Simple steps you can follow to make sure your WordPress site is always safe.
WordPress Backup Best Practices for Beginners make it easier to secure your site, even if you’re new to WordPress. Let’s be honest running a WordPress site can be stressful sometimes. You work hard to create content, customize the design, and maybe even manage customers. But here’s the scary part: all of that can disappear in seconds.
It could be a hack, a broken update, or even a small mistake you didn’t notice. Without a backup, you’re stuck starting from scratch. I’ve been there before, and trust me, it’s not fun. That’s why I believe backups are not optional. They’re a safety net that gives you peace of mind. The good news? You don’t need to be a tech expert to set them up.
WordPress Backup Best Practices for Beginners
Here are the backup practices that I recommend, especially if you’re just starting out.
1. Make Backups Part of Your Routine
Think of it like brushing your teeth you don’t skip it.
- If your site changes daily (like a store or news site), back up daily.
- If you post once a week, a weekly backup can work.
The point is: don’t wait until it’s too late.
2. Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket
Keeping backups only on your hosting server is risky. If the server crashes, your backup goes with it.
Instead:
- Save a copy in the cloud (Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3).
- Keep one offline, maybe on a hard drive.
This way, you always have a backup of your backup.
3. Automate It
We’re all busy, and it’s easy to forget to back up. That’s why I use plugins like UpdraftPlus or Jetpack Backup to do it automatically. Once it’s set up, you don’t have to think about it anymore.
4. Check That It Works
One of the biggest mistakes people make is assuming their backup works… until it doesn’t.
Every few months, I do a quick test by restoring to a demo site. That way, I know my backups are actually usable when I need them.
5. Keep a Few Versions
Keep a few versions of your backups instead of relying on just one. If your site was hacked last week and your only backup is from yesterday, chances are the malicious code is still there. By storing multiple versions from different dates, you’ll have clean options to restore from, making recovery safer and more reliable.
6. Pick a Plugin You Trust
Pick a plugin you trust, because not all backup tools offer the same reliability. A good plugin should be easy to set up, updated regularly by the developer, and flexible in where you can store your backups whether that’s on Google Drive, Dropbox, or your own server.
Choosing a trusted tool also means faster recovery when something goes wrong. Popular choices many beginners rely on include UpdraftPlus and BackupBuddy, but take time to test which one feels right for your workflow.
Common Mistakes Beginners Make with Backups
Many beginners assume that setting up a single backup is enough. In reality, there are several mistakes that can put your site at risk:
- Only keeping one backup – If that file is corrupted or infected, you have no fallback.
- Storing backups on the same server – If your hosting crashes, both your site and backup could be lost.
- Not testing backups – A backup that can’t be restored is useless.
- Backing up too rarely – Waiting weeks between backups means losing all new content and updates.
- Ignoring plugin updates – Outdated backup plugins can fail or have security holes.
Avoiding these mistakes will make your backup strategy much safer and more reliable.
A Quick Reminder for Beginners
If you’re new to WordPress, I know backups can feel “too technical.” But trust me, once you set it up, it’s one of the simplest things you’ll do and one of the most important. It’s not just about protecting files, it’s about protecting your work, your time, and maybe even your income.
👉 If you want to see how backups fit into the bigger picture of website care, check out my guide on The Tools I Use for Monthly Website Health Checks.
