Backing up your WordPress database is of paramount importance to ensure the security, stability, and longevity of your website. The database contains all the crucial elements that make up your site, including posts, pages, comments, user data, settings, and more. In the event of a hacking attempt, a software glitch, or even a human error, having a recent backup allows you to swiftly restore your website to its previous state, minimizing downtime and potential data loss. Regular backups also provide a safety net during updates or plugin installations, as these actions can sometimes lead to unexpected conflicts or errors. By creating and maintaining reliable backups, you safeguard your hard work and investment, maintaining your online presence and providing peace of mind knowing that your valuable content and configurations are well-protected.
In this article, we will cover how to back up your WordPress database using the UpdraftPlus backup plugin.
Login to your WordPress backend.
From the side primary menu, navigate to Settings > UpdraftPlus Backups.
Under the Backup/Restore tab, click on the large blue "Backup Now" button.
When the popup appears, ensure you have "Include your database in the backup" selected. If you have UpdraftPlus configured to use a cloud storage provider you may want to have the "Send this backup to remote storage" option selected as well. By sending your backup to remote storage the backup will not live on the same server as your website.
Click on the "Backup Now" button to start the backup process.
Once the backup is completed, a confirmation message will be displayed. On the off chance the backup fails, UpdraftPlus will inform you of the reasons why the failure occurred.
