How to Backup Your WordPress Site Using cPanel

Why Backup Your WordPress Site?

Your WordPress site consists of two main components:

• Website files: Themes, plugins, media uploads, and WordPress core files.
• Database: All your posts, pages, comments, settings, and user information.

A backup ensures you can restore your site quickly if anything goes wrong.

Step 1: Log into Your cPanel Account

Open your browser and visit https://yourdomain.com/cpanel or use your hosting provider’s login link. Enter your username and password to sign in.

Step 2: Navigate to the Backup Section

Once logged in, scroll to the Files section and click on Backup or Backup Wizard, depending on your cPanel theme.

Step 3: Create a Full Backup (Recommended)

1. Click on Download a Full Website Backup (or similar wording).
2. Select the backup destination (usually Home Directory).
3. Enter your email address if you want to be notified when the backup completes.
4. Click Generate Backup.

The backup process may take several minutes. Once done, you will find a compressed backup file (.tar.gz) in your home directory which you can download via File Manager or FTP.

Step 4: Create Partial Backups

If you prefer, you can back up website files and databases separately.

• Download Home Directory: Click this option to download all WordPress files and folders.
• Download MySQL Databases: Click to view your databases and download a backup of the WordPress database (.sql file).

Step 5: Back Up Using File Manager (Optional)

You can manually compress your WordPress directory using File Manager:

1. Go to File Manager in cPanel.
2. Navigate to the public_html folder or your WordPress installation directory.
3. Select all files and folders.
4. Click Compress in the top toolbar and choose Zip Archive.
5. Download the compressed file for safekeeping.

Step 6: Restore Your Backup

To restore your website from a backup:

1. Go to the Backup section in cPanel.
2. Use the Restore a Home Directory Backup or Restore MySQL Databases options to upload your backup files.
3. Alternatively, use File Manager to upload and extract your website files manually.

Be sure to restore both files and databases for a complete recovery.

Best Practices for WordPress Backups

• Backup your site regularly — ideally before major updates or changes.
• Store backups securely off-site, such as on your computer or cloud storage.
• Test your backups periodically by restoring them on a staging server.