Backup and Restore

Back up the database, files and uploads on demand or on a schedule, and restore them when you need to.

Opening the Screen

In the left menu, click Settings, then Security, then Backup in the tab row.

Address: {admin}/settings/security?general=backup

The screen has four sub-tabs: Settings, Backups, Schedules, Remote Storage. Add &backup=backups, &backup=schedules or &backup=storage to open one directly.

What Is on the Screen

Settings

System Compatibility checks the PHP features backups need and opens a details list if something is missing. Disk Usage shows free and used server space as a bar. Below them sit the Backup Settings card and a two-tab Exclusions card.

Backups

Lists every backup with Backup, Destination, Created and Status columns. Each row badges its contents (Database/Files/Uploads), and a running backup shows a progress bar. The Create Backup button above starts one on demand.

Schedules

Lists backups that run on their own, with Name, Frequency, Destination, Next Run and Status columns. The Create Schedule button above opens a new one.

Remote Storage

Lists the destinations backups can upload to, with Name, Type, Created and Status columns. The Add Destination button above connects a new provider.

Fields

Settings Tab

Create Backup Window

Schedule Window

Add Destination Window

Restore Window

Tasks

Turning On and Configuring Backups

1. On the Settings sub-tab, switch on Backup System.
2. Change Backup Directory if needed, and check paths or tables to skip under Exclusions.
3. Click Save below the card. Every backup after this uses these settings.

Creating and Downloading a Backup

1. On the Backups sub-tab, click Create Backup — disabled if the system is off or busy.
2. Pick a Remote Destination if you want one, check the Contents cards, and click Create Backup below.
3. Once the row reaches Ready, open its menu and choose Download. Enter your password and click Download below it; it starts in a new tab.
4. If Ready carries a yellow warning icon, the backup was taken but some files could not be read and are missing from the archive. Hover the icon to see which ones were skipped. These are usually files whose permissions are wrong; fix the permissions on the server and take a fresh backup.
5. If it fails instead, choose Retry from its row menu to try again.

Restoring From a Backup

1. Open the menu of a Ready row and choose Restore.
2. Check what to restore, enter your password, and click Restore below it.
3. The request queues and starts on the next cron run; track it on the same row. Cancel one that has not started with Cancel Restore from the row menu.

Creating a Schedule

1. On the Schedules sub-tab, click Create Schedule.
2. Enter a Name and pick a Frequency, filling the time/day fields it shows. Choose Contents and a Remote Destination if you want one.
3. Click Create Schedule below. To change one, choose Edit schedule from its row menu.

Adding a Remote Storage Destination

1. On the Remote Storage sub-tab, click Add Destination and pick a provider.
2. Enter a Name and the connection details it asks for, then test them with Validate.
3. Once it passes, click the Add Destination button that opens. To change one, choose Edit destination from its row menu (only folder/path edits re-test it).
4. To re-check an existing destination later, choose Validate from its row menu.

Deleting a Backup, Schedule or Destination

1. From the row menu, choose Delete backup, Delete schedule or Delete destination.
2. Enter your password and confirm. A running backup or an in-use destination cannot be deleted.

Things to Watch

Required Privileges

Viewing the Backup tab and every action on it (create, download, restore, schedule, manage destinations) needs the SECURITY_BACKUP privilege.

Related Articles

• Security Settings Overview
• General Security Options