You spend three hours dialing in the perfect tune. A month later you flash new firmware with “full chip erase” checked — and every setting vanishes. The bind phrase, the OSD layout, the custom motor directions. All gone. This happens to every pilot exactly once. After that, you learn the diff/dump workflow.
Diff vs Dump: What to Save and When
diff all
A diff shows only the settings you’ve changed from Betaflight defaults. It’s compact, human-readable, and typically 50-150 lines. This is your daily backup. Save a diff after every tuning session. Store it on your phone, in a cloud note, or email it to yourself.
diff all
Paste into a text file named something useful: 5inch_apex_20260531.txt. When you re-flash firmware, paste the diff into the CLI and all your custom settings are restored.
dump all
A dump shows every setting — defaults and custom values — in one massive file (3,000+ lines). This is your forensic backup. If a Betaflight update changes a default value that breaks your tune, the dump preserves the old default. You can’t restore from a dump to a different Betaflight version without manually checking for incompatible settings. Use dumps for archival purposes, not for daily backup.
What diff does NOT save
- Binding phrase (stored on the receiver, not the FC)
- ELRS/CRSF receiver firmware (stored on the RX)
- ESC firmware and settings (stored on the ESCs, read via BLHeli)
- Radio model configuration (stored on your transmitter)
A diff saves everything on the flight controller. It does not save your radio, RX, VTX table (unless stored on FC), or ESC settings.
Step-by-Step Backup and Restore Workflow
1. Save a diff before any firmware change
Connect to Betaflight Configurator. Go to CLI. Type diff all. Copy the entire output. Save as a .txt file with a descriptive name and date.
2. Flash firmware (full chip erase = yes)
Full chip erase clears all settings and prevents old config values from interfering with new defaults. Always use full chip erase when changing Betaflight minor versions (4.4 → 4.5). Skip it only when re-flashing the exact same version (recovery from a corrupted config).
3. Apply custom defaults if prompted
After flashing Betaflight 4.5+, the configurator may prompt you to “Apply Custom Defaults.” Click yes. This loads manufacturer-specific defaults for your flight controller (UART mappings, motor pin assignments, gyro orientation). Without this step, your FC may not boot or may have incorrect resource mappings.
4. Restore diff from backup
Open CLI. Paste your saved diff. Press enter. The FC processes 50-150 commands in under two seconds. Verify no errors in the output (red text = error, ignore “###” comment lines).
5. Calibrate accelerometer
Full chip erase also clears accel calibration. Go to Setup tab, place quad on level surface, click Calibrate Accelerometer. Skip if you run acro-only with accelerometer disabled.
Betaflight Presets System
Betaflight 4.3+ includes a preset system (Presets tab in Configurator). Presets are community or officially curated configuration snippets that apply specific settings — a PID tune for a specific frame, filter settings for a build type, OSD layouts, or LED configurations.
When to use presets
Presets are starting points, not final tunes. The UAV Tech presets (available in the Presets tab under “Tuning”) give you filter and PID baselines optimized for different build classes — 5-inch freestyle, 7-inch long range, whoop, etc. Apply the preset, then tune from there.
Apply preset workflow:
1. Save a diff all first (always — presets overwrite settings)
2. Select the preset that matches your build class
3. Click Apply
4. Check that the settings took (verify PIDs, filters, and rates match what the preset description says)
5. Fly and tune from the preset baseline
Cloud build via the Presets tab
The Presets tab can also apply “cloud build” — a pre-configured set of options for specific hardware combinations. If you’re building a quad with a SpeedyBee F405 V4, the cloud build preset loads correct UART assignments, motor protocols, and default PID/filter settings for that specific hardware. This replaces the manual ports configuration step.
Backup Strategy Comparison
| Method | What It Saves | Restoration Scope | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|
diff all |
Custom settings only | Same Betaflight version (safe), different version (mostly safe) | Low — only changes |
dump all |
All settings | Same Betaflight version only | Medium — incompatible defaults across versions |
| Presets (tab) | Curated settings | Specific to build class | Low if you diff first |
| Cloud build | Hardware-specific defaults | Same FC target | Very low — manufacturer-defined |
| Screenshots of Config tab | Manual visual reference | Manual re-entry only | High — easy to miss a setting |
What Most Pilots Get Wrong About Backup
Mistake 1: Saving a dump and trying to restore it to a different Betaflight version.
Betaflight changes default values between versions. A dump from 4.3 pasted into 4.5 may set an old default that conflicts with a new feature. For cross-version restoration, always use diff all. Only use dump all when staying on the exact same version.
Mistake 2: Not saving anything — relying on memory.
You won’t remember your OSD element positions, your rate profile values, your custom LED colors, or which UART you assigned to GPS. A diff takes 5 seconds to copy. Do it after every significant settings change.
Mistake 3: Applying a preset without saving a diff first.
Presets overwrite everything in their scope. The UAV Tech 5-inch freestyle preset sets PIDs, filters, rates, and PID profile settings. If you had custom OSD warnings or motor output limits, those survive. If you had custom PIDs — gone. Diff first, always.
Mistake 4: Ignoring the “Apply Custom Defaults” prompt after flashing.
Skipping this prompt on an AIO board with non-standard motor pin assignments means the FC can’t talk to the ESCs. The quad won’t arm. This looks like a hardware failure but is just missing pin mappings. Always apply custom defaults for your FC target.
Mistake 5: Not updating your diff after a tuning session.
The diff you saved last month was from before you fixed the mid-throttle oscillation and raised D on pitch. If you restore that old diff, you’re back to the oscillating tune. Save a new diff after every tuning change that improves the quad. Old diffs are archival only.
⚠️ Regulatory Notice: The flight recommendations in this article should be followed in accordance with the latest 2026 drone regulations in your country or region. Always verify local laws regarding flight altitude, no-fly zones, remote ID requirements, and registration before flying. Regulations vary significantly between the FAA (US), EASA (EU), CAA (UK), CAAC (China), and other authorities.
Our Betaflight CLI guide covers the essential commands for quick diagnostics and configuration beyond diff/dump. For the tuning side of things, our Betaflight rates deep dive preserves those rate values across firmware updates. If you’re worried about bricking hardware during firmware updates, our ESC firmware update safety guide covers the parallel risk on the ESC side.
The SpeedyBee USB-C adapter makes bench work painless — plug the FC into your phone via USB-C and run the SpeedyBee app for field diff saves, preset application, and CLI access without a laptop. It’s in my field bag permanently.