> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.hosting.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Backing up your WordPress site

> Backing up WordPress is an important part of maintaining your site. This article covers why, how, and when to backup WordPress.

This article discusses [WordPress](https://hosting.com/hosting/platforms/wordpress-hosting/managed-wordpress-hosting/) backups -- why, when, and how to do them.

## Why do I need to back up WordPress?

[Backing up your WordPress site](https://wordpress.org/support/article/wordpress-backups/) is important. There are times when data can be erased or corrupted due to updates or well-intentioned tinkering. If this happens, and you have a backup, there is nothing to worry about. You can quickly restore the site to the most recent backup. However, if the data is not backed up, you will have a much harder time restoring normal operation to your site.

## When should I back up WordPress?

Any time is a good time to back up your WordPress site! That said, it is especially important to back up WordPress*before* you make any major site changes, such as:

* Publishing new content.

* Installing or upgrading plugins.

* Installing or upgrading themes.

* Any other major changes to site functionality or content.

Maintaining up-to-date backups helps ensure that you can restore the site in case anything goes wrong. If you rely on automatic backups from a plugin, it is a good idea to check that recent backups exist. Alternatively, if you do manual backups, make sure you have a system in place that reminds you to do periodic backups.

There is a common saying among website administrators: "Your site is only as good as your last backup." By ensuring you have up-to-date backups, you help reduce the risk to your site, and ensure you can get back up and running sooner rather than later.

## How do I back up WordPress?

There are several ways to back up WordPress. Some methods back up the entire site, including the database and files, while some only back up one:

* You can use a plugin to manage WordPress backups. This is the easiest method. hosting.com recommends the [UpDraftPlus plugin](https://wordpress.org/plugins/updraftplus/), which backs up the database and associated files. For information about how to use UpDraftPlus, please see [this article](/docs/installing-and-configuring-the-updraftplus-plugin). There are many other plugin options for backups, such as [Jetpack](/docs/jetpack-installation).

* If you installed WordPress using Softaculous, you can use it to manage backups. Softaculous backs up the database and site files. For information about how to do this, please see [this article](/docs/manage-your-applications).

* You can manually back up WordPress using [phpMyAdmin or MariaDB](https://wordpress.org/support/article/backing-up-your-database/). This method is more advanced, and only backs up the database, not the site files.

<Tip>
  It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with several backup options, in case your preferred method fails.
</Tip>

## Related articles

* [WordPress basics](/docs/wordpress-basics)

* [Backups on dedicated servers and VPS](/docs/backups-on-dedicated-servers-and-vps)

* [Backups on shared hosting and reseller accounts](/docs/backups-on-shared-hosting-and-reseller-accounts)

* [Managing backups](/docs/backups-in-cpanel)