How to Back Up a WordPress Hobby Website Before Something Goes Wrong

The worst time to investigate your website backups is immediately after something has gone wrong.

I learned that lesson after using FileZilla to access the files on one of my websites. I was following a tutorial about removing old plugin folders that had not been deleted correctly. Unfortunately, I deleted essential plugin files and other important files at the same time.

I broke the website.

It creates a real sinking feeling when you think you may have lost years of work. You suddenly start asking questions that should have been answered much earlier:

• Is there definitely a backup?
• What does the backup contain?
• How old is it?
• Who can restore it?
• What happens if the restoration fails?

Fortunately, Wealthy Affiliate SiteSupport restored my website to the point before I damaged it.

That experience proved that the WA backup system worked on that occasion. However, it did not mean I properly understood my backup arrangements. Researching this article made me examine what was being backed up, whether I needed a backup plugin and how I could keep an independent copy outside my hosting account.

The most important lesson was simple:

Do not begin by choosing a backup plugin. Begin by finding out what your hosting provider already protects and what remains missing.

What does a complete WordPress backup contain?

A WordPress website is made from two main components: its files and its database.

You normally need both to recreate the complete site.

Your WordPress files

The files include:

• uploaded images and documents;
• themes;
• plugins;
• custom code;
• WordPress core files;
• configuration files.

Images uploaded through the Media Library are normally stored inside the wp-content/uploads directory. Themes and plugins have their own directories.

FileZilla and similar FTP programs allow you to view and download these files from the web server.

Your WordPress database

The database contains much of the information WordPress uses to construct and operate the website.

This can include:

• posts and pages;
• comments;
• categories and tags;
• menus;
• user accounts;
• website settings;
• theme settings;
• plugin settings;
• image titles, captions and alt text;
• additional information created by plugins.

The database does not normally exist as one ordinary file inside your WordPress folders. It runs separately using database software such as MySQL or MariaDB.

This is why downloading all the files you can see in FileZilla does not ordinarily create a complete backup. You also need an export of the database.

WordPress’s official documentation confirms that a typical full-site backup needs both the website files and database. WordPress backup guidance

How files and database work together

Suppose you upload a WebP image and use it as a post’s featured image.

The physical WebP file is stored in the uploads directory. However, WordPress records information about that image in the database, including its:

• title;
• caption;
• alt text;
• file address;
• relationship with the post.

If you restore only the files, the image may physically exist on the server, but WordPress may no longer have all the information needed to use it correctly.

If you restore only the database, WordPress may remember the image and expect to find it at a particular address, but the actual WebP file could be missing.

The same relationship exists throughout WordPress. Plugins provide files containing their software, while their settings and data may be stored in the database.

A complete backup brings those elements back together.

Ask your hosting provider before installing a plugin

When I began investigating independent backups, my first instinct was to look for a WordPress backup plugin.

That was the wrong starting point.

Hosting arrangements vary considerably. Some plans include complete daily backups, some charge extra for them, and others leave much of the responsibility to the website owner.

Before installing anything, ask your hosting provider:

• Does my plan include backups?
• Are both the database and website files included?
• How frequently are backups created?
• How many restore points are retained?
• Can a particular date be restored?
• Are backups stored separately from the live website?
• Is restoration included in the plan?
• Can I restore the site myself, or must support do it?
• Can I download a complete copy?
• Are WordPress backup plugins permitted?
• What happens to the backups if I cancel the hosting?

Do not settle for a vague statement that the provider “takes care of backups.” Establish what that means in practice.

Technical support should be able to help answer these questions. This is one area where the quality and accessibility of hosting support can matter considerably.

Three common WordPress backup arrangements

Most beginners will encounter one of three broad arrangements.

Backups included with the hosting plan

Some hosting providers automatically back up the database and files.

Restoration might be available through the hosting dashboard, or the support team may perform it on the customer’s behalf.

This can be the simplest arrangement for a beginner, but you should still understand the frequency, retention and restoration process. You should also find out whether you can obtain a copy that is stored outside the hosting account.

Backups offered as a paid addition

A cheap hosting plan may not include daily backups or may provide only limited protection.

The provider could charge separately for:

• automatic daily backups;
• additional restore points;
• longer retention;
• downloadable archives;
• assistance with restoration.

That does not automatically make the hosting poor value. However, these charges form part of the real cost.

A low headline price can become less attractive once you add backups, email accounts, security features and other services you assumed were included.

Backups created through a WordPress plugin

On many conventional WordPress hosting plans, a backup plugin may be the most practical option.

Depending on the plugin and plan, it may:

• back up the database and files;
• run automatically;
• retain several versions;
• send copies to external storage;
• provide a restoration process.

However, installing a backup plugin does not prove that you are protected. You must confirm that it works with your hosting, completes successfully and produces a backup you could realistically use.

Why backup plugins did not work properly on my site

I tested several backup plugins while researching this subject, but none appeared to function sensibly on my WA-hosted website.

I then installed UpdraftPlus, a well-established WordPress backup plugin. It displayed two revealing warnings.

One said that WordPress had 11 scheduled tasks that were overdue. The other said that the scheduler had been disabled through the DISABLE_WP_CRON setting and that backups could not run normally.

Backup plugins often need WordPress’s background scheduling system to divide a large task into manageable stages. Even a manually started backup may need the scheduler to resume after reaching the server’s execution-time limit.

At first, this looked like a WordPress or plugin problem. Rather than editing configuration files, I contacted WA SiteSupport.

That proved to be the correct decision.

What WA SiteSupport confirmed

SiteSupport replied in approximately four minutes, which I thought was impressive.

They explained that the backup-plugin failures were expected and were not caused by a fault with my website.

WA intentionally prevents plugins from writing large backup archives onto its servers for security and stability reasons. Because WA already provides its own backup system, a separate backup plugin is unnecessary on that platform.

SiteSupport confirmed that WA:

• backs up the complete database;
• backs up all the website files;
• creates a backup every night;
• can restore the website if something goes wrong;
• can generate a complete downloadable backup on request.

They also immediately produced a .tar.gz archive containing a full snapshot of Action With AI’s files and database.

That gave me a much better arrangement than trying to force a backup plugin to work against the hosting platform’s restrictions.

I can rely on WA’s nightly restore points for routine recovery while periodically requesting a complete archive to store outside my hosting account.

This does not mean backup plugins are generally unsuitable

My experience is specific to WA hosting.

UpdraftPlus and similar plugins may work perfectly well on other hosting plans. The failure on my site did not prove that the plugin was poorly designed. It revealed an intentional restriction imposed by the hosting platform.

A reader using another provider may find that:

• a backup plugin is fully supported;
• the host provides its own backup controls;
• backups require a paid addition;
• database exports are available through phpMyAdmin;
• the customer is expected to arrange everything.

This is why the first step is not “install the plugin I use.”

It is:

Ask your hosting provider what is already included, identify any gaps and then choose an appropriate way to fill them.

Why keep an independent backup?

WA’s system has already restored one of my websites successfully. Its rapid SiteSupport response and nightly backups are positive evidence that the service is valuable.

Even so, relying entirely on one provider creates a single point of dependence.

Potential problems include:

• losing access to the hosting account;
• needing an older backup than the provider retains;
• discovering that a problem also exists in the recent restore points;
• moving to another hosting company;
• cancelling an account;
• experiencing a wider provider outage;
• needing access to the site when support is unavailable.

These events may be unlikely, but the consequences could be severe.

Keeping an independent copy does not mean that you distrust the hosting provider. It means that the website is important enough to keep in more than one place.

Store the independent copy away from the website

A backup stored only inside the same hosting account is not genuinely independent.

If the account becomes inaccessible, both the live site and its backup could be unavailable.

Suitable locations might include:

• your computer;
• an external drive;
• protected cloud storage.

Ideally, retain copies in more than one location and keep several recent versions rather than continually overwriting the only backup.

Use clear filenames containing the site and date:

ActionWithAI-full-backup-2026-07-25.tar.gz

A complete website archive should be treated as sensitive information. It may contain:

• email addresses;
• comments and contact-form information;
• password hashes;
• plugin settings;
• database contents;
• configuration and access details.

Do not place it inside a public cloud folder or share its download address. Once a temporary hosting download has been completed, ask the provider to remove or expire the link where appropriate.

Can FileZilla create a backup?

FileZilla can create an independent copy of your website files by downloading them from the server to your computer.

This can protect:

• uploaded media;
• themes;
• plugins;
• custom plugins;
• custom code;
• configuration files.

It does not ordinarily export the live WordPress database. A FileZilla copy should therefore be described as a file backup, not a complete WordPress backup.

It also needs to be used carefully.

The live server folders can look like ordinary folders on your computer, but deleting something from them can immediately damage the website. I discovered that when I accidentally removed essential files.

For backup purposes, the normal direction should be:

Download from the server to a dated folder on your computer.

Check FileZilla’s transfer queue for failed or skipped files before assuming the copy is complete. Files containing credentials or configuration details must also be stored securely.

Is the WordPress export tool a backup?

WordPress includes an export facility under Tools → Export.

I use it to export my posts and pages into a WXR/XML file. This gives me an additional copy of the content that would be most difficult and time-consuming to recreate.

Depending on the options selected, a WordPress export may include:

• posts;
• pages;
• comments;
• categories;
• tags;
• authors;
• references to media.

However, it is not a complete website backup.

It does not ordinarily contain the full collection of:

• website files;
• theme files;
• plugin files;
• database tables;
• plugin settings;
• server configuration;
• uploaded media itself.

The export file may help WordPress retrieve referenced media during an import, but that relies on the original files still being accessible.

I will continue producing WXR exports because my articles are the most valuable part of the website. However, I use them as an additional safety layer rather than a replacement for a complete backup.

A backup needs a restoration route

Creating an archive is only half the process.

A backup is valuable because it allows the website to be restored. You should therefore know:

• who performs the restoration;
• what information they need;
• whether files and database are restored together;
• whether a particular date can be selected;
• whether restoration costs extra;
• how long the process is likely to take;
• what happens to content published after the selected backup.

Do not experiment with database restoration on your live website simply to see whether it works. Importing a database backup can overwrite current posts, settings, comments and user information.

If you want to test a restoration, use a separate staging or test installation, or ask the hosting provider what testing options it offers.

How frequently should a hobby website be backed up?

The appropriate frequency depends on how often the website changes and how much work you could tolerate losing.

A small website that publishes occasionally has different needs from a busy shop processing orders throughout the day.

For Action With AI, a proportionate arrangement is:

• nightly complete backups supplied by WA;
• an independently downloaded full-site copy approximately monthly;
• another complete backup before risky technical changes;
• WXR content exports after publishing a meaningful batch of articles.

If I publish frequently, I may increase the frequency of my independent copies.

A useful way to choose your schedule is to ask:

If the website returned to its last backup today, how much work would I have to recreate?

If the answer is more than you could comfortably accept, create backups more frequently.

A beginner’s WordPress backup checklist

Before assuming that your site is protected, confirm the following:

• I know whether my host includes backups.
• I know whether files and database are both included.
• I know how frequently backups are created.
• I know how long restore points are retained.
• I know who performs restoration.
• I know whether restoration costs extra.
• I have checked whether backup plugins are permitted.
• I have seen evidence that the backup completed.
• I keep at least one copy outside the hosting account.
• I protect backup files as sensitive information.
• I create another backup before risky changes.
• I understand that FileZilla does not normally copy the database.
• I understand that a WordPress export is not a complete backup.
• I will review the arrangement if I change hosting providers.

Find out now, not after the website breaks

My WA backup worked when I accidentally damaged my site, but I had never properly established what was protected.

Researching the subject initially created more confusion. Several backup plugins failed, and UpdraftPlus displayed warnings about WordPress’s scheduler. The important breakthrough came from asking my hosting provider precise questions.

Within approximately four minutes, WA SiteSupport confirmed that it backs up the database and files every night. It also generated a complete downloadable archive that I could keep independently.

The lesson is not that every hobby website owner should use WA or avoid backup plugins. Different hosting providers offer different arrangements.

The lesson is this:

Establish what your host already protects, identify what remains missing, keep an independent copy and understand how restoration would work before you need it.

A backup system should give you confidence that one technical mistake will not destroy months or years of work. That confidence is worth establishing while the website is working normally.