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How to Restore a WordPress Site From a Backup

Using Joomla instead? See How to Restore a Joomla Site From a Backup.

WordPress doesn't include a backup and restore tool of its own. Restores are done with a backup plugin or through your host. Here's how the process works.

If your site was hacked, don't restore yet. Read My Website Was Hacked: What to Do Right Now first, or the problem can come right back.

Before you restore

  • Pick the right backup. Choose one from before the problem started. Check the date.
  • Back up the current site too, even if it's broken. You may need something from it.
  • Note recent changes. Anything added after the backup date, like new posts, orders, comments, or form entries, will be lost and may need to be re-entered.
  • Restore to a staging copy first if you can. Many hosts offer staging sites.

Option 1: your backup plugin

  1. Log in at yoursite.com/wp-admin.
  2. Open your backup plugin's screen and find the list of backups.
  3. Choose the backup and select Restore.
  4. Choose what to restore: usually the database, plugins, themes, uploads, and other files. For a full restore, choose everything.
  5. Wait for it to finish without closing the browser.

If you can't log in to WordPress, some backup plugins and hosts let you restore without it. Otherwise, a restore may need server access.

Option 2: your host

Many hosts keep their own backups and can restore them from the control panel or on request. Check whether it restores files, the database, or both. You need both for WordPress.

After restoring

  1. Log in and check that the admin works.
  2. Clear any caching (your caching plugin or host).
  3. Visit key pages, test forms, and check logins.
  4. Go to Dashboard > Updates and apply any updates the backup is missing. See How to Update WordPress Safely (Back Up First).
  5. Re-save permalinks at Settings > Permalinks if pages show 404 errors.
  6. Re-enter any content added since the backup.

When to call us

  • You can't log in and don't have server access
  • You're not sure which backup to use
  • The site was hacked
  • Something still isn't right after restoring

If you're on our boutique hosting, which is available to our clients, including sites moved over from another host, your site has nightly backups kept for one week. Contact us about restoring from one. We can do restores on demand at hourly rates. See Website Backups: What to Back Up, How Often, and How Restores Work.

Prefer we handle it?

If you'd rather spend your time running your business, our boutique hosting takes a proactive approach to security and monitoring, with nightly backups, 24/7 outage monitoring, and ongoing core CMS updates.

Hosting & Security