Why Backups Matter
Backing up your WordPress site protects you against hacking, server crashes and accidental deletions. A reliable WordPress backup plugin lets you quickly restore your site when something goes wrong. UpdraftPlus is the most popular WordPress backup plugin with over 3 million active installs. It provides easy manual and scheduled backups, supports many remote storage services and even allows site migration.
Step‑by‑Step: Create a Backup with UpdraftPlus
1. Install and activate UpdraftPlus
- In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins → Add New.
- Search for UpdraftPlus. Click Install Now and then Activate.
- After activation you’ll see a new menu entry under Settings → UpdraftPlus Backups.
2. Configure backup settings
- From the Backup/Restore page click the Settings tab.
- Select how often to back up your files and database (e.g. daily, weekly or monthly).
- Choose a remote storage location such as Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon S3, FTP, Backblaze B2 or pCloud. Remote storage keeps your backups safe if your server fails.
- Save the settings.
3. Create a manual backup
- Return to the Backup/Restore tab and click Backup Now.
- Select whether to back up your database, files or both, then confirm. UpdraftPlus will create a backup and list it under the Existing Backups section.
4. Schedule automatic backups
- In the Settings tab you can schedule automatic backups. For example, back up your database daily and your files weekly.
- Automatic backups ensure your site is always protected without manual intervention.
5. Restore or migrate
- To restore, go to the Backup/Restore tab, find a backup and click Restore.
- UpdraftPlus also offers a Migrate/Clone tab to clone or migrate your site to a new domain. Migration is part of the premium version.
Key features of UpdraftPlus
- Supports multiple remote storage services.
- Easy one‑click backups and restores.
- Scheduling for automated backups.
- Database encryption and incremental backups (Premium).
- Site migration and cloning tools (Premium).
By following the steps above you can back up your WordPress site with UpdraftPlus and sleep easy knowing your data is safe. Combine regular backups with off‑site storage for maximum protection.
