How to Manually Back Up Your WordPress Site

Published February 23, 2024 at 12:28 am

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Understanding the Importance of a WordPress Backup

Think of your WordPress site as a digital asset.

Its security, stability, and continuity are paramount to your online presence.

Especially if it’s integral to your business or personal brand.

Manually backing it up is like having an insurance policy for your website content, themes, plugins, and the database that holds your precious data.

Quick Answer: Manual WordPress Backup Process

Backing up your WordPress site manually involves copying your website files and exporting your database.

This can be done via your hosting control panel, such as cPanel, or through an FTP client for website files and phpMyAdmin for database.

TLDR: Step-by-Step Backup Code Example


// Access your WordPress files via FTP:
ftp_connect('your_host');
ftp_login('your_username', 'your_password');
// Navigate to WordPress root directory:
ftp_chdir('path_to_wordpress');
// Download the WordPress directory:
ftp_get('local_path_to_save_backup', 'remote_wordpress_directory', FTP_BINARY);

// Export your WordPress database via command line:
mysqldump -u your_db_username -p your_db_name > backup_db_name.sql;

This TLDR provides the command line snippets to backup your WordPress files and database.

Always replace your_host, your_username, your_password, and other placeholders with your actual credentials and paths.

Detailed Explanation: Backing Up WordPress Files

A WordPress site lives in two locations.

One is your server’s file system and the other is in your database.

To begin, access your file system via your web host’s control panel or an FTP client like FileZilla.

Here’s how:

  • Login to your web hosting control panel, like cPanel.
  • Navigate to the File Manager.
  • Locate the directory containing your WordPress site, often named ‘public_html’.
  • Select all files and compress them into a ZIP archive for easy download.
  • Download this archive and store it in a secure location.

Alternatively, use FTP:

  1. Open your FTP client and connect to your web server using the FTP account details provided by your host.
  2. Locate your WordPress root directory.
  3. Select all files and download them to a local folder on your computer.

Detailed Explanation: Backing Up WordPress Database

For the database, phpMyAdmin is the go-to.

Your database contains your posts, comments, and user information, so handle with care:

  • Access phpMyAdmin from your web host’s control panel.
  • Select your WordPress database from the list on the left.
  • Click on the ‘Export’ tab at the top.
  • Choose the ‘Quick’ export method and the ‘SQL’ format.
  • Hit ‘Go’ and download the database file.

Or use the command line if you’re comfortable with SSH:


mysqldump -u username -p database_name > db_backup.sql

Enter the command in your SSH terminal, replace placeholders with your actual database name and username, and hit Enter.

Provide your database password when prompted, and your database will be exported to the ‘db_backup.sql’ file.

FAQs About Manually Backing Up WordPress

What is the safest place to store my WordPress backups?

It is recommended to store your WordPress backups in a secure location such as cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, or an external hard drive, ensuring they’re not on the same server as your website.

How often should I back up my WordPress site?

Ideally, you should back up your site before any major changes.

Regular backups should be scheduled based on how often your site is updated — daily for high-traffic sites, weekly for most others.

Can I automate the WordPress backup process?

Yes, there are plugins such as UpdraftPlus and VaultPress that can automate the process.

However, understanding how to do it manually ensures you’re never at the mercy of a plugin failure.

What should I do after backing up my WordPress site?

Verify the integrity of the backup files by checking if they open without errors.

Also, consider running a test restoration on a local server or staging environment.

Common Issues and Solutions During WordPress Backups

Backup process failing?

Check your web host’s file size limit; you may need to back up in segments or request an increase.

Facing timeouts during database export?

You might want to try ‘Custom’ export in phpMyAdmin and select ‘zip’ or ‘gzip’ to compress the output, which speeds up the download.

Error messages about file permissions?

Talk to your hosting provider to ensure your FTP or file manager user has adequate privileges.

Database backup seems too small?

Ensure you’re exporting the entire database and not just the structure without the data.

Wrapping Up: Protecting Your Digital Asset

A manual backup of your WordPress site, although a bit more involved, puts you in full control.

It’s a critical skill for any website owner and a safeguard against data loss or cyber incidents.

With the steps outlined above, you’re now equipped to preserve your website’s integrity, no matter what.

Step-by-Step Guide for Manual WordPress File Backup

Backing up the files of your WordPress site ensures you have a copy of all your themes, plugins, media, and scripts.

To create a manual backup of your WordPress files, let’s go through the process step by step.

Start by logging into your hosting account or FTP client.

Using cPanel’s File Manager for Backup

Most hosting services offer cPanel, and here is how to use its File Manager to back up your files:

  1. Log into your cPanel and open the File Manager application.
  2. In File Manager, navigate to your root directory, such as “public_html”.
  3. Select all files and folders within the root directory.
  4. Right-click and choose “Compress” to create a ZIP file of your site.
  5. Once the ZIP file is created, select it and click “Download” to save it onto your computer.

This ZIP file is now your site’s manual backup which you can store locally or in a cloud service.

Using FTP for Backup

If you prefer or need to use an FTP client, here’s the general process:

  1. Open your FTP client, such as FileZilla.
  2. Connect to your server using your FTP credentials.
  3. Navigate to the directory where your WordPress is installed.
  4. Select all files and folders and download them to a secure location on your computer.

Using FTP can be slower than cPanel’s File Manager, but it gives you precise control over file transfer.

Manually Exporting and Backing Up the WordPress Database

The database is the heart of your WordPress site storing all content and settings.

It’s crucial to back it up correctly to avoid data loss or corruption.

phpMyAdmin is the most popular tool for this.

Backing Up Database Through phpMyAdmin

Here’s a guided method to back up your database via phpMyAdmin:

  1. Log into your web host’s control panel and open phpMyAdmin.
  2. Select your WordPress database from the left-hand sidebar.
  3. Click on the “Export” tab at the top of the page.
  4. Choose the “Quick” export method and select “SQL” as the format.
  5. Click on the “Go” button to download the .sql file containing your database.

Remember to store this file alongside your website files in a secure location.

Using Command Line for Backup

If you have SSH access to your server, utilizing the command line can be efficient:


mysqldump -u database_username -p database_name > my_wp_database_backup.sql

You’ll be prompted for the database password, and the backup file will be saved to your user directory.

Always verify the size and contents of the .sql file to ensure a successful backup.

Verifying Your Manual WordPress Backup

After backing up, verify that your files and databases are intact and complete.

Attempt to open a few files to check for errors and use a local development environment to test a restore before you need it.

File Integrity Check

Open different file types from your backup to ensure they’re not corrupted.

If files open without error, it signals a sound backup.

Testing Database Restore

Try importing your database backup through phpMyAdmin on a local server.

If the import is successful without errors, your database backup is valid.

Successful verification of both files and database ensures your site can be restored when necessary.

Manual WordPress Backup Best Practices

Manual backups can be time-consuming, but following best practices can make it a breeze.

Regularly perform backups, especially before updates or changes to your site.

Always keep multiple copies of backups in different locations to prevent total data loss.

Consider automating backups if manual processes become cumbersome, but know how to perform backups manually just in case.

Addressing and Preventing Potential Backup Errors

Backup errors can occur, but they can be resolved or even prevented with the right knowledge.

Always ensure ample storage space is available for your backups to avoid incomplete backups.

If experiencing timeout errors, consider breaking your backup into smaller parts or using compression methods like ZIP or GZIP.

For file permission issues, confirm that you have the necessary privileges to download or export files and databases.

If backups are unusually small, double-check that all data is included, and not just the database structure.

Scheduling and Automation

While manual backups are essential to understand, scheduling automatic backups can save time.

Existing WordPress plugins can manage the backup process regularly, ensuring you always have a recent backup of your site.

Nevertheless, automated solutions should never completely replace the knowledge of how to back up your site manually.

Troubleshooting Common Backup Challenges

Even with careful planning, you might encounter issues during the backup process.

Become familiar with your hosting provider’s backup guidelines and limits to overcome common challenges.

Regularly perform backups to become adept at the process and to quickly identify and address any reoccurring issues.

Backups and Security

Remember that backups are an integral part of your website’s security strategy.

They protect against data loss and security breaches, allowing quick recovery from unforeseen events.

Incorporating regular backups into your site management routine ensures your WordPress site remains a reliable and enduring digital presence.

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