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Lovable remix or duplicate lost its backend (Supabase, secrets, integrations gone)

Lovable Moderate 30-90 minutes Last verified Jul 17, 2026
The fix  A remix or duplicate copies source code only. Supabase connections, database contents, secrets, and the GitHub link do not come along. Connect your own Supabase project (or let Lovable Cloud provision one), re-enter every secret in Cloud > Secrets, ask Lovable to re-run the schema setup, and reconnect GitHub. Data never transfers automatically; export it from the original and import it yourself.

Symptoms

  • The remixed or duplicated copy loads, but login fails for every account
  • All data is empty even though the original project has rows
  • Every feature that calls an API errors out
  • On Lovable Cloud projects: the underlying Supabase instance does not appear anywhere in your own Supabase dashboard

Why it happens

Remix and duplicate copy source code only

Secrets, database contents, Supabase connections, and GitHub connections are explicitly not copied. Lovable creates a fresh project instance with no backend wiring at all.

The copy looks like a full clone, so builders ship it anyway

The app runs against a backend that is not there, or worse, against the original author's project if credentials were hardcoded in the source.

Lovable Cloud backends are Lovable-managed

Lovable Cloud provisions a Supabase instance that is managed by Lovable and not owned by your Supabase account, which is why users cannot find 'their' database in the Supabase dashboard.

How to fix it

  1. Treat the remix as frontend-onlyAssume nothing backend-related survived the copy. Plan to reconnect a backend before you test a single feature; otherwise every failure you see traces back to this one root cause.
  2. Connect your own SupabaseIn the editor, open the Cloud/Supabase integration and use 'Already have a Supabase project? Connect it here', or let Lovable Cloud provision a new backend for you.
  3. Re-enter every secretOpen Cloud > Secrets and add each key again. None carried over from the source project, so build a list from the code of every secret the app reads before you start.
  4. Re-run the schema setupThe SQL and migration files exist in the copied code, but they have never been applied to your new instance. Ask Lovable to re-run the schema setup (tables, RLS policies, edge functions) against the new backend.
  5. Reconnect GitHubThe copy has no repo attached. Reconnect GitHub from the new project's settings if you want version control.
  6. Move the data yourself if you need itRemix will never move data for you. Export from the original Supabase project (SQL dump or CSV) and import into the new one. This only works if you actually have access to the original backend.

How to prevent it

  • Before remixing, list every secret and integration the original uses so you can rewire them deliberately
  • Never hardcode credentials in a project others might remix; the copies will silently point at your backend
  • After any remix or duplicate, smoke-test login, one read, and one write before building on top
  • Keep schema and RLS in migration files in the repo so a new backend can be rebuilt from code

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Frequently asked questions

Does remixing a Lovable project copy the Supabase database?

No. Remixing or duplicating a Lovable project copies source code only; database contents, the Supabase connection, secrets, and the GitHub connection are explicitly not copied. You get a fresh project instance with no backend wiring, so login, data, and API features are dead until you reconnect a backend.

Why is my Lovable Cloud database not showing in my Supabase dashboard?

Lovable Cloud provisions a Supabase instance that is managed by Lovable, not owned by your personal Supabase account. That is why the project never appears in your own Supabase dashboard. If you want a database you control directly, connect an existing Supabase project through the integration instead.

How do I connect my own Supabase project to a Lovable remix?

Open the Cloud/Supabase integration in the Lovable editor and use 'Already have a Supabase project? Connect it here', or let Lovable Cloud provision a new backend. Then re-enter your secrets in Cloud > Secrets and ask Lovable to re-run the schema setup so tables, RLS policies, and edge functions exist on the new instance.

Can I get the original project's data into my Lovable remix?

Only by moving it yourself. Export the data from the original Supabase project as a SQL dump or CSV and import it into the new backend. Remix copies code only and will never transfer database contents.

Sources

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