Updraft Website Backups

Modified on Mon, 15 Jan at 2:10 PM

Creating backups for your website is crucial to safeguard your data, especially before making updates or changes. The WordPress Updraft plugin simplifies this process, and here's a step-by-step guide to help you download a backup effortlessly.

Ensure Admin User Role: To begin, ensure you have the Admin user role on your WordPress account to access the Updraft Backup plugin.

Login to WordPress Dashboard: Log in to your WordPress account using an Admin user role.

Navigate to Settings: In the WordPress backend dashboard, go to the "Settings" option, which is available in the main menu.

Access Updraft Backups: Under "Settings," select the "Updraft Backups" submenu option.

Initiate Backup: Locate and click the "Backup Now" button on the Updraft Backups page.

Configure Backup Options: The "Updraft Plus - Perform a backup" options window will appear. Set your preferences, choosing to back up everything, just the database or only the website's files. Note that taking a database backup is a crucial step before plugin updates.

Start Backup Process: Click "Backup Now" in the options window. Keep the window open during the backup process, which is essential for completion.

Wait for Completion: Allow the plugin to complete the backup process. Patience is essential during this step.

Download Backup Parts: Once Updraft finishes the backup, scroll to the bottom of the Updraft Backups page. You'll find options for downloading different backup parts, such as database, plugins, themes, uploads, and others.

Manage Backups: Besides downloading, you can restore backups directly from this page or delete old backups. Keeping only one or two backups, depending on your website's size, is advisable to ensure the site runs smoothly due to the added weight of storing entire website files in each backup.

By following these steps, you have completed the process of taking a backup using the WordPress Updraft plugin. Regular backups are essential for maintaining the integrity of your website and ensuring you can restore it to its previous state if needed.