diff --git a/server/routes/admin-backup.js b/server/routes/admin-backup.js
index d23c8b2..cf72d15 100644
--- a/server/routes/admin-backup.js
+++ b/server/routes/admin-backup.js
@@ -30,6 +30,54 @@ import {
   refreshContentCaches,
 } from '../data.js'
 
+// Portable server settings captured into env-snapshot.env at export time so a
+// backup carries the runtime configuration too (Docker deployments have no
+// .env file — settings live in container env vars). Machine-specific vars
+// (PORT, NODE_ENV, SITEFORGE_DATA_DIR, ALLOW_INSECURE_COOKIES, build info)
+// are deliberately excluded. Values are NOT applied automatically on restore.
+const ENV_SNAPSHOT_KEYS = [
+  'ADMIN_PASSWORD',
+  'RESEND_API_KEY',
+  'RESEND_CONTACTS_API_KEY',
+  'RESEND_WEBHOOK_TOKEN',
+  'INBOUND_EMAIL_SECRET',
+  'RESEND_FROM',
+  'RESEND_TO',
+  'RESEND_REPLY_TO',
+  'RESEND_AUTOMATION_WELCOME',
+  'RESEND_SEGMENT_ID',
+  'RESEND_REMINDER_SUBJECT',
+  'RESEND_WELCOME_SUBJECT',
+  'RESEND_WELCOME_IMAGE_URL',
+  'RESEND_WELCOME_EPISODE_URL',
+  'RESEND_WELCOME_WEBSITE_URL',
+  'RESEND_WELCOME_SPOTIFY_URL',
+  'RESEND_WELCOME_APPLE_URL',
+  'RESEND_WELCOME_AMAZON_URL',
+  'CACHE_PURGE_WEBHOOK_URL',
+  'DEPLOY_WEBHOOK_URL',
+  'CONTACT_EMAIL_COOLDOWN_MS',
+  'TRUST_PROXY_HOPS',
+  'TITUS_STUDY_FILE',
+  'TITUS_STUDY_DOWNLOAD_NAME',
+]
+
+async function writeEnvSnapshot() {
+  const lines = [
+    '# Siteforge environment snapshot — regenerated on every full backup export.',
+    '# Contains secrets (admin password, API keys): keep this backup private.',
+    '# These values are NOT applied automatically on restore. Set them as',
+    '# container environment variables (or in .env) on the new server.',
+    `# Exported at ${new Date().toISOString()}`,
+    '',
+  ]
+  for (const key of ENV_SNAPSHOT_KEYS) {
+    const value = process.env[key]
+    if (typeof value === 'string' && value.trim() !== '') lines.push(`${key}=${value}`)
+  }
+  await writeFile(path.join(DATA_DIR, 'env-snapshot.env'), `${lines.join('\n')}\n`, 'utf8')
+}
+
 // Files that identify an archive as a Siteforge data backup. At least one
 // must be present at the top level of an uploaded archive before we restore.
 const KNOWN_DATA_FILES = [
@@ -106,6 +154,7 @@ export function register(app) {
   app.get('/api/admin-backup/export', requireAdminAuth, async (_req, res) => {
     try {
       await flushPendingWrites()
+      await writeEnvSnapshot()
       const entries = (await readdir(DATA_DIR)).filter(name => name !== 'backups')
       if (entries.length === 0) {
         res.status(500).json({ message: 'Data directory is empty — nothing to export.' })
diff --git a/src/components/AnalyticsPanel.tsx b/src/components/AnalyticsPanel.tsx
index 91c7c69..248c59b 100644
--- a/src/components/AnalyticsPanel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/AnalyticsPanel.tsx
@@ -818,7 +818,7 @@ export function AnalyticsPanel({
       {/* Full Data Backup (entire /data folder — server migration) */}
       <div className="admin-stats-head admin-stats-head--visitors">
         <h2>Full Data Backup</h2>
-        <p>Download every persisted file — site content, uploads, study accounts, notes, progress, questions, analytics — as one archive, or restore that archive on this or a new server.</p>
+        <p>Download every persisted file — site content, uploads, study accounts, notes, progress, questions, analytics — plus a snapshot of server settings (env-snapshot.env) as one archive, or restore that archive on this or a new server. The archive contains secrets like the admin password and API keys, so keep it private. Restored settings are not applied automatically — copy them into the new server&apos;s environment.</p>
       </div>
       <div className="admin-actions admin-actions--maintenance">
         <button type="button" className="btn-admin-reset" onClick={onDownloadFullBackup} disabled={fullBackupBusy}>