How to Set Up Automatic Website Backups Step by Step

The fastest way to set up automatic website backups is to enable Automatic Backups in cPanel or install a backup plugin in WordPress. Both options can be scheduled to run daily without any further action once configured.

But not all backups are created equal. This guide teaches you how to choose the right strategy for your site type, where to store copies, and how to verify they actually work when you need them.

Why Automatic Backups Are Non-Negotiable

Accidents don't warn you. A bad plugin update, a hack, a human error while editing a file, or a server disk failure can wipe out months of work in seconds.

Automatic backups protect against:

• Human errors — accidentally dropping a database table or overwriting a critical file.
• Attacks — ransomware, malicious code injections, defacement.
• Hosting failures — disk corruption, failed migrations.
• Broken updates — a theme or plugin that leaves the site blank.

The industry gold standard is the 3-2-1 rule: keep 3 copies, on 2 different media, with 1 copy offsite. Applied to a website: backup on the server, backup in the cloud (Google Drive, S3, Dropbox), and optionally a local copy on your computer.

Option 1: Automatic Backups from cPanel

cPanel includes a built-in backup tool. Depending on your provider, it may be in one of two places:

Backup Wizard (manual)

1. Log into cPanel and find the Files section.
2. Click Backup or Backup Wizard.
3. You can download a full backup of the site (files + databases + emails) manually.

The drawback of this option is that it's manual. It's useful before a major update, but it won't protect you day to day.

JetBackup (or Backup Pro) — automatic

Many hosting providers install JetBackup in cPanel, which lets you schedule automatic backups:

1. Find JetBackup in your cPanel (under Files or using the search bar).
2. Go to Scheduled Backups.
3. Set the frequency: daily, weekly, or monthly.
4. Choose the destination: local server, remote FTP, S3, Google Drive, or Dropbox.
5. Define how many copies to retain (e.g., 7 daily + 4 weekly).
6. Save the configuration. JetBackup will run backups on the defined schedule.

If your hosting doesn't include JetBackup, ask support whether they have another automatic backup tool. Many providers offer server-level node backups, but those copies are theirs, not yours — they're controlled by the provider and may not cover every recovery scenario.

Option 2: Automatic Backups in WordPress

If your site runs on WordPress, backup plugins are the most flexible option and don't depend on your hosting provider.

UpdraftPlus (free, most popular)

1. Install and activate UpdraftPlus from the WordPress repository.
2. Go to Settings → UpdraftPlus Backups → Settings.
3. Set the file backup frequency (daily, weekly…) and the database backup frequency (daily recommended).
4. Choose remote storage: Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, OneDrive, FTP, or email.
5. Connect your chosen service account following the on-screen instructions.
6. Define how many copies to keep (e.g., 7 for daily backups).
7. Save changes. UpdraftPlus will generate the first copy automatically on the next cycle.

BackWPup (free alternative)

Very similar to UpdraftPlus, with the advantage of compressing backups in .tar.gz or .zip format and sending them to multiple destinations simultaneously.

All-in-One WP Migration + Cloud Storage

Ideal if you also need to move the site between servers frequently. Its backups are portable and restore with just a few clicks.

Option 3: Backup Script with Cron (for Advanced Users)

If you have SSH access to your server or VPS, you can create your own backup script and schedule it with cron. This option gives you full control over what gets backed up, where it's stored, and how it's compressed.

Basic script example for files + database:

#!/bin/bash
DATE=$(date +%Y-%m-%d)
BACKUP_DIR="/home/user/backups/$DATE"
mkdir -p "$BACKUP_DIR"

# File backup
tar -czf "$BACKUP_DIR/files.tar.gz" /home/user/public_html/

# Database backup
mysqldump -u db_user -p'password' db_name \
  | gzip > "$BACKUP_DIR/database.sql.gz"

# Delete copies older than 14 days
find /home/user/backups/ -type d -mtime +14 -exec rm -rf {} +

echo "Backup complete: $BACKUP_DIR"

Save the script as backup.sh, make it executable with chmod +x backup.sh, and schedule it in cron:

# Run every day at 2:00 AM
0 2 * * * /home/user/backup.sh >> /home/user/backup.log 2>&1

In cPanel, you can add this cron job under Advanced → Cron Jobs, without needing SSH access.

To automatically sync copies to the cloud, combine the script with rclone, which supports over 40 storage providers including Google Drive, S3, and OneDrive.

Best Practices for Backups That Actually Work

Having a backup configured doesn't guarantee it will work when you need it. Follow these practices to stay safe:

• Test a restore at least once a month. A backup you can't restore is useless. Do a test restore on a subdomain or staging environment.
• Store copies away from the main server. If the server fails or is compromised, copies on the same server may be lost too.
• Retain at least 7 daily and 4 weekly copies. Some malware attacks go unnoticed for days before you spot the problem; you need to be able to roll back at least a week.
• Monitor your backups. Set up email alerts if a backup fails. UpdraftPlus and JetBackup can send notifications.
• Don't rely solely on your provider's backup. Use it as an extra layer, not your only protection.

A quality hosting plan should include automatic daily backups. To learn what features to look for, check out elenlace.com for hosting comparisons with daily backups included.

How Often Should You Back Up?

It depends on how frequently your site changes:

• Blog or informational site with few updates: weekly file backup + daily database backup.
• Online store (WooCommerce, PrestaShop): daily full backup, since orders and inventory change constantly.
• High-traffic site or user-generated content: hourly backup or real-time database replication.

As a general rule, the maximum period of data you can afford to lose (Recovery Point Objective, or RPO) determines your backup frequency. For most online businesses, the RPO is 24 hours — meaning daily backups as a minimum.

For more security and recovery best practices, browse our website security guides on the blog.

Key Takeaways

• Automatic backups protect against human errors, attacks, and server failures.
• Apply the 3-2-1 rule: 3 copies, 2 different media, 1 offsite.
• In cPanel, JetBackup is the most complete option for scheduling automatic backups with remote storage.
• In WordPress, UpdraftPlus (free) is the most popular and flexible solution.
• For SSH-accessible servers, a bash script + cron + rclone gives you full control.
• Test restores regularly — an untested backup is not a reliable backup.

Does your current hosting not include automatic daily backups, or are you unsure whether your copies actually work? Talk to the specialists at elenlace.com: we'll help you choose the right plan or set up a robust backup strategy for your site.

FAQ

Are the backups provided by my hosting plan enough?

Not always. The backups your provider offers are an extra layer of protection, but they rarely cover every scenario. If the provider has a major outage or suspends your account, those copies may not be available. Always supplement with your own copies in external storage (cloud or local).

How much storage space do I need for my backups?

It depends on your site's size. A full backup of a basic WordPress installation (files + database) typically weighs between 200 MB and 2 GB. If you store 7 daily copies, plan for between 1 GB and 15 GB of space. Cloud services like Google Drive (15 GB free) or Backblaze B2 (very low cost) are good budget-friendly options.

Can I back up the database separately from the files?

Yes, and it's recommended. Website files change infrequently; the database changes constantly (new orders, comments, users). You can schedule weekly file backups and daily or even hourly database backups, saving space without compromising security.

What if I need to restore just one specific file, not the whole site?

Most backup plugins support partial restores. In UpdraftPlus you can download and restore only a specific theme or plugin's files. In JetBackup you can browse the backup and restore individual files directly from the cPanel interface. This is very useful when a file was accidentally overwritten.

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