Creating regular backups is one of the most critical tasks for maintaining your website. Backups protect you in case of accidental changes, server crashes, hacks, or expired hosting.

🎯 What You’ll Learn

• Why backups are essential

• How to set up automatic backups

• How to back up your website manually

• How to connect backups to external storage like Google Drive

🧠 Why Backups Matter

If your website breaks or is hacked, restoring from a clean backup is often faster and safer than trying to fix broken or infected code.

💬 “The first thing I’ll ask you for if your website breaks is—where’s your backup?”

🔧 Tool Used: UpdraftPlus Plugin

This is a free and popular backup plugin for WordPress.

🛠️ How to Set Up Backups (Step-by-Step)

✅ Step 1: Open UpdraftPlus

In your WordPress Dashboard, click on the UpdraftPlus icon or go to
Settings > UpdraftPlus Backups

✅ Step 2: Configure Backup Schedule

Click on the Settings tab and set your schedule:

• Files backup schedule → Weekly

• Database backup schedule → Weekly

• Retain at least 5 backups

📅 For busy websites: Choose Daily backups
💡 Tip: Always select both files and database

✅ Step 3: Choose a Storage Location

Scroll to Choose your remote storage. Options include:

• Google Drive (recommended)

• Dropbox

• OneDrive

• Updraft Vault (paid)

⚠️ Do NOT store backups on the same server as your website.

If your hosting is compromised or lost, your backups will be gone too.

✅ Step 4: Authenticate External Storage

• After choosing storage (e.g. Google Drive), click Save Changes

• Follow the prompts to log in and authorize UpdraftPlus

• Confirm authentication and complete the setup

✅ Step 5: Manual First-Time Backup

• Go to the Backup / Restore tab

• Click Backup Now
  Select the following:

• ✅ Include your database

• ✅ Include your files

• ✅ Keep this backup even if I delete old backups

Click Backup Now
⏳ Backup runs in the background—you can continue working.

📂 Where Are My Backups Stored?

You’ll find your backups listed under Existing Backups in UpdraftPlus. You can:

• ✅ Download

• ✅ Restore

• ✅ Delete

📬 Optional: Receive Backup Reports

In Settings, check the box to receive email reports after each backup.
This helps confirm success or catch issues early.

⚠️ Backup Caution You Should Know

Backups only protect you if they actually work.
Always verify that:

• 🔄 Backups are running automatically

• ☁️ Files are stored off-site (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.)

• 🔍 You occasionally download and test a backup

❌ Don’t assume your site is protected unless you’ve confirmed it.

🚨 Avoid These Common Mistakes

• ❌ Relying only on your hosting company’s backups

• ❌ Storing backups on the same server

• ❌ Forgetting to review or test your backups

• ❌ Not running a first-time manual backup after setup

✅ You’re Done!

You now know how to:

• Set up and schedule backups

• Store them securely off-site

• Run manual backups

• Restore your site if needed

🔒 “Backups are your insurance policy. Set it up once—save your future self.”