For a typical self-hosted WordPress site, a complete backup needs both the website’s files and its database. Keep them together as a dated backup set, store copies in more than one location—including somewhere outside your hosting account—and know how to restore them before an emergency. The details below are WordPress-specific; if you use a website builder, static site, or another CMS, follow that platform’s official backup and recovery instructions instead.
What you need to back up on a WordPress site
A WordPress backup has two parts that must be treated as a matched set:
- Site files: WordPress core files, plugins, themes, uploaded images and other media, configuration files, and any custom code.
- Database: posts, comments, links, and other site data. The database is generally stored separately from the WordPress directory, so copying the directory alone is not a complete backup.
WordPress’s Backup documentation explains these two components and the typical backup and restore sequence.
How often should you back up your website?
Set the schedule according to how often the site changes and how much recent work you could afford to recreate. WordPress Developer Resources recommends weekly backups for smaller websites with fewer posts and daily backups for high-activity websites. These are practical recommendations, not results of a measured study, and the page does not state a publication year.
#1 Best Overall
- Easily store and access 2TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Make an additional backup before an upgrade. Learn WordPress also advises backing up before installing a plugin or theme, before migrating a site, and after significant content changes in its Backing Up Your WordPress Site lesson.
How to make and store a matched backup set
Copy the files and export the database
For a manual backup, use SFTP to copy the site files and a database administration tool such as phpMyAdmin to export the database. Learn WordPress recommends SFTP rather than FTP because SFTP encrypts credentials during transfer. Keep the export with the file copy and label both with the same backup date so you can identify them as one set.
Rank #2
- Easily store and access 5TB of content on the go with the Seagate portable drive, a USB external hard Drive
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Keep several copies in different places
WordPress recommends keeping 3–5 recent backups in different locations. Its examples include hosting-server storage, cloud storage, and a copy downloaded to a local computer; it also mentions hard drives as a storage medium. A downloaded copy on an external hard drive is one possible local copy, but it should not be the only copy, and it still needs both the files and database.
Check what automated backups actually contain
A hosting provider’s tools or a WordPress backup plugin may automate the work. Before relying on one, check whether it captures both files and database, how often it runs, where it stores copies, how long it retains them, and how to restore them. WordPress notes that getting a copy of a host’s server backup can take time, so keep a separately accessible copy rather than depending solely on a request to your host.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteRank #3
- Easily store and access 1TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop. Reformatting may be required for Mac
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
There is no universally best choice among a host backup, plugin, and manual process in the cited guidance. Compare them by coverage, schedule, retention, storage locations, restore speed and ease, independent access to a copy, and whether you have successfully tried the recovery process.
How to recover a WordPress site after data loss
- Choose the right backup set. Locate the latest set from before the data loss and confirm it contains both the site files and database.
- Restore the files. WordPress’s typical restore sequence starts with restoring the files. Follow your host’s instructions if you are using its control panel or restore tool, since the exact procedure depends on the hosting environment.
- Import the database. Import the database export from the same backup set after restoring the files.
- Check database credentials. If the credentials have changed, update
wp-config.phpso they match the database. - Verify the site. Check that the site loads and that key pages, media, and site functions work before treating recovery as complete.
The WordPress handbook specifies the general order—files first, then database—but does not provide one universal click-by-click restore method for every host. Use your provider’s instructions for its tools and control panel.
Rank #4
- Easily store and access 4TB of content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
When WordPress Recovery Mode helps—and when it does not
WordPress Recovery Mode can help you regain access when WordPress detects certain fatal PHP errors, often related to a plugin, theme, or custom code. It is a troubleshooting feature; it does not replace restoring missing or corrupted files or database content from a backup.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- [Upgraded Version] - This external hard drive features a mirrored logo stripe combined with a striped anti-slip design, and the rounded corners of the casing make it easier to grip. The stripes also have a heat dissipation function, ensuring stable and fast data transfer.
- 【Ultra-thin and quiet】 - The motherboard adopts JMicron 578 noise-free solution, giving you a quiet working environment. Lightweight and portable size designed to fit in your pocket for easy portability.
- 【Ultra-Fast Data Transfers】 - Pairing this external hard drive with JMicron 578 solution USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 interfaces enables blazing-fast data transfer. It boasts theoretical read speeds of up to 125MB/s and write speeds of up to 103MB/s.
- 【Plug and Play】 - With no software to install, just plug it in and the drive is ready to use.The hard disk chip is wrapped with an aluminum anti-interference layer to increase heat dissipation and protect data.
- 【What You Get】 - 1 x Portable Hard Drive, 1 x USB 3.0 Cable, 1 x User Manual, Gift-type shell packaging ,Three-year manufacturer's warranty and free technical support services.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
