Creating a Backup of Installation with Softaculous

Backups play a crucial role in keeping any website secure and recoverable. If you originally installed your application, such as WordPress, through Softaculous, you can also use the same tool to create backups of your site. This guide walks you through the steps for generating a backup in Softaculous and downloading a copy for safekeeping.

Keep in mind that any backups you create will take up storage space on your server. Because of this, it’s a good idea to regularly check your disk space usage so you can manage your resources effectively.

Please click the links to jump to the sections. 

• How to create backups 
• How to download a copy of the backup
• Summary
   

How to Create Backups

To create a backup via Softaculous:

1. Log in to your Bluehost Portal.
2. Click Hosting in the left-hand menu.
3. In the hosting details page, click the cPanel button.

   
    

4. Your cPanel will open in a new tab.

   
    

5. Find the Software section and click Softaculous Apps Installer.

   
    

6. Select the Installation box. We will use WordPress as an example.

   
    

   Alternatively, you can click All Installations at the top-right menu.

   
    

7. On the following screen, you’ll see a list of all your current installations.

   
    

8. Find the site you want to back up from the list.

9. Click Backup under the Options column.

   
    

10. You’ll be taken to the Backup Information page, where you can see how many backups you currently have and the maximum number you’re allowed to create. The backup options (Backup Directory and Backup Database) will already be selected by default.

    
     

11. Select Backup Installation.

12. A progress bar will appear.

    
     

13. Once done, click Return to Overview to go back to your current installations.

    
     

How to Download a Copy of the Backup

Softaculous provides two different options for downloading the backups you’ve created.

• Download Backup via Backups and Restore 
• Download Backup via File Manager 

Download Backup via Backups and Restore 

1. On the Softaculous homepage, click Backups and Restore at the top-right menu. 
   
    

2. Find the website you want from the list. You’ll see the backup’s file name displayed under the File Name column.

3. Click the backup filename or the download icon to download the backup.
   
    

4. The backup will be downloaded to your local computer.

Download Backup via File Manager

To download a copy of the backup via File Manager:

1. Log in to your Bluehost Portal.
2. Click Hosting in the left-hand menu.

   
    

3. Click File Manager.
   
    

4. Inside the File Manager, locate the softaculous_backups directory from the list of files and folder.
    
    

5. You will find the backup in a .tar gz file. The filename usually includes the date when the backup was generated. 

6. Select the backup and click the Download icon located in the top menu.
   
    

7. The backup file will then be saved to your local computer.

Summary

Creating regular backups is an essential part of maintaining a secure and recoverable website. Softaculous makes this process straightforward by allowing you to generate backups directly from your cPanel and download them whenever needed. In this guide, you learned how to create a backup of your installation, where those files are stored, and the different methods you can use to download a copy—either through the Backups and Restore section, File Manager, or via FTP. Keeping these backups organized and monitoring your server’s disk space will help ensure your site stays protected and easy to restore at any time.