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To create a complete WordPress backup for free, save both parts of the site: a database export and a copy of all required files. The database contains posts, pages, comments and settings; the files contain WordPress core, plugins, themes, uploads, wp-config.php and any custom assets. A database-only export or a download of the WordPress directory alone is not a complete backup. WordPress explains the distinction in its backup overview, file backup guidance and database backup guidance.
What a complete WordPress backup includes
Most self-hosted WordPress installations have two separate components:
- Database: posts, pages, comments, users, settings, plugin data and other structured content. It is normally stored in MySQL or MariaDB outside the WordPress directory.
- Files: WordPress core,
wp-content(including plugins, themes and media uploads),wp-config.php, and any additional static or custom files your site uses.
The official handbook summarizes this as: “There are two parts to backing up your WordPress site: Database and Files.” Keep the matching export and file copy together as one dated backup set. WordPress generally recommends exporting the database first and then copying the files; during recovery, the usual order is files first, followed by the database import.
Before an upgrade, WordPress also recommends backing up the database at regular intervals and before the upgrade itself (official database guidance).
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- 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.
Free method 1: export the database and copy files manually
This approach uses tools already supplied by most hosts: a control panel, phpMyAdmin, a file manager or SFTP. It gives you a portable backup without relying on a plugin’s storage limits or plan rules.
Step 1: identify the database and site files
In wp-config.php, note the database name, user, host and table prefix. Do not publish this file; it contains credentials. Identify the directory that contains wp-admin, wp-includes and wp-content. Also note any files outside that directory that your site needs, such as custom web-server rules or a separate static directory.
Step 2: export the database
- Open your host’s database tool or phpMyAdmin.
- Select the database used by WordPress, checking its name against
wp-config.php. - Choose Export. A standard SQL export is suitable; WordPress also documents compressed
.gzand.bz2formats. - Save the resulting file locally. Use a clear name such as
example-site-db-2026-09-30-1430.sql.gz.
Host interfaces differ, so follow the provider’s export prompts if they add options. The WordPress database instructions are at developer.wordpress.org/advanced-administration/security/backup/database/.
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- 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.
Step 3: copy the WordPress files
- Use the host file manager or an SFTP client to download the complete WordPress directory.
- Include
wp-config.php,wp-content, core directories and files, uploads, themes, plugins and any site-specific files. - Preserve the directory structure and hidden files. If the site uses files outside the normal WordPress directory, copy those too.
- Compress the copy if convenient, or retain the directory as-is. Name it to match the database export, for example
example-site-files-2026-09-30-1430.zip.
WordPress’s file procedure is described in Backing Up Your WordPress Files. An SFTP download is often more reliable for large or numerous files than a browser-based file-manager download, but the required result is the same: a readable copy of every file the site needs.
Step 4: keep a matching, off-host set
Place the SQL export and file archive in one folder labelled with the same date and time. Open the archive and confirm that expected folders such as wp-content/uploads are present; check that the SQL file is not empty or truncated. Download the set away from the hosting account—for example, to your computer and an external drive—so a hosting outage or account failure cannot remove the live site and its only backup together. WordPress discusses storing the database export with the file backup in its file guidance.
Free method 2: use a backup plugin
A plugin can package the database and files and, depending on its current free feature set, send copies to another destination or run on a schedule. Read the live WordPress.org listing before relying on a particular destination or restore option; plugin features and plan boundaries can change.
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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.
UpdraftPlus
The UpdraftPlus WordPress.org listing describes its free version as backing up and migrating a site, with component restores and destinations including Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon S3 or compatible storage, Rackspace, FTP, DreamObjects, OpenStack Swift and email. Those are listed integrations, not a promise that each provider supplies unlimited or free storage. Check your account quota and the plugin’s current requirements.
BackWPup
The BackWPup listing describes complete database and file backups, scheduled jobs and multiple destinations. It also distinguishes free and paid restore behavior: the listing says free restores require you to manually upload the backup, while direct cloud restore is a Pro feature. Confirm the current listing and document the manual-upload procedure before depending on it.
Duplicator
Duplicator’s WordPress.org listing presents the plugin for backups and migrations and states minimum requirements of WordPress 5.3 and PHP 7.4 in the listing information. Because the available detail does not establish a complete free restore workflow for every destination, treat it as an option to evaluate rather than the default recommendation for a no-cost recovery plan.
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- 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.
Which free approach fits your situation?
| Approach | Coverage | Storage and restore considerations | Scheduling and migration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual export plus file copy | Both database and files, if you deliberately copy every required path | You choose local or off-site storage; restoration uses host tools and an SQL import | Manual unless your host supplies scheduling; moving hosts may require URL and credential changes |
| UpdraftPlus free | Plugin listing describes database, files and component restores | Listing names several remote destinations; verify quotas and current free-tier behavior | Useful for recurring jobs; migration and restore details depend on the current listing and configuration |
| BackWPup free | Listing describes complete database and file backups | Listing says free restores require manually uploaded backups; direct cloud restore is Pro | Scheduled jobs are listed; migration steps depend on the backup and destination |
| Duplicator | Listed for backups and migrations; free coverage details should be checked in the live listing | Do not assume a particular free remote-restore path without verifying it | Listing states WordPress 5.3 and PHP 7.4 minimums in its search information |
Choose by the recovery path you can actually perform. A manually downloaded SQL file and file archive are often preferable to a scheduled job whose remote destination or restore tier you cannot access.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to restore the site
A backup is useful only if you know how its two parts will be put back. The general WordPress sequence is:
- Prepare a working WordPress installation and a database on the target host.
- Upload or restore the backed-up files, including
wp-config.phpandwp-content. - Create or select the target database and import the SQL (or decompressed SQL) export with the host tool or phpMyAdmin.
- If the database name, user, host or password changed, edit
wp-config.phpso its credentials match the new database. - Test the front end, administration area, media, permalinks, forms and any essential integrations.
For a plugin backup, follow that plugin’s documented restore process. BackWPup’s listing, for example, says its free restore requires manually uploading the backup. A move to a different domain or host can also require URL replacement and other migration-specific work; a same-site recovery is usually simpler.
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Backup checks that prevent unpleasant surprises
- Pairing: the database export and file copy come from the same run and carry matching labels.
- Completeness:
wp-content/uploads, active themes, plugins,wp-config.phpand custom files are present. - Readability: the archive opens and the SQL file can be inspected or imported by your chosen tool.
- Separation: at least one copy is outside the hosting account.
- Recovery knowledge: you know the host’s database-import limits and the plugin’s current restore instructions.
- Timing: capture a fresh set before major updates and at intervals appropriate to how often the site’s content changes.
No backup method removes the need to verify your own files, storage access and restore procedure. Plugin listings and host interfaces can change, so recheck them when you adopt or materially update a workflow.
The Bottom Line
A free complete WordPress backup is a matched database export plus a full file copy, stored somewhere outside the host and accompanied by a restoration plan. Do it manually with phpMyAdmin and SFTP/file tools, or use a plugin only after confirming that its free storage and restore path meet your needs.
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