Knowledgebase

This article describes how to install and configure the UpdraftPlus plugin to back up a WordPress site.

UpdraftPlus is a WordPress plugin. You must install WordPress on your site before you can install UpdraftPlus.

Backing up WordPress

Maintaining regular backups is an important part of running any site. A complete WordPress backup includes the following components:

• Database
• Plugins
• Themes
• Uploads
• Any miscellaneous directories in the wp-content directory

There are several plugins that enable you to back up WordPress. One of the most popular plugins is the UpdraftPlus plugin. This plugin enables you to create backups, transfer them to remote locations (such as Amazon S3 or Dropbox), and restore sites from backups.

Installing UpdraftPlus

To install the UpdraftPlus plugin, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your WordPress site as the administrator.
2. In the left-hand pane, click Plugins.
3. Click Add New.
4. In the Search text box, type updraftplus, and then press Enter.
5. Locate UpdraftPlus, and then click Install Now.
6. After WordPress finishes installing the plugin, click Activate Plugin.

Configuring UpdraftPlus

After you install the UpdraftPlus plugin, you can configure it for your site. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your WordPress site as the administrator.
2. In the left-hand pane, click Settings, and then click UpdraftPlus Backups. The UpdraftPlus Backup/Restore page appears.
3. Click the Settings tab.
4. By default, UpdraftPlus stores backups locally on the server. To use a remote storage location, in the Choose your remote storage list box, select where you want to store your backup files.
   
   
   • Depending on the storage location you choose, there are additional configuration options that enable you to set up the remote connection. For example, for an Amazon S3 connection, you must provide your key information.
     
     
5. Click Save Changes.
   
   
   

   Note: There are many additional settings on the Settings tab that enable you to precisely control backups, storage locations, and scheduling. For more information about these settings, click the FAQs tab.

   
   
   
6. To create a backup immediately, click the Current Status tab, and then click Backup Now.
   
   
   • To restore a backup, click the Existing Backups tab, locate the backup you want to restore, and then click Restore.