Backup WordPress Database
Backing up your WordPress database is something most of us fail to do on a regular basis. I have yet to need a database backup to restore a catastrophic lose but have used them to move a WordPress blog to a new server and I always backup the database before an upgrade. There are two methods to backup your database, one is manually in the hosting account control panel the other is with a plugin. I like the manual method and will cover it in this WordPress guide.
If you have multiple databases you first need to know the correct database to backup. You might have different scripts or multiple WordPress blogs installed on your site and knowing which is which can be very useful information. So first get into the file manager on your hosting account and browse to the directory where the WordPress blog is installed. Look for and open the wp-config.php file.
Once you open the wp-config.php file you will see the name of the database for your WordPress blog. All you need to do is look at this, make sure you don’t edit it and then close the file without making any changes.
Now armed with the proper information you can export your database. Back at the main page of your control panel look for the phpMyAdmin menu. If that isn’t an option then look for a MySQL Database menu icon or link. Host4Profit users will need to access phpMyAdmin by clicking the database after clicking the MySQL Database link icon.
When you are in phpMyAdmin click the drop down box on the far left under database and choose the correct database. This will open the database and will give you a set of menu tabs on the top.
On the left side click the Select All link and make sure the SQL button is ticked. In the main menu make sure only the following boxes are checked in the top SQL Options section:
- Structure
- Add DROP TABLE
- Add AUTO_INCREMENT
- Enclose table and field names with backquotes
In the middle Data section only check the Data box and make sure all other boxes are not checked. In the lower Save as file section make sure the Save File As box is checked and tick the “zipped” button. Now just click the lower right Go button and save the file on your computer.
That should get your WordPress database safely backed up and on your computer. To import it just follow these steps in reverse making sure the same settings are selected in phpMyAdmin as outlined when making the backup.
Similar Posts:
- Change Old Wordpress eMail Address In Database
- Scheduled Backup Of Your WordPress Blog
- Change the Date of a WordPress Post Edit the Timestamp
- Installing WordPress Multiple Times On The Same Site
- Utilizing The Flexibility Of WordPress Links Categories
If you liked this post, feel free to leave a comment that is relevant to the post or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.
Sorry but due to the spamming of a few all comments are moderated and will appear when approved and all drive-by comments will be deleted!
Comments
HI Jeff -
Very useful information. How did you know I needed to know this? LOL…
Thank you very much as always for being the best!
Reply
[...] Backup WordPress Database [...]
another great tutorial from WPM, cheers
Reply
Useful information , great post . Thanks for sharing !!
Reply
Great step-by-step guide, Jeff. The new video you made is great as well. I have now backed up my blog and ready to upgrade. Finally! Thanks.
Alan Mater
Reply
cool site! really love to read here! thanks for the info…
Reply
thanks for sharing some ideas here i really appreciate, well said about you post
Reply
Nice post on everything backup for wordpress. I appreciate all that effort because it can help a newbie in an easy way.
Reply
thank you
Reply
I actually thought that copying my whole blog site’s files are all I should do to back up. Thanks for saving me from all the inconvenience.
Reply
I am using the website backup option to back up my blogs.
Reply
Great advice yet again.
Thanks, this blog is so helpful
Reply
yaa its very necessary to take a backup of your site every week becase desaster won’t comes with any intimation & if you’ll loose one time then only you will realise that how much important is backing up your DB.well anyways great information to those who don’t care about there DB.
Reply
EVERY SINGLE TIME that I try to back up, my computer freezes. I have not been able to successfully complete a back up my WordPress database yet. I wonder if there’s a problem with my computer or if there is some other kind of glitch somewhere. Has anyone else experienced this problem?
Reply
Nice article. You’ve managed to brake something which (well to me as a complete blogging novice) seems really complex and difficult, into really nice easily followable steps. The guidance pictures are a nice touch too, it would have seemed too daunting to me without the visial guidance. Thanks
Reply
Hi,Really good I tired more than once I try do this.
Thanks,
Reply
nice step by step tutorial. I use the WordPress Database Backup plugin that mails me the database regularly.
Reply
Hey Jeff, nice informative tutorial. This would prove quite handy particularly to ones who opt on manually backing up their databases. I like the old school manual method as it is always exciting and learning, and allows more control to the users. By the way, great step-by-step instructions with those snap shots…
Reply
Leave a comment
Drive-By comments will be deleted! Like "Thanks for sharing", "Nice post", or any other text that doesn't contribute to the discussion. If you ask a very specific question about your particular WordPress theme, it will probably be deleted. I can fix your WordPress site but for a price. If you ask a question like "Why don't my blog work right", it will be deleted. If you ask a question about your WordPress site without a leaving a link to it, it will be deleted. The point is to ask questions and or comment on the the actual content of the post, and to please use some common sense. All comments are moderated and will appear when approved. Thank you.