No matter how well a website is protected, it's essential to also keep your own backups, stored separately from the server, for any eventuality (a failed update, a misconfiguration, an accidental content change). cPanel's Backup Wizard makes this simple.
Downloading a backup
- Log in to cPanel and go to "Files" → "Backup" or "Backup Wizard".
- For a complete copy, choose "Download a Full Website Backup", pick a destination (Home Directory), then click "Generate Backup".
- For partial copies, use the separate sections: "Home Directory" (site files), "MySQL Databases", or "Email Forwarders & Filters".
- Once generated, download the resulting file (.tar.gz) to your computer or to external storage (cloud, external drive).
Restoring a backup
- Go back to "Backup Wizard" and click the "Restore" button.
- Choose the category matching your file (Home Directory, MySQL Database, or Email Forwarders & Filters).
- Upload the previously saved backup file and wait for the restore process to finish.
We recommend taking a manual backup before any major change (CMS update, theme change, code modification), in addition to any automated mechanism included with your hosting plan.
Ran into an issue or need extra help?
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