This short guide will show you how to backup your self-hosted WordPress website using a plugin and a dropbox account.

Both are free and together offer the security of knowing your site is safely backed up.

Backing up is something we often forget to do until it’s too late. If you value the time you’ve put into setting up and publishing content, it’s most certainly worth 10 minutes to get your backups sorted out.

NOTE: If you have cPanel you can use this method, but it doesn’t allow for scheduling.

Let’s create peace of mind for you and your site now!

How to backup WordPress the easy way

1. Get a free dropbox account and make sure you’re signed in.

2. Install the WordPress Backup to Dropbox plugin.

Go to Plugins >> Add New and enter ‘WordPress Backup to Dropbox’ into the search field.

3. Authorize the plugin.

After activation the plugin will create a new menu item. Navigate to WPB2D >> Backup Settings.

You will see this dialogue:

Click the Authorize button and another browser window will open asking if you want to allow Dropbox to authorize the plugin.

Click Allow and return to the previous window on your WP site.

Click the Continue button.

4. Configure the plugin to only backup necessary files.

You will see a list of settings:

Under Settings, create a folder for your backups. Call it something that relates to your site, then choose a backup schedule.

Under Excluded Files and Directories click the “toggle all” link and then un-tick the wp-content folder.

The wp-content folder holds all your theme files, uploads and media. Everything else can be easily replaced.

If you have installed other plugins that have created folders outside of the wp-content folder make sure they are un-ticked as well.

NOTE: If you have a caching plugin installed (for speed and website optimization) you do not need to backup the files it creates. They are just copies of your web pages in HTML form for fast loading times. For the plugin W3 Total Cache it will be the /w3tc folder, inside /wp-content. If you’re using WP Super Cache that will be the /cache folder inside /wp-content.

NOTE: All things on the list that are ticked will be excluded from ther backup. Unticked sections will be included in the backup.

8. Click the Save Changes button.

9. Click on WPB2D >> Backup Log and click Start Backup to perform your first backup.

Make sure you leave that window open until it completes.

10. Login to your Dropbox account and download the folder you created for your backups.

It will be inside the folder wpb2d. Highlight the folder (wptribe in my case) and click the Download button.

From now on the plugin will automatically backup on the schedule you chose.

Now doesn’t that feel better?

Any questions or issues with this process? Let us know in the comments. 🙂