How to Back Up Your WordPress Site

Protect your site with regular backups using a plugin or by exporting files and the database from cPanel.

Published June 20, 2026 · Updated 2 weeks ago · 3,385 views

A backup is your safety net before updates, migrations, or after a security scare. A complete WordPress backup includes both the files and the database, and at least one copy should live off the server.

Back Up with a Plugin

The simplest approach is a plugin such as UpdraftPlus or Duplicator.

Install and activate the backup plugin.
Run a full backup that includes files and the database.
Set a schedule, for example daily for active sites or weekly for low-traffic ones.
Send copies to remote storage such as Google Drive or Dropbox.

Back Up Manually in cPanel

In File Manager, compress the public_html folder and download the archive.
In phpMyAdmin, select your database and choose Export with the Quick method as SQL.
Store both files together so you can restore them as a matched pair.

Keep Backups Safe

Retain several dated copies, not just the most recent one.
Store at least one backup off the hosting account.
Test a restore occasionally so you know the files actually work.

| Backup type | Includes | Best for | |---|---|---| | Plugin scheduled | Files and database | Hands-off, regular sites | | cPanel manual | Files and database | One-off pre-change snapshot |

Always take a fresh backup immediately before updating the core, a theme, or any plugin.