How to Back Up WordPress with UpdraftPlus

The best time to set up backups is before you need them. UpdraftPlus is a popular free WordPress plugin that backs up your files and database on a schedule, stores them safely off-site, and restores everything with a couple of clicks. If you run WordPress, this is fifteen minutes very well spent.

Why off-site backups matter

A backup stored only on the same server is not much use if that server has a problem. Sending backups to remote storage — Google Drive, Dropbox, and similar — means your safety net survives almost anything. This complements the full cPanel backups and JetBackup already available on your hosting.

Step 1: Install UpdraftPlus

1. In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins → Add New.
2. Search for UpdraftPlus, install and activate it.

Step 2: Set a schedule and destination

1. Open Settings → UpdraftPlus Backups and click the Settings tab.
2. Choose how often to back up files and database (weekly or daily suits most sites; busy stores want daily).
3. Pick a remote storage destination and connect your account.
4. Set how many backups to keep, then save.

Step 3: Run a backup now and test restore

Click Backup Now to create your first backup immediately. Then — importantly — test a restore on a staging site so you know it actually works. An untested backup is only a hopeful guess.

Frequently asked questions

UpdraftPlus or my hosting backups — do I need both?

Having both is ideal. Hosting backups protect against server-level problems; UpdraftPlus gives you plugin-level, off-site copies you control directly and can restore yourself in minutes.

Will backups slow my site down?

Backups use resources while running, so schedule them for quiet hours. On very large sites, splitting file and database backups onto different days keeps each run light.

Can I move my site with it?

Yes. UpdraftPlus (with its migration feature) can restore a backup to a different domain or host, which makes it handy for moving a site.