cPanel comes with an extensive suite of built-in backup tools. Below, we cover how to use these cPanel Backup utilities to both backup and restore files on your cPanel account.

cPanel Backups

Making a Full cPanel Backup

This handy utility will create a compressed file that you then can download to your local computer for storage. Please be advised, we do not allow anyone to store backups in File Manager— you must store them off of the server.

Step 1: Login to cPanel

Step 2: Click the Backup button in the Files section of cPanel.

Step 3: In the Full Backup, click the Download a Full Account Backup button.

Step 4: On the next screen make sure the Home Directory option is selected.

If you want an email notification when the backup completes, enter your email address. If you do not want an email, select the box next to Do not send email notification of backup completion.

Step 5: Click the Generate Backup button to begin the Full cPanel Backup. You will then see a message stating “Full Backup in Progress…” Allow some time for the backup to complete, you will receive an email notification upon completion (if you entered your email address in the last step).

Step 6: Download the file from your cPanel. It will be located in your /home directory, begin with backup, and include the date.

Downloading Home Directory Backup in cPanel

Step 1: Click the Backup link in the Files section.

Step 2: Click the Home Directory button under the Download a Home Directory Backup section. You will then begin downloading a backup of your Home Directory. This can take several minutes to complete depending on the size of your site.

Step 3: You can then access the file in your browser’s download directory.

Retrieve a Standard Database Backup in cPanel

Step 1: Click the Backup link in the Files section.

Step 2: Now under the Download Database Backup section, click on the name of the database you wish to download. If you aren’t sure which database is associated with your site, check the name in the site’s configuration data.

Step 3: On your local machine, go to the folder your web browser downloaded the database backup to and you should now see the compressed .sql.gz file.

Now you’ll have a good working copy of your database locally stored safely on your own computer. If you delete something by accident, or are having any other database problems, you can then restore your database from that good backup.

Backup Wizard

The Backup Wizard provides the same functionality as the standard cPanel Backups, except that the options are separated out by section. This is helpful if you are still getting used to the backup process and want to make sure you aren’t forgetting anything, or if you are only focusing on backing up one specific item.

Create a Backup in Backup Wizard

Step 1: Login to cPanel

Step 2: Click the Backup Wizard link under the Files section.

Step 3: Click on the blue button labeled Back Up.

Step 4: Choose your type of backup: Full Backup or select Partial Backup. These options let you download a smaller file with exactly what you need. Home Directory creates a backup consisting of everything in the user’s Home Directory. The other options will limit you to only databases (MySQL Databases) or email data (Email Forwarders & Filters), while the Full Backup option is essentially the same as the full backup above.

Step 5: Determine the destination of the backup. Click the drop-down arrow and select either Home Directory, Remote FTP server, Remote FTP server (passive mode transfer), or Secure Copy (SCP).

Step 6: Enter the email address to receive notification of the backup completion. If no notification is required, click that radial button. Then click on Generate Backup.

Other Tools

Create a custom Database Backup in PHPMyAdmin

Step 1: Once you have logged into cPanel, click on the icon “PHPMyAdmin” in the databases section.

Once you have done that you should see a screen like the one below.

Step 2: Select the database you wish to export by clicking on the database name in the sidebar as indicated in the graphic below.

Click on Export in the menu at the top of the phpMySQL screen. This will bring up the options for export and also give you a confirmation of where the export is coming from.

Step 3:We are using the Quick export method. This exports the file in SQL format. If you need to select specific options for the export, then click on Custom and select your options. You should only select this if you are familiar with exporting MYSQL databases. Click on Go to complete the export.

Step 4: When you save the file, make sure that it is saved to a safe location once the export is complete.

Restore From Backups

These processes only work if you have already saved one or more backups locally. If your backup is not yet on your account but is saved elsewhere, please see the below section on Uploading. If you have made changes to an account or directory since making a backup, be sure to save any newly added or edited files before the restoration. For example, if you have a new file such as /public_html/index2.htm live on your website that didn’t exist in the backup, these files will not be overwritten during a restoration.

Restore Email Forwarders in cPanel

Step 1: Under the files section, click on Backup.

Step 2: Under Restore Email Forwarders, click on Choose File.

Step 3: Find the appropriate file on your computer and click Open.

Step 4: The name of your backup should now be displayed, so click on Upload.

You should then see the progress of your files being restored.

Conclusion

In this tutorial we have guided you to Setup Backups in cPanel. Hopefully, this article will be useful for you. Good luck!