Backups in CloudPanel-files and databases

CloudPanel includes a basic backup system for websites and databases. Backups are stored on the same server by default, so it is essential to download copies off-server regularly. Always have a backup before making any significant changes to a site.

CloudPanel backup overview

CloudPanel can back up:

• Website files (all files in the site's htdocs/ directory)
• Databases associated with the site

Backups are created as compressed archives stored in /home/SYSTEM_USER/backups/ on the server. You download them via SFTP to keep a local or cloud copy.

Back up website files

1. Log in to CloudPanel and go to Sites → your site
2. Click the Backup tab
3. Click Create Backup
4. Select Files (or both Files and Database for a complete backup)
5. Click Create

CloudPanel compresses the site files into a .tar.gz archive. For large sites this can take a few minutes. The backup appears in the backup list when complete.

Download the backup via SFTP-connect with the site's system user and navigate to ~/backups/. See SFTP guide.

Back up databases

Database backups can be created from the Backup tab alongside file backups, or separately via phpMyAdmin export or the command line:

mysqldump -u DB_USER -p DB_NAME | gzip > /home/SYSTEM_USER/backups/db-$(date +%Y%m%d).sql.gz

This creates a date-stamped compressed SQL dump. Replace DB_USER, DB_NAME, and SYSTEM_USER with your actual values.

Schedule backups

CloudPanel's cron manager can trigger automated backups on a schedule. For a daily file + database backup via cron:

1. Go to Sites → your site → Cron Jobs
2. Add a cron job with the CloudPanel backup CLI command. The exact command depends on your CloudPanel version-consult the CloudPanel documentation or use clpctl site:backup if available
3. Set the schedule (e.g., daily at 2am: 0 2 * * *)

Alternatively, set up a cron job that uses mysqldump and rsync to back up and sync to an off-site location.

Restore from a backup

Restore files:

1. Upload the backup archive to the server via SFTP
2. Extract it to the correct htdocs/ directory via SSH:
   tar -xzf backup.tar.gz -C /home/SYSTEM_USER/htdocs/yourdomain.com/

Restore a database:

1. In phpMyAdmin: select the target database, click Import, and upload the SQL file
2. Or via SSH: mysql -u DB_USER -p DB_NAME < backup.sql

Off-site backup strategy

Backups stored only on the same server are not true protection-a hardware failure, fire, or ransomware could destroy both the live site and the backup simultaneously.

Recommended approach for CloudPanel VPS:

• Configure CloudPanel or a cron job to create daily backups
• Use rsync or rclone to sync backups to a remote location (another server, S3, Backblaze B2, or Google Drive)
• For WordPress sites, a plugin like UpdraftPlus can back up directly to cloud storage automatically
• Keep at least 7 days of backups to protect against delayed discovery of problems

Related: How to create and manage databases in CloudPanel | How to connect to CloudPanel via SFTP | Backup best practices for web hosting | How to restore files and databases from a backup

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