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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteA complete backup of a self-hosted WordPress site has two matching parts: a copy of the site files and an export of its separate database. Save both together, keep several copies in different locations, and make a fresh set before updates or other risky changes.
What a complete WordPress backup contains
WordPress stores your site in two places. The files hold the WordPress application, themes, plugins, uploaded media, configuration, and server rules. The database holds posts, pages, comments, users, settings, and other structured site data. Downloading the files alone does not back up the database.
- WordPress files: core directories,
wp-content(themes, plugins, uploads and related data),wp-config.php,.htaccesswhere used, and any other site subdirectories or custom files. - Database export: a dump from the MySQL or MariaDB database, commonly saved as
.sql,.gz, or.bz2.
Keep the database export beside the file backup it belongs to. Mixing a database from one date with files from another can produce missing media, incompatible settings, or plugin errors.
Choose a manual or automated method
| Method | Coverage to verify | Automation | Storage and recovery considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual export | Download all required files and separately export the database | You run each export | Works with an SFTP/FTP client and phpMyAdmin or MySQL/MariaDB tools; you must label, store, and retrieve each backup set yourself |
| Backup plugin | Depends on the plugin; confirm that it includes both files and database | May schedule recurring exports | Check where archives are stored, whether they can be copied off the host, and what restore procedure and formats are supported |
WordPress documentation describes both manual procedures and automated plugins. The WordPress Plugin Directory includes database-focused tools that export and schedule database backups, as well as plugins that advertise database plus wp-content backups. A database-only plugin is not proof of a complete site backup, so read the current listing and documentation for coverage, retention, destination, and restoration.
#1 Best Overall
- Easily store and access 2TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
How to make a manual WordPress backup
1. Record the site and database details
Note the site URL, hosting account, WordPress version, active theme and plugins, and the database name, user, host, and table prefix shown in wp-config.php. These details help you identify the matching set during recovery.
2. Download the files
- Connect to the hosting account with SFTP or FTP, using the host’s recommended credentials and connection method.
- Download the entire WordPress installation directory, not just
wp-content. Includewp-config.php,.htaccessif present, core files, themes, plugins, uploads, and any custom subdirectories. - Preserve the directory structure and record the download date. Compressing the folder into a ZIP or tar archive can make storage and transfer easier, provided you can later extract it.
3. Export the database with phpMyAdmin
- Open the hosting control panel’s phpMyAdmin (or equivalent database manager) and select the database named in
wp-config.php. - Choose Export, use the complete database selection, and select the format offered by the host, typically SQL. For a large database, a compressed SQL export such as
.gzor.bz2may be available. - Download the export and place it in the same backup folder as the files. Give both items a clear date-based name.
4. Use a command-line export when your host provides shell access
A MySQL-compatible export can be made with a command such as:
Rank #2
- Easily store and access 5TB of content on the go with the Seagate portable drive, a USB external hard Drive
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
mysqldump -u DB_USER -p -h DB_HOST DB_NAME > wordpress-YYYY-MM-DD.sqlReplace the placeholders with the values from wp-config.php. The command prompts for the database password; do not put a password directly in shell history. If your host does not provide shell access, use phpMyAdmin or its documented database tool instead.
5. Check that the set is usable
- Confirm the file archive opens and contains
wp-content,wp-config.php, and the expected uploads, themes, and plugins. - Confirm the database export is not empty and has the expected file extension and size.
- Keep a short text note with the backup date, site URL, PHP/database environment if known, and any special restore instructions.
How to use a backup plugin safely
- Install a currently maintained plugin from the WordPress Plugin Directory or your host’s trusted marketplace.
- Read its current documentation to determine whether it backs up core files,
wp-content, custom files, the database, or only one component. - Configure a schedule that matches how often the site changes, and choose a destination outside the hosting account when possible.
- Set retention so multiple recent backup sets remain available rather than only the newest archive.
- Run an on-demand backup before a WordPress core, plugin, or theme update, or before installing a new plugin.
- Locate the resulting archive and verify that you can download it and identify both the files and database portions.
Plugin features, storage integrations, and restore steps can change. Treat the current plugin listing and documentation as the authority for the version you install, and do not assume a scheduled database export also contains site files.
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- Easily store and access 1TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop. Reformatting may be required for Mac
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Where to store WordPress backups
Keep at least 3–5 recent backups in different locations, as recommended in WordPress Developer Resources. A practical arrangement is one copy on the hosting account for convenience, one in cloud storage, and one on a local computer or other separately controlled storage. These are examples, not guarantees: the essential protection is that a single hosting, account, or server failure cannot remove every copy.
- Use date-based folders and names so you can identify matching files and database exports.
- Restrict access to archives because they can contain configuration data, user information, and private uploads.
- Keep enough history to recover from an unnoticed problem, not only from the latest update.
- Periodically confirm that old archives still download and open, and remove them securely when your retention policy allows.
How often should you back up?
WordPress does not prescribe one universal interval. Choose the schedule according to how much data could be lost between backups.
Rank #4
- Easily store and access 4TB of content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
- Frequently changing stores, memberships, or publications: use frequent automated backups because orders, accounts, and new content change continually.
- Occasionally updated business sites: schedule backups around publishing and make an additional copy before maintenance.
- Mostly static sites: less frequent recurring backups may be adequate, but create one before every upgrade or structural change.
Always make a fresh backup before updating WordPress core, plugins, or themes, and before installing a new plugin. The schedule above is a risk-based practice, not a WordPress-mandated timetable.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to restore a WordPress site from a backup
1. Prepare the recovery target
Use the same host or a new server with a compatible PHP and MySQL/MariaDB environment. Create an empty database and user if needed, and keep the database name, user, host, password, and table prefix available.
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2. Restore the files first
- Put the backed-up WordPress files on the server, preserving their original paths and permissions where your host requires them.
- Open
wp-config.phpand update the database name, user, password, host, and table prefix if the new environment uses different values. - Check that the restored
wp-content, uploads, themes, plugins, and custom files are present.
3. Import the database second
- Open the destination database in phpMyAdmin or use the host’s documented import tool.
- Import the matching
.sql,.gz, or.bz2export. Large files may require the host’s command-line or alternative import process. - Test the front end and WordPress administration, then check links, media, forms, logins, and plugin-dependent features.
The typical WordPress restore order is files first and database second. Importing the dump changes the database to the state captured in that backup, which can replace newer posts, orders, comments, users, or settings. Do not import into a live database until you understand and accept that rollback.
Quick Recap
Pre-backup and recovery checklist
- Does the set contain both the complete file copy and the matching database export?
- Are
wp-content,wp-config.php,.htaccess, uploads, themes, plugins, and custom directories included? - Is the database export readable and clearly dated?
- Are there 3–5 recent copies in different locations?
- Can you retrieve the archive without relying on the same hosting account?
- Before restoring, have you identified which newer database changes will be replaced?
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