How to Use Bluehost Basic Weekly Backup

Bluehost’s Basic Weekly Backup is an automated cloud‑based service that securely stores a complete copy of your website files and databases. It requires no setup and provides a simple, dependable way to protect your site from data loss. You can restore your website to a previous state, recover from errors, or download backups for offline storage.

This guide explains how to access, download, and restore your backups so you can confidently manage your website data.

• Understanding Basic Weekly Backup
• Navigating Basic Weekly Backup
• Managing and Restoring Backups
• Summary
   

Understanding Basic Weekly Backup

Visibility & Limitations

• Backups are site‑level, meaning they include only the files associated with the selected domain.
• Email data is not backed up. For email recovery, contact Bluehost Support.

Databases

• Your hosting plan’s full list of databases is displayed.
• Non‑WordPress sites do not have automatic database mapping.
• For WordPress sites, the correct database is labeled “(Current Website)”.

Restore Point Guidelines

• A restore point is created automatically (enabled by default).
• Only one restore point is stored at a time—new ones overwrite the previous.
• Restore point downloads must be saved within 72 hours before the link expires or is replaced.

Best practice: Download and save your restore files locally as soon as they are available.

Download Link Guidelines

• File and database download links remain active for 24 hours.
• Expiry time appears below each generated link.
• Only one file backup and one database backup link can be active at a time.
• Requesting a new download while another link exists will overwrite the previous one.

Status Indicators

• Ongoing – Backup or restore process is in progress; new requests are temporarily disabled.
• Success – Download links or restore completion notices are available.
• Failed – An error message appears with details.

Navigating Basic Weekly Backup

1. Log in to your Bluehost Portal.
2. In the left-hand menu, click Websites.
3. Click the Manage button located next to the website you want to manage.

   
    

4. Click Backups in the top menu.

   
    

Backup Options Overview

• Basic Weekly Backup
  Displays your Last Backup (date, time, and data center) and Next Backup schedule.
   
• Premium Backup Services
  • CodeGuard – Advanced automated and manual backup controls.
  • Jetpack – Real‑time WordPress backups and quick restores.

Managing and Restoring Backup

• Full Website Restore - This option lets you restore your entire website from a previous backup by replacing your current files and database with the selected backup.
• File Backups - File Backups enable you to restore and download your website files from a specific backup date. However, this option does not allow you to archive or recover database content without impacting your website files.
• Database Backups - Database Backups let you restore and download your site's databases to a selected backup date, enabling you to archive or recover database content without affecting your website files.

Backups generated before the website was created contain no site data; therefore, the download and restore options will be unavailable.

Full Website Restore

Restore your entire website by rolling back all files and selected databases to a previously saved backup, replacing the current version with the chosen restore point.

How to Restore Full Website Backups

1. Under Full Website Restore, click Restore Website.

   
    

2. Select the website's backup date and the specific databases to restore, then click Continue.

   
    

3. In the Are you sure? pop-up, review the restore point, select both confirmation checkboxes, then click Continue to proceed with the website restore.
   Restoring your website will overwrite your current website files and database with the backed-up version. Make sure this is the desired version before proceeding.

   
    

4. Wait for the restoration process to complete. Your website will be reverted once the process finishes.

   
    

   • If the restore is completed successfully, you will see a Completed status and a notification that a new restore point has been created for your current site. Successful restores generate a new restore point automatically.

     
      

   • If the restore fails, you will see an error message in the Manage Backups section indicating the failure.

     
      

File Backups

Manage your website files by restoring individual website files from a previous backup or downloading backup copies for local storage.

• How to Restore File Backups
• How to Download File Backups

How to Restore File Backups

1. Click Access Backups under File Backups.

   
    

2. Select a backup date and click Restore, then Continue.

   
    

3. Confirm the restoration details.

   
    

4. Wait for the process to finish.

   
    

   • If the restore is completed successfully, you will see a Completed status and a notification that a new restore point has been created for your current site. Successful restores generate a new restore point.

     
      

   • If the restore fails, you will see an error message in the Manage Backups section indicating the failure.

     
      

How to Download File Backups

1. In File Backups, click Access Backups.

   
    

2. Choose a date and click Download, then Continue.

   
    

3. (Optional) Resolve any overwrite warnings if an existing link is active.
   • If you attempt to download a file while one is already available, a pop-up will prompt you to confirm whether you want to replace the existing download link.

     
      

4. Wait for the download link to generate, then save the file.

   
    

   • If the download is completed successfully, you will see a Completed status and a download link generated, along with the expiry date of the link.

     
      

     For primary cPanel sites, the backup includes addon site data. Extract and restore only the files needed for your primary domain.
   • If the download fails, you will see an error message in the Manage Backups section indicating the failure.

     
      

Database Backups

Manage your website databases by restoring them from a previous backup or downloading backup copies for safekeeping.

• How to Restore Database Backups
• How to Download Database Backups

How to Restore Database Backups

1. In Database Backups, click Access Backups.

   
    

2. Select a date and choose one or more databases (or Select All).

   
    

   • You can choose to select one or more databases at the same time. We also have a Select all option to download the database all at once.
   • In the case of multiple databases, we will create a single download link that combines the individual databases into a single zip file.
3. Click Restore, then Continue.

   
    

4. Confirm the restoration details.

   
    

5. Wait for the process to finish.

   
    

   • If the restore is completed successfully, you will see a Completed status and a notification that a new restore point has been created for your current site. Successful restores generate a new restore point.

     
      

   • If the restore fails, you will see an error message in the Manage Backups section indicating the failure.

     
      

How to Download Database Backups

1. Click Access Backups under Database Backups.

   
    

2. Select a date and choose one or more databases (or Select All).

   
    

   • You can choose to select one or more databases at the same time. We also have a Select all option to download the database all at once.
   • In the case of multiple databases, we will create a single download link that combines the individual databases into a single zip file.
3. Click Download, then Continue.

   
    

4. (Optional) Resolve any overwrite warnings if an existing link is active.
   • If you attempt to download a file while one is already available, a pop-up will prompt you to confirm whether you want to replace the existing download link.

     
      

5. Wait for the download link to generate, then save the database.

   
    

   • If the download is completed successfully, you will see a Completed status and a download link generated, along with the expiry date of the link.

     
      

   • If the download fails, you will see an error message in the Manage Backups section indicating the failure.

     
      

Summary

Bluehost’s Basic Weekly Backup offers an easy, automated way to safeguard your website files and databases. With features like Full Website Restore, downloadable backups, and clear progress indicators, you can restore or save your site data quickly—without needing support assistance.