How to Back Up a WordPress Website (And Restore It If Something Breaks)

At some point, every WordPress site breaks.

It might be after installing a plugin, updating your theme, or changing a setting that seemed harmless at the time. Sometimes the site goes completely blank. Other times parts of it stop working without any clear reason.

In most sites I build, backups are the difference between a five-minute fix and a full rebuild. Without a backup, you’re guessing. With one, you can roll back instantly and move on.

Quick Answer / Summary

To back up a WordPress website, you need to save two things:

• Your website files (themes, plugins, uploads)
• Your database (posts, pages, settings)

The easiest way is to use a backup plugin that automatically saves both and stores them off-site. You can also create manual backups through your hosting panel or FTP if needed.

Why This Matters

A WordPress site is constantly changing. You install plugins, update WordPress, publish content, and adjust settings. Any of those changes can break something.

Backups give you a safe restore point. If something goes wrong, you don’t have to troubleshoot for hours or rebuild pages manually. You just restore a previous version.

When I set this up on WordPress sites, I treat backups as part of the setup process, not something to add later. It’s one of those things you don’t think about until you really need it.

What Needs to Be Backed Up

Before getting into steps, it helps to understand what you’re actually saving.

1. Website Files

These include:

• Themes
• Plugins
• Media uploads (images, videos)
• Core WordPress files

2. Database

This contains:

• Posts and pages
• Settings
• User data
• Plugin configurations

If you only back up one of these, your site won’t fully restore. You need both.

Step-by-Step: Backing Up With a Plugin (Recommended)

Using a plugin is the simplest and most reliable option for most people.

Step 1: Install a Backup Plugin

Go to:

• WordPress Dashboard → Plugins → Add New
• Search for a backup plugin (for example, UpdraftPlus or similar)
• Install and activate

If you are still deciding which backup plugin to use, this guide to essential WordPress plugins will help you choose the right tools for a new site.

Step 2: Configure Backup Settings

Open the plugin settings and choose:

• What to include (files + database)
• Backup frequency (daily or weekly depending on how often your site changes)

In my experience, daily backups are worth it for most sites, even small ones.

Step 3: Choose Storage Location

This is important.

Don’t store backups only on your server. If your hosting fails, your backups are gone too.

Use external storage like Google Drive, Dropbox, or Amazon S3. For example, you can connect your backups to Google Drive so they are stored safely outside your hosting environment.

Step 4: Run Your First Backup

Start a manual backup to confirm everything works.

Most plugins will show:

• Backup progress
• File size
• Completion status

Step 5: Test the Backup

A backup isn’t useful unless it works.

If possible, restore it on a staging site or local environment to confirm everything loads correctly.

Step-by-Step: Manual Backup (Alternative Method)

Manual backups take more effort but give you full control.

Step 1: Download Website Files

Use FTP or your hosting file manager.

Download the entire WordPress directory, including:

• wp-content
• wp-admin
• wp-includes

Step 2: Export the Database

Go to your hosting panel (usually phpMyAdmin):

• Select your database
• Click Export
• Download the SQL file

Step 3: Store Files Safely

Save both:

• The file archive
• The database export

Store them somewhere external, not just on your computer.

Manual backups are useful before making major changes, like switching themes or restructuring the site.

How to Restore a WordPress Backup

Restoring depends on how the backup was created.

Using a Plugin

Most plugins have a restore button:

• Select the backup
• Choose what to restore (files + database)
• Run the restore process

This usually takes a few minutes.

Manual Restore

This involves two steps:

1. Upload your saved files via FTP
2. Import your database through phpMyAdmin

You may also need to update configuration settings like the database connection.

In most cases, plugin restores are faster and less error-prone.

Practical Tips From Experience

A few things I consistently do when setting up backups:

• Always use off-site storage
  I don’t rely on server-only backups.
• Keep multiple backup versions
  If your site has been broken for a few days, a single backup might already contain the issue.
• Schedule backups based on activity
  A blog updated weekly doesn’t need hourly backups. An active site might.
• Take a manual backup before major changes
  Especially before:
  • Installing new plugins
  • Changing themes
  • Updating WordPress

Common Mistakes

These are the issues I see most often:

Only Backing Up Files

People forget the database. Without it, your content is gone.

Storing Backups on the Same Server

If the server fails, everything is lost.

Never Testing Backups

You don’t know if the backup works until you try restoring it.

No Backup Schedule

Manual backups are easy to forget. Automated backups solve this.

Overwriting Old Backups

Keeping only one version increases risk. Always keep multiple.

When to Use This vs Alternatives

Use a Plugin When:

• You want automation
• You prefer a simple interface
• You don’t want to deal with FTP or databases

This is the best option for most sites.

Use Manual Backups When:

• You need full control
• You’re making major structural changes
• You want a one-time backup before edits

Hosting Backups

Some hosting providers offer automatic backups.

These are useful, but I usually don’t rely on them alone. Having your own backup system gives you more control and faster access.

Conclusion

Backing up a WordPress site comes down to saving your files and database and storing them somewhere safe.

The easiest setup is a backup plugin with automated, off-site storage. Once that’s in place, you don’t have to think about it unless something breaks.

And when something does break, you’ll be glad it’s already set up.