Scheduling automatic backups is a crucial practice to ensure your WordPress website remains safe and recoverable in case of emergencies. Whether you’re handling critical business data, managing an online store, or running a personal blog, regular backups give you peace of mind, knowing you can restore your website if something goes wrong. In this guide, we’ll show you how to schedule automatic backups for your WordPress website using plugins and other methods.
Why You Should Schedule Automatic Backups
Websites are vulnerable to many risks, such as hacking, server issues, plugin errors, or accidental data loss. Scheduling automatic backups ensures that your website’s data, content, and configurations are regularly stored, minimizing the risk of losing valuable information.
Benefits of Automatic Backups:
•Consistency: Ensures your website is backed up regularly without relying on manual intervention.
•Time-saving: You don’t need to remember to back up your site manually.
•Peace of mind: Knowing that your website can be easily restored in case of any issues.
How to Schedule Automatic Backups Using a Plugin
WordPress offers various plugins that make scheduling automatic backups simple and efficient. Below are some popular plugins you can use to back up your website:
1. UpdraftPlus
UpdraftPlus is one of the most popular backup plugins for WordPress. It allows you to schedule automatic backups and store them in cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, or others.
Steps to Schedule Automatic Backups with UpdraftPlus:
1.Install UpdraftPlus: From your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New, search for UpdraftPlus, and click Install Now. After installation, click Activate.
2. Set Up Backup Schedule:
• Go to Settings > UpdraftPlus Backups.
•In the Files Backup Schedule section, choose how often you want to back up your files (e.g., every 1 day, every 7 days, etc.).
•In the Database Backup Schedule section, choose the backup frequency for your database (e.g., every 1 day, every 7 days, etc.).
3. Select Remote Storage:
•Under Remote Storage, choose a storage location (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox) where your backups will be saved.
•Follow the on-screen instructions to link your chosen cloud storage to UpdraftPlus.
4.Save Changes: After configuring the settings, click Save Changes to start scheduling automatic backups.
Now, UpdraftPlus will back up your WordPress website automatically based on the schedule you set.
2. BackupBuddy
BackupBuddy is another reliable plugin for scheduling automatic backups in WordPress. It offers robust features, including full site backups, database backups, and cloud storage options.
Steps to Schedule Automatic Backups with BackupBuddy:
1.Install BackupBuddy: Purchase, download, and install the BackupBuddy plugin from the official website. After installation, activate the plugin.
2. Configure Backup Schedule:
•Go to BackupBuddy > Backup from your WordPress dashboard.
•Under the Backup Schedule section, choose how frequently you want to back up your website (e.g., daily, weekly, or monthly).
3. Select Remote Storage:
•You can store your backups on cloud services such as Google Drive, Amazon S3, or Dropbox.
•Set up the remote storage by following the instructions within the plugin.
4.Save Settings: After setting the backup schedule and storage options, click Save Settings to activate automatic backups.
BackupBuddy will now handle your website backups automatically as per the frequency you’ve chosen.
3. BackWPup
BackWPup is a free and versatile plugin that allows you to schedule automatic backups for your WordPress website. You can back up files, database, or both, and store them on various cloud storage services.
Steps to Schedule Automatic Backups with BackWPup:
1.Install BackWPup: Go to Plugins > Add New, search for BackWPup, and install it. Once installed, click Activate.
2. Set Up Automatic Backup:
• Go to BackWPup > Add New Job.
•In the Job Name field, give your backup job a name (e.g., “Daily Backup”).
•Under Job Tasks, select the tasks you want to perform, such as Database Backup and File Backup.
3. Choose Backup Schedule:
•In the Schedule tab, set the backup frequency (e.g., daily, weekly, or monthly).
•You can choose a specific time for the backup to occur.
4. Select Storage Location:
•In the To section, choose a storage location for the backups, such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or Amazon S3.
5.Save Changes: After setting up everything, click Save Changes to activate the backup schedule.
BackWPup will now automatically back up your website as per your configured schedule.
Best Practices for Scheduling Backups
1. Back Up Both Files and Database
Your WordPress website consists of files (themes, plugins, media, etc.) and a database (which stores your posts, pages, settings, and user data). It’s essential to back up both to ensure complete restoration if needed.
2. Set Backups for Off-Peak Hours
Schedule your backups during off-peak hours (e.g., late at night or early morning) to minimize any potential impact on your site’s performance. Backups may temporarily slow down your website if done during high traffic periods.
3. Store Backups in Multiple Locations
Ensure that you have multiple copies of your backups stored in different locations. For example, keep one backup on your server and another in a cloud storage service like Google Drive, Dropbox, or Amazon S3. This ensures redundancy in case one storage option becomes unavailable.
4. Test Your Backups
Periodically, test your backups by restoring them to a test environment or staging site. This ensures that your backups are functional and can be restored successfully when needed.
Conclusion
Scheduling automatic backups is an essential step in securing your WordPress website and ensuring that it can be restored in case of unexpected issues. By using reliable backup plugins like UpdraftPlus, BackupBuddy, or BackWPup, you can automate the process and ensure your site’s data is safely stored. Regularly backing up your files and database is a small effort that can save you from significant headaches in the future.
Need assistance? If you need help with setting up automatic backups or troubleshooting any issues, feel free to reach out to our support team via your Client Area.
