How to restore files and databases from a backup

How you restore depends on what type of backup you have and where it is stored. This guide covers the most common restore scenarios for shared hosting (cPanel / Backuply) and manual database restores.

Restore via cPanel Backup Wizard

1. Log in to cPanel
2. Go to Files → Backup Wizard
3. Click Restore
4. Choose what to restore: Home Directory, MySQL Databases, or Email Forwarders/Filters
5. Upload the backup file (.tar.gz for files, .sql.gz for databases)
6. Click Upload

The restore process runs in the background. Large restores may take several minutes. Files are extracted over the existing content-existing files with the same name are overwritten.

Restore via Backuply

If Backuply is available on your server, it provides point-in-time restores without needing a local backup file:

1. Log in to cPanel → Backuply
2. Choose the restore type: Full Account, Files, Databases, or Emails
3. Select a backup date from the calendar
4. Choose specific files or the entire backup
5. Click Restore

Restore a database

Using phpMyAdmin (for files up to ~50 MB):

1. Log in to cPanel → phpMyAdmin
2. Select the target database in the left panel
3. Click Import
4. Choose the .sql or .sql.gz file
5. Click Go

Via command line SSH (for large databases):

mysql -u username -p database_name < backup.sql

Restore individual files

If you have a backup archive (.tar.gz), extract specific files locally, then re-upload via File Manager or SFTP. In cPanel File Manager, right-click the archive → Extract to extract in place, then move files to their correct location.

Request a server-side restore

If you cannot access your account or need a restore from a server backup, open a support ticket. Include:

• Your cPanel username
• The domain name
• What you need restored (full account, specific files, or specific database)
• The approximate date to restore from

Server-side restores are subject to backup availability and may not be possible for all dates.

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