How to Set Up Automatic Backups in cPanel

Backups are your safety net. No matter how careful you are, accidents happen—whether it’s a hacking attempt, a corrupted file, or simply deleting something by mistake. That’s why having an automated backup system in place is one of the most important things you can do for your website. With MWD Hosting’s cPanel, setting up backups is straightforward and ensures your data is always protected.

Why Backups Are Important

Imagine running an online store and suddenly losing your product catalog due to a technical error. Without a backup, recovery could take hours or even days, and in the worst case, your data could be gone forever. Automated backups ensure that your website and emails can be restored quickly and with minimal disruption.

Steps to Configure Automatic Backups in cPanel

  1. Log in to cPanel

    • Go to yourdomain.com/cpanel and enter your login details.

  2. Locate the Backup Tool

    • In the Files section, click Backup Wizard or JetBackup (depending on your hosting package).

  3. Set Backup Frequency

    • Choose whether you want daily, weekly, or monthly backups.

    • For business websites, daily backups are recommended.

  4. Choose Backup Content

    • Full Account Backup: Includes files, databases, email, and settings.

    • Partial Backup: Choose specific items like databases or home directory only.

  5. Select Backup Destination

    • Local (stored on the same server)

    • Remote (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox, or another server)

    • External storage is safer in case the main server fails.

  6. Enable Automatic Scheduling

    • Set your preferred schedule (e.g., every night at 2 AM).

    • Confirm and save.

Best Practices for Backups

  • Test Restores: Make sure your backups can actually be restored.

  • Keep Multiple Copies: Don’t rely on just one backup version.

  • Store Offsite: Always keep at least one copy outside of your server.

  • Monitor Backup Size: Ensure you have enough storage space for long-term backups.

Final Thoughts

Automatic backups are like insurance for your website. You hope you never need them, but when disaster strikes, you’ll be glad you set them up. With cPanel’s built-in backup tools, it only takes a few minutes to protect months or even years of hard work.