How to Back Up Your Website in cPanel

Estimated reading: 4 minutes

Keeping a recent backup of your website is the fastest way to recover from mistakes, malware, failed updates, or accidental file deletion. This guide shows how to create and download backups using cPanel on Veerhost.

What you’ll back up

A typical website has two main parts:

  • Website files: themes, plugins, uploads, HTML/PHP files (usually inside public_html)
  • Database(s): your site content/settings (common for WordPress, Joomla, Laravel, etc.)

For a complete backup, you should save both.

Before you start (quick checklist)

  • Make sure you have enough disk space in your hosting account to generate the backup.
  • Use a stable connection if you’ll download large files.
  • Store backups in at least two places (example: your PC + cloud storage).

Option A: Back up using cPanel “Backup Wizard” (recommended for most users)

Step 1: Open Backup Wizard

  1. Log in to cPanel.
  2. Go to Files → Backup Wizard.

Step 2: Create a backup

  1. Click Back Up.
  2. Choose one:
    • Full Backup (best for moving accounts or full recovery)
    • Partial Backup (Home Directory / Databases / Email filters & forwarders)

Step 3: Download your backup

  • If you selected Full Backup:
    • Choose Home Directory as the destination (simple and common).
    • (Optional) Enter your email to receive a notification when the backup is ready.
    • Click Generate Backup.
    • Once completed, go back to Backup Wizard → Back Up → Full Backup and download the file.
  • If you selected Partial Backup:
    • Download Home Directory backup and export your database(s) (see below), or download from the same wizard if available.

What you’ll get

  • Full backup usually produces a single archive file (big).
  • Partial backups are separate downloads (files and databases separately).

Option B: Back up using cPanel “Backup” (more control)

Step 1: Open Backup

  1. In cPanel, go to Files → Backup.

Step 2: Download a Home Directory backup (website files)

  • Under Partial Backups, click Home Directory to download.

Step 3: Download your database backup

  • Under Download a MySQL Database Backup
    • Click the database name to download a .sql file (often compressed).

Tip: If you’re unsure which database your WordPress site uses, check public_html/wp-config.php and look for DB_NAME.

Option C: Manual backup (advanced / useful when you want specific folders)

1) Download website files via File Manager

  1. Go to Files → File Manager.
  2. Open public_html (or your domain’s folder).
  3. Select your site files/folders.
  4. Click Compress (ZIP is easiest).
  5. Download the generated .zip to your computer.

2) Export database via phpMyAdmin

  1. Go to Databases → phpMyAdmin.
  2. Select your database from the left sidebar.
  3. Click Export.
  4. Choose Quick (or Custom for more options).
  5. Format: SQL
  6. Click Go to download the .sql file.

Where to store your backups (best practice)

Never keep your only backup inside the same hosting account.

Good storage options:

  • Your computer + an external drive
  • Google Drive / OneDrive / Dropbox
  • A secure cloud backup vault

Suggested schedule:

  • Blogs / frequently updated sites: daily or weekly
  • Brochure sites: weekly or before changes
  • Always take a backup before updates/migrations

How to restore a backup (important notes)

Restoring website files

  • Upload your .zip to public_html via File Manager.
  • Extract it.
  • Make sure file structure is correct (you should see wp-content, index.php, etc. inside public_html).

Restoring a database

  1. Create a database + user in MySQL Database Wizard (if needed).
  2. Open phpMyAdmin and select the target database.
  3. Go to Import.
  4. Upload your .sql file and start import.
  5. Update your site config file if database name/user/password changed:
    • WordPress: wp-config.php

Restoring a Full cPanel backup

On many hosts, full-account restores may require support or specific tools (because it can include account settings). If your cPanel doesn’t provide a self-restore option for full backups, you can still use it for migration or ask Veerhost support to restore it for you.

Troubleshooting

“Backup generation failed” / “Not enough disk space”

  • Delete old backups you don’t need.
  • Clear large logs or unused files.
  • Generate partial backups instead of full.

Download is slow or fails

  • Try downloading at off-peak times.
  • Use a download manager.
  • Create smaller backups (compress only public_html instead of entire home directory).

Site works but media/images are missing after restore

  • wp-content/uploads might not have restored correctly.
  • Confirm permissions and folder structure under public_html.

FAQ

Do I need both files and database?
For most CMS sites (WordPress/Joomla), yes. Files alone are not enough.

How often should I back up?
At least weekly, and always before major changes/updates.

Can I automate backups?
Some cPanel setups include backup plugins/tools (like JetBackup) or allow cron-based scripts. If your Veerhost plan includes automated backups, use those plus your own offsite backups for extra safety.

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