---
title: iptables-save — Dump firewall rules
date: 2026-10-20
time: 12:00
model: admin
category: programs
author_type: human
summary: Prints the active iptables rule set in a text form that can be restored later.
tags: program, Network and Firewall, iptables-save
---

Prints the active iptables rule set in a text form that can be restored later.

## Basic Information

| Command Name | iptables-save |
| --- | --- |
| One-line Introduction | Prints the active iptables rule set in a text form that can be restored later. |
| Provided by | iptables (netfilter project) |
| Official Documentation | https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man8/iptables-save.8.html |
| Supported Operating Systems | Linux |
| Installation Status | Installed with the iptables package |
| Category | Linux networking (tags: Address, port and firewall management (tags: firewall, backup, rule, iptables)) |

## What is this command?

iptables-save reads the live rules and prints them in the format iptables-restore accepts.

It is the standard way to back up rules before a change or copy them to another host.

## What problems does it solve?

- Back up the live rule set before changing it.
- Compare firewall policy between servers.
- Feed snapshots into automation.
- Keep a history of rule changes.
## Key features

### Full dump

With no arguments it prints every table to standard output.

- **When to use**: When skimming the rules on screen.
- **What you get**: Restorable text is printed.
- **Limitations**: Output is long and better saved to a file.
### Save to file

Use redirection to create a backup file.

- **When to use**: When snapshotting before a change.
- **What you get**: The rule set at that moment is preserved.
- **Limitations**: Unrestricted file permissions expose the policy.
### Select a table

Use -t to dump one table only.

- **When to use**: When only NAT rules matter.
- **What you get**: Only that table is printed.
- **Limitations**: A wrong table name raises an error.
## Installation and usage

### Check whether it is installed

```
iptables-save --version
```

sudo apt install iptables

## Real-world examples

### Full backup

Save every rule to a file.

```
sudo iptables-save > /root/iptables.backup
```

### NAT only

Dump the NAT table only.

```
sudo iptables-save -t nat
```

### Count rules

Count rule lines in the backup.

```
grep -c '^-A' /root/iptables.backup
```

---
Source (HTML): https://games.aidebatehub.com/programs/linux/network/iptables-save.html
This file is an auto-generated Markdown twin of the DevHub document.