Imagine waking up to find your WordPress website completely gone. All your content, images, customer data—vanished. For thousands of website owners each year, this nightmare becomes reality due to hacks, server failures, or simple human error.
The good news? This disaster is 100% preventable with proper WordPress backups.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll learn everything about WordPress backups: why they’re critical, what to back up, how to create backups, and how to restore your site if disaster strikes.
Why WordPress Backups Are Essential
Common Reasons You’ll Need Backups
1. Hacking and Malware
Over 90,000 WordPress sites are hacked daily. Hackers can delete your data, inject malware, or lock you out completely.
2. Failed Updates
WordPress core, theme, or plugin updates can occasionally break your site or cause conflicts.
3. Human Error
Accidentally deleting important content, pages, or files happens to everyone eventually.
4. Server Failures
Hardware failures, data center issues, or hosting problems can result in data loss.
5. Database Corruption
Database errors can render your entire site inaccessible or corrupted.
6. Bad Code
Poorly coded themes or plugins can crash your site or corrupt data.
What to Include in WordPress Backups
A complete WordPress backup includes:
1. WordPress Database
– All posts and pages
– Comments
– Users and roles
– Settings and options
– Plugin and theme settings
– Custom post types
– Menus and widgets
2. WordPress Files
– /wp-content/uploads/ (all media files)
– /wp-content/themes/ (your themes)
– /wp-content/plugins/ (installed plugins)
– wp-config.php (configuration file)
– .htaccess (server rules)
3. WordPress Core Files (Optional)
While you can always re-download WordPress core, backing it up ensures you have the exact version running on your site.
Types of WordPress Backups
Full Backups
Complete copy of your entire website (database + all files). Required for total site restoration.
Pros: Complete protection, easy restoration
Cons: Large file sizes, slower to create
Recommended frequency: Weekly
Incremental Backups
Only backs up changes since the last backup.
Pros: Fast, smaller files, efficient storage
Cons: Requires previous backups to restore
Recommended frequency: Daily
Database-Only Backups
Backs up only your database (content, settings).
Pros: Very fast, tiny files
Cons: Doesn’t protect media or theme customizations
Recommended frequency: Daily or before major changes
How Often Should You Back Up WordPress?
Your backup frequency depends on how often you update your site:
High-traffic blogs (daily posts): Daily backups
E-commerce stores: Multiple times daily (after each sale)
Business websites: Daily to weekly
Static sites (rarely updated): Weekly to monthly
Our recommendation: Daily automated backups with real-time backups before major changes (updates, installations, big edits).
Where to Store WordPress Backups
Never store backups only on your web server! If your server crashes or is hacked, you’ll lose both your site and backups.
Best Backup Storage Locations
1. Cloud Storage (Best)
– Google Drive
– Dropbox
– Amazon S3
– Microsoft OneDrive
– Backblaze B2
2. Remote Servers
– FTP server
– SFTP server
– Different hosting account
3. Local Computer
– External hard drive
– NAS (Network Attached Storage)
Ideal strategy: 3-2-1 rule
– 3 total copies of your data
– 2 different storage mediums
– 1 offsite/cloud backup
Best WordPress Backup Plugins
1. UpdraftPlus (Best Overall)
Free features:
– Manual and scheduled backups
– Store on Google Drive, Dropbox, S3, etc.
– One-click restore
– Database and file backups
Premium ($70/year):
– Incremental backups
– Multiple backup destinations
– Automatic backups before updates
– Priority support
Best for: Most WordPress users, beginners to advanced
2. BlogVault
Pricing: From $99/year
Features:
– 365-day backup archive
– Staging environment
– Malware scanning
– Incremental backups
– Off-server backups
Best for: E-commerce and business sites
3. BackupBuddy
Pricing: $80/year (one-time purchase available)
Features:
– Complete backups
– Scheduled automation
– Remote storage options
– Migration tools
– Database-only backups
Best for: Users who prefer one-time purchases
4. Jetpack Backup
Pricing: From $4.95/month
Features:
– Real-time backups
– One-click restore
– 30-day backup archive
– Activity log
– Automated security scans
Best for: WordPress.com users and those wanting simplicity
5. VaultPress (by Automattic)
Pricing: From $9/month
Features:
– Real-time backups
– 30-day archive
– Security scanning
– Automated restores
– Activity monitoring
Best for: High-traffic sites needing real-time protection
How to Back Up WordPress Manually
If you prefer manual backups or your host doesn’t offer automated solutions:
Method 1: Using cPanel
Step 1: Download Database
1. Log into cPanel
2. Go to phpMyAdmin
3. Select your WordPress database
4. Click “Export”
5. Choose “Quick” method
6. Click “Go” to download
Step 2: Download Files
1. Open File Manager in cPanel
2. Navigate to public_html (or your WordPress folder)
3. Select all files
4. Click “Compress” → ZIP
5. Download the ZIP file
Method 2: Using FTP + phpMyAdmin
For files:
1. Connect via FTP (FileZilla, Cyberduck)
2. Download entire WordPress folder
3. Wait for transfer to complete
For database:
1. Access phpMyAdmin
2. Export database as SQL file
3. Save to your computer
How to Restore WordPress from Backup
Using UpdraftPlus (Easiest)
1. Install UpdraftPlus plugin
2. Go to UpdraftPlus → Existing Backups
3. Click “Restore” next to your backup
4. Select what to restore (database, plugins, themes, etc.)
5. Click “Restore”
6. Wait for completion
Manual Restoration
Step 1: Restore Files
1. Connect via FTP
2. Delete corrupted files
3. Upload backup files
4. Overwrite when prompted
Step 2: Restore Database
1. Access phpMyAdmin
2. Select your database
3. Click “Import”
4. Upload your SQL backup file
5. Click “Go”
Step 3: Update wp-config.php
Ensure database name, username, and password match your current setup.
WordPress Backup Best Practices
1. Test Your Backups Regularly
25% of backups fail to restore properly. Test quarterly by:
– Creating a test/staging site
– Restoring backup there
– Verifying everything works
2. Back Up Before Major Changes
Always create a manual backup before:
– Updating WordPress core
– Updating themes or plugins
– Editing theme files
– Making database changes
– Importing large amounts of data
3. Keep Multiple Backup Versions
Don’t overwrite your only backup. Maintain at least 7-30 days of backup history.
4. Automate Everything
Manual backups often get forgotten. Set up automated daily or weekly backups.
5. Secure Your Backups
– Encrypt sensitive backups
– Use secure cloud storage
– Don’t make backups publicly accessible
– Use strong passwords
6. Monitor Backup Success
Enable email notifications to confirm backups completed successfully.
7. Document Your Process
Keep written instructions on how to restore your site, including:
– Where backups are stored
– Login credentials
– Restoration steps
Managed WordPress Hosting with Built-in Backups
Premium hosts include automatic backups:
1. Kinsta
– Daily automatic backups
– 14-30 day retention
– One-click restore
– Manual backups anytime
– Downloadable backups
2. WP Engine
– Daily automated backups
– 60-day retention
– One-click restore points
– Pre-update backups
3. Cloudways
– Automated backups
– On-demand manual backups
– Easy restoration
– Multiple backup destinations
4. SiteGround
– Daily automated backups (30 days)
– On-demand backups
– Free restore
– Backup copies on separate server
What NOT to Do with Backups
❌ Store backups only on the same server
❌ Forget to test restores
❌ Rely solely on your host’s backups
❌ Neglect database backups
❌ Keep only one backup version
❌ Share backup files publicly
❌ Forget to back up .htaccess and wp-config.php
Emergency: Restoring When You Can’t Access WordPress
If your site is completely inaccessible:
1. Contact your host – They may have server-level backups
2. Use file-level restore:
– Upload backup files via FTP
– Import database via phpMyAdmin
– Update wp-config.php if needed
3. Use plugin’s remote restoration:
Some plugins (UpdraftPlus, BlogVault) allow restoration without WordPress access
Conclusion
WordPress backups are your safety net. They’re not optional—they’re essential insurance against inevitable problems.
Action steps:
1. Choose a backup solution (plugin or managed hosting)
2. Set up automated daily backups
3. Store backups in at least 2 locations (cloud + local)
4. Test your first backup restoration
5. Set calendar reminders for quarterly backup tests
Don’t wait for disaster to strike. Set up your WordPress backup system today. Your future self will thank you.
Remember: It’s not a question of IF you’ll need a backup, but WHEN. Be prepared.
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