A backup is a full copy of your site that you can restore if something goes wrong. It’s your safety net–every site should have one.
Why backups matter
- Failed updates
A theme or plugin update can break the site. Restore from a backup and then fix the cause.
- Malware
If the site is compromised, a clean backup gives you a known-good state to restore to (after cleaning or rebuilding).
- Mistakes
Content or code deleted by accident can be recovered from a recent backup.
- Redesigns and migrations
Before big changes or a move to new hosting, a backup ensures you can roll back if needed.
Types of backups
- Full backups
All files and the database. What you need for a complete restore.
- Incremental backups
Only what changed since the last run. Faster and lighter; you still need a way to restore to a full point.
- Offsite backups
Stored away from the live server so a server failure or attack doesn’t take your backups with it. Good hosting does this by default.
How often to back up
WordPress
Daily automated backups are the norm on managed hosting. For busy or high-value sites, that’s usually enough; adjust if you need more frequent restores.
Shopify
The platform backs up store data. For theme and customisations, keep your own copies (e.g. theme exports) so you can restore or rebuild if needed.
Managed hosting and backups
xCloud and white-label hosting include daily automated backups. You get restorable copies without configuring backup plugins or offsite storage yourself.
For security context, see Website security basics. Before moving hosts, see How to migrate your website to a new host safely.
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