WordPress guide
How to Back Up a WordPress Site (and Actually Restore It)
In short
Back up both the files and the database, keep one copy off the server, and restore a backup to a test site every quarter so you know it works.
Sites break: a bad plugin update, a hack, a fat-fingered edit. The difference between a five-minute fix and a lost business is a recent, tested backup stored somewhere off the server.
What a complete backup includes
Two parts: your files (themes, plugins, uploads in wp-content, plus core files) and your database (posts, pages, settings, users). Miss either and you can't fully restore.
How often to back up
Match the frequency to how often your site changes. A brochure site: weekly. An active blog: daily. A WooCommerce store taking orders: as close to real-time as possible, because every backup gap is lost orders.
The 3-2-1 rule
Keep 3 copies, on 2 types of media, with 1 off-site. In practice: the live site, an automated daily backup on your host, and a copy in separate cloud storage. Never rely solely on a backup that lives on the same server as the site.
Tools that do it for you
Plugins like UpdraftPlus or Solid Backups schedule backups to Google Drive, Dropbox or S3. Better still, choose a host that takes automatic daily backups you can restore yourself, so it's handled even if WordPress itself is down.
Test your restore
Once a quarter, restore your backup to a staging site and confirm it works. A backup you can't restore under pressure is worthless.
Hosting with daily backups built in
Every Gander Web hosting plan includes automatic daily JetBackup backups you can restore from cPanel in a few clicks.
See hosting plansQuestions
Where should I store WordPress backups?
Off the server: in separate cloud storage (Drive, Dropbox, S3) or your host's off-site backup location. Same-server backups disappear if the server fails.
How long should I keep backups?
At least 30 rolling days so you can go back past a problem you didn't notice immediately.
Does Gander Web back up my site automatically?
Yes. Every web hosting account gets automatic daily JetBackup backups, and you can restore files, databases or email from cPanel in a few clicks. Keep your own off-site copy as well, per the 3-2-1 rule.