Backup Your WordPress Site: 7 Free Automatic Methods (2026 Guide)

Introduction

Learning how to Backup Your WordPress Site is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your website. Whether your site is affected by a hacking attempt, plugin conflict, server failure, or accidental deletion, having a recent backup allows you to restore everything quickly.

The good news is that you don’t need an expensive service to keep your website safe. Several free WordPress backup plugins can automatically create backups and store them securely on cloud services like Google Drive or Dropbox. In this guide, I’ll show you the methods I personally recommend for beginners and small business websites.

Table of Contents

• Why WordPress Backups Matter
• What Should a Backup Include?
• Before You Start
• Method 1: Backup Using UpdraftPlus
• Method 2: Backup Using Duplicator
• Backup Storage Options
• FAQs
• Final Thoughts

Why Should You Backup Your WordPress Site?

Many website owners only realize the importance of backups after something goes wrong.

A complete backup helps you recover from:

• Website hacking
• Malware infections
• Plugin conflicts
• Theme update failures
• Accidental file deletion
• Database corruption
• Hosting server issues
• Failed WordPress updates

Without a backup, restoring your website can be difficult or even impossible.

What Should a WordPress Backup Include?

A proper backup should contain:

• WordPress database
• Themes
• Plugins
• Media uploads
• Configuration files
• User accounts
• Website settings

Having both your files and database ensures a complete recovery if needed.

Before You Create Automatic Backups

Before setting up backups:

• Update WordPress.
• Update all plugins.
• Update your theme.
• Remove unused plugins.
• Check available hosting storage.
• Verify your email address for backup notifications.

These steps help create clean and reliable backups.

Internal Link:
https://wpwitharb.com/how-to-secure-your-wordpress-site-from-hackers/

Method 1: Backup Your WordPress Site Using UpdraftPlus

UpdraftPlus is one of the most popular free backup plugins for WordPress.

It allows you to:

• Schedule automatic backups
• Restore with one click
• Save backups to cloud storage
• Download backups to your computer

Step 1

Go to:

Plugins → Add New

Search for:

UpdraftPlus

Install and activate the plugin.

External DoFollow Link:
https://wordpress.org/plugins/updraftplus/

Step 2

Navigate to:

Settings → UpdraftPlus Backups

Click:

Settings

Choose your backup schedule.

Recommended settings:

• Files: Weekly
• Database: Daily

Step 3

Choose a remote storage location.

Popular options include:

• Google Drive
• Dropbox
• OneDrive
• Microsoft Azure
• Amazon S3

Authorize your preferred cloud account.

Step 4

Click:

Save Changes

Then select:

Backup Now

Wait for the backup process to complete successfully.

Method 2: Backup Using Duplicator

Another excellent free plugin is Duplicator.

Duplicator can:

• Create full website backups
• Migrate websites
• Clone WordPress installations
• Restore websites easily

Install it from:

Plugins → Add New

Search:

Duplicator

Create a new backup package and download it to your computer.

External DoFollow Link:
https://wordpress.org/plugins/duplicator/

Best Places to Store Your Backups

Never store your only backup on the same hosting account.

Use at least one external storage location such as:

• Google Drive
• Dropbox
• Microsoft OneDrive
• Amazon S3
• External Hard Drive
• Local Computer

Having multiple backup copies reduces the risk of data loss.

Internal Link:
https://wpwitharb.com/change-wordpress-login-url/

Method 3: Backup Your WordPress Site Using Hostinger Backups

If your website is hosted on Hostinger, you may already have automatic backups included with your hosting plan.

To check:

1. Log in to Hostinger hPanel.
2. Go to Websites → Manage.
3. Open Files → Backups.
4. Select the available backup date.
5. Download or restore the backup.

Hostinger backups are useful as an additional recovery option, but it’s still recommended to keep your own off-site backups.

External DoFollow Link:
https://support.hostinger.com/

Method 4: Create a Manual WordPress Backup

Automatic backups are convenient, but knowing how to create a manual backup is equally important.

A complete manual backup includes:

• WordPress Files
• Database
• Themes
• Plugins
• Uploads Folder
• wp-config.php

Step 1

Open Hostinger File Manager or connect using an FTP client.

Download the entire:

public_html

folder to your computer.

Step 2

Open phpMyAdmin.

Select your WordPress database.

Click:

Export → Quick → SQL

Download the SQL file.

Store both the website files and database together in a safe location.

How to Restore a WordPress Backup

If your website stops working, restoring a backup is much easier than rebuilding the site from scratch.

Using UpdraftPlus

Go to:

Settings → UpdraftPlus Backups

Click:

Restore

Choose the latest backup.

Select:

• Plugins
• Themes
• Uploads
• Database
• Others

Click Restore and wait for the process to finish.

Using Hostinger Backup

1. Open Hostinger hPanel.
2. Navigate to Backups.
3. Select a restore point.
4. Click Restore.
5. Wait until the process is complete.

Always test your website after restoring a backup to ensure everything works correctly.

How Often Should You Backup Your WordPress Site?

The ideal backup schedule depends on how frequently your website changes.

If you publish content daily, schedule database backups every day and file backups at least once a week.

Best Practices for WordPress Backups

Follow these recommendations for maximum protection:

• Store backups in cloud storage.
• Keep multiple backup copies.
• Test backup restoration regularly.
• Encrypt sensitive backup files if possible.
• Delete very old backups to save storage.
• Schedule automatic backups.
• Download a local copy occasionally.
• Verify that backup jobs complete successfully.

A backup is only useful if it can be restored successfully.

Internal Link:
https://wpwitharb.com/increase-php-memory-limit/

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Avoid these common backup mistakes:

• Keeping the only backup on the same hosting account.
• Never testing backup restoration.
• Forgetting database backups.
• Ignoring failed backup notifications.
• Deleting all old backups at once.
• Running outdated backup plugins.
• Not backing up before updating WordPress or plugins.

Good backup habits can save hours of recovery work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is UpdraftPlus really free?

Yes. UpdraftPlus offers a free version with automatic backups, cloud storage integration, and one-click restoration. Premium features are available for advanced users.

Should I keep backups on my hosting account only?

No. Always keep at least one off-site backup in cloud storage or on your computer to protect against server failures.

How much storage do WordPress backups require?

It depends on your website size. Small blogs may only need a few hundred megabytes, while WooCommerce sites with many images can require several gigabytes.

Should I create a backup before updating WordPress?

Yes. Always create a fresh backup before updating WordPress core, plugins, or themes. This allows you to restore your website if an update causes problems.

Related Articles

Continue improving your WordPress website with these guides:

• https://wpwitharb.com/how-to-secure-your-wordpress-site-from-hackers/
• https://wpwitharb.com/change-wordpress-login-url/
• https://wpwitharb.com/increase-php-memory-limit/
• https://wpwitharb.com/failed-to-write-file-to-disk/
• https://wpwitharb.com/how-to-speed-up-your-wordpress-website-using-litespeed-cache/

Final Thoughts

Learning how to Backup Your WordPress Site is one of the smartest investments you can make for your website’s security. Whether you’re running a personal blog, a business website, or an online store, automatic backups ensure you can recover quickly from unexpected issues such as hacks, server failures, or accidental changes.

For most users, UpdraftPlus provides an excellent free solution, while Hostinger Backups add an extra layer of protection. By combining automatic cloud backups with occasional manual backups, you’ll have a reliable recovery plan that keeps your website safe.