{"id":36855,"date":"2025-06-16T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-16T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dhblog.dream.press\/blog\/?p=36855"},"modified":"2026-08-23T10:38:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-23T17:38:41","slug":"how-to-back-up-wordpress-tutorial","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-back-up-wordpress-tutorial\/","title":{"rendered":"Ease Downtime Anxiety With These WordPress Backup Tips"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You\u2019ve probably put a lot of hard work into your site. It might even be your primary source of income. Sure would be a shame if something happened to it\u2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Don&#8217;t worry, that&#8217;s not a <em>Godfather<\/em>-style threat. We&#8217;re on your team. Think of this more as a friendly word of warning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"width:100%;height:0;padding-bottom:56%;position:relative;\"><iframe data-src=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/embed\/l0Iy8OAHzkGHohrag\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" style=\"position:absolute\" frameBorder=\"0\" class=\"giphy-embed lazyload\" allowFullScreen src=\"about:blank\" data-load-mode=\"0\"><\/iframe><\/div><p><a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/movie-godfather-the-l0Iy8OAHzkGHohrag\">via GIPHY<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A WordPress backup is a complete copy of your website\u2019s files and database that you can use to restore your site if it\u2019s hacked, corrupted, or broken by a bad update.<\/strong> There are three main ways to make one: manually via SFTP and phpMyAdmin, automatically with a backup plugin, or through your hosting provider\u2019s built-in backup tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Why does it matter? Well, what if your <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-fix-wordpress-error-sure-you-want-to-do-this\/\">website files become corrupted<\/a> or <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/what-to-do-when-locked-out-wordpress\/\">hackers lock you out<\/a> of your own site? With a recent backup, you can be back online quickly. Without one, you\u2019re rebuilding from scratch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In this guide, we&#8217;ll walk you through all three backup methods \u2014 plus how to test your backups so you know they&#8217;ll actually work when you need them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Ready? Let&#8217;s give it a go!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-why-you-should-back-up-your-wordpress-website\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why you should back up your WordPress website<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If anything goes wrong, you can use a backup to restore your website to full working order. It&#8217;s basically your digital insurance policy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This safety net offers more than peace of mind. If you rely on your <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/beginners-website-guide\/\">website for business<\/a>, having a backup ready to go means fewer lost sales and unhappy customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s why we always recommend <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/215768237-Manually-backing-up-website-data\">making regular backups of your website<\/a>, so your site is never down for long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"733\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/01_every_site_needs_an_exit_strategy.webp\" alt=\"Website exit strategy concept illustrated with WordPress site icon connected to cloud backup\" class=\"wp-image-73369 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/01_every_site_needs_an_exit_strategy.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/01_every_site_needs_an_exit_strategy-300x137.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/01_every_site_needs_an_exit_strategy-1024x469.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/01_every_site_needs_an_exit_strategy-768x352.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/01_every_site_needs_an_exit_strategy-1536x704.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/01_every_site_needs_an_exit_strategy-600x275.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/01_every_site_needs_an_exit_strategy-1200x550.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/01_every_site_needs_an_exit_strategy-730x334.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/01_every_site_needs_an_exit_strategy-1460x669.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/01_every_site_needs_an_exit_strategy-784x359.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/01_every_site_needs_an_exit_strategy-1568x718.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/01_every_site_needs_an_exit_strategy-877x402.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/733;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How often should you make site backups?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Back up your site as often as its content changes. The right schedule depends on your website:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If you have a constantly updated site, such as a <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/driving-traffic-to-your-website\/\">high-traffic blog<\/a> or an <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/how-to-build-online-store-become-boss\/\">e-commerce site<\/a>, you&#8217;ll want to perform backups daily.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Websites with mostly static content are usually fine with less frequent backups (e.g., once a week or longer intervals).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Either way, make an extra backup right before any big change: a major plugin update, a theme swap, or a WordPress core upgrade.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It\u2019s also a good idea to make multiple backups and save them in different places. Just as your site can become compromised or lost, your backups could be destroyed or deleted, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Keeping multiple recent backups in different locations increases the chance that a usable copy will be available if another fails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h2_the-different-flavors-of-wordpress-backups\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The different flavors of WordPress backups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not all WordPress backups are made equal. Let\u2019s do a quick run-down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Full site backup:<\/strong> A complete copy of your site. A full backup contains the files and database needed to restore your entire site, but the restoration process depends on the tool or hosting provider. The downside is that they take a while to complete, and each backup requires as much storage space as your entire website.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Incremental backups:<\/strong> These backups make a copy of any site changes made since the last backup. They&#8217;re quick to run and they take less storage capacity, but they only cover your more recent content.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Differential backups:<\/strong> Halfway between the two, differential backups cover all changes since your last <em>full site backup<\/em>. This means you don\u2019t copy your entire site every time, but all your data is backed up. It&#8217;s a nice balance between efficiency and coverage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many hosting providers and <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/intro-to-wordpress-plugins\/\">WordPress plugins<\/a> allow you to choose between these options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We recommend making full site backups every month, and then filling the gaps with differential or incremental backups, depending on the importance of your recent content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"article-newsletter article-newsletter--gradient\">\n\n\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__title\">Get Content Delivered Straight to Your Inbox<\/p><p>Subscribe now to receive all the latest updates, delivered directly to your inbox.<\/p><form class=\"nwsl-form\" id=\"newsletter_block_\" novalidate><div class=\"messages\"><\/div><div class=\"form-group\"><label for=\"input_newsletter_block_\"><input type=\"email\"name=\"email\"id=\"input_newsletter_block_\"placeholder=\"Enter your email address\"novalidatedisabled=\"disabled\"\/><\/label><button type=\"submit\"class=\"btn btn--brand\"disabled=\"disabled\"><span>Sign Me Up!<\/span><svg width=\"21\" height=\"14\" viewBox=\"0 0 21 14\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n<path d=\"M13.8523 0.42524L12.9323 1.34521C12.7095 1.56801 12.7132 1.9304 12.9404 2.14865L16.7241 5.7823H0.5625C0.251859 5.7823 0 6.03416 0 6.3448V7.6573C0 7.96794 0.251859 8.2198 0.5625 8.2198H16.7241L12.9405 11.8535C12.7132 12.0717 12.7095 12.4341 12.9323 12.6569L13.8523 13.5769C14.072 13.7965 14.4281 13.7965 14.6478 13.5769L20.8259 7.39879C21.0456 7.17913 21.0456 6.82298 20.8259 6.60327L14.6477 0.42524C14.4281 0.205584 14.0719 0.205584 13.8523 0.42524Z\" fill=\"white\"\/>\n<\/svg>\n<\/button><\/div><\/form><\/div>\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h2_how-to-back-up-wordpress-3-easy-methods\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to back up WordPress (3 easy methods)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you Google the topic of WordPress backups, a million different options come up. Maybe that&#8217;s how you arrived here!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In reality, there are three main ways to back up your site. Everything else is just noise (aka marketing).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let&#8217;s take a look at the big three:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Back up your WordPress site manually<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Backing up your WordPress site manually is the hardest method, but sometimes it&#8217;s necessary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re ever locked out of your WordPress dashboard due to an error or a security issue, this might be your only option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To get started, you\u2019ll need your <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/115001051531-FTP-and-SFTP-at-DreamHost\">Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)<\/a> credentials. They&#8217;re usually visible in your hosting panel. If you can\u2019t find them, just contact your host \u2014 they can root them out for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you have your SFTP credentials, download and launch a suitable client, such as<a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/filezilla-project.org\/download.php?type=client\"> FileZilla<\/a>. We like this particular app because it&#8217;s free, open source, and easy to use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s how to use it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Open the app, enter your credentials, and hit <strong>Quickconnect<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1091\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/02_back_up_your_wordpress_site_manually.webp\" alt=\"FileZilla FTP client interface showing file directory structure on left panel\" class=\"wp-image-73370 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/02_back_up_your_wordpress_site_manually.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/02_back_up_your_wordpress_site_manually-300x205.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/02_back_up_your_wordpress_site_manually-1024x698.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/02_back_up_your_wordpress_site_manually-768x524.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/02_back_up_your_wordpress_site_manually-1536x1047.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/02_back_up_your_wordpress_site_manually-600x409.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/02_back_up_your_wordpress_site_manually-1200x818.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/02_back_up_your_wordpress_site_manually-730x498.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/02_back_up_your_wordpress_site_manually-1460x996.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/02_back_up_your_wordpress_site_manually-784x535.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/02_back_up_your_wordpress_site_manually-1568x1069.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/02_back_up_your_wordpress_site_manually-877x598.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/1091;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once FileZilla has established a connection with your hosting server, you\u2019ll need a destination folder for your backup. You can create one without leaving FileZilla.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Right-click on your device file list, usually on the left of the screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Select <strong>Create Directory<\/strong> and name the new folder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Next, drag the WordPress files from your server (on the right) and drop them into the new folder you just created (on the left).<br><br>The download may take a while \u2014 coffee time! \u2014 but once it\u2019s done, you\u2019ll have a backup of your site\u2019s files saved to your computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We&#8217;re not quite done yet, though. You still need to back up your WordPress database.<br><br>To do this, download your database via the <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/214395638-phpMyAdmin-overview\">phpMyAdmin tool<\/a>, which you can find in the hosting panel. Again, the download may take some time. But once it&#8217;s done, your manual backup is complete!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pro tip: <\/strong>Consider syncing your new folder to the cloud using a service like <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dropbox.com\/\">Dropbox<\/a>. This ensures you&#8217;ll still have a backup even if your computer dies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Install a WordPress plugin to run automatic backups<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using a plugin is much easier and faster than backing up WordPress manually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tools like<a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/updraftplus\/\" target=\"_blank\"> UpdraftPlus<\/a> \u2014 actively installed on more than 3 million websites, according to its WordPress.org listing \u2014 allow you to schedule automatic backups, so you can&#8217;t forget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"799\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/03_run_automatic_backups.webp\" alt=\"UpdraftPlus WordPress backup plugin displaying automatic backup options\" class=\"wp-image-73371 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/03_run_automatic_backups.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/03_run_automatic_backups-300x150.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/03_run_automatic_backups-1024x511.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/03_run_automatic_backups-768x384.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/03_run_automatic_backups-1536x767.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/03_run_automatic_backups-600x300.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/03_run_automatic_backups-1200x599.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/03_run_automatic_backups-730x365.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/03_run_automatic_backups-1460x729.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/03_run_automatic_backups-784x392.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/03_run_automatic_backups-1568x783.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/03_run_automatic_backups-877x438.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/799;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To set up this backup method, you first need to<a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/intro-to-wordpress-plugins\/\"> install and activate<\/a> your chosen plugin. Then, follow the set-up instructions or visit the settings page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can set your backup schedule, choose where to save the backups, and select the exact files you want to copy. UpdraftPlus&#8217;s free version, for example, can run backups on a schedule ranging from every two hours to monthly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many WordPress backup plugins (including UpdraftPlus) let you save backups locally and in the cloud \u2014 think Dropbox, Google Drive, or Amazon S3. This is a great way to keep backups in multiple locations as an extra precaution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One downside of this method is that you need to ensure that backups are being created. Which leads us to our third option\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Manage backups through your hosting provider<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some hosting providers (including DreamHost) offer a built-in backup feature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">How you access, schedule, save, and restore your backups will vary depending on your provider. At DreamHost, all WordPress hosting plans include automated daily backups. <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/wordpress\/managed\/\">DreamPress<\/a>, our managed WordPress hosting, goes further: your automated daily backups are stored offsite on Amazon S3 and kept for 14 days on DreamPress 1 through 3, or 30 days on DreamPress 5 and up. You can also create on-demand backups and lock important ones so the daily cycle never overwrites them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Automated backups are super convenient; they run in the background without you having to do a thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You can also supplement them with on-demand backups outside of your regular schedule \u2014 for example, right before pushing changes to your live site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you\u2019re a DreamPress customer, you can <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/360001445126-Creating-and-restoring-backups-for-DreamPress\">create, download, and restore backups<\/a> right in your DreamHost panel:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Visit <strong>Websites &gt; Manage Websites<\/strong>, and click <strong>Manage <\/strong>next to the relevant domain.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Select the <strong>Content<\/strong> tab, then click <strong>Backups<\/strong>.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Here, you can create new manual backups, download a copy, or restore your site with a click.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On any DreamHost plan, you can also <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/215089918-Back-up-an-account-in-the-panel\">back up your entire account<\/a> \u2014 every user, database, and mailbox \u2014 from the <strong>Manage Account<\/strong> page in the panel. The backup files stay available to download for 14 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Pro tip:<\/strong> Treat host backups as one layer of your plan, not the whole plan. On our Web Hosting plans, for example, the panel keeps roughly two weeks of website file backups, and <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/215768257-How-do-I-restore-my-website\">our own documentation<\/a> is upfront that those backups aren&#8217;t guaranteed \u2014 so download your own copies, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h2_how-to-test-your-wordpress-website-backup\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to test your WordPress website backup<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, you&#8217;ve built your backup process. It <em>seems <\/em>to be working properly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But how can you tell if the backups are legit? Could you restore your site from these cloned files?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There&#8217;s only one way to tell. You need to try running your site from the backup files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To do this, it\u2019s best to create a WordPress &#8220;sandbox,&#8221; a playground where you can run your site under test conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The easiest way to build your play park is by running WordPress locally on your device with a desktop WordPress app. The screenshots below show one called Local.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Download Local and install it on your computer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"994\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/04_how_to_test_your_wordpress_website_backup.webp\" alt=\"Local by Flywheel WordPress development tool website with purple arrow\" class=\"wp-image-73372 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/04_how_to_test_your_wordpress_website_backup.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/04_how_to_test_your_wordpress_website_backup-300x186.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/04_how_to_test_your_wordpress_website_backup-1024x636.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/04_how_to_test_your_wordpress_website_backup-768x477.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/04_how_to_test_your_wordpress_website_backup-1536x954.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/04_how_to_test_your_wordpress_website_backup-600x373.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/04_how_to_test_your_wordpress_website_backup-1200x746.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/04_how_to_test_your_wordpress_website_backup-730x454.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/04_how_to_test_your_wordpress_website_backup-1460x907.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/04_how_to_test_your_wordpress_website_backup-784x487.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/04_how_to_test_your_wordpress_website_backup-1568x974.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/04_how_to_test_your_wordpress_website_backup-877x545.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/994;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Locate the Local-compatible ZIP archive on your device. Drag and drop this file into the <strong>Local sites<\/strong> section of the app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"989\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/05_select_a_site.webp\" alt=\"Local by Flywheel interface showing empty site selection area with &quot;Select a site&quot; placeholder text\" class=\"wp-image-73373 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/05_select_a_site.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/05_select_a_site-300x185.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/05_select_a_site-1024x633.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/05_select_a_site-768x475.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/05_select_a_site-1536x949.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/05_select_a_site-600x371.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/05_select_a_site-1200x742.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/05_select_a_site-730x451.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/05_select_a_site-1460x902.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/05_select_a_site-784x485.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/05_select_a_site-1568x969.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/05_select_a_site-877x542.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/989;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You&#8217;ll then be asked to name your local site, choose where to install it, and select a local domain. Once you\u2019ve done that, click <strong>Continue<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1063\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/06_import_site_from_archive.webp\" alt=\"Local by Flywheel import dialog showing site archive upload options\" class=\"wp-image-73374 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/06_import_site_from_archive.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/06_import_site_from_archive-300x199.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/06_import_site_from_archive-1024x680.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/06_import_site_from_archive-768x510.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/06_import_site_from_archive-1536x1020.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/06_import_site_from_archive-600x399.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/06_import_site_from_archive-1200x797.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/06_import_site_from_archive-730x485.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/06_import_site_from_archive-1460x970.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/06_import_site_from_archive-784x521.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/06_import_site_from_archive-1568x1042.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/06_import_site_from_archive-877x583.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/1063;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, the app will ask what environment you want to use. Keep <strong>Preferred <\/strong>selected unless you want to dive into geeky stuff!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1063\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_choose_your_environment.webp\" alt=\"Local by Flywheel environment selection screen with purple arrow\" class=\"wp-image-73375 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_choose_your_environment.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_choose_your_environment-300x199.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_choose_your_environment-1024x680.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_choose_your_environment-768x510.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_choose_your_environment-1536x1020.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_choose_your_environment-600x399.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_choose_your_environment-1200x797.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_choose_your_environment-730x485.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_choose_your_environment-1460x970.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_choose_your_environment-784x521.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_choose_your_environment-1568x1042.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/07_choose_your_environment-877x583.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/1063;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finish by hitting <strong>Import site<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The app should then get to work. Once the process is finished, your site will appear in the left-hand <strong>Local sites<\/strong> panel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1063\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_extracting_import_box.webp\" alt=\"Local by Flywheel interface showing site import progress\" class=\"wp-image-73376 lazyload\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_extracting_import_box.webp 1600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_extracting_import_box-300x199.webp 300w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_extracting_import_box-1024x680.webp 1024w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_extracting_import_box-768x510.webp 768w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_extracting_import_box-1536x1020.webp 1536w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_extracting_import_box-600x399.webp 600w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_extracting_import_box-1200x797.webp 1200w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_extracting_import_box-730x485.webp 730w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_extracting_import_box-1460x970.webp 1460w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_extracting_import_box-784x521.webp 784w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_extracting_import_box-1568x1042.webp 1568w, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/08_extracting_import_box-877x583.webp 877w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1600px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1600\/1063;\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Click on the site here to start your test environment, and then visit your site by heading to the local domain you chose earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once you&#8217;re in, check that everything is working properly. Be methodical \u2014 work through each page, testing all the features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All looking good? Great, that means this backup restored successfully in your test environment. Repeat the test periodically and after changing your backup setup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Related tool:<\/strong> Every DreamPress plan includes <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/features\/wordpress-staging\/\">1-Click Staging<\/a>, which provides a clone of your site for safely testing changes. This is separate from testing whether a backup can be restored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What to do if your backup process goes wrong<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Of course, it&#8217;s possible that your backups <em>don&#8217;t<\/em> work properly. What then?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let&#8217;s look at some common problems and their solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Small file size:<\/strong> If your backup is just a few kilobytes, it might only cover the database. Revisit your method and make sure your files are included.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Corrupted backup files on your host server:<\/strong> If your hosting plan has capped storage, your backups might not fit within the limits of your plan.\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Pro tip:<\/strong> If you store plugin backups on the server, (Not recommended! \ud83d\ude2c) this will also increase the size of your full site backup. Luckily, <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/wordpress\/managed\/\">DreamPress plans<\/a> come with 15 GB to 200 GB of NVMe SSD storage, depending on the plan.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Corrupted backup files on your device:<\/strong> Downloads aren&#8217;t perfect. To ensure you always have a working backup, save copies of your site in multiple places.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Broken features on the restored site:<\/strong> You might restore your site, but certain features break in the process. This is often caused by incompatibilities between older and newer versions of WordPress, themes, and plugins. Be sure to keep all three up to date!\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Pro tip:<\/strong> With DreamPress, we handle updates for you, along with speed, security, and backups. (Weighing your hosting options? See our comparison of <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/managed-wordpress-vs-vps\/\">managed WordPress hosting vs. VPS<\/a>.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h2_wordpress-backup-faqs\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">WordPress backup FAQs<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Still have questions? These are the ones we hear most often.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does DreamHost back up my website automatically?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes. All WordPress hosting plans at DreamHost include automated daily backups. On DreamPress, those daily backups are stored offsite on Amazon S3 and kept for 14 days (DreamPress 1 through 3) or 30 days (DreamPress 5 and up). Even so, we recommend downloading your own copies periodically \u2014 multiple backups in multiple places is always the safest setup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do I download a backup of my DreamHost site?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On DreamPress, go to <strong>Websites &gt; Manage Websites<\/strong> in your DreamHost panel, click <strong>Manage<\/strong> next to your domain, and open the <strong>Content<\/strong> tab. Click <strong>Backups<\/strong>, then choose <strong>Create Download<\/strong> from the three-dot menu next to any backup. You&#8217;ll be notified when the file is ready to download \u2014 the full walkthrough is in our <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/360001445126-Creating-and-restoring-backups-for-DreamPress\">DreamPress backups guide<\/a>. On other plans, you can download a copy of your site anytime <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/215768237-Manually-backing-up-website-data\">manually via SFTP and phpMyAdmin<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do I restore my WordPress site from a backup?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It depends on how the backup was made. On DreamPress, the same <strong>Backups<\/strong> screen in the DreamHost panel has a <strong>Restore<\/strong> button next to each available backup (heads up \u2014 restoring overwrites your current site). If you backed up manually, upload your files via SFTP and import your database, then test the site carefully. Our guide on <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/215768257-How-do-I-restore-my-website\">how to restore your website<\/a> covers the options in your panel step by step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How do I back up my WordPress database?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The simplest manual route is <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/214395638-phpMyAdmin-overview\">phpMyAdmin<\/a>: open it from your hosting panel, select your site&#8217;s database, and export a copy to your computer. Backup plugins and host backups typically include the database automatically \u2014 just confirm yours does, because a files-only backup can&#8217;t fully restore a WordPress site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can I back up my DreamHost email too?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes. You have a few options: create an account backup in the DreamHost panel (it covers every mailbox on your account), move messages into local folders in an email client like Apple Mail, download your inbox over a POP connection, or use webmail&#8217;s export option \u2014 which works one folder at a time, with a 50 MB limit per export. Our guide to <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/help.dreamhost.com\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/215730637-Back-up-email\">backing up email<\/a> walks through each method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Do I still need a backup plugin if my host makes backups?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It&#8217;s smart to keep at least one backup outside your hosting account. Host backups are convenient, but they have retention limits (DreamPress keeps automated backups for 14 or 30 days, depending on the plan), and any backup stored in only one place is a single point of failure. A plugin that copies backups to cloud storage \u2014 or an occasional manual download \u2014 gives you a second safety net.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h2_back-up-your-wordpress-site-today\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Back up your WordPress site today<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the end, the method you use to back up your website doesn&#8217;t really matter. What counts is getting the job done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A recent, tested full-site backup can help you recover after a security incident, human error, or technical failure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">And if you&#8217;d rather never think about backups again, that&#8217;s what <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/wordpress\/managed\/\">DreamPress<\/a>, our managed WordPress hosting, is for. Every plan includes <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/features\/wordpress-backups\/\">automated daily backups stored offsite<\/a>, on-demand backups before big changes, restores right from your panel, and 1-Click Staging for safe testing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"article-cta-shared article-cta-small article-cta--product\">\n\t<div class=\"tr-img-wrap-outer jsLoading\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-img-lazy \" src=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/blog2018\/assets\/img\/lazy-loading-transparent.webp\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/product-cta-wordpress-hosting-877x586.webp 1x, https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/product-cta-wordpress-hosting.webp 2x\" width=\"877\" height=\"586\"  alt=\"website management by DreamHost\" \/><\/div>\n\n\t<a href='https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/wordpress\/managed\/' class='link-top' target='_blank' rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">\n\t\t<span>WordPress Hosting<\/span>\n\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 384 512\" width=\"15\"><path d=\"M342.6 233.4c12.5 12.5 12.5 32.8 0 45.3l-192 192c-12.5 12.5-32.8 12.5-45.3 0s-12.5-32.8 0-45.3L274.7 256 105.4 86.6c-12.5-12.5-12.5-32.8 0-45.3s32.8-12.5 45.3 0l192 192z\"\/><\/svg>\n\t<\/a>\n\n\t<div class=\"content-btm\">\n\t\t<h2 class=\"h2--md\">\n\t\t\tUnbeatable WordPress Hosting\n\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t<p class=\"p--md\">\n\t\t\tReliable, lightning-fast hosting solutions specifically optimized for WordPress.\n\t\t<\/p>\n\n\t\t        <a\n            href=\"https:\/\/www.dreamhost.com\/wordpress\/managed\/\"\n                        class=\"btn btn--white-outline btn--sm btn--round\"\n                                    aria-label=\"See More: Unbeatable WordPress Hosting\"\n                                    target=\"_blank\"\n            rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"\n            >\n                            See More                    <\/a>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Don\u2019t risk losing your site. Here\u2019s how to make WordPress backups safe, simple, and on autopilot, so you can stay calm even during a crash.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1077,"featured_media":87079,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-title":"WordPress Backup: 3 Ways to Protect Your Site - DreamHost","_yoast_wpseo_opengraph-description":"A WordPress backup is a complete copy of your site's files and database that lets you restore it after a hack or bad update. See 3 backup methods compared.","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-title":"WordPress Backup: 3 Ways to Protect Your Site - DreamHost","_yoast_wpseo_twitter-description":"A WordPress backup is a complete copy of your site's files and database that lets you restore it after a hack or bad update. See 3 backup methods compared.","toc_headlines":"[[\"h-why-you-should-back-up-your-wordpress-website\",\"Why you should back up your WordPress website\"],[\"h2_the-different-flavors-of-wordpress-backups\",\"The different flavors of WordPress backups\"],[\"h2_how-to-back-up-wordpress-3-easy-methods\",\"How to back up WordPress (3 easy methods)\"],[\"h2_how-to-test-your-wordpress-website-backup\",\"How to test your WordPress website backup\"],[\"h2_wordpress-backup-faqs\",\"WordPress backup FAQs\"],[\"h2_back-up-your-wordpress-site-today\",\"Back up your WordPress site today\"]]","hide_toc":false,"show_updated_at":"1","footnotes":""},"categories":[550,696],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36855","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tutorials","category-wordpress"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.3 (Yoast SEO v28.2) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>WordPress Backup: 3 Ways to Protect Your Site - DreamHost<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A WordPress backup is a complete copy of your site&#039;s files and database that lets you restore it after a hack or bad update. 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