How to Backup Your WordPress Site (4 Easy Ways)

Looking for WordPress backup options?

Backups protect website data from hackers and human error. If something goes wrong, you may effortlessly restore your site from a backup.

This post will teach you how to backup WordPress.

Backup WordPress.
Why Backup WordPress?
WordPress website owners must safeguard data from unexpected situations. Website backups protect vital data.

Many security dangers might damage your site and lose data. Hackers, viruses, and phishing assaults can compromise site data.

Human errors, WordPress plugin, theme, and server issues might also crash your site. Website recovery is difficult if you can’t troubleshoot.

WordPress backups store your site’s vital files, directories, and databases. Content, plugins, themes, photos, videos, settings, and more. If a mistake or cyberattack locks you out of your website, you may easily restore it from the backup.

WordPress does not automatically back up your site. You’d have to manually back up your site using the hosting service’s cPanel or FTP client.

A plugin lets you choose which content to keep, making it easier. It’s also beginner-friendly since cPanel and FTP clients might be confusing.

Thus, let’s explore WordPress backup methods. Click the links to skip to your method:

Method 1: WordPress Plugin Backup (Recommended)
Method 2: Manually Backup WordPress with cPanel
Manually Backup WordPress Databases
Method 4: FTP-Manual WordPress Site Backup
WordPress Backup Restoration
Method 1: WordPress Plugin Backup (Recommended)
Duplicator plugins make backups easy. 1,500,000 professionals use the finest WordPress backup plugin. Duplicator simplifies website backup, migration, and cloning for beginners.

This article will use Duplicator Pro because it has more capabilities including scheduled backups, recovery points, cloud storage integration, migration tool, and more. Start with the free Duplicator.

Install and activate the Duplicator Pro plugin. Our WordPress plugin installation tutorial can assist.

After activation, go to Duplicator Pro » Settings in your WordPress admin panel and click the “Licensing” option. Enter the account-area license key.

Duplicator license
From the WordPress dashboard, visit Duplicator Pro » Packages.

Simply click the top “Create New” button.

Make a Duplicator bundle.
Next, name your backup.

This will aid website restoration.

Name backup bundle.
Add another package storage location under Storage. The plugin saves backups at the default location.

This tutorial uses the default location. Click “Add Storage” to add Dropbox or Google Drive.

Scroll down to customize your backup in Archive. The plugin enables you backup only the database, filter files, directories, and extensions, and more.

Archive backup settings
Keep the default options and don’t select anything under Archive for a complete site backup.

Scroll to Installer. The backup installer fills in these optional options.

Leave this part alone by clicking “Next.”

Installer setup
The plugin will scan your site and produce a backup.

If everything is fine, it will provide a “Good” rating. If not, it will notify you so you can repair it before backing up the website.

Click the bottom “Build” button.

Package scan.
Duplicator will begin packaging.

View the backup in Duplicator Pro » Packages from your dashboard.

Download your bundle.
Click “Download” and choose “Both Files”.

This downloads the zip and installer files to your PC. You can then utilize these files as backup and easily restore your site after a cyberattack or severe malfunction.

Set a Website Recovery Point

Duplicator allows you create a website recovery point. Recovery points restore your backup after a major website failure. Thus, you can effortlessly restore your website to its previous state.

From your WordPress admin panel, go to Duplicator Pro » Packages and click the corner arrow to view the package details.

Recovery point
Click “Recovery Point” afterward.

New window. Click “Set Recovery Point.”

Select set recovery point.
Click the recovery arrow to copy the recovery URL.

Save this URL in a safe place to easily restore your site after a failure or security vulnerability.

Copy recovery URL
The browser only needs the recovery URL. The recovery wizard starts automatically. Restore your site from the backup.

Automating WordPress Website Backups

Duplicator Pro also schedules website backups. Thus, you always have the newest website backup. It saves time by automating backups.

From the WordPress dashboard, click “Add New” under Duplicator Pro » Schedules.

Schedule a backup.
Next, name your backup schedule.

The plugin lets you customize your backup and choose which files to back up by selecting a package template. Leave the package template setting to default for a full backup.

Name schedule and template.
Scroll down to choose your scheduled backup storage location. The plugin uses the default location, but you can use Dropbox, OneDrive, or Google Drive.

Select backup frequency. You can schedule hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly backups. This instructional has weekly backup repeats.

Select storage and backup time.
Next, choose a backup start time.

Check the “Enable This Schedule” box as well.

Schedule backup at a time.
Then click Save Schedule.
Duplicator will now back up your WordPress site at the scheduled time. If something goes wrong, you can restore from a fresh backup.

Method 2: Manually Backup WordPress with cPanel
Your WordPress hosting service’s cPanel allows manual backups.

This tutorial uses Bluehost. Note that hosting service settings may vary.

Log into your hosting provider’s cPanel. From here, click the “Advanced” tab on the left and then “File Manager” under Files.

Bluehost File Manager
File managers launch in new tabs or windows.

Select the public_html folder from the left menu and click “+” to expand it.

Enter public_html.
Select the folder with your website name and click “Compress” at the top.

New window. Select “Zip Archive” and click “Compress Files”.

Compress zip archive.
Your website files are now zipping up.

Hosting services display compression results. Simply click “Close.”

Stop compression.
Select the zip file you prepared. In public_html.

Select the file and click “Download” at the top.

Download it.
Next, secure the compressed file.

Now you may use the compressed file as a backup and easily restore your content if your site goes down due to an error or security concern.

Manually Backup WordPress Databases
cPanel lets you back up WordPress databases. Manually importing several tables takes time.

First, log into your hosting service’s cPanel. This tutorial uses Bluehost.

Scroll down to Databases under the “Advanced” button on the left. Click “phpMyAdmin” here.

phpMyAdmin from Control Panel
Select a database from the left menu in phpMyAdmin.

Select the tables you want to backup and click Export at the top.

Database export
Keep “Export method” as Quick on the following screen. Select SQL for “Format”.

Click “Go” afterward.

SQL database export
Backup the SQL file on your computer.

Importing the SQL file into phpMyAdmin restores a database.

Method 4: FTP-Manual WordPress Site Backup
FTP clients can back up WordPress sites without plugins or cPanel.

Mac and Windows FTP clients abound. This tutorial uses FileZilla.

Using FTP software, connect to your site. FTP is explained in our handbook.

Once connected, go to your website’s root directory from the right side. Wp-content, wp-admin, wp-config, and.htaccess are here.

FTP root directory.
Right-click any folder or file to backup.

Click “Download” thereafter.

WordPress.htaccess download
Backup live website files and directories on your local host or computer.

Uploading the saved files via FTP lets you restore your website.

WordPress Backup Restoration
After creating a WordPress site backup, restore it in case of a critical malfunction or site compromise.

First, remove all WordPress files from your site. Connect an FTP client and delete all directories and files. After that, reinstall WordPress and log in.

Restore WordPress backups next.

Duplicator Pro makes uploading backup packages easy. Drag the package file to Duplicator Pro » Import on your WordPress dashboard.

Import backup.
Recover your website by following the import wizard. To learn more, visit our step-by-step WordPress backup restoration guide.

We hope this guide helped you backup WordPress. See also our guides on WordPress security and fixing the most frequent WordPress issues.