Whenever we use a computer where we store information, use a service on the network or even have a website, it is important to create copies to avoid problems. There are many attacks that we can suffer, the errors that can appear and the loss of data is a major problem. In this article we are going to explain how we can create a WordPress backup both manually and using plugins.
Why is it important to backup WordPress
WordPress is today the most important web content manager with the most users worldwide. This means that it has a large number of add-ons that we can install and thus achieve improvements in performance, security and have different utilities to enhance the usability of the website.
However, we must bear in mind that in any website we have, we are going to host a lot of content. Here we can mention the files such as images, videos, complements … Also all the text of the files, databases, etc. All of this could be compromised in the event of a problem.
Our WordPress website , as could happen with a hard drive that we have, can suffer problems and all content be compromised. Hence the importance of creating backups on a regular basis. A way to have everything safe and thus avoid failures.
We can usually make backup copies manually or also configure them to be carried out periodically. The latter is interesting, since we can forget to create them ourselves and thus reduce possible problems. There are programs to configure the copies in operating systems and something similar can be achieved with WordPress.
How to create WordPress backups
We are going to see some options that we can take into account to create backups on our WordPress website. A series of interesting alternatives so that we do not lose files.
Create WordPress backups from cPanel
We can say that cPanel is the most used control panel in web hosting, especially in those who use WordPress. Therefore we are going to explain how to create a backup of our website from there. It is a very simple process and it also comes in handy to avoid problems on our page.
The first thing we have to do is log into our web hosting, we go to cPanel and there we will find all the options that we can use. We will see, in the Files section, a called Backups .
When we are inside we will find different options. We will see a button to download a full backup, but also different alternatives to perform partial backups. Within the latter we can make a copy of the main directory or the database, for example.
We can also restore a backup that we have previously made. This is very useful in case a problem arises and we want everything to go back to a previous situation. We would simply have to load the backup file that we already created previously.
Use your own web hosting tool
An alternative to cPanel is to use your own web hosting tool . This will depend on which one we have hired, although in general the operation is similar. In each case they can have their own name. In our case, for example, the test we have carried out is using SuperBackup.
To access we will have to enter again with our user, cPanel and there go to applications of the web hosting company that we are using. In our case, as we see in the image, it is SuperBackup .
Once we are inside, the typical options related to backups will appear. The appearance will depend on the tool we use, but it is usually similar. We can download a complete or partial backup, restore files that we have previously downloaded, etc.
Download a backup manually via FTP
We can also consider the option to download a backup manually via FTP . It is not the best option, since the ideal is to use cPanel, as we have seen previously, but it is a more available alternative.
In this case we would have to use an FTP service such as WinsCP or FileZilla. We have to log in from our system and then we go to the directory of our website. We have to give it to download and we save it on our computer locally.
In this way we will have a copy of our site in WordPress and we can save it anywhere. Of course, we always recommend that it be in a safe, protected device and that at no time can it pose a danger.
Create WordPress backups with plugins
WordPress has a large number of plugins that we can install. They are very useful for our day-to-day life, to also add extra value to our page and thus favor its proper functioning and what we offer to users. We can install plugins to improve security, get an improvement in speed or add different functions.
We can also have plugins for WordPress with which we can create backup copies. There are different options and we are going to name some of the main ones. They represent an alternative to creating a backup from cPanel or manually via FTP. These are some of the most interesting:
- UpdraftPlus : it is undoubtedly one of the most popular WordPress plugins that we can find. It has more than three million downloads and stands out for its simplicity of use. It allows us to create backups quickly and easily, as well as restore files already created. It allows us to create backup copies in the cloud in Dropbox, Google Drive or Amazon S3, among many other services.
- BlogVault : although it does not have as many downloads as the previous one, it is also a very interesting solution to be able to create backup copies in WordPress. It stands out for its great speed and reliability. It allows you to have the copies available at all times to avoid problems that may arise.
- BackWPup : A third option that we want to show to create WordPress backups is BAckWPup. It has more than 700,000 installations. It also allows you to use different cloud services to host downloaded content. It works smoothly and allows you to have backups at any time.
In short, these are the options we have to create backup copies in our WordPress. A series of alternatives that we can do to avoid problems and the loss of important files for our website.
