How to Backup WordPress Site Manually – Complete Step-by-Step Guide (2025)

If you’ve spent hours building your WordPress site, the thought of losing it overnight due to a hack, server failure, or accidental deletion is terrifying. That’s why learning how to backup WordPress site manually is a critical skill for every website owner.

While automated backup plugins offer convenience, manual backups give you full control and deeper understanding of your WordPress site’s structure. In this comprehensive, beginner-friendly guide, we’ll walk you through exactly how to backup WordPress site manually—no third-party plugin required. This method works globally and ensures you’re never at the mercy of a plugin failure or limited hosting backup options.

Whether you’re a freelancer, agency, blogger, or small business owner, this manual backup tutorial will save you stress and keep your website safe.

Why You Should Learn How to Backup WordPress Site Manually

Let’s start by understanding why it’s so important to learn how to backup WordPress site manually, even if you already use a plugin.

  • Greater Control Over Backup Contents: When you know how to backup WordPress site manually, you decide what gets backed up—whether it’s only the database, only the files, or both. Plugins don’t always offer this level of flexibility.

  • Useful for Broken Sites: If your WordPress admin panel crashes or becomes inaccessible, plugins won’t help. Manual backup ensures you can still secure your data via FTP or cPanel.

  • Avoid Plugin Conflicts: Relying on plugins adds to your website’s load and increases potential compatibility issues. Manual methods eliminate such risks.

  • Perfect for Developers & Advanced Users: If you’re moving a site, cloning it, or testing on staging servers, manual backups are often the go-to method.

  • No Dependency on Hosting or Software Updates: Hosting-level auto-backups can be unreliable. Manual backups ensure that you have a copy, stored where you want.

  • Security: When you back up manually, you can store your data securely on an external drive or encrypted cloud storage—completely under your control.

  • Faster Disaster Recovery: If disaster strikes and you know how to backup WordPress site manually, you can quickly restore your files without waiting on plugin or hosting support.

  • Global Relevance: Manual backups work with any WordPress setup worldwide, regardless of hosting provider, making this a truly universal solution.

Understanding What to Back Up

Before learning how to backup WordPress site manually, you must understand which parts of your site need to be backed up.

✅ WordPress Core Files

  • These include files such as wp-config.php, .htaccess, and the core installation files that make WordPress function. Although these can be reinstalled, backing them up saves you configuration time.

  • The core files manage essential site behavior and settings. For example, your wp-config.php contains database credentials and other sensitive information.

  • If your host has modified certain files (for caching, security, etc.), manual backup ensures you keep those changes.

  • The .htaccess file manages URLs and security settings—it’s small but important.

  • Backing up core files means less reconfiguration after a crash or migration.

  • Always check for hidden files in FTP—some important config files start with a period (.)

  • Backups of these files can help troubleshoot future plugin or theme conflicts.

  • Don’t edit core files directly unless necessary—but always back them up.

✅ The wp-content Folder

  • This is the heart of your site’s design and functionality. It includes your themes, plugins, and uploads.

  • Everything you customize—theme settings, plugin configurations, images, media files—lives here.

  • If you lose this folder, your site may still function but won’t look or behave as expected.

  • Backing up this folder ensures your unique design and branding are preserved.

  • The uploads subfolder holds all your media files—images, videos, PDFs, etc.

  • The themes subfolder contains the files that define your site’s visual appearance.

  • The plugins subfolder includes all the tools and features you’ve added via plugins.

  • If you’re short on space or time, prioritize the wp-content folder when you backup WordPress site manually.

✅ The WordPress Database

  • Your WordPress database contains your posts, pages, comments, users, plugin settings, and site configurations.

  • It’s the brain behind your website, while files are the skeleton and skin.

  • Without the database, your site would be a blank slate—even if your files are intact.

  • Most databases are managed via phpMyAdmin or command-line interfaces in your hosting dashboard.

  • When you learn how to backup WordPress site manually, exporting the database is one of the most critical steps.

  • It’s typically saved as a .sql or .gz file, which can be imported later for restoration.

  • You can choose to export the entire database or selected tables if you only want content data.

  • Always ensure the exported database version is compatible with your WordPress version and PHP environment.

Tools You’ll Need to Backup WordPress Site Manually

To complete this process effectively, make sure you have access to the following tools:

✅ FTP Client (like FileZilla)

  • Allows you to access your site’s file structure even if the dashboard is broken.

  • It connects to your web hosting server using login credentials (host, username, password, port).

  • You can view, copy, download, or replace any file on the server.

  • Using FileZilla ensures you can download your WordPress files and folders safely to your computer.

  • It offers better error handling and logging than browser-based file managers.

  • You can queue multiple files for backup and track large backups in real time.

  • It’s free, lightweight, and runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux.

  • Once you understand FTP, you’re one step closer to mastering how to backup WordPress site manually.

✅ Hosting Panel Access (like cPanel or DirectAdmin)

  • Your hosting control panel provides access to phpMyAdmin for database exports.

  • You can also compress your entire WordPress site folder into a .zip and download it from File Manager.

  • Most hosts allow one-click access to both File Manager and phpMyAdmin from the main dashboard.

  • If you’re not using cPanel, you can still backup your database using alternative admin tools.

  • Some panels offer integrated database and file backup tools.

  • It’s a safer, faster option than FTP when you’re dealing with lots of small files.

  • Great for beginners who are not comfortable with external software.

  • With hosting panel access, it becomes significantly easier to learn how to backup WordPress site manually.

How to Backup WordPress Site Manually – Step-by-Step Guide

Now that you understand the components and tools, here’s how to backup WordPress site manually without relying on any plugin.

✅ Step 1: Connect to Your Website via FTP

  • Open your preferred FTP client (e.g., FileZilla) and connect using the FTP/SFTP login credentials provided by your host.

  • Once connected, locate the public_html or www directory—this is usually where WordPress is installed.

  • Highlight all the folders and files inside, including:

    • wp-content, wp-includes, wp-admin

    • Key root files like index.php, .htaccess, wp-config.php, and robots.txt

  • Right-click and choose Download to begin copying the site files to your local machine.

  • It may take several minutes or hours depending on your site’s size, especially media-heavy sites.

  • Keep the folder structure intact; this will make restoration easier later.

  • Once downloaded, optionally compress the backup into a .zip archive for storage or transfer.

  • Congratulations! You’ve completed the first part of how to backup WordPress site manually.

✅ Step 2: Export the WordPress Database Using phpMyAdmin

  • Log in to your hosting control panel (e.g., cPanel) and find phpMyAdmin under the “Databases” section.

  • Inside phpMyAdmin, select your site’s database from the left-hand sidebar.

  • Click the Export tab at the top menu.

  • Choose the Quick export method and select SQL format.

  • Click Go to download your .sql backup file to your computer.

  • For larger sites or multisite installations, consider using the Custom method to compress the SQL file or exclude unnecessary tables.

  • If your host doesn’t offer phpMyAdmin, you can use command-line tools like mysqldump, but this is more advanced.

  • Always store your database file securely; it contains login credentials and sensitive data.

✅ Step 3: Securely Store Your Manual Backups

  • After you backup WordPress site manually, don’t leave the files lying around on your desktop.

  • Store backups in multiple locations:

    • Cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive)

    • External hard drives or USB devices

    • Secure file servers

  • Use password protection or encryption tools like VeraCrypt or 7-Zip for sensitive backups.

  • Name your backup files clearly, e.g., site-backup-july-2025.zip, and keep a version history.

  • Set a calendar reminder to manually backup at least once a week—or before making major site changes.

  • Avoid emailing backups without encryption; email is not secure.

  • Regular storage hygiene ensures that when you need to restore, you’ll have reliable copies available.

How to Restore WordPress Site from Manual Backup

Backing up your site manually is just half the battle. If things go wrong, you also need to know how to restore from that backup.

✅ Restore Files via FTP

  • Connect to your site via FTP or File Manager.

  • Navigate to the root folder and delete all existing files, especially if the site is broken.

  • Upload the previously backed-up files to the server, maintaining the original structure.

  • This will restore your themes, plugins, uploads, and core WordPress files.

  • Check the file permissions after upload (755 for folders, 644 for files).

  • Clear your browser cache and WordPress cache plugins (if still active).

  • If you had custom .htaccess rules or special configurations, make sure they are re-applied.

  • Once uploaded, move on to restoring your database.

✅ Restore the WordPress Database via phpMyAdmin

  • Go to phpMyAdmin and select your site’s database.

  • Either:

    • Drop all existing tables, then import your SQL file, or

    • Create a new database and update wp-config.php with the new DB name, username, and password.

  • Click on Import, choose your .sql file, and hit Go.

  • The process may take a minute. After success, check for any error messages.

  • Visit your domain. If you see the site restored successfully, you’re done!

  • If errors occur, double-check the database table prefix (wp_ by default) and ensure it matches your configuration file.

  • Now you’ve completed how to backup WordPress site manually and restore it like a pro.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: How often should I backup my WordPress site manually?

A: Ideally, at least once a week or before any major updates. Sites with frequent content changes should consider backing up daily.

Q2: Is it safe to only backup the database?

A: No. The database holds your content, but not themes, plugins, or images. Always back up both the database and the wp-content folder.

Q3: Can I use manual backup instead of plugins permanently?

A: Yes, if you’re comfortable with FTP and phpMyAdmin. Manual backups offer more control and reduce plugin dependency.

Q4: What should I do if my backup file is too large to upload during restoration?

A: Compress large files into .zip or .tar.gz formats and upload them via File Manager. Alternatively, split the file or use command-line restoration.

Q5: Will manual backup help if my WordPress site gets hacked?

A: Absolutely. A clean, offline manual backup allows you to restore a safe version and remove any infected or compromised files.

Q6: Can I restore a backup to a different domain or host?

A: Yes. You’ll just need to update the database URLs using tools like Better Search Replace after importing to the new server.

Q7: Does cPanel offer an easier backup alternative?

A: Yes. cPanel often provides full-site backup options, but knowing how to backup WordPress site manually gives you independence if those tools are unavailable.

Q8: What’s the risk if I never backup my WordPress site manually or otherwise?

A: High. You risk losing your site due to malware, accidental deletion, server failure, or corrupted plugins/themes—with no way to recover it.

Final Thoughts: Why You Should Learn How to Backup WordPress Site Manually

In today’s digital world, website data is one of your most valuable assets. Relying solely on plugins or hosting services to protect that data is risky. Knowing how to backup WordPress site manually empowers you to take full control of your website’s safety.

Whether you’re a developer, freelancer, or small business owner, mastering manual backup ensures that no plugin error, server crash, or hacker attack can destroy what you’ve built. And when disaster strikes, you’ll know exactly how to bounce back—fast.

✅ Ready to Take Control?

Don’t wait for a crash to learn how to backup WordPress site manually.
Follow the steps above today and store your backup in a safe location.
Bonus Tip: Set a calendar reminder every Friday—your future self will thank you.

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