The short answer
To back up a WordPress website, install the free UpdraftPlus plugin, open Settings → UpdraftPlus Backups → Settings, set file and database schedules, choose remote storage such as Google Drive, and save. Click “Backup Now” before any big change. To restore, open Existing backups, pick a backup, tick what to restore and click Restore.
Before you start
By the end of this SOP
Automatic backups go to cloud storage, and you have tested that you can restore one.
- Time
- 30 minutes – 1 hour
- You’ll need
- WordPress admin access and a Google Drive (or other cloud storage) account.
- Who does this
- The person who maintains the website.
About this SOP: why it matters, where and when
Why it matters: Plugins break, updates fail and sites get hacked. A recent off-site backup turns a disaster into a 20-minute fix.
Where: In your WordPress admin.
When: Set up once. Take a manual backup before every update, plugin install or design change.
Stage 1
Set up automatic backups
- 1
In WordPress, go to Plugins → Add New, search “UpdraftPlus”, then Install and Activate.
- 2
Open Settings → UpdraftPlus Backups → Settings tab.
- 3
Set the schedules to match how often the site changes:
- Files (themes, plugins, uploads): weekly for most business sites.
- Database (posts, pages, settings, form entries): daily if you get orders or leads, otherwise weekly.
- Retain at least 4 backups so you can go back past a problem you noticed late.
- 4
Choose remote storage, e.g. Google Drive, click Save Changes, then follow the link to authorise your account and click Complete setup.
Watch out
Never keep backups only on the same server. If the server is hacked or fails, the backups go with it.
Stage 2
Take a manual backup before changes
- 1
Go to Settings → UpdraftPlus Backups and click “Backup Now”. Tick database and files, then confirm.
- 2
Wait for the progress bar to finish. You can leave the page; it runs in the background.
- 3
Under Existing backups, download the files to your computer too, so you have an offline copy.
Stage 3
Restore when something breaks
Restore is a last resort. Try deactivating the plugin or change that caused the problem first.
- 1
Open Settings → UpdraftPlus Backups → Existing backups and click Restore next to the right date.
- 2
Tick only what you need (e.g. Plugins, or Database) and click Restore. Wait for the success message.
- 3
Can’t log in to WordPress at all? Ask your host to restore their backup, or reinstall WordPress, install UpdraftPlus and use “Upload backup files”.
Tip
Practise one restore on a staging copy of the site. The worst time to learn restore is during an emergency.
Practice & check
Now do it for real
Reading is not doing. Open your own account and complete this task before you move on.
Practice task (5 min)
Set up UpdraftPlus on a practice WordPress site with Google Drive storage, take a manual backup, and screenshot the Existing backups list.
Prove it
Two questions. Get both right and this SOP is done.
Common questions
Is UpdraftPlus free?
Yes. The free version handles scheduled backups to Google Drive, Dropbox and others, plus restores. The paid version adds extras like multiple destinations and migration.
How often should I back up WordPress?
Match it to how often the site changes. Daily database backups for sites with orders or leads; weekly file backups for most business sites.
Done. That’s a real skill, not a certificate.
Next: SOP 049 — Set Up Heatmaps and Session Recordings on Your Website →
Want to do this on real client budgets, with a mentor checking your work? That’s Level 2 at Unlearn. See the Digital Marketing track