How to Back up Your Website Files

If you are making changes or updates to your website, it is recommended that you have backup copies of your website files. This is helpful in case a server error occurs or you accidentally deleted your public_html files. You can use your back up files to restore your website to a previously working version. You can manage all this byaccessing your Hosting Manager with two options: Backup and Backup Wizard. In this guide you’ll learn:

What Are the File Types You Can Back Up
How to Use Back Up
How to Use Back up Wizard

What Are File Types You Can Back Up

The type of website files you can create backup copies of are:

Web files
Databases
Forwarders
Filters

Once you login to your Hosting Manager, there are two options (Backup and Backup Wizard) you can use to get backup copies of your web files and folders. Read further for specific instructions on how to use each option.

How to Use Back Up

This option in your Hosting Manager will allow you to download and store backup copies of your website files. To do this, follow the steps below.

Log in to your cPanel.
On the Home page, click the word Files or the [ v ] arrow symbol on the right side.
Click the Backup icon, which is next to the Backup Wizard icon.
On the next page, under Partial Backups, click the Home Directory button to start downloading a backup of your Home Directory.

Your browser will automatically start downloading the Home Directory backup file.

Note: Home Directory backup file will have the .tar.gz file extension.

You can also download other sections of your website files. To download them using the Backup feature, follow the steps for each section:

MySQL Database Backup

Under Partial Backups, go to Download a MySQL Database Backup.
Click the Select Database field, or the arrow on the right side, to access the drop-down menu.
Choose the database you want download a backup copy of.
Click the Download button on the right.

Your browser will automatically start downloading the MySQL database backup file.

Note: MySQL Database backup file will have the .sql.gz file extension.

Email Forwarders

Under Partial Backups, go to Download Email Forwarders.
Click the Select Domain field, or the arrow on the right side, to access the drop-down menu.
Choose the domain the email forwarders you want to download belong.
Click the Download button on the right.

Your browser will automatically start downloading a backup copy of your domain’s email forwarders.

Note: Forwarders backup file will have the .com.gz file extension.

Email Filters

Under Partial Backups, go to Download Email Filters.
Click the Select Email Filter field, or the arrow on the right side, to access the drop-down menu.
Choose the email filter you want to download.
Click the Download button on the right.

Your browser will automatically start downloading a backup copy of your email filters.

Note: Filters backup file will have the .yaml.gz file extension.

How to Use Back up Wizard

Aside from the Backup feature in Hosting Manager, you can also create and download backup copies of your website using Backup Wizard. This feature is recommended for new users. For instructions on how to use it, click the link below:

How to Create Full and Partial Backups of Your Website Files

Once you have backup copies of your website files, you will now be able to restore previous copies of your Home Directory, MySQL Database, Email Forwarders, and/or Email Filters using the Backup feature.
To get detailed instructions on how to do this, click the link below:

How to Restore Your Website Backup Files

Important: The backup website files you get from following this guide, however, does NOT include copies of your email messages.

Please let us know if you need any further assistance, or if you have any questions. We’d love to help!

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