How to Restore WordPress Site from Backup – Complete 2025 Guide

Imagine waking up to find your WordPress website hacked, broken after a plugin update, or accidentally deleted by your client. A nightmare, right? But if you’ve taken regular backups, there’s good news—you can restore WordPress site from backup and get your website back online in no time.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know to restore WordPress site from backup. Whether you’re using a plugin, hosting backup service, or a manual method, this article is your go-to resource. It is especially written for international WordPress users seeking a professional, readable, and reliable step-by-step guide to recovery.

Let’s dive into how to restore WordPress site from backup safely and confidently in 2025.

Why You Might Need to Restore WordPress Site from Backup

Before learning the steps, let’s explore common reasons that make it necessary to restore WordPress site from backup.

  • Website Hacked or Compromised: One of the most common reasons to restore WordPress site from backup is due to hacking incidents. Cyberattacks can inject malicious scripts, redirect users, or lock you out entirely. A clean backup lets you reverse the damage instantly.

  • Plugin or Theme Conflict: Updates are essential, but sometimes new plugins or theme changes break your site. Restoring your site from a previous working state avoids extended downtime or coding fixes.

  • Accidental Deletion: Maybe a team member or freelancer deleted important content or settings unintentionally. Restoring from backup is often faster and safer than trying to manually fix the mess.

  • Failed Update or Migration: Sometimes WordPress updates or hosting migrations go wrong. A backup gives you a secure point to roll back to, avoiding potential data loss or downtime.

  • Server Crash or Hosting Issues: If your hosting provider has technical problems or server failures, a backup can help you restore your entire site on another server quickly.

  • Malware Infection: When malware or viruses affect your site, cleaning everything manually may not work. The safest fix is to restore WordPress site from backup.

  • Testing Gone Wrong: Developers often test changes on a live site. When tests fail, restoring ensures you don’t lose functionality or data.

  • Peace of Mind: Even if you never need to restore WordPress site from backup, knowing you can adds incredible peace of mind.

Understanding Backup Types Before You Restore WordPress Site from Backup

Knowing what kind of backup you have is essential before you begin the process to restore WordPress site from backup.

  • Full Site Backup: Includes WordPress core files, themes, plugins, uploads, and database. This is the most complete backup and the easiest to restore.

  • Database Backup Only: Saves your posts, settings, users, and content, but not the actual files like themes or plugins. Suitable for restoring content only.

  • File Backup Only: Backs up your wp-content folder, theme files, uploads, etc., but not the database. Useful for design restoration but not content recovery.

  • Manual Backups: These are created via FTP and phpMyAdmin. Good for advanced users who understand WordPress file and database structure.

  • Plugin-Based Backups: Created using tools like UpdraftPlus, Duplicator, or All-in-One WP Migration. Ideal for beginners and intermediate users.

  • Hosting Provider Backups: Many hosts like SiteGround, Kinsta, or Bluehost offer automatic daily backups that you can restore with a few clicks.

Method 1: Restore WordPress Site from Backup Using a Plugin

Plugins offer the easiest and safest way to restore WordPress site from backup—especially if you’ve used the same plugin to create the backup.

✅ Using UpdraftPlus to Restore WordPress Site from Backup

  • Step-by-step Interface: UpdraftPlus provides a simple restoration interface within your WordPress dashboard. You can easily access previous backups and restore components like the database, plugins, themes, uploads, or everything at once.

  • One-Click Restoration: Once you upload or select your backup files, UpdraftPlus performs the restoration in one click. It also handles serialized data in the database to avoid issues.

  • Remote Storage Support: If your backups are stored in Dropbox, Google Drive, or Amazon S3, UpdraftPlus fetches them directly—no need to upload manually.

  • Security Checks: Before restoring, the plugin verifies file integrity to ensure the backup isn’t corrupted or incomplete.

  • Selective Restoration: You can restore only what’s needed—helpful if a plugin broke your site but the rest is fine.

  • Multisite Compatibility: UpdraftPlus also supports multisite restorations with its premium version.

  • Rollback Option: If something goes wrong, the plugin creates a temporary backup before restoring—so you can undo the process.

  • User Friendly: Even non-tech users can restore WordPress site from backup with UpdraftPlus without external tools.

✅ Using All-in-One WP Migration to Restore WordPress Site from Backup

  • Drag-and-Drop Restoration: Import the .wpress backup file directly in the WordPress admin area and restore your entire site effortlessly.

  • Browser-Based UI: The plugin operates completely in-browser, eliminating the need for FTP or server access.

  • Complete Migration Tool: It backs up and restores everything—database, files, media, themes, and plugins—making it perfect for site moves.

  • Zero Technical Knowledge Needed: The clean UI is ideal for beginners who just want to upload and click ‘Restore.’

  • Unlimited File Size (Pro): The paid version allows you to restore large sites with no upload limits.

  • Error Detection: If a backup file is corrupted or incomplete, the plugin alerts you before initiating the restore.

  • Staging Compatibility: All-in-One WP Migration also supports staging sites for testing before full restoration.

  • Great for Cloning Sites: You can use the same method to clone a site to a new server—adding another reason to use it to restore WordPress site from backup.

️ Method 2: Restore WordPress Site from Backup via Hosting Panel

Most managed WordPress hosting providers offer built-in tools to restore WordPress site from backup with just a few clicks.

✅ Using SiteGround Backup Tool

  • Daily Automatic Backups: SiteGround stores 30 days of backups for every site, making it easy to revert even if you forget to take manual ones.

  • One-Click Restoration: Access Site Tools > Security > Backups and select the restore point. Click ‘Restore All Files and Database’ and you’re done.

  • Granular Restoration Options: Choose to restore only files, only database, or both, depending on your issue.

  • Instant Recovery: The process is fast and doesn’t require you to install or configure anything.

  • Support Assistance: SiteGround’s support can help with restorations if needed, ensuring peace of mind.

  • Safe Environment: Backups are stored offsite, so even if your site is hacked, you can restore WordPress site from backup safely.

  • Great for Beginners: Even if you’ve never touched cPanel or FTP, SiteGround makes the process intuitive.

  • No Plugin Required: Everything happens server-side—no dependency on WordPress working correctly.

✅ Restoring from Bluehost or Hostinger

  • Access Hosting Dashboard: Log in to your hosting panel and navigate to the backup section.

  • Select Backup Point: Choose from available restore points and decide what parts of the site you want to recover.

  • Click Restore: Confirm your selection and let the system handle the rest.

  • Hosting-Specific Features: Different hosts offer unique restoration workflows, so check your provider’s documentation.

  • Useful for Crashed Sites: Even if your WordPress dashboard is inaccessible, host-level restoration can save the day.

  • Scheduled Backups: Hosting providers typically automate backups, so you won’t have to rely on manual efforts.

  • Supports Full Site Recovery: Ideal for recovering both frontend and backend functionality.

  • Integrated Monitoring: Some hosts even offer malware detection along with restoration options.

Method 3: Manually Restore WordPress Site from Backup

If you prefer control—or your WordPress dashboard is inaccessible—you can manually restore WordPress site from backup using FTP and phpMyAdmin.

✅ Restoring Files via FTP

  • Use FTP Client: Connect to your server using FileZilla or another FTP client. Navigate to your root directory (often public_html).

  • Upload Backup Files: Replace the current wp-content folder with your backed-up wp-content folder. This includes themes, plugins, and uploads.

  • Overwrite Carefully: Make sure you don’t overwrite essential WordPress core files unless needed.

  • Maintain File Permissions: After uploading, confirm the correct permissions (755 for folders, 644 for files) to avoid access errors.

  • Backup Existing Files: Always back up the current version before overwriting anything, even during restoration.

  • Database Compatibility: Ensure the file versions match your backup database structure to avoid errors.

  • Slow but Secure: Manual restoration takes longer but gives you total control over what gets restored.

  • Best for Developers: Recommended for advanced users comfortable with file structure and server settings.

✅ Restoring the Database via phpMyAdmin

  • Access Hosting Control Panel: Locate the phpMyAdmin tool in your hosting dashboard.

  • Select the Correct Database: Choose your WordPress database from the left-hand menu.

  • Import SQL File: Click the ‘Import’ tab, upload your .sql file, and click ‘Go’ to restore the database.

  • Wipe Existing Data First (Optional): You may choose to drop all tables before import to avoid duplication issues.

  • Handle Prefix Matching: Ensure the database table prefix (e.g., wp_) matches your wp-config.php configuration.

  • Watch for Errors: If any table fails to import, review the error message for guidance.

  • Update wp-config.php: If you moved hosts or changed database names, update your credentials in wp-config.php.

  • Combine With FTP Method: To restore WordPress site from backup fully, combine database and file restoration.

Pro Tips for Successful Restoration

Even if you know how to restore WordPress site from backup, these tips can improve your results and prevent additional headaches:

  • Always Backup Before Restoring: Yes, even when restoring from a backup, create a new backup of the current state.

  • Test in a Staging Environment: If possible, test your restoration on a staging server before pushing live.

  • Match Versions: Ensure the WordPress core, plugin, and PHP versions match those used when the backup was created.

  • Check URLs After Restoration: Use tools like Better Search Replace to update URLs or file paths if migrating to a different domain.

  • Clear Cache and CDN: After restoration, purge cache plugins and CDN content (e.g., Cloudflare) to avoid outdated displays.

  • Monitor Site Performance: Use uptime and performance monitoring tools post-restoration to ensure everything works.

  • Enable Maintenance Mode: If restoring a live site, enable maintenance mode to prevent visitors from encountering errors.

  • Document the Process: Keep a log of restoration dates, methods, and backup file names for future reference.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: How long does it take to restore WordPress site from backup?
A: It depends on the method and size of your site. Plugin-based restorations usually take 10–30 minutes. Manual methods can take longer.

Q2: Can I restore WordPress site from backup without access to the dashboard?
A: Yes. You can use hosting backups, FTP, or phpMyAdmin if your dashboard is inaccessible.

Q3: Do I need to deactivate plugins before restoring?
A: Not necessarily, but it’s a good idea to disable security or caching plugins temporarily to prevent conflicts during restoration.

Q4: Will restoring a backup affect my SEO?
A: If URLs, structure, and content remain unchanged, SEO will not be impacted. However, broken links or downtime may affect rankings.

Q5: What’s the safest plugin to restore WordPress site from backup?
A: UpdraftPlus, Duplicator Pro, and All-in-One WP Migration are top choices trusted by professionals.

Q6: Can I restore only a part of my WordPress site (e.g., just the database)?
A: Yes. Most backup plugins and manual methods allow partial restoration of specific components.

Q7: Is it safe to use free backup plugins?
A: Yes, if the plugin is regularly updated and has strong community support. Always test first and keep a manual copy.

Q8: What happens if the backup is corrupted?
A: You’ll need to try an earlier backup or contact your host for server-level restoration options.

Final Thoughts: Restore WordPress Site from Backup with Confidence

Learning to restore WordPress site from backup is not just a skill—it’s a necessity in today’s digital landscape. From malware attacks to accidental deletions, having a recovery plan in place ensures that your website stays online, secure, and successful.

Whether you choose plugin-based tools, your hosting dashboard, or manual restoration methods, the goal is clear: restore WordPress site from backup as quickly and safely as possible. Don’t wait for disaster to strike. Set up a regular backup schedule, learn your restoration method, and be prepared.

Ready to restore WordPress site from backup today?
Take action now—test your backup method, create a new restore point, and ensure your recovery process works smoothly.
Need help or have questions? Drop them in the comments or reach out to your hosting provider.
Stay proactive. Stay protected. Your WordPress site deserves it.