A backup is your safety net. If a plugin update breaks your site, a hack strikes or you delete something by accident, a good backup lets you restore in minutes. Here is how to back up a WordPress site properly.
What to back up
- Database: your posts, pages, settings and orders
- Files: themes, plugins and the uploads folder (images and media)
- wp-config.php and any custom code
You need both the files and the database to restore a complete site.
Method 1: Your host’s backups
Many hosts offer daily automatic backups with one-click restore. Check how long they keep them and where they are stored. Do not rely on a single copy at the same company that hosts your site.
Method 2: Backup plugins
Plugins like UpdraftPlus and similar tools schedule automatic backups and send them to remote storage such as cloud drives.
- Install a backup plugin. See how to install a plugin.
- Set a schedule: daily for active sites, weekly for static ones.
- Choose remote storage.
- Run a backup now and confirm it completes.
Method 3: Manual backup
- Export your database using phpMyAdmin or your host’s tool.
- Download your site files via FTP or the host’s file manager.
- Store both copies somewhere safe, away from the server.
The 3-2-1 rule
Keep three copies of your data, on two different types of storage, with one copy offsite.
How often?
| Site type | Backup frequency |
|---|---|
| Online store or busy blog | Daily, or real-time for orders |
| Business brochure site | Weekly or daily |
| Rarely updated site | Monthly and before changes |
Always back up before updating WordPress, themes or plugins.
Test your restore
A backup you have never restored is a hope, not a plan. For example, test restoring to a staging site occasionally.
Static copy as an extra safety net
You can also keep a plain HTML copy of your public site. Tuli Builder includes an Export Site tool that saves your site as static HTML. See how to export a WordPress site to static HTML. This is not a full backup, since it does not include your database or admin, but it is a handy extra.
Back up a WordPress site FAQ
Where should I store backups?
Offsite, such as cloud storage, not only on your web server.
Do I need a backup if my host does backups?
Yes, keep your own copy too.