1. cPanel & WHM Documentation
  2. cPanel
  3. Files
  4. Backup Wizard
backups cpanelui restore

Backup Wizard

Valid for versions 84 through the latest version

Version:

84

Last modified: November 5, 2024

Looking for this interface?
Note:

Your hosting provider can enable or disable this interface in WHM's Feature Manager interface (WHM >> Home >> Packages >> Feature Manager).

Important:

This feature only appears if your hosting provider’s server profile enables it.

Overview

The Backup Wizard interface allows you to back up all or part of your website, or to restore it from the most recent partial backup file.

Note:
  • Experienced users may prefer to use the Backup interface (cPanel » Home » Files » Backup).
  • The system stores backup files as tarballs that use the .tar.gz file extension. For more information about what backup files contain, read our Backup Tarball Contents documentation.
  • You cannot automatically restore a full backup file in cPanel. This function is only available in WHM. To automatically restore a full backup file, contact your hosting provider.

Back Up

You can choose to create a full backup file or a partial backup file.

Important:
  • To manually restore your public_html folder from a full backup file, uncompress the tar.gz file, retrieve the files in the /homedir directory’s public_html folder, and upload them to your account’s public_html folder with cPanel’s File Manager interface (cPanel » Home » Files » File Manager).
  • The backup process for an account near or over its quota may fail because the system cannot write necessary files, such as a database lock file.

Create a full backup

To create a full backup file, perform the following steps:

  1. From the main Backup Wizard interface, click Back Up. The Full or Partial Backup section of the interface will appear.
  2. Click Full Backup. The Download section of the interface will appear.
  3. Select one of the following destinations from the Backup Destination menu:
    • Home Directory — Select this setting to save the backup file on the server. The server saves the file in the home/username directory.
    • Remote FTP Server — Select this setting to use FTP to store the backup file on a remote server.
    • Remote FTP Server (passive mode transfer) — Select this setting to use passive FTP to store the backup file on a remote server.
    • Secure Copy (SCP) — Select this setting to use SCP to store the backup file on a remote server.
      Important:

      Only advanced users should select the Remote FTP Server, Remote FTP Server (passive mode transfer), or SCP destination settings.

  4. Perform one of the following actions to configure notifications for this backup file:
    • To receive a notification when the backup process finishes, enter your email address in the Email Address text box.
    • To disable notifications, select the Do not send email notification of backup completion. checkbox.
  5. If you selected the Remote FTP Server, Remote FTP Server (passive mode transfer), or Secure Copy (SCP) destinations, enter the remote destination’s information in the available text boxes.
  6. Click Generate Backup. A confirmation message will appear. Click Go Back to return to the Download section of the interface.
Note:

If you selected the Home Directory setting in step 3, click the filename in the Download section of the interface to download the backup file.

  • The backup file is in backup-MM-DD-YYYY format, where MM is the month, DD is the date, and YYYY is the four-digit year.
  • The system stores full backup files as tarballs that use the .tar.gz file extension.

Create a partial backup

To back up a portion of your site, perform the following steps:

  1. From the main Backup Wizard interface, click Back Up. The Full or Partial Backup section of the interface will appear.
  2. Select which portion of your website that you wish to back up. The Download section of the interface will appear.
  3. Click the desired backup file to download it.
Note:

When you create a partial backup, the backup type determines the backup file’s extension.

  • Home Directory — *.tar.gz.
  • Email Forwarders & Filters — *.net, *.com
  • MySQL Databases — *.sql

Restore

To restore a portion of your site from an existing backup, perform the following steps:

  1. Click Restore. The Select Restore Type section of the interface will appear.
  2. Select which portion of your website that you wish to restore. The Restore section of the interface will appear.
  3. Click Choose File and select the desired backup file.
    Remember:

    The backup file’s extension depends on the portion of your site that you backed up.

  4. Click Upload to begin the restoration process.

Home Directory backup file contents

When you back up your /home directory, the backup file includes the following files:

  • All of the files that you own. This includes your public_html files, and any email for the domains that belong to your account.
  • Files that you do not own, but can access.
    Note:

    Backup files do not include files from your /home directory that you do not own and cannot access.

To exclude certain files and directories from a backup file, place a configuration file in your home directory. For more information, read our How to Exclude Files From Backups documentation.

Additional Documentation