---
title: Backups
description: Confirm WHP is backing up your site, restore individual files, and download archives.
sidebar:
  order: 4
---

import { Steps, Aside } from '@astrojs/starlight/components';
import SignIn from '~/content/partials/signing-in.mdx';
import Support from '~/content/partials/support-link.mdx';

WHP runs **automatic daily backups** of your site files and databases. You don't have to set anything up for this to happen — but it's worth knowing how to confirm a backup ran, restore something, and download an archive when you need to.

## What's backed up by default

- **Site files** — everything under each domain folder.
- **Databases** — all MySQL databases attached to your account.
- **Email** — mailboxes and their contents (depending on your plan).

Retention is shown on your plan page. The default tier keeps **7 daily backups**.

## Sign in to WHP

<SignIn />

## Configure your backup schedule

<Steps>

1. From the sidebar, open **Backups → Settings**.
   ![WHP Backup Settings page](~/assets/screenshots/whp/whp-backups-settings.png)

2. Confirm the **schedule** (default: daily, overnight). Adjust if your plan permits.

3. (Optional) Enable **off-server backups** to a separate storage location — recommended for anything you can't afford to lose.

</Steps>

## Verify a backup actually ran

<Steps>

1. Open **Backups → History**.
   ![WHP Backup History page](~/assets/screenshots/whp/whp-backups-history.png)

2. Confirm the most recent entry is from **within the last 24 hours** and shows **Success**.

3. Click the entry to see what was included — files, databases, email — and the total size.

</Steps>

<Aside type="tip">
  Add a calendar reminder to check this monthly. Backups that fail silently are the worst kind.
</Aside>

## Test a restore (recommended quarterly)

The best time to discover your backup isn't working is *not* when you actually need it. Test surgically:

1. In **History**, click a recent backup → **Restore preview**.
2. Pick a single file — your site's `index.php`, for example — and restore just that one file.
3. Confirm it appears correctly. If yes, the restore pipeline works.

Don't do a full restore unless you genuinely need to — it rewrites your live site.

## Download a backup

To grab a copy off-server:

1. From **History**, click a backup → **Download**.
2. WHP packages it as `.tar.gz` and offers a one-time download link that's valid for 24 hours.

## Troubleshooting

**Backup failed.** Click the failed row to see the error. Common causes:

- Disk full or close to it — check **Overview → Resource usage** and consider a [resource upgrade](/whp/add-ons/resource-upgrades/).
- A very large mailbox slowed the run — consider the [archival email add-on](/whp/add-ons/archival-email/) to relieve mailbox pressure.
- Transient lock or maintenance window — let it retry overnight before opening a ticket.

**Restore "succeeded" but my file isn't there.** Check the **path** shown on the backup's detail page — your restore landed where the backup says it would, which may not match your current site layout if you've moved files around.

## Related

- [Archival email add-on](/whp/add-ons/archival-email/)
- [Resource upgrades](/whp/add-ons/resource-upgrades/)

## Still stuck?

<Support />