Are you wondering how to restore a WordPress website from a backup? You’re in the right place. Backing up your WordPress website is critical for preserving its security and performance. A solid backup can come in handy in the unfortunate event of data loss due to hacking, technological faults, or other unanticipated situations. You’ll find a comprehensive guide on restoring your WordPress site from a backup in this guide.
Why you would want to restore the wordpress website from the backup
Restoring a WordPress website from a backup can be crucial for several reasons:
1. Site Errors
If your site encounters errors or malfunctions due to plugin conflicts, theme issues, or other problems, restoring from a backup can return it to a stable state.
2. Data Loss
Accidental deletion or corruption of content or files can be resolved by reverting to a backup containing the lost data.
3. Hacked Site
In the event of a security breach or malware attack, restoring from a backup can remove malicious changes and get your site back to a secure state.
4. Server Issues
Problems with your hosting environment or server failures can be mitigated by restoring your site to a previous, functional state from a backup.
5. Site Redesign
If a site redesign or update goes wrong, restoring a backup allows you to revert to the previous version.
6. Testing
You might restore a backup to a staging environment for testing new features or updates before applying them to the live site.
In all these scenarios, having a recent backup allows for quick recovery and minimal disruption to your website’s functionality and content.
Common methods for restoring WordPress backups
There are various ways you can create and restore WordPress backups. Restoring a WordPress site from a backup depends on how the backup was created. For instance, backups made with Duplicator can be restored using the same plugin, while manual backups require a manual restoration process.
Many WordPress users choose to back up only their theme, upload directory, and database rather than the entire site. This approach reduces backup size but requires more steps for restoration.
Regardless of the backup method used, the basic restoration steps remain consistent.
Now, let’s explore how to restore your WordPress site from a backup.
#1. Restoring a WordPress Database from Backup Using phpMyAdmin
When restoring a WordPress database from a backup, you typically have two primary options:
1. Create a New Database
Set up a fresh database and import your backup into this new environment.
2. Overwrite an Existing Database
Empty the current database and then import your backup into it.
Important Considerations
If you are dealing with a compromised WordPress site, it is crucial to first change your MySQL username and password before performing any restoration. This step helps secure your site from potential vulnerabilities associated with the breach.
Creating a New Database
1. Access cPanel
Log in to the cPanel dashboard of your WordPress hosting account.
2. Open MySQL Databases
Locate and click on the MySQL Databases icon.
3. Create a Database
Enter a name for your new database in the provided field.
Click the Create Database button to finalize the creation.
4. Add a MySQL User:
Scroll down to the MySQL Users section.
Add a new user by filling in the username and password fields.
5. Assign the User to the Database:
Scroll down to the Add User to Database section.
Select the newly created user and the database from the dropdown menus.
Click the Add button to grant the user access to the database.
6. Import Your Backup:
Return to the cPanel dashboard and click on phpMyAdmin.
In phpMyAdmin, select the newly created database from the list on the left.
Click the Import tab.
Next, Click the Choose File button to select your WordPress database backup file from your computer.
Click Go to begin the import process. phpMyAdmin will upload and import your backup, and you should see a success message upon completion.
7. Configure WordPress:
If you have a fresh installation of WordPress, configure it to use the new database.
If WordPress is already installed, update your wp-config.php file with the new database details (database name, user, and password).
#2. Restoring a WordPress Database Backup Using cPanel
If you created your WordPress database backup via cPanel, you can restore it directly through the cPanel interface.
1. Access cPanel
Log in to your cPanel account.
2. Go to Backups:
Under the Files section, click on Backup.
3. Restore Database:
On the backups page, scroll down to the Restore a MySQL Database Backup section.
Click the Choose File button and select the backup file from your local storage.
Click the Upload button to start the restoration process.
#3. Restoring WordPress from a UpdraftPlus Plugin Backup File
UpdraftPlus is a popular backup and restoration plugin for WordPress, offering a straightforward way to manage and restore your website backups. This guide will walk you through the steps to restore your WordPress site using an UpdraftPlus backup file.
Prerequisites
1. UpdraftPlus Plugin Installed
Ensure that the UpdraftPlus plugin is installed and activated on your WordPress site.
2. Backup Files
Have the backup files available, either uploaded to a remote storage service (such as Dropbox or Google Drive) or stored locally on your computer.
Steps to Restore Your WordPress Site
1. Access the WordPress Admin Dashboard
Log in to your WordPress admin dashboard using your credentials.
2. Go to UpdraftPlus Settings
From the left-hand menu, go to Settings and then UpdraftPlus Backups.
3. View Existing Backups
On the UpdraftPlus Backups page, you will see a list of available backup sets, if any.
If you already have backups listed here, you can proceed with the restoration directly from this list.
If you do not see your backup files here, you will need to upload them.
4. Upload Backup Files
Click on the Upload backup files link, usually found in the Existing backups tab.
This will open a file upload interface. Use this to upload the backup files you have (e.g., database, plugins, themes, uploads, and others) to the UpdraftPlus plugin.
If your backup is stored remotely (e.g., Dropbox, Google Drive), you can connect the remote storage service to UpdraftPlus by navigating to the Settings tab of UpdraftPlus and configuring the storage settings.
5. Start the Restoration Process
Once the backup files are uploaded or if they are already listed in the existing backups, find the specific backup set you wish to restore.
Click the Restore button next to the relevant backup set.
You will be prompted to select what components you want to restore: Plugins, Themes, Uploads, Others, and Database. Make sure to select all necessary components to ensure a complete restoration.
6. Confirm the Restoration
After selecting the components, click Restore to initiate the restoration process.
UpdraftPlus will start restoring your site. This process can take several minutes, depending on the size of the backup and the speed of your server.
7. Check the Restoration Progress
During the restoration process, UpdraftPlus will display progress messages. You can monitor this to ensure that the process is proceeding without issues.
Once the restoration is complete, UpdraftPlus will notify you with a success message.
8. Verify the Restoration
After the restoration is complete, it’s essential to check your website to ensure everything is functioning correctly. Visit your website and verify that all content, themes, plugins, and settings are restored as expected.
Check specific functionalities and any customizations to ensure they are intact.
9. Common issues
If you encounter any issues, such as missing content or broken links, consider reviewing the UpdraftPlus logs for error details.
You can also visit the UpdraftPlus support forum or documentation for additional help.
10. Update and Secure Your Site
After a successful restoration, ensure that your WordPress core, themes, and plugins are updated to the latest versions to avoid security vulnerabilities.
Review and update your security settings, and consider setting up a new backup schedule to ensure that your site remains protected.
#4. Manually Restoring WordPress Files Using FTP
To restore a WordPress site that has been compromised, you must first delete all existing WordPress files and directories.
Important: Ensure your backup is current and includes all customizations, changes, or uploads before proceeding.
Deleting Files:
1. Using cPanel:
Log in to your hosting dashboard and access the cPanel.
Under the Files section, click on File Manager.
Choose Webroot as your directory and proceed. The File Manager will open in a new tab.
Select all WordPress files and delete them. This method is faster.
2. Using FTP:
Connect to your website using an FTP client.
Go to your WordPress root directory and delete all files. This method is slower but effective.
Restoring WordPress Files:
1. Download and Upload:
Download a fresh copy of WordPress from WordPress.org and extract it to your local drive.
Using your FTP client, upload all the WordPress files to your server.
2. Configure wp-config.php:
You can upload the wp-config.php file from your backup if you are sure it is clean.
Alternatively, rename wp-config-sample.php to wp-config.php, and then edit it to include your database information. Save and upload the file back to your server.
3. Upload Additional Files:
Upload only the images from your backup to the /wp-content/uploads/ directory.
4. Verify and Reinstall:
Visit your website to check if it is functioning correctly.
Log in to your WordPress admin area and reinstall any plugins that were previously on your site.
Install your theme. If you used a customized or child theme, restore it from your backup, ensuring the files are clean.
5. Update Permalinks:
Go to Settings » Permalinks in your WordPress admin dashboard and update the permalink settings to match your site.
WordPress Backup Restore Issues
Common Issues During WordPress Restoration:
1. Error Establishing a Database Connection
The site cannot connect to the database, often due to incorrect credentials or database server issues.
2. White Screen of Death
The site displays a blank page, usually caused by PHP errors, memory limit issues, or plugin/theme conflicts.
3. Internal Server Error
A generic server error (500) indicates problems with server configuration, .htaccess file, or script errors.
4. Login Page Redirect or Refresh Issue
Users are stuck in a loop when trying to log in, often due to cookie or session problems.
5. Single Posts Returning 404 Error
Specific posts or pages are not found, usually due to permalink issues or incorrect URL structure.
Post-Restoration Actions
🔸️After restoring your site, we recommend improving your website’s security:
🔸️Ensure you have a regular backup strategy with a WordPress backup plugin.
🔸️Change your WordPress password and, if applicable, ask all users to update their passwords.
🔸️Install a website firewall.
Conclusion
Restoring your WordPress site from a backup doesn’t have to be daunting. By following these steps, you can recover your site with minimal downtime and disruption. Regular backups and a clear restoration plan are key to ensuring your site’s resilience against unexpected issues.
