How to Reinstall or Change the OS on Your Hostinger VPS

Description

Something broke on your Hostinger VPS, or you picked the wrong OS at signup, and now you need a clean slate.

In this tutorial, I’ll show you exactly how to reinstall your existing operating system or swap it out for a completely different one. Whether you’re recovering from a bad setup, suspected malware, or just want to start fresh with n8n, Claude Code, or another app, this guide walks you through the entire process.

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What You’ll Learn

• Why reinstall — the most common reasons to wipe and start over
• What gets deleted — files, databases, Docker containers, config files
• What survives — IP address, DNS records, SSH keys, auto-backups
• Before you reinstall — how to back up n8n workflows and SFTP files
• Reinstall OS — step-by-step walkthrough in the Hostinger dashboard
• Change OS — how to swap to a different app template (n8n, Claude Code, etc.)
• Reinstall vs. Change OS — which one to use and when

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🔗 Links

Hostinger VPS (affiliate link):
https://www.hostg.xyz/SHIDN

How to get started with your Hostinger VPS (SFTP setup):
https://youtu.be/UdM7Va4JXTI

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⏱️ Timestamps

00:00 Intro: About The Tutorial
00:22 Why Change or Reinstall OS?
01:33 What does reinstall OS do?
02:29 Before Reinstalling OS
03:20 Auto-Backups & Snapshots
04:02 IP Address & DNS
04:20 What about Claude Code?
04:35 How To Erase & Reinstall OS
07:08 Accessing n8n After Reinstall
07:47 IP Address, SSH, Backups
08:29 How To Change VPS OS
10:55 Reinstall vs Change OS

🪜What You Will Learn:

To Reinstall Your Current OS:

1. Sign in to your Hostinger dashboard and click Manage on your VPS
2. In the left sidebar, go to OS and Panel, then click Operating System
3. Scroll to the bottom and click Reinstall OS
4. Check the box confirming you understand all data will be deleted, then click Next
5. Enter your root password and click Confirm (reset it from the Overview tab if needed)
6. Wait 5–10 minutes for the reinstall to complete

To Change to a Different OS or App Template:

1. From the left sidebar, go to OS and Panel, then Operating System
2. Scroll down to the Change OS section
3. Search for or browse the available templates (n8n, Claude Code, Docker, WordPress, etc.)
4. Click your chosen template, then click Change OS
5. Check the confirmation box, click Next, enter your root password, and click Confirm
6. Wait 5–10 minutes for the new OS to install

After Reinstalling or Changing OS:

• Go to the Overview tab and click Manage App to launch and configure your new setup
• Check Settings > SSH to confirm your SSH keys carried over
• Go to Security > Firewall and reactivate your firewall rules if they are showing as inactive

To Back Up n8n Workflows Before You Reinstall:

• Open each workflow in n8n, click the ellipsis (three dots) in the top right, and choose Download to save the JSON file locally
• Connect via SFTP to save any Docker Compose YAML files or other configs you want to restore later