Do you want to know how to manually backup a WordPress database without using a plugin? Knowing how to do it manually enables you to quickly create a database backup whenever you need it. In this article, we’ll show you how to create a manual WordPress database backup.
When and Why Should You Perform a Manual WordPress Database Backup?
You need to always configure a backup system for your site. This enables you to restore your site if something goes wrong.
Many users are unable to access their WordPress admin area as a result of a hack attempt or a plugin error. In these cases, most tutorials advise you to create a full WordPress backup.
However, because you cannot access the admin area, using a backup plugin would be difficult. This is where knowing how to manually create a WordPress database backup comes in handy.
A manual database backup is the same as a plugin-created database backup.
Having said that, let’s take a look at how to easily create a manual WordPress database backup.
Manually Backing Up a WordPress Database with phpMyAdmin
We’ll be using PhpMyAdmin for this method. It is open source software that lets you manage your MySQL database through a web-based interface. It is pre-installed on the majority of WordPress hosting providers.
To begin, log in to your WordPress hosting control panel. After logging in, go to the database section and select phpMyAdmin.
This opens the phpMyAdmin window. Ensure that your WordPress database is selected in phpMyAdmin. If it isn’t, click on the name of your WordPress database to select it. When you select it, you will be able to see a list of WordPress database tables.
Once your database has been chosen, click the Export link in the top menu bar.
You will be prompted to choose an export method. You should select custom because it will provide you with more options to explore.
More options will be revealed if you click on custom. First, it will display all of the tables in your WordPress database that have been selected.
WordPress plugins may create their own tables in your database. If there are any tables that you do not want to export, deselect them. If you are unsure, it is best to leave them all selected.
Scroll all the way down to the output section. By default, phpMyAdmin displays the export process output as text. Change this by selecting the ‘Save output to a file’ option. You must choose between zipped and gzipped compression.
Now, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the ‘Go’ button.
The database export will now be sent to you as a zip or gzip file by PhpMyAdmin.
That’s all there is to it; you’ve successfully created a manual WordPress database backup.
Using cPanel to Create a Manual WordPress Database Backup
Here’s how to use it to create a manual WordPress database backup.
Simply log into your hosting control panel and scroll down to the files section to find the Backup button. Bluehost, SiteGround, and HostGator all provide comparable services.
Scroll down to the partial backups section on the backups page and click on your database name to download your database backup file.
If necessary, you can also download a backup of your WordPress files from this page.
Editor’s Note: While it is possible to create WordPress database backups manually, keep in mind that this is not a substitute for a proper backup solution for your WordPress site.
There are times when you may not be able to access your WordPress database at all. As an example, suppose your hosting company suspends your account or loses your data.
Another scenario is that a hacker has injected data into your WordPress database, in which case cleaning an infected database would be much more difficult.
To automatically store your WordPress database backups on the cloud, use a proper backup plugin. We recommend BackupBuddy, which creates and stores backups automatically on a cloud storage service such as Google Drive, DropBox, or Stash.
That’s all there is to it; we hope this article has taught you how to manually backup a WordPress database.
If you liked this post, please find and follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
