How to Back Up Your WordPress Site Before Switching Platforms

Back up your WordPress site before you move it. Even if a migration service handles everything, a backup gives you a complete record of your site that you control and can restore from if anything goes wrong. This guide walks through each part in plain terms.

Why does a backup matter if someone else is handling the migration?

Because things occasionally go wrong. A server hiccup, a misconfiguration, a missed page. Your backup is your proof that the original existed and your path back if needed.

It also matters because your hosting company will eventually delete your old site after you cancel. Once that happens, anything you did not save is gone permanently. A backup before you move ensures you never have to track down content from a provider you no longer pay.

The backup takes about an hour for most small business sites. It is worth doing regardless of how your migration is being handled.

Step 1: Export your WordPress content

This exports your pages, posts, and basic site structure as an XML file.

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Go to Tools, then Export.
3. Select All Content.
4. Click Download Export File.
5. Save the file to your computer.

This file contains your pages, posts, categories, tags, and comments. It does not contain your images. Those are in the next step.

Step 2: Download your uploads folder

Your images and uploaded files live in the uploads folder inside your WordPress installation.

1. Log in to your hosting control panel.
2. Open the file manager.
3. Navigate to public_html, then wp-content, then uploads.
4. Right-click the uploads folder and download it as a zip file.
5. Save it to your computer.

This can take some time if your site has many images. For a typical small business site, expect a few minutes.

If you do not have access to your hosting file manager, contact your host and ask for a download of your wp-content/uploads folder.

Step 3: Export your database

Your database contains everything WordPress stores: your pages, posts, comments, settings, and plugin data.

1. In your hosting control panel, find phpMyAdmin. It is usually under the Databases section.
2. Select your WordPress database from the left panel.
3. Click Export at the top.
4. Use Quick export and the SQL format.
5. Click Go and save the downloaded file.

If you are not comfortable with phpMyAdmin, many hosts offer a database backup tool in their control panel. Look for Backup or Backup Wizard.

Alternatively, a plugin like UpdraftPlus can create a complete backup including the database and downloads it for you, all from the WordPress dashboard without touching the file manager.

Step 4: Save your theme files (optional)

If your site uses a custom theme with custom code, download the theme folder too.

1. In the file manager, navigate to public_html, then wp-content, then themes.
2. Download the folder for your active theme.

This is only important if you had a developer write custom code into your theme. For most standard or premium themes, a backup is not critical because the theme can be reinstalled, but the custom modifications cannot be recovered if they are not saved.

Where to store your backup

Keep it somewhere separate from the server you are leaving.

• Your own computer for immediate access.
• Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud for cloud storage.
• Both, for peace of mind.

Do not store it only on your hosting account. If the account is deleted or locked, you lose access to both your site and your backup.

What to expect if you decide to move

Basalt handles the content transfer as part of the conversion. But we recommend taking your own backup before any migration begins. Your content is yours. Having your own copy is the right call.

The full checklist for leaving WordPress is here. The step-by-step migration process is here.

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