Backing up your WordPress site is an important task that should not be ignored. If something goes wrong with your website, you will want to have a full backup to restore it from.
In this blog post, we will discuss the backup process, how to back up your WordPress site using WordPress backup plugins and how to perform manual backups. We will also discuss where to store the backup for easy retrieval and how to restore a backup. Let’s get started!
What Is A Backup And Why Do You Need One?
A backup is a copy of your entire WordPress website that can be used to restore the site if something goes wrong. It is important to have a backup of the entire site in case something happens to your WordPress websites, such as a hacker attack, server crash, database deletion or corruption, and/or accidental deletion.
How To Backup WordPress Site
There are two ways you can back up your WordPress site. You can use a WordPress plugin or you can manually back up the data.
The easiest way to backup your WordPress site is to use a plugin.
If you don’t want to use a plugin, you can manually back up the data. To do this, you will need to download all of your files and database. You can then store the files in a safe place, like an external hard drive or cloud storage service.
Plugins To Help With Backups
There are many plugins available that will do the job for you. Some of these WordPress backup plugins include UpdraftPlus Backups, BackWPup, BackupBuddy, and Duplicator.
Installing a WordPress backup plugin is performed the same as any other WordPress plugin.
- Go to Plugins > Add New.
- Enter the name of the plugin you want into the search bar.
- Click Install Now.
- Click Activate
Scheduling Automatic Backups
Most backup plugins have the option to schedule backups. The ability to set automated backups is a great feature because it will automatically back up your website on a set schedule without your intervention. You can use it to schedule monthly, weekly, or daily backups.
If you are not using a plugin, you can still schedule backups through cPanel. cPanel is a web-based interface that allows you to manage your website. To see scheduled backups in cPanel, follow these steps:
- Log into cPanel
- Scroll down to the Backup section and click on Backups > Select desired backup type > Click on Create Backup Now.
That’s it! You now have automated website backups of your WordPress site. Be sure to test your backup to make sure it is working properly.
Performing A Manual Backup Of Your Website
Doing a manual backup of your website is a great way to ensure that all of your data is safe and sound. This can be done in a few simple steps:
Backup Files
First, make sure you have a copy of all the WordPress directory files including WordPress Core Files. You’ll need these to restore the backup if anything goes wrong.
You can either store backup files on your computer or on an external hard drive. I would recommend downloading the files with FileZilla or another SFTP application. Once they are downloaded, compress the files to a zip archive and move them somewhere safe. Make sure you add a date stamp and domain name to the zip file name, so it’s easy to find the site and when the copy was taken if you have multiple copies or multiple websites.
This backup file is very important, so keep it somewhere safe!
Backup WordPress Database Without WordPress Backup Plugin
There are a few ways to backup your WordPress database without using a plugin. One way is to use the PHPMyAdmin tool that comes with your web hosting account. Another way is to use the command-line tool, MySQL.
To back up your WordPress database using PHPMyAdmin log into your cPanel and scroll down to the section that says “Databases.” Underneath that, you will see a list of all of the databases on your account. Click on the name of the WordPress database that you want to backup.
On the next page, you will see a list of all of the tables in your WordPress database. To back up your WordPress database click on the “Export” button in the upper right corner of the page.
You will then be asked to choose a format for your backup. The most common format is “SQL.” Select that option and then click on the “Go” button. Your WordPress database will be backed up in zip file format.
To backup your wordpress database using the MySQL command line tool, you will need to log into your server using SSH. Once you are logged in, type the following command:
mysqldump -u {username} -p{password} {database name} > ~/backups/{database name}.sql
Replace {username}, {password} and {database name} with the appropriate information for your account. Be sure to put a space between “mysqldump” and “-u.”
This will create a SQL file in the ~/backups folder that contains a backup of your WordPress database. You can then download this file to your computer and store it in a safe place.
These are just a few examples of how to backup your WordPress database without using a plugin. There are many other ways to do this, so be sure to research the options that are available to you.
WordPress Backup Plugins
There are many free and paid backup plugins available. The most popular ones are listed below:
- UpdraftPlus WordPress Backup Plugin is a popular WordPress backup plugin. It allows you to back up your website, files, and database. You can also restore your site from a backup or migrate it to a new host or domain. There is a paid version with even more features.
- BackupBuddy is a very popular WordPress plugin. It is free to download, but there is a paid version that includes more features. BackupBuddy can back up your website, database, and files, and it also allows you to restore your site from a backup.
- Duplicator is a free WordPress plugin that lets you create backups of your website, database, and files. It also allows you to migrate your website to a new host or domain.
- JetPack is a free plugin that includes many features, including backup and restore. It allows you to back up your website, files, and database. You can also restore your site from a backup or migrate it to a new host or domain.
- Blog Vault is a free plugin that backs up your website, files, and database. It also includes security features to help protect your site.
Each plugin has its own strengths and weaknesses, so be sure to research which one is best for you. Backing up your website is critical, so don’t take chances – choose a reliable WordPress backup plugin and use it regularly!
Restoring A Backup of Your WordPress Website
There are two ways to restore a backup of your WordPress website. You can use a plugin, or you can do it without a plugin.
Restore With Plugin
Navigate to your plugin’s settings restoration page.
Locate the backup you want to restore.
Upload the zip file and follow the plugin’s directions.
Next, we will show you how to restore your site without using a plugin.
Restore Without Plugin From A Manual Backup
To restore your website from a backup, first make sure that you have the latest version of WordPress installed on your server.
- Unzip the backup file and extract all of the files to a new folder on your computer.
- Open up an SFTP application and navigate to the location of your WordPress website files.
- Select all of the files in the restore folder and click “Upload.”
After the upload is complete, navigate to your website’s URL and restore the database. You can do this via PHPMyAdmin in cPanel or through the command-line tool, mysql.
To restore it through PHPMyAdmin, open up PHPMyAdmin and select your WordPress database.
Click on the “Import” tab and upload the SQL file from your restore folder.
You can also restore your website through mysql by typing the following command into the terminal:
mysql -uUSERNAME -p DATABASE_NAME > FILENAME.sql
Where USERNAME is the username you use to log into MySQL, DATABASE_NAME is the name of your WordPress database, and FILENAME.sql is the sql file from your restore folder.
After executing this command, the restore process will begin. When it’s finished, you will see a message similar to the following:
Query OK, 0 rows affected (0.00 sec)
This message means that your restore was successful.
Tips For keeping your WordPress Site Backed Up
- Make sure you keep on top of your backups! Your only backup a 6-month-old backup is something you don’t want to experience (trust me)
- Make sure you practice a restore before it becomes critical. You don’t want to be fumbling around while your visitors are getting a 404.
- Keep your WordPress site backups in a secure place. Having a backup that’s at risk of being wiped out by a single hard drive failure is the same as not having any. 2 is 1, 1 is none.
- Keep your database backups with your file backups.
- Store a copy on your web host AND somewhere else.
Summary
It’s not enough to rely on your hosting provider or WordPress dashboard for backups. You should be proactive about backing up your site, including the plugins you use and any content that doesn’t come from a third-party source like YouTube, SoundCloud, Flickr, etc.
Backups are especially important if you have customized code in your theme files because it will be more difficult to recreate them after an incident.