Restoring a Website from Backup: Files, Database and Checks Print

Published: 21.09.2026

A backup is only useful when you can turn it back into a working site. Restoring a website means putting its files and its database back in place, connecting them correctly and then checking the result. Virtual Hosting plans include backups, and this guide describes the order of steps that works for most sites, whichever backup you use.

Choose the right backup

Pick the copy made just before the problem started. A backup taken after a break-in or a broken update may already contain the damage you want to avoid. Make sure the files and the database come from the same date, because a database from one day and files from another can disagree about users, orders and settings. Write down the date and the source before you start.

Protect the current state first

Before you restore anything, preserve what is there now. Even a broken site may hold recent orders, messages or uploads. Make a fresh export of the database and a copy of the current files in a separate folder. If your platform offers a maintenance mode, switch it on, so visitors do not write new data while the restore runs.

Restore the files

1. Unpack the file backup in a temporary folder, not over the live site.
2. Check that the structure looks right, including the configuration file and the uploads folder.
3. Copy the files to the live location, replacing the broken ones, using FTP or the restore function in your control panel.
4. Check the permissions. Files should be readable, folders accessible, and nothing should be writable by everyone.

Restore the database

1. Create an empty database with the original name, or empty the existing one once its export is safe.
2. Import the SQL file through phpMyAdmin or the restore function in the panel.
3. Check that the tables exist and that a few recent records, such as the latest orders or posts, are present.

If an import stops halfway, empty the database and start again. Importing on top of a partial result creates a confusing mixture of old and new data.

Connect the files and the database

Open the configuration file of the application and check the database name, the user, the password and the database host. Your control panel shows the database host. Then check the site address stored in the database. If it still points to an old or test address, links and redirects will break. Many applications offer a setting or a command that replaces the address.

Check the result

• Open the home page, a category page and one article or product in a private browser window.
• Log in to the administration area and make one harmless change, then undo it.
• Send a test message through a contact form and check that it arrives.
• Read the error log for new warnings that appeared after the restore.
• Clear the caches and check images, menus and links.

Practise before you need it

A restore under pressure is much harder than one you have rehearsed. Every few months, restore a recent copy to a test subdomain or a test copy of the site, time the process and write down each step. Keep the notes next to the backup login details in a safe place, so that someone else can follow them if you are unavailable.

Frequently asked questions

What if the latest backup does not work? Try the previous one. Keep several dates, so that one damaged copy does not end the recovery.

Can I restore only one file? Yes. Restore the file into a separate folder, compare it with the current version and copy only that file back. Do not overwrite a newer configuration file with an old one without comparing them first.

Does a restore change my domain? No. Domain registration and DNS records are separate from the website files and the database, so restoring the site does not touch them.

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