How to Back up a Website at GoDaddy

Method 1: Using GoDaddy’s Backup Tool (For Managed WordPress Hosting) #

If you’re using GoDaddy’s Managed WordPress Hosting, you can easily create a backup using their built-in backup feature.

Step 1: Log In to Your GoDaddy Account #

1. Go to godaddy.com and log in to your account.
2. Access your My Products page and select Managed WordPress.

Step 2: Open the Backup Settings #

1. Click on “Manage” next to your WordPress site.
2. Go to the “Backups” tab.

Step 3: Create a New Backup #

1. Click on “Backup Now”.
2. Choose to back up both your files and database.
3. Click “Create Backup”. The process may take a few minutes, depending on the size of your website.

Step 4: Download the Backup #

1. Once the backup is complete, it will appear in the Backups list.
2. Click “Download” to save the backup file to your local computer.

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Method 2: Using cPanel (For Standard Hosting Accounts) #

If you have a standard GoDaddy hosting plan with cPanel, follow these steps:

Step 1: Log In to GoDaddy cPanel #

1. Go to My Products and click on Web Hosting.
2. Click “Manage” to access your cPanel dashboard.

Step 2: Use the Backup Wizard #

1. In the Files section, click on “Backup Wizard”.
2. Click “Backup”, then select “Full Backup”.

Step 3: Generate a Full Backup #

1. Choose the Home Directory as the backup destination.
2. Enter your email address to receive a notification when the backup is complete.
3. Click “Generate Backup”.

Step 4: Download the Backup #

1. Once the backup is ready, go back to the Backup Wizard.
2. Click on the backup file link (usually a .tar.gz file) and download it to your computer.

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Method 3: Manually Back Up Website Files Using File Manager #

For a more manual approach, you can use the File Manager in GoDaddy’s cPanel.

Step 1: Open File Manager #

1. In cPanel, click on “File Manager”.
2. Navigate to the public_html directory, which contains your website files.

Step 2: Compress Website Files #

1. Select all files and folders in the public_html directory.
2. Right-click and choose “Compress”.
3. Choose ZIP Archive as the format and click “Compress Files”.
4. Download the compressed .zip file to your computer.

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Method 4: Back Up Your Database via phpMyAdmin #

If your website uses a database (e.g., WordPress, Joomla), you’ll need to back up the database separately.

Step 1: Open phpMyAdmin #

1. In cPanel, go to the Databases section and click on “phpMyAdmin”.

Step 2: Export the Database #

1. Select the database you want to back up from the left-hand menu.
2. Click on the “Export” tab.
3. Choose the Quick Export method and select SQL as the format.
4. Click “Go” to download the .sql file to your local computer.

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Method 5: Using a Backup Plugin (For WordPress Sites) #

If your website is built on WordPress, using a plugin like UpdraftPlus can simplify the backup process.

Step 1: Install UpdraftPlus #

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Go to Plugins > Add New and search for UpdraftPlus.
3. Click Install Now, then Activate.

Step 2: Create a Backup #

1. Go to Settings > UpdraftPlus Backups.
2. Click “Backup Now”.
3. Select the options to include files and database.
4. Click “Backup Now” to start the process.

Step 3: Download the Backup Files #

1. Once the backup is complete, go to the Existing Backups tab.
2. Click “Download” for both the database and website files.

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Additional Tips: #

• Schedule Regular Backups: Set up automatic backups in cPanel or using a plugin to protect your data regularly.
• Store Backups Safely: Save copies of your backups on your local computer and cloud storage (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox).
• Verify Backup Files: Before proceeding with any changes, check the downloaded files to ensure they are complete and not corrupted.