How to Back Up a WordPress Site (3 Free Methods)

A WordPress site without a recent backup is a site waiting for a bad day. Servers fail, plugins conflict, databases get corrupted, and hacks happen. When they do, a solid backup is the difference between a ten-minute restore and days of rebuilding from scratch.

The good news: backing up WordPress is free and straightforward. There is no reason to pay for basic backup functionality when the three methods in this guide—a free plugin, your host’s built-in tools, and a manual approach—cover every scenario. Set one up today, automate it, and you’ll never regret spending the time.

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What a Complete WordPress Backup Includes

A full WordPress backup has two components. Miss either one and the backup is incomplete.

1. The database – Contains all your posts, pages, comments, settings, user accounts, and plugin configurations. The database is where your content actually lives.

2. The files – The WordPress core files, your active theme, all installed plugins, and most importantly the contents of /wp-content/uploads/ (all your images and media files). The database is useless without the files, and vice versa.

Many beginners only back up one or the other. Make sure your method captures both.

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How Often Should You Back Up?

Site type	Recommended frequency
Rarely updated personal blog	Weekly
Active blog (multiple posts/week)	Daily
eCommerce or membership site	Daily or per-transaction
Before any plugin/theme update	Always
Before a WordPress core update	Always

As a rule: back up before you change anything significant. If you’re about to update five plugins at once, a backup takes less than a minute with UpdraftPlus and gives you an escape route if something breaks. The Wordfence security blog also recommends keeping backups as the first line of defense before applying any security-related fixes.

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Method 1: UpdraftPlus Plugin (Recommended for Most Sites)

UpdraftPlus is the most widely used WordPress backup plugin and has a fully functional free tier. It handles both the database and files, supports scheduled backups, and connects to remote storage services so your backups land somewhere other than your own server.

Installing and Configuring UpdraftPlus

1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins → Add New.
2. Search for “UpdraftPlus” and install/activate the free version.
3. Go to Settings → UpdraftPlus Backups.
4. Under Settings, configure your backup schedule:
   • Files: daily, weekly, or monthly (with a retention count)
   • Database: same options—daily is reasonable for most sites
5. Choose a remote storage destination. The free version supports:
   • Dropbox
   • Google Drive
   • Amazon S3
   • FTP/SFTP
   • Email (not recommended for large sites—attachments get big)
6. Authorize the connection to your chosen storage service.
7. Click Backup Now to run your first manual backup and verify everything works.

Restoring with UpdraftPlus

1. Go to Settings → UpdraftPlus Backups → Existing Backups.
2. Find the backup you want to restore.
3. Click Restore, select the components to restore (database, plugins, themes, uploads, others), and follow the prompts.

UpdraftPlus handles the full restore process from the dashboard. This is also why it’s worth keeping the plugin installed even after a disaster—it’s your recovery tool as much as your backup tool.

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Method 2: Your Host’s Built-In Backups

Many managed WordPress hosts and reputable shared hosting providers include automated daily backups as part of their plans. This method requires no plugins and no configuration on your part.

How to check and use host backups:

• Log in to your hosting control panel (cPanel, Plesk, or a custom dashboard).
• Look for a section labeled “Backups,” “WordPress Backups,” or “Backup Manager.”
• Hosts like WP Engine and Kinsta include point-in-time restore and easy one-click rollbacks built into their dashboards.

Important caveats:

• Host backups are stored on the host’s infrastructure. If the host has a catastrophic failure or your account is suspended, those backups may not be accessible.
• Some hosts charge extra to restore from a backup even if the backup itself is included free.
• Retention periods vary—some hosts only keep 7 days of backups.

Best practice: Use host backups as a supplement to, not a replacement for, your own backup solution. Having both means you have options.

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Method 3: Manual Backup via cPanel/FTP and phpMyAdmin

Manual backups give you complete control and require no third-party plugins. The process has two parts: downloading the files and exporting the database.

Part A: Download Files via cPanel or FTP

Using cPanel File Manager:

1. Log in to cPanel and open File Manager.
2. Navigate to public_html (or wherever your WordPress is installed).
3. Select all files and folders, right-click, and choose Compress. Create a .zip archive.
4. Download the zip file to your local computer.

Using FTP (FileZilla or similar):

1. Connect to your server using your FTP credentials.
2. Navigate to your WordPress root directory.
3. Select all files and download them to a local folder.

The key folder to prioritize if bandwidth is limited: /wp-content/. This contains your themes, plugins, and uploads. Core WordPress files can be re-downloaded from wordpress.org if needed.

Part B: Export the Database with phpMyAdmin

1. In cPanel, open phpMyAdmin.
2. Select your WordPress database from the left sidebar (its name matches DB_NAME in your wp-config.php).
3. Click the Export tab.
4. Choose Quick export method and format SQL.
5. Click Go. A .sql file downloads to your computer.

Store this .sql file alongside your files backup, ideally in cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox) or an external drive—not only on the same server you just backed up.

Restoring a Manual Backup

Files: Upload the backup files back to your server via FTP, overwriting the current installation.

Database:

1. In phpMyAdmin, create a new empty database (or clear the existing one).
2. Select the database, click Import, choose your .sql file, and click Go.
3. Update wp-config.php if the database name, user, or password changed.

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Offsite Storage: Why It Matters

Storing backups on the same server as your site defeats much of the purpose. If the server is compromised, hacked, or fails catastrophically, the backups go with it.

Good offsite storage options (all have free tiers sufficient for most sites):

• Google Drive – Integrates directly with UpdraftPlus free version
• Dropbox – Same
• Amazon S3 – Excellent for large or high-traffic sites
• A local external hard drive – Fine for manual backups; combine with cloud for belt-and-suspenders protection

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Automating Backups

A backup you have to remember to run manually is a backup that eventually doesn’t get run. Automate it.

• UpdraftPlus: Set a schedule in the plugin settings. It runs silently in the background.
• Host backups: Most run automatically once configured.
• Manual: Create a recurring calendar reminder if you insist on manual backups, but consider switching to UpdraftPlus—automation is worth it.

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What to Do When Something Goes Wrong

Backups only matter if you can actually restore from them. Test your restore process before you need it:

1. Set up a staging environment (many hosts provide this free).
2. Restore your backup to the staging site.
3. Verify the site loads correctly and your content is intact.

This also helps you practice the restore steps so they’re familiar when you’re under pressure. For guidance on what to do after a restore, our WordPress security basics guide covers hardening your site against the issues that made the restore necessary.

If you’re troubleshooting site errors and need to restore from backup, our common WordPress errors and fixes guide covers what’s likely wrong and whether a restore is actually the fastest path to resolution.

The UpdraftPlus documentation and the WordPress support forums are helpful resources if you run into specific issues with the backup or restore process.

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Backups are the unsexy part of running a WordPress site—right up until the moment you need one. Set up UpdraftPlus this week, point it at Google Drive, and schedule daily database backups. It takes ten minutes and the peace of mind is permanent. Browse our free WordPress themes to start your next project knowing you already have the safety net in place.