Ever lost sleep worrying about your WordPress site vanishing overnight? Maybe you’ve heard horror stories about hackers wiping out years of work, or a simple update crashing everything. What if you accidentally delete the wrong file, or your host has a meltdown? These are real fears for anyone running a WordPress website. The good news: backing up your WordPress site isn’t rocket science, and you’ve got more options than ever.
Most people don’t even think about backups until it’s too late. One day, your site’’’s humming along. The next, you’re staring at a blank screen, wondering where everything went. Maybe it was a bad plugin update. Maybe your host had a server problem. Maybe you just made a mistake. Doesn’t matter. If you don’t have a backup, you’re stuck rebuilding from scratch. That’s time, money, and energy you’ll never get back.
So, why risk it? The reality is, if your website matters, so does your backup. Every WordPress site owner needs a safety net. That’s what this guide is about – showing you how to backup your WordPress website, so you can sleep easy and focus on what actually moves the needle for your business.
Why Bother Backing Up Your WordPress Website?
WordPress sites get targeted all the time. Updates can break things. Hosts make mistakes. And people accidentally delete files more often than you’d think. Backups are your safety net. They let you roll back to a working version, save hours of stress, and keep your online presence running. No backup means risking all your hard work. With a backup, you’re in control, no matter what goes wrong.
Common reasons you’ll need a backup:
Your site gets hacked or infected with malware: Hackers target WordPress sites every day, and a backup lets you restore your site to a clean version before the attack. A security plugin is recommended to protect your website from hackers.
Updates break your theme or plugins: Sometimes, a new plugin or theme update can crash your site or cause weird errors – having a backup means you can roll back instantly.
Hosting issues or server failures: Servers can fail, hosts can make mistakes, or hardware can crash backups let you recover fast if your host drops the ball.
You’re migrating to a new host or domain: Moving your site is risky. A backup protects you from data loss during migration or domain changes.
Accidental file deletions or database wipes: One wrong click and you could delete something critical. A backup makes it easy to recover lost files or data.
What Does a WordPress Backup Actually Include?
A proper WordPress backup covers two things:
Your website files: themes, plugins, uploads, and the WordPress core files
Your database: posts, pages, comments, users, and settings
Miss one, and you risk losing important content or functionality. Always grab both.
How to Backup Your WordPress Website: 3 Methods
When it comes to how to backup your WordPress website, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Every site owner has different needs, comfort levels, and resources. That’s why it’s smart to know the three most popular backup methods – installing a backup plugin, using your hosting provider’s built-in tools, or going manual with cPanel or FTP. Each method has its own pros and cons, so you can pick what fits your workflow and gives you peace of mind.
Method 1: Backup with a WordPress Plugin
Plugins like UpdraftPlus, BlogVault, Jetpack VaultPress, and Duplicator make backing up your WordPress website simple – even for beginners. These tools are popular because they automate the process, offer flexibility, and let you store backups offsite for extra safety.
In our example, we’ll be using the UpdraftPlus plugin for backup a restaurant WordPress theme website. Here’s what you get with a plugin like UpdraftPlus:
Scheduled automatic backups: Set it and forget it – UpdraftPlus can run backups on your schedule.
One-click restores: Bring your site back to life with a single click if disaster strikes.
Offsite storage: Save backups to Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, or other remote locations.
Full or incremental backups: Choose to back up everything or just what’s changed since the last backup.
How to Backup Your Website Using UpdraftPlus
Step 1: Install and activate UpdraftPlus. Go to your WordPress dashboard. Navigate to Plugins > Add New. Search for “UpdraftPlus”. Click Install Now, then Activate once the plugin appears.
Step 2: Open UpdraftPlus Settings
In the left menu, go to Settings > UpdraftPlus Backups. This opens the main dashboard for all your backup options.
Step 3: Set Up Initial Backup
Click the Backup Now button. In the popup, check both boxes to include your files and database. Click Backup Now again to start the process.
Wait a few minutes – UpdraftPlus will let you know when the backup is done. You’ll see your new backup listed and ready for download or restore.
Step 4: Schedule Your Backups
In the Settings tab, set how often you want backups for your files and database. Pick your frequency – hourly, daily, weekly, etc. – based on how often your site changes. Select how many backups to keep before older ones are deleted. Save your changes so UpdraftPlus knows when and what to back up.
Step 5: Download and Store a Copy
After the backup finishes, you can download it to your computer or another safe place. This extra step gives you even more control and peace of mind.
Don’t rely on just one backup location. If your cloud storage fails, you want another copy handy. Test your backups by restoring them on a staging site or checking the files. Review your backup schedule every few months to make sure it still fits your needs.
Method 2: Backup Using Your Hosting Provider
Most managed WordPress hosts offer built-in backup tools, and 2MHost is a great example of how simple this can be. With 2MHost, backups are automatic, daily, and stored offsite for extra security. You don’t have to set up anything complicated or remember to run backups yourself – the system does it for you.
Here’s how it works with 2MHost:
Log in to your hosting dashboard:
Access your cPanel account through 2MHost’s client portal.
Find the backup section:
Look for the JetBackup tool in your cPanel dashboard. This is where all your backups live and where you control everything.
Check your backup schedule:
2MHost now runs daily automated backups, so your site, emails, and databases are all covered – no matter how big your website is.
Restore or download backups as needed:
JetBackup lets you restore your entire website or just specific parts (like files or databases) with a few clicks. You can also download backup copies to your computer for extra peace of mind.
Method 3: Manual Backup via FTP
Manual backups put you in full control of your WordPress website’s safety net. This method is perfect for those who want to avoid plugins or hosting tools, or just want an extra layer of protection. It’s not automatic, so you’ll need to remember to do it regularly – set a reminder so you don’t forget!
Here’s how to backup your WordPress website manually using FTP:
Install an FTP client:
Download and install a free FTP client like FileZilla. This tool lets you connect directly to your website’s server and manage files easily.
Get your FTP credentials:
You’ll need your host name (or server IP), username, password, and port number. These details are usually found in your hosting account dashboard, under FTP accounts. If you’re not sure, contact your hosting support for help.
Connect to your site:
Open your FTP client, enter the credentials, and hit “Quickconnect.” Once connected, you’ll see your local files on the left and your website’s files on the right.
Navigate to the root directory:
On the right panel, find your site’s root directory – usually named public_html or www. This folder contains all your WordPress files, including wp-content, wp-admin, and important configuration files like wp-config.php and .htaccess.
Download your files:
Select all files and folders in the root directory (Ctrl+A), right-click, and choose “Download.” This saves a full copy of your website files to your computer. The bigger your site, the longer this will take.
Backup your database:
Files alone aren’t enough. Log in to your hosting control panel and open Databases > phpMyAdmin.
Select your WordPress database, click “Export,” choose the SQL format, and save the file to your computer. This step captures your posts, pages, settings, and users.
That’s how to backup your WordPress website the manual way, with nothing left to chance.
Best Practices for WordPress Backups
Don’t just back up and hope for the best. If you want your backups to actually save your site when disaster hits, you need a real strategy – not just random copies sitting somewhere. Here’s how to make sure your WordPress backups are actually useful, reliable, and ready when you need them most.
Store backups in multiple locations:
Keep at least three copies of your data, on two different types of storage, and at least one offsite (like cloud storage). Use a mix of cloud, local, and even external drives. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Encrypt sensitive backups:
If your backups include customer data, payment info, or anything private, always encrypt those files. This keeps your data safe even if someone gets their hands on your backup.
Test your backups:
A backup is worthless if it doesn’t restore. Regularly test your backups in a staging environment or use your plugin’s “test restore” feature. Don’t just trust the file – make sure it actually works by restoring it somewhere safe before you ever need it for real.
Keep several versions:
Don’t just keep the latest backup. Store multiple versions so you can roll back to a clean copy from before a hack, update, or mistake. This gives you options if you only spot a problem days later.
Automate when possible:
Life’s too short to remember manual backups every week. Use your host’s scheduler or a plugin to automate regular backups so you never miss one.
Backup before any change:
Before you update WordPress, install a new plugin, or change your theme, make a backup. Even small changes can cause big problems, and it’s always easier to restore than to troubleshoot a broken site.
Review your backup frequency:
If your site changes a lot – think eCommerce fashion store, travel blogs, or forums – back up daily or even in real-time. Static sites can get by with weekly or bi-weekly backups. Match your schedule to your site’s activity so you don’t lose important data.
What About Restoring Your Site?
A backup is only as good as your ability to restore it. Most plugins and hosts offer one-click restores. For manual backups, you’ll need to upload your files and import your database using cPanel, FTP, or phpMyAdmin.
Test your restore process before disaster strikes. You don’t want your first restore to be in the middle of a crisis.
Final Thoughts on How to Backup Your WordPress Website
Backing up your WordPress website isn’t just a “nice to have” – it’s your safety net. Whether you use a plugin, your host, or do it by hand, make it a habit. Store backups in multiple places, test them, and keep them up to date. That way, no matter what happens, you’ll always have a way to get your site back online. What’s your favorite backup method?
