title: Backup for cPanel created at: Fri Oct 18 2024 09:01:46 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) updated at: Sat Feb 08 2025 14:21:49 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) --- # Backup for cPanel # Overview The *Backup* interface allows you to download and store your site in a backup file and restore it from a backup file. !! Note !! Newer users may prefer to use the [*Backup Wizard*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/files/backup-wizard) interface (*cPanel » Home » Files » Backup Wizard*). !! The system stores backup files as [tarballs](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/cpanel-product/cpanel-glossary/#tarball) that use the `.tar.gz` file extension. For more information about what backup files contain, read our [Backup Tarball Contents](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/backup/backup-tarball-contents) documentation. !! Some settings only appear if your hosting provider’s [server profile](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/cpanel-product/cpanel-glossary/#server-profile) enables them. # Full Backup In this section, click *Download a Full Account Backup* to create, download, or store a full backup file. The *Generate a Full Backup* interface will appear. !! Important !! You **cannot** use a full backup file to restore your website through the cPanel interface. Contact your hosting provider for assistance. !! You **must** decompress the backup file before you attempt to restore it. !! After you decompress the backup file, you can upload and restore individual portions of your website that the full backup file contains. !! The backup process for an account near or over its quota may fail because the system cannot write necessary files, such as a database lock file. ## Generate a Full Backup To create a new full backup, perform the following steps: 1. Select a storage setting from the *Backup Destination* menu: * [*Home Directory*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/files/backup-for-cpanel/#home-directory-backup-file-contents) — Select this setting to save the backup file on the server. * *Remote FTP Server* — Select this setting to use FTP to store the backup file on a remote server. * *Remote FTP Server (passive mode transfer)* — Select this setting to use passive FTP to store the backup file on a remote server. * *Secure Copy (SCP)* — Select this setting to use secure copy protocol (SCP) to store the backup file on a remote server. 2. Select a notification setting: * To receive a notification when the backup finishes, enter your email address in the available text box. * If you do not wish to receive a notification, select *Do not send email notification of backup completion*. 3. If you wish to include [integration links](https://api.docs.cpanel.net/guides/guide-to-integration-links/) in the backup, select *Include integration links (may include external account credentials)*. 4. If you selected *Remote FTP Server*, *Remote FTP Server (passive mode transfer)*, or *Secure Copy (SCP)* from the *Backup Destination* menu, enter the remote destination’s information in the available text boxes. 5. Click *Generate Backup*. ## Account Backups To download an existing full backup file to your computer, select the desired backup file’s filename from the *Account Backups* menu. !! Note !! The backup file uses the `backup-MM-DD-YYYY` format, where `MM` is the month, `DD` is the day, and `YYYY` is the four-digit year. # Partial Backups Partial backup files store individual parts of your account. To download a specific item, select the backup type that contains that item. The system downloads the backup file as a [`.gz`](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gzip) file to your computer. ## Download a Home Directory Backup To download a home directory backup, click *Home Directory*. When you back up your home directory, the backup file includes the following files: * All of the files that you own. This includes any email for the domains that belong to your account. * Files that you do **not** own, but can access. !! Note\ Backup files do **not** include files from your home directory that you do not own and cannot access. To exclude certain files and directories from a backup file, place a configuration file in your home directory. For more information, read our [How to Exclude Files From Backups](https://docs.cpanel.net/knowledge-base/backup/how-to-exclude-files-from-backups) documentation. ## Download a Database Backup To download an account’s database, click the database name under the *Databases* heading. ## Download Email Forwarders To download email forwarders for a domain, click the domain name under the *Forwarders* heading. ## Download Email Filters To download email filters for an account, click the filter name under the *System Filter Info* heading. !! Important !! The *Email Filters* backup file **only** stores the account-level email filters from cPanel’s [*Global Email Filters*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/email/global-email-filters/) interface (*cPanel » Home » Email » Global Email Filters*). The backup file does **not** store user account-level email filters from cPanel’s [*Email Filters*](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/email/email-filters/) interface (*cPanel » Home » Email » Email Filters*). ## Restore a partial backup To use a partial backup to restore a portion of your account, perform the following steps: 1. Click *Choose File* under the appropriate heading. For example, to restore a database, click *Choose File* under the *Restore a Database Backup* heading. 2. Select the backup file from your computer. 3. Click *Upload* to restore that portion of your account.