diff --git a/extension/src/popup/components/settings-vault.ts b/extension/src/popup/components/settings-vault.ts
index 17598aa..a5fc0e4 100644
--- a/extension/src/popup/components/settings-vault.ts
+++ b/extension/src/popup/components/settings-vault.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 /// generator defaults (preview + "configure" → opens popover), and
 /// autofill origin-ack revocation.
 
-import { getState, setState, sendMessage, navigate, escapeHtml } from '../../shared/state';
+import { getState, setState, sendMessage, navigate, escapeHtml, openVaultTab } from '../../shared/state';
 import type {
   VaultSettings, TrashRetention, HistoryRetention, GeneratorRequest,
 } from '../../shared/types';
@@ -158,6 +158,13 @@ export function renderVaultSettings(app: HTMLElement): void {
           </div>
         </div>
 
+        <div class="settings-section">
+          <div class="settings-section__title">backup &amp; restore</div>
+          <div class="settings-row">
+            <button class="btn" id="open-backup">Backup &amp; restore →</button>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+
         <div class="settings-footer">
           <button class="btn" id="discard-btn">discard</button>
           <button class="btn btn-primary" id="save-btn" disabled>save changes</button>
@@ -187,6 +194,7 @@ export function renderVaultSettings(app: HTMLElement): void {
   function wireHandlers(): void {
     document.getElementById('back-btn')?.addEventListener('click', () => navigate('list'));
     document.getElementById('discard-btn')?.addEventListener('click', () => navigate('list'));
+    document.getElementById('open-backup')?.addEventListener('click', () => openVaultTab('backup'));
 
     document.getElementById('trash-retention')?.addEventListener('change', (e) => {
       if (!pendingSettings) return;
diff --git a/extension/src/vault/components/backup-panel.ts b/extension/src/vault/components/backup-panel.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5288888
--- /dev/null
+++ b/extension/src/vault/components/backup-panel.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,152 @@
+import { sendMessage } from '../../shared/state';
+
+type ViewMode = 'idle' | 'exporting' | 'restoring';
+
+let mode: ViewMode = 'idle';
+
+export function renderBackupPanel(app: HTMLElement): void {
+  app.innerHTML = `
+    <div class="panel">
+      <h1>Backup &amp; restore</h1>
+
+      <section class="card" id="export-card">
+        <h2>Export</h2>
+        <p>Pack this vault into a single encrypted <code>.relbak</code> file.
+        The backup passphrase is independent of your vault passphrase.</p>
+        <label><input type="checkbox" id="include-image"> Include reference image (single-file recovery)</label>
+        <p class="muted">Git history is not bundled from the extension. Use the CLI if you want a full audit-log backup.</p>
+        <button id="export-btn">Export backup…</button>
+        <pre id="export-status" class="status hidden"></pre>
+      </section>
+
+      <section class="card" id="restore-card">
+        <h2>Restore</h2>
+        <p>Decrypt a <code>.relbak</code> file and push it to a fresh
+        remote. The remote must be empty.</p>
+        <input type="file" id="restore-file" accept=".relbak">
+        <fieldset id="restore-remote" class="hidden">
+          <legend>Target remote</legend>
+          <label>Host type
+            <select id="rt-host-type">
+              <option value="gitea">Gitea</option>
+              <option value="github">GitHub</option>
+            </select>
+          </label>
+          <label>Host URL <input id="rt-host-url" type="url" placeholder="https://git.example.com"></label>
+          <label>Repo path <input id="rt-repo" type="text" placeholder="user/relicario-vault"></label>
+          <label>API token <input id="rt-token" type="password"></label>
+          <button id="restore-btn">Restore…</button>
+        </fieldset>
+        <pre id="restore-status" class="status hidden"></pre>
+      </section>
+    </div>
+  `;
+
+  wireExport(app);
+  wireRestore(app);
+}
+
+function wireExport(scope: HTMLElement): void {
+  const btn = scope.querySelector('#export-btn') as HTMLButtonElement;
+  const includeImage = scope.querySelector('#include-image') as HTMLInputElement;
+  const status = scope.querySelector('#export-status') as HTMLElement;
+
+  btn.addEventListener('click', async () => {
+    if (mode !== 'idle') return;
+    const passphrase = window.prompt('Backup passphrase (≥ zxcvbn score 3):');
+    if (!passphrase) return;
+
+    mode = 'exporting';
+    btn.disabled = true;
+    showStatus(status, 'Exporting…');
+
+    try {
+      const resp = await sendMessage({
+        type: 'export_backup',
+        passphrase,
+        includeImage: includeImage.checked,
+      });
+      if (!resp.ok) throw new Error(resp.error);
+
+      const data = (resp as { ok: true; data: { bytes: ArrayBuffer } }).data;
+      const blob = new Blob([data.bytes], { type: 'application/octet-stream' });
+      const url = URL.createObjectURL(blob);
+      const ts = new Date().toISOString().replace(/[:.]/g, '-');
+      const a = document.createElement('a');
+      a.href = url;
+      a.download = `relicario-${ts}.relbak`;
+      a.click();
+      setTimeout(() => URL.revokeObjectURL(url), 1000);
+
+      showStatus(status, `Exported (${(data.bytes.byteLength / 1024 / 1024).toFixed(2)} MiB).`);
+    } catch (e) {
+      showStatus(status, `Failed: ${(e as Error).message}`);
+    } finally {
+      mode = 'idle';
+      btn.disabled = false;
+    }
+  });
+}
+
+function wireRestore(scope: HTMLElement): void {
+  const file = scope.querySelector('#restore-file') as HTMLInputElement;
+  const remoteFs = scope.querySelector('#restore-remote') as HTMLElement;
+  const btn = scope.querySelector('#restore-btn') as HTMLButtonElement;
+  const status = scope.querySelector('#restore-status') as HTMLElement;
+
+  file.addEventListener('change', () => {
+    remoteFs.classList.toggle('hidden', file.files == null || file.files.length === 0);
+  });
+
+  btn.addEventListener('click', async () => {
+    if (mode !== 'idle') return;
+    const f = file.files?.[0];
+    if (!f) return;
+
+    const passphrase = window.prompt('Backup passphrase:');
+    if (!passphrase) return;
+
+    const hostType = (scope.querySelector('#rt-host-type') as HTMLSelectElement).value as 'gitea' | 'github';
+    const hostUrl = (scope.querySelector('#rt-host-url') as HTMLInputElement).value.trim();
+    const repoPath = (scope.querySelector('#rt-repo') as HTMLInputElement).value.trim();
+    const apiToken = (scope.querySelector('#rt-token') as HTMLInputElement).value.trim();
+    if (!hostUrl || !repoPath || !apiToken) {
+      showStatus(status, 'fill in host URL, repo path, and API token');
+      return;
+    }
+
+    mode = 'restoring';
+    btn.disabled = true;
+    showStatus(status, 'Restoring…');
+
+    try {
+      const bytes = await f.arrayBuffer();
+      const resp = await sendMessage({
+        type: 'restore_backup',
+        bytes,
+        passphrase,
+        newRemote: { hostType, hostUrl, repoPath, apiToken },
+      });
+      if (!resp.ok) throw new Error(resp.error);
+
+      const data = (resp as { ok: true; data: { summary: { itemCount: number; attachmentCount: number; hasImage: boolean } } }).data;
+      const summary = data.summary;
+      showStatus(status, `Restored: ${summary.itemCount} items, ${summary.attachmentCount} attachments${summary.hasImage ? ', image included' : ''}. Reload the extension and unlock.`);
+    } catch (e) {
+      showStatus(status, `Failed: ${(e as Error).message}`);
+    } finally {
+      mode = 'idle';
+      btn.disabled = false;
+    }
+  });
+}
+
+function showStatus(el: HTMLElement, text: string): void {
+  el.textContent = text;
+  el.classList.remove('hidden');
+}
+
+export function teardown(): void {
+  // No timers / object URLs to clean up — Blob URL revocation is per-export.
+  mode = 'idle';
+}
diff --git a/extension/src/vault/vault.ts b/extension/src/vault/vault.ts
index d570465..f8ef705 100644
--- a/extension/src/vault/vault.ts
+++ b/extension/src/vault/vault.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import { renderDevices, teardown as teardownDevices } from '../popup/components/
 import { renderSettings } from '../popup/components/settings';
 import { renderVaultSettings as renderVaultSettingsView } from '../popup/components/settings-vault';
 import { renderFieldHistory, teardown as teardownFieldHistory } from '../popup/components/field-history';
+import { renderBackupPanel, teardown as teardownBackup } from './components/backup-panel';
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Helpers
@@ -66,7 +67,7 @@ function typeLabel(t: ItemType): string {
 // Hash routing
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-type VaultView = 'list' | 'detail' | 'add' | 'edit' | 'trash' | 'devices' | 'settings' | 'settings-vault' | 'field-history';
+type VaultView = 'list' | 'detail' | 'add' | 'edit' | 'trash' | 'devices' | 'settings' | 'settings-vault' | 'field-history' | 'backup';
 
 interface HashRoute {
   view: VaultView;
@@ -92,6 +93,7 @@ function parseHash(): HashRoute {
     case 'settings':
     case 'settings-vault':
     case 'field-history':
+    case 'backup':
       return { view };
     default:
       return { view: 'list' };
@@ -418,6 +420,7 @@ function teardownPaneComponents(): void {
   teardownTrash();
   teardownDevices();
   teardownFieldHistory();
+  teardownBackup();
 }
 
 function renderPane(): void {
@@ -464,6 +467,9 @@ function renderPane(): void {
     case 'field-history':
       renderFieldHistory(pane);
       break;
+    case 'backup':
+      renderBackupPanel(pane);
+      break;
     default:
       pane.className = 'vault-pane vault-pane--empty';
       pane.innerHTML = 'select an item';