How to Backup Website in cPanel: Full, Files and Database Guide

A website can break in many ways: a plugin update goes wrong, someone deletes the wrong folder, a password is stolen, or malware changes your files overnight. When that happens, the only thing that matters is whether you have a recent, working backup. This guide shows you how to backup website in cPanel step by step — a full backup, a home directory backup, your MySQL databases through phpMyAdmin, and the JetBackup tool if your host provides it — plus how to restore and where to store copies safely using the 3-2-1 rule.

Why you should not rely only on your host's backups

Many hosting providers, including us, take regular server backups. These are an important safety net, but you should still keep your own copies because:

• host backups are kept for a limited number of days, and you may notice a problem only after that window;
• a backup stored on the same server or provider shares some of the same risks;
• before a big change — a redesign, a theme switch, a move to new hosting — you want a copy you control;
• if you ever change providers, having your own complete backup makes the move simple.

What a website backup contains

Most websites have two parts, and a complete backup needs both:

Method 1: Full account backup in cPanel

A full backup is a single compressed file containing your home directory, databases, email accounts and most account settings. It is the best option before moving to another host.

1. Log in to cPanel and open Backup (in the Files section).
2. Under Full Backup, click Download a Full Account Backup.
3. Choose Home Directory as the backup destination, enter your email address to be notified, and click Generate Backup.
4. Wait for the email or refresh the page. Large sites can take some time.
5. Download the finished .tar.gz file to your computer, then delete it from the server so it does not use your disk space or sit in a public folder.

Note: on many shared hosting plans, a full backup can only be restored by the hosting provider. If you need to restore one, contact support.

Method 2: Partial backups (home directory and databases)

Partial backups are smaller and easier to restore yourself. In the same Backup page:

1. Under Partial Backups, click Home Directory to download a compressed copy of all your files.
2. Under Download a MySQL Database Backup, click each database name to download a .sql.gz file.
3. Optionally download Email Forwarders and Email Filters if you use them.

Store the home directory and database files together, in a folder named with the date, for example backup-2026-10-20.

Method 3: Export a database with phpMyAdmin

phpMyAdmin gives you more control, which is useful for very large databases or when you want a plain .sql file.

1. In cPanel, open phpMyAdmin (Databases section).
2. Select your database from the left side. If you are not sure which one your site uses, check your site's configuration file — for WordPress it is wp-config.php, for Laravel it is the .env file.
3. Click the Export tab.
4. Choose Quick and format SQL, then click Export (or Go).
5. Save the downloaded file with your other backup files.

If the export times out on a large database, use the Custom option with compression enabled, or use the database download in the Backup page instead.

Method 4: JetBackup (if your host offers it)

Some hosts include JetBackup or a similar tool in cPanel. If you see it in your cPanel, it usually lets you browse previous automatic backups and restore files, databases, email or a full account with a few clicks — without downloading anything.

• open JetBackup and choose the type of restore (files, databases, email and so on);
• pick the backup date you want;
• select the items and click Restore, or Download if you want your own copy.

The exact menus and how many days of backups are available depend on your hosting provider's setup, so check with your host. Even with JetBackup, it is wise to download your own copy before major changes.

How to restore your website

Restoring files

1. In Backup, under Restore a Home Directory Backup, choose your home directory backup file and upload it. This overwrites existing files with those in the backup.
2. For a few files only, use File Manager to upload and extract the needed files, or restore a single folder.

Restoring a database

1. In Backup, under Restore a MySQL Database Backup, upload your .sql.gz file, or
2. Open phpMyAdmin, select the (empty or old) database, go to Import, choose your .sql file and click Import (or Go).

After restoring, open your website and check the homepage, a few inner pages, the admin login, forms and any online payment or order features.

The 3-2-1 backup rule

A single backup can fail exactly when you need it. The 3-2-1 rule is a simple way to stay safe:

• 3 copies of your data (the live site plus two backups);
• 2 different types of storage (for example, your computer and a cloud drive);
• 1 copy kept off-site — away from your hosting server and your office.

For a small business this can be as simple as: the hosting server's own backups, a copy on your office computer or external drive, and a copy in Google Drive or another cloud storage account.

How often should you back up?

Common backup mistakes

• Leaving backup files inside public_html, where anyone who guesses the file name could download them;
• Backing up files but forgetting the database (or the other way round);
• Never testing a restore until there is an emergency;
• Keeping only one copy, on the same server;
• Not labelling backups with dates, so you do not know which is the latest working one.

Frequently asked questions

Want backups handled for you? Our website maintenance service includes regular backups and checks, and our hosting plans come with daily server backups. Contact us if you need help restoring a site.