..."
canonical: "https://helpcenter.veeam.com/docs/vbr/powershell/sync-vbrunstructuredbackupmetadata.html"
breadcrumb: "Veeam PowerShell Reference > Veeam PowerShell Reference > Unstructured Data Backup > Unstructured Data Recovery > Sync-VBRUnstructuredBackupMetadata"
dateModified: "2026-08-20"
---

# Sync-VBRUnstructuredBackupMetadata

## Short Description
Downloads metadata of backup files from the long-term backup repository.

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

## Syntax
```
Sync-VBRUnstructuredBackupMetadata -SourceBackup <VBRUnstructuredBackup> -TargetRepository <CBackupRepository>
 [-RunAsync] [-RetrievalSettings <VBRUnstructuredBackupColdStorageRetrievalSettings>] [-Force] [<CommonParameters>]
```

## Detailed Description
This cmdlet downloads metadata of backup files from the long-term backup repository to the short-term repository. You can use this cmdlet to restore backup files that are located on the long-term repository but are no longer available on the short-term repository.

::: important

Before downloading metadata from the long-term repository, you must run the [`Sync-VBRBackupRepository`](sync-vbrbackuprepository.md) cmdlet to rescan this repository.

:::

## 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">Force</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Defines that the cmdlet will download metadata of backup files from the long-term backup repository without showing warnings in the PowerShell console.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>SwitchParameter</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">RetrievalSettings</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies the retrieval policy settings. The cmdlet will use these settings to retrieve data from archive repositories.</p><p><strong>Note</strong>: If you do not provide this parameter, the cmdlet will prompt you to use the default retrieval policy settings.</p><p>Accepts the <code>VBRUnstructuredBackupColdStorageRetrievalSettings</code> object. To create this object, run the <a href="new-vbrunstructuredbackupretrievalsettings.md"><code>New-VBRUnstructuredBackupColdStorageRetrievalSettings</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>VBRUnstructuredBackupColdStorageRetrievalSettings</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">RunAsync</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Defines that the command returns immediately without waiting for the task to complete.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>SwitchParameter</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">SourceBackup</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies a backup file. The cmdlet will download metadata of this backup file from the long-term repository.</p><p>Accepts the <code>VBRUnstructuredBackup</code> object. To get this object, run the <a href="get-vbrunstructuredbackup.md"><code>Get-VBRUnstructuredBackup</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><a href="vbrunstructuredbackup.md"><code>VBRUnstructuredBackup</code></a></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>Named</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True (ByPropertyName, ByValue)</p>
        </td>
      </tr>
      <tr style="vertical-align:top">
        <td>
          <p class="Table_Text_Bold"><span class="Table_Text_Bold">TargetRepository</span></p>
        </td>
        <td>
          <p>Specifies the short-term backup repository. The cmdlet will download metadata of backup files to the specified short-term backup repository.</p><p>Accepts the <code>CBackupRepository</code> object. To get this object, run the <a href="get-vbrbackuprepository.md"><code>Get-VBRBackupRepository</code></a> cmdlet.</p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p><code>CBackupRepository</code></p>
        </td>
        <td style="width:10%;">
          <p>True</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).

## Examples

::: example
### Downloading Metadata to Short-term Repository

This example shows how to download data from the long-term repository to the short-term repository.

```
$backup = Get-VBRUnstructuredBackup
$repository = Get-VBRBackupRepository
Sync-VBRUnstructuredBackupMetadata -SourceBackup $backup -TargetRepository $repository
```

Perform the following steps:

1. Run the [`Get-VBRUnstructuredBackup`](get-vbrunstructuredbackup.md) cmdlet. Save the result to the `$backup` variable.
2. Run the [`Get-VBRBackupRepository`](get-vbrbackuprepository.md) cmdlet. Save the result to the `$repository` variable.
3. Run the `Sync-VBRUnstructuredBackupMetadata` cmdlet. Set the `$backup` variable as the `SourceBackup` parameter value. Set the `$repository` as the `TargetRepository` parameter value.

:::

## Related Commands

- [`Get-VBRUnstructuredBackup`](get-vbrunstructuredbackup.md)
- [`Get-VBRBackupRepository`](get-vbrbackuprepository.md)