How to Backup Your WordPress Site (The Ultimate Guide)

From losing a blog during a server migration to having a site crash after an update, we’ve learned the importance of WordPress backups.

Since then, we’ve dedicated ourselves to helping other website owners avoid these disasters that could have been avoided with proper backups. Trust us, there’s nothing worse than watching years of hard work go up in smoke in a matter of seconds! 😨

Whether it’s a hack, plugin conflict, or hosting issue, these issues can appear when you least expect it. In the blink of an eye, your entire website is gone without a trace.

That’s why we’ve created this complete guide on how to backup your WordPress site. We’ll show you the common methods and tools we use to keep our own site safe. After reading this article, you’ll know exactly how to protect your WordPress site from any disaster.

First: Choose the Right WordPress Backup Method

If you’ve invested time in building your WordPress website, then you need a way to keep it secure.

Creating a backup is like having a copy of your website in case of a disaster. If something goes wrong or gets hacked, you can quickly restore everything to its previous state.

Let’s look at the different ways to back up your website:

• Use a WordPress backup plugin – These tools take care of everything for you. They can save your site on a schedule and send a copy directly to a location you specify. If you’re new to WordPress and have limited technical knowledge, this is your best option.
• Use your host’s backup system – Most WordPress hosting plans include built-in backup features. This is great if you’re on a budget, as backup features are usually included with your hosting plan. However, backup features can be pretty basic compared to plugins.
• Manual backup via cPanel/FTP – Although this requires more technical knowledge, it can be useful when you need to save specific files, or when you don’t want to use a plugin and your hosting provider doesn’t have a backup system.
• Hire a WordPress maintenance service – If you run a business website and don’t have the time to manage backups yourself, a maintenance service can handle this and other tasks like updates and security monitoring.

💡For most people, we recommend using a backup plugin. It offers the best combination of WordPress security and automation features. Plus, it makes it easy to restore if something goes wrong.

What’s more, it’s often more affordable than hiring a maintenance service while offering more functionality than your host’s basic backup system.

Having said that, let’s see how to backup WordPress using the different methods we mentioned. You can click on the links below to jump to your preferred topic:

• How to Backup WordPress Using a Plugin (Best for Beginners)
• How to Automatically Backup WordPress
• How to Backup WordPress with a Hosting Provider
• How to Backup WordPress Without Plugins (cPanel Method)
• How to Backup WordPress Without Plugins (FTP Method)
• How to Backup a WordPress Site Without FTP/cPanel Access
• How to Back Up WordPress to a Cloud Storage Provider
• How to Backup WordPress Database
• How to Recover Your WordPress Site
• Alternative: Hire a WordPress Maintenance Service

How to Backup WordPress Using a Plugin (Best for Beginners)

We’ve tried many backup tools over the years, but Duplicator is the one we’ve always stuck with. It’s so simple to use that even the non-tech-savvy people on our team can easily save a copy of their site.

What we like about Duplicator is that it goes beyond basic backup features. It provides instant disaster recovery and can restore your site without pre-installed plugins. Because of this, Duplicator is a great choice for beginners and professionals alike.

Want to learn all about its features? Check out our full Duplicator review .

🖐Bonus : We’re going to use the premium version of Duplicator because it includes everything you need to build a complete backup solution. While it requires an investment, we think the peace of mind it brings is well worth it.

If you are just getting started, you can start with the free version to experience the features of Duplicator.

Let’s start by installing and activating the Duplicator Pro backup plugin. If you need help, we have a handy guide on how to install a WordPress plugin .

After activating the plugin, go to Duplicator Pro » Settings and navigate to the General tab. Enter your license key, which you can find on your Duplicator Pro account page.

Once completed just click on Activate and you will see a confirmation message upon success.

Next, go to Duplicator Pro » Backup .

Find and click on the "Add New" button at the top. This will allow you to create a new backup of your WordPress site.

Now, let's name your backups. Duplicator has a clever dynamic labeling feature that works like a smart labeling system.

%year%You can use tags like and %month%to automatically add dates to your backups. For example, if you use 'site-backup-%year%-%month%,'Duplicator, it will create ordered names like "site-backup-2024-12".

This makes finding your backup later as easy as looking through a well-organized file cabinet.

Let’s move on to the “Storage” section, where you’ll choose where to save your backup files.

For this tutorial, we will stick with the default local storage, which means your backups will be stored on your hosting server.

Next, expand the Backup tab. Here, select the Full Site option as the preset. This ensures that you create a complete backup package.

You can also choose more specific options, such as Database Only (just your content and settings), Media Only (your images and files), or Custom (if you want to choose exactly what to back up).

Using the Custom option, you can select specific components to back up, including:

• Database (your posts, pages and settings)
• Core (WordPress system files)
• WordPress plugins (all or only active plugins)
• WordPress themes (all or only the current theme)
• Media (images, videos, documents)
• Other (any non-WordPress files in the directory)

Here is an example:

Need to be more selective? Tick the “File Filters” option. This lets you exclude specific files from your backup, perfect for excluding temporary files or large media files that you don’t need backed up.

Simply enter the path to the file you wish to exclude. Not sure where to find the file path? Check out our WordPress file and directory structure guide for help.

You can also exclude entire file types at once by specifying their extensions.

For example, excluding "mp4" or "mov" will skip all video files, which can help create smaller, faster backups if you store those files elsewhere. Just be sure to separate the extensions with a semicolon (;).

If you want to add an extra layer of protection to your backup, then you can switch to the Security tab.

Here you can set a password to protect your backup file. This is especially important if your website contains sensitive information that requires extra protection.

Next is the Installer section. These settings are responsible for the installer file you use to restore your website.

For now, you can keep these settings and click Next.

Duplicator will now do a quick scan of your site to make sure everything is ready for backup. You can think of this as a pre-check. If everything is OK, the plugin will display a status of “Good”; if there are any WordPress errors , it will warn you before proceeding.

When everything looks good, click the “Create Backup” button at the bottom to start the process.

Once Duplicator has finished creating your backup, return to Duplicator Pro » Backup .

Click the "Download" option and select "Both files." This will give you the two required files: the backup itself and an installer file that you'll need in case you need to restore your site.

📌Don’t like Duplicator? We also like UpdraftPlus , another popular WordPress backup plugin.

Bonus Tip: Create a Disaster Recovery Link to Restore Your Site Quickly

What makes Duplicator a great backup solution is its disaster recovery feature, which acts as a safety net for your website. Even if your WordPress website completely crashes, this feature allows you to recover quickly.

To set up this backup system, first make sure you have a full backup of your website stored on your server. Go to Duplicator Pro » Backups to check.

Find the most recent backup file and click the Disaster Recovery icon next to it.

In the pop-up window, just click on Set up Disaster Recovery.

This will enable the backup restore feature.

Duplicator provides you with two backup recovery options: safe recovery link or launcher file. Both can be used as your emergency backup recovery tool.

Either option will allow you to quickly restore your backup if your WordPress site encounters serious problems. Simply use the restore link in your browser or run the launcher file to start the restore process.

How to Automatically Backup WordPress

While manual backups do work, they’re not the most effective way to protect your WordPress blog. So let’s take a look at how to set up automatic backups that run on a schedule, giving you peace of mind without having to do it manually as often.

With scheduled backups, your backup plugin can handle everything automatically. Whether you need daily, weekly, or monthly website backups, Duplicator Pro can seamlessly manage your backup strategy.

That being said, if you prefer a non-plugin solution, CodeGuard is a cloud-based backup service that monitors your website 24/7 and automatically saves content changes.

To set up an automatic backup schedule in Duplicator, navigate to Duplicator Pro » Scheduled backups and click Add New.

First, give your backup plan a name. Duplicator automatically selects the default template, which creates a complete backup of your WordPress site, including all files, databases, media, themes, and plugins.

Need to change it? Just click the drop-down menu and select "". Then click the "+" button to open a new tab to create a new template.

In this new tab, give your backup template a name. For example, use "Media Library Backup" to name the files you upload.

Then, just like we showed you before, you can customize the backup naming format using dynamic tags and choose the backup type (Full Site, Database Only, Media, or Custom). You can also enable filters if you need to exclude specific files or folders.

Once done, scroll down. The default installer settings are sufficient for most users, so you can leave them as is.

Click Save Template to save your changes.

Now, close this tab and return to the Backup Plan tab.

Click the Refresh Template List button to see your new template in the drop-down menu. You can now select it for scheduled backup.

Next, choose where to store your backup.

You can use the Default Local option to store backups on your web host or connect to cloud storage for extra security.

Now comes an important decision: setting the frequency of backups. Duplicator allows you to set the frequency of automatic backups, such as hourly, daily, weekly or monthly. Choose a frequency that matches how often you update your website content.

You'll also need to set a start time for the backup. Here's a handy tip: scheduled backups require website traffic to start. For example, if you set your daily backup for 6:00 AM, but your website doesn't have visitors until 10:00 AM, the backup will start at 10:00 AM instead.

Therefore, we recommend scheduling backups during peak traffic times for your website or online store.

To finish setting up your automated backup system, be sure to check the "Enable this schedule" box at the bottom of the page.

Then click Save Schedule to activate your automatic backup schedule.

How to Backup WordPress with a Hosting Provider

While backup plugins are excellent tools, many WordPress hosting providers come with backup solutions built in. The main advantage? These backups come at no extra cost and are already set up for you with no configuration required.

For example, SiteGround , where WPBeginner is hosted, offers manual and automatic daily backups on all of its hosting plans. You can check out our article on why we chose SiteGround to learn more about our experience.

Let’s look at how to use these hosting backup features. First, log into your SiteGround account. In the “My Websites and Services” section, click “Manage” under “Websites.”

From your list of WordPress sites, find the site you want to back up.

Then click Site Tools to access its backup options.

Next, navigate to Security in the left sidebar and select Backup.

Here you can create manual backup copies or manage automatic backups. SiteGround has a limit on the number of manual backups you can create. Don’t worry, though, because its automatic backup system will create backup files of your website for you on a regular basis.

If you scroll down to the Manage Backup section, you’ll find all your backup files organized into Hourly, Daily, and Manual tabs.

Go ahead and click on the three-dot menu next to any backup to view your recovery options. You can perform a full backup restore, selectively restore files or databases, or download a backup file for safekeeping.

Let’s take a look at another popular WordPress hosting provider , Bluehost . Bluehost does not provide its own backup system, but instead works with industry-leading backup service providers CodeGuard and Jetpack to provide professional backup tools for your WordPress website.

To access these backup options, first log in to your Bluehost control panel. Go to the “Websites” tab, then click “Settings” for the website you want to manage.

Navigate to the Backup tab where you’ll find two powerful backup solutions: CodeGuard and Jetpack .

Both services offer automatic backup features and cloud backup storage to keep your WordPress files safe.

For detailed instructions on using these backup services, we’ve created comprehensive guides:

• How to Create WordPress Backups Using JetPack (Formerly VaultPress)

How to Backup WordPress Without Plugins (cPanel Method)

If you don’t want to use a backup plugin, you can manually create a backup of your WordPress site directly through cPanel.

However, keep in mind that manual backups require more effort and attention than automated backup solutions. You need to remember to create regular backups yourself, as this method does not offer automated scheduling capabilities.

First, access your hosting provider’s cPanel. In Bluehost, you can do this by logging into the Bluehost Control Panel. Navigate to the Websites tab and click Settings for the website you want to back up.

Now, switch to Advanced settings.

Then, find the “cPanel” section and click “Manage.”

Next, go to the "File" section and select "Backup Wizard."

This tool helps you create different types of website backups.

You'll see two options: Backup or Restore.

Since we are creating a backup, click Backup.

Now you can choose to either fully back up or partially back up your WordPress files. Here’s what each option includes:

• Full backup – creates a complete copy of your entire website, but you can only use it to migrate your website to another server or download a backup copy. Please note that you cannot restore a full backup through cPanel.
• Partial backup - allows you to select specific parts to back up: your home directory (including your WordPress files and emails), a database backup (your content and settings), or email filters and forwarders.

For this tutorial, we will create a full backup.

Next, choose a location to save the backup file.

It can be located in a home directory (saved on your hosting server), a remote FTP server (saved to another server), a remote FTP server with passive mode transfer, or a secure copy (using encrypted transfer).

Finally, you can enter your professional email address to be notified when the backup is ready, or skip notification.

Click Make Backup to start the backup process.

That’s it! Your WordPress website backup will now be created and stored in the location you selected.

How to Backup WordPress Without Plugins (FTP Method)

Another reliable way to create manual backups of your WordPress files is to use an FTP client.

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) allows you to access and download your website files directly. This method is especially useful when you don’t have access to the WordPress admin interface, or when you need to quickly back up specific files instead of your entire website.

There are several excellent FTP clients available for Mac and Windows computers. In this tutorial, we will demonstrate the backup process using FileZilla, a popular free FTP client.

First, you need to connect to your website using FTP software.

Once connected, navigate to your website’s root directory in the right panel. Here you’ll find important WordPress files and folders like wp-content, , wp-adminand configuration files like wp-configand .htaccess.

To create a backup, simply right-click on any folder or file you want to save.

After that, select the “Download” option.

These downloaded files will serve as your backup and are stored safely on your computer. If you ever need to restore your site, you can easily upload these files back to your server using FTP.

How to Backup a WordPress Site Without FTP/cPanel Access

Sometimes you may not have access to FTP or cPanel, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create a backup of your WordPress website.

Here are a few alternative backup methods you can use:

• Use a backup plugin – We recommend this method because it works even if you don’t have access to FTP or cPanel. A good backup and migration plugin will provide automatic backups and easy restore options, ensuring you’re always protected.
• Hosting Dashboard Backups – Many WordPress hosting providers offer their own backup tools through their dashboard, as we discussed in the hosting backups section above.
• Professional backup software – Services like CodeGuard offer standalone backup solutions that run independently from your WordPress dashboard.
• WordPress Export Tool – WordPress’ built-in export feature, while limited, can save your posts, pages, and other content. However, please note that this feature does not back up your themes, plugins, or media files.
• Hosting File Manager – Most hosting providers offer a file manager in their control panel. Let’s take Bluehost’s file manager as an example to show you how to use it.

To use Bluehost’s file manager, first log in to your Bluehost control panel. Navigate to the “Websites” tab, then click “Settings” for the website you want to back up.

In the Overview tab, scroll down to find the Quick Links section.

Just find and click the "File Manager" button.

public_htmlWhen the file manager opens in a new tab, look for the folder in the left menu.

Click the "+" sign next to it to view your website files.

Select your website’s folder and click on the “Compress” option at the top.

In the pop-up window, select "Zip Archive" and click "Compress Files" to create a backup file.

When the compression is complete, you will see a confirmation message.

Click Close to continue.

Now, find your newly created zip file in the folder public_html.

Then, click "Download" at the top to save it to your computer.

You can now store this backup file in a safe location. If you ever encounter problems with your website, you can use this backup to restore your content and quickly get your website back on track.

How to Back Up WordPress to a Cloud Storage Provider

Storing your WordPress backups in cloud storage adds an extra layer of security to your backup strategy.

If something goes wrong with your hosting server, you can still access your backup files from anywhere. In addition, cloud storage providers generally offer better file protection and redundancy than local storage.

The most efficient way to create cloud backups is to use a backup plugin like Duplicator or UpdraftPlus. These plugins can automatically connect to various cloud storage services and schedule regular backups without the need for manual uploads.

Additionally, they can handle file compression and can restore your website directly from cloud storage when needed.

Alternatively, you can use any of the manual backup methods we discussed above and upload those backup files to your favorite cloud storage service.

We've created a detailed guide for various cloud storage options. You can choose the option that best suits your needs:

• How to Backup Your WordPress Site to Dropbox (Step-by-Step Instructions)
• How to Backup Your WordPress Site to Google Drive (Free and Easy)
• How to Connect Google Drive to Your WordPress Media Library
• How to Backup WordPress to OneDrive (Free + Paid Options)
• How to Backup WordPress to Amazon S3 (Free + Paid Methods)

How to Backup WordPress Database

While full website backups are important, sometimes you just need to back up your WordPress database. Your database contains all your posts, pages, comments, and settings and is the core of your website’s content.

For example, you might want to do a database-only backup in the following situations:

• You are about to update your WordPress core.
• Make material changes to the content of your website.
• Move your website to a new domain while keeping the same design.
• Test new plugins that may affect your content.
• Create a staging site with real content.

The good news is that there are several ways to create database backups.

If you use a backup plugin like Duplicator, you can easily create a database-only backup by selecting the “Database only” option.

For those who prefer a manual approach, you can use phpMyAdmin, a powerful database management tool that comes with most hosting providers.

If your host uses cPanel, then you can visit your cPanel dashboard and look for the “phpMyAdmin” icon in the “Databases” section.

If your hosting provider has a custom dashboard, then the steps will be different.

For Bluehost users, you can click on the Website tab and then select Settings for the target website.

Now, in the Overview tab, just scroll down the page a little bit.

After that, just find "phpMyAdmin" in the Quick Links section.

Once in phpMyAdmin, you can manage and back up your database.

For a complete walkthrough of the process, check out our guide on how to do a WordPress database backup .

How to Recover Your WordPress Site

Now that you have created a backup, let’s talk about restoring. Before you begin the restoration process, you may want to preview your backup as a live site first to make sure it is the correct version you want to restore.

There are several ways to restore your WordPress site, depending on the type of backup you have. If you only have a database backup, don’t worry. You can still restore your site using just the database.

If you're using Duplicator Pro, this is very easy. Simply go to Duplicator Pro » Import backup and drag the backup file into the upload area.

Even better, Duplicator offers a streamlined option where you don’t need to install WordPress first.

Using the Duplicator installer file, you can easily set up WordPress and restore backups, saving valuable time and energy.

On the other hand, you can also follow the standard recovery method which requires you to clean your existing WordPress installation first.

Alternatively, some hosting providers (such as Bluehost) offer the option to delete a website (including the WordPress software). To do this, go to the “Websites” tab on your control panel and select “Settings” on the website you want to restore.

After that, switch to the Settings tab.

Make sure to scroll all the way to the bottom.

Now, select the ‘Delete WordPress’ option.

This will delete your WordPress site, including the software and site files.

A pop-up window will now appear.

Here, click the confirmation checkbox and then click Delete WordPress.

Wait a few minutes for your WordPress site to be deleted. You can then install a fresh copy of WordPress and restore the backup.

For full instructions on all recovery methods, check out our detailed guide on how to restore WordPress from a backup .

We hope this article helped you learn how to backup your WordPress site.

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