How to Back Up Your Website
Overview
Regular backups give you a way to recover your website if something goes wrong.
A backup can be useful before:
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WordPress updates
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Plugin or theme changes
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PHP version changes
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Website migrations
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Major configuration changes
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Database changes
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Large content updates
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Troubleshooting potentially destructive problems
Have Freedom Hosting may provide backup and restoration options depending on your hosting plan and account configuration. You can also create your own backups using the tools available in cPanel or your website's software.
This guide explains the general process and the different types of backups you may want to keep.
Before You Begin
Before creating a backup, determine what you actually need to protect.
For a typical website, this may include:
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Website files
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Databases
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Uploaded images and media
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WordPress files
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Configuration files
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Email
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Other important hosting data
For WordPress specifically, remember that the website consists primarily of files and a database.
Backing up only one does not necessarily give you a complete WordPress backup.
Use Your Hosting Backup System When Available
If your Have Freedom Hosting plan includes a backup system, use the provided backup and restoration tools whenever practical.
The exact options available can vary by hosting plan and server configuration.
Depending on the system available to you, you may be able to:
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Create backups.
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Download backups.
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View existing backup points.
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Restore files.
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Restore databases.
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Restore other account data.
Before relying on a backup system, understand what it includes and how long backups are retained.
Backing Up Your Website Files
Your website files can be backed up by downloading a copy of the website's files.
For a primary domain, website files are commonly located in:
public_html/
However, additional domains and subdomains may use different document roots.
You can identify your website's document root through:
cPanel → Domains
Backing Up Files Using File Manager
For smaller websites, cPanel's File Manager can be a convenient way to create a copy of your website files.
Open:
cPanel → Files → File Manager
Navigate to the document root of the website you want to back up.
For a typical primary website, this may be:
public_html/
You can then create an archive of the website files.
A ZIP archive is often convenient because it keeps many files and folders together in a single file.
After creating the archive, download it to your computer or another secure location.
Why Download the Backup?
Keeping a backup only inside your hosting account provides limited protection.
If something happens to the hosting account itself, the backup stored there could potentially be affected too.
For important websites, consider keeping an additional copy somewhere separate from your hosting account.
For example:
Website
↓
Hosting Backup
↓
Separate Local or External Backup
The goal is to avoid having a single point of failure.
Backing Up a WordPress Database
WordPress stores much of its important content in a database.
This includes information such as:
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Posts
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Pages
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Users
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Settings
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Comments
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Plugin data
You can access database management through:
cPanel → Databases → phpMyAdmin
Before working with a database, make sure you know which database belongs to the website you are backing up.
Exporting a Database With phpMyAdmin
To create a database backup:
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Open phpMyAdmin.
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Select the database used by your website.
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Choose the database export option.
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Use the available export settings.
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Start the export.
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Save the resulting file somewhere secure.
The exact phpMyAdmin interface may vary slightly depending on the version installed on the server.
For a normal WordPress database backup, the default export options are often sufficient.
How to Find Your WordPress Database
If you aren't sure which database your WordPress installation uses, don't guess.
WordPress normally stores its database information in its configuration file:
wp-config.php
This file is normally located in the WordPress installation directory.
The database name and username listed there can help identify the correct database.
Be careful when viewing or editing this file because it can contain sensitive configuration information.
Backing Up WordPress Completely
For a complete WordPress backup, you generally want both:
WordPress Files
+
WordPress Database
The files provide things such as:
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WordPress core
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Plugins
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Themes
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Media
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Configuration
The database provides things such as:
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Posts
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Pages
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Users
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Settings
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Other stored website data
Keeping both allows you to recreate a much more complete snapshot of the website.
Backing Up Email
If your hosting account also provides email, determine whether your backup system includes mailboxes and messages.
Website files and WordPress databases are not the same thing as email data.
If your email is particularly important, consider maintaining an appropriate separate archive or backup in addition to your hosting backup system.
Do not assume that backing up public_html also backs up your email.
Backing Up DNS
DNS records are also separate from your website files.
If DNS is managed through cPanel, you can review your records through:
cPanel → Domains → Zone Editor
Your DNS may contain important records for:
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Websites
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Email
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Subdomains
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Domain verification
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Third-party services
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Other applications
If your DNS is managed by your registrar or another DNS provider, those records may need to be backed up separately.
Create a Backup Before Major Changes
Before making a significant change to your website, consider creating a fresh backup.
Examples include:
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Updating WordPress.
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Installing a major plugin.
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Changing themes.
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Changing PHP versions.
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Migrating a website.
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Modifying database content.
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Changing
.htaccess. -
Performing large file operations.
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Making major website configuration changes.
A backup taken immediately before the change gives you a useful recovery point if something goes wrong.
Label Your Backups
Good organization makes backups much easier to use later.
Instead of keeping files with names such as:
backup.zip
backup2.zip
backup-final.zip
backup-final-final.zip
use descriptive names containing the website and date.
For example:
example.com-2026-10-06-files.zip
example.com-2026-10-06-database.sql
If you create backups before major changes, you can also describe what the backup was taken before:
example.com-before-wordpress-update-2026-10-06.zip
Keep More Than One Backup
Whenever practical, keep multiple backup points.
For example:
Current
↓
Recent Backup
↓
Older Backup
↓
Longer-Term Backup
This gives you more options if you discover that a problem existed before your most recent backup.
The appropriate number of backups depends on how important and frequently changing your website is.
Protect Your Backups
Backups can contain sensitive information.
They may include:
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Customer information
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Website credentials
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Database contents
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Private files
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Configuration information
Treat backups as sensitive data.
Do not:
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Leave them publicly accessible.
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Upload them to a public website directory.
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Share them unnecessarily.
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Store passwords alongside them.
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Give unknown people access to them.
If a backup contains sensitive information, protect it appropriately.
Test Your Backups
Creating a backup isn't enough.
You should also know that the backup can actually be used.
For important websites, periodically verify that:
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The backup file exists.
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The file can be opened.
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The database backup can be imported if necessary.
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The website files are present.
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The backup contains the information you expect.
For critical websites, testing an actual restoration process is even better.
A backup that has never been tested should not automatically be considered a reliable recovery plan.
Common Backup Problems
"My Backup Is Too Large"
Large websites can produce large backup files.
Consider whether you actually need every file and whether your hosting plan provides a dedicated backup system.
You may also need to download the backup in stages or use a backup tool designed for larger websites.
"I Backed Up the Files, but My WordPress Content Is Missing"
Your WordPress database may not have been included.
Remember:
Files ≠ Database
A complete WordPress backup generally needs both.
"I Can't Find My Database"
Don't guess which database belongs to the website.
Check the WordPress configuration or contact Have Freedom Hosting Support if you need help identifying it.
"I Created a Backup, but It's Still on My Hosting Account"
That's better than having no backup, but it isn't ideal as your only copy.
Download important backups or maintain another independent copy when practical.
"My Backup Was Created After the Problem Started"
That backup may contain the same problem.
When recovering from an incident, identify when the problem first appeared and choose a backup from before that point.
A Simple Backup Routine
For a typical website:
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Determine what needs to be backed up.
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Check whether your hosting plan provides backups.
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Back up website files.
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Back up the database if your website uses one.
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Account for email and DNS separately when necessary.
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Keep an additional copy of important backups.
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Label backups with the website and date.
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Create a fresh backup before major changes.
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Periodically verify that backups are usable.
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Remove old backups only when you're sure they are no longer needed.
Need Help?
If you're unsure how to back up your website or what needs to be included, contact Have Freedom Hosting Support.
When asking for assistance, provide:
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Your domain.
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What type of website you're running.
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Whether you're trying to back up files, a database, email, or everything.
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What you intend to do with the backup.
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Any error messages you're receiving.
Never include your passwords or authentication codes in a support ticket.
A good backup strategy doesn't have to be complicated. The most important thing is to make sure you have a usable copy of the information you would need if your website suddenly stopped working.
