Jetpack Backup and Restore
Jetpack Backup and Restore is an incredibly useful tool that allows you to easily restore or download a backup of your website from a specific point in time. It's like having a magic wand that can undo any mistake you make on your WordPress website. With Jetpack Backup and Restore, you can confidently develop your site without worrying about losing any content, whether a word, image, page or anything else.
The best part is that Jetpack Backup and Restore automatically create backups for you, so you don't have to worry about manually saving your work whenever you change. This means you can focus on creating great content and building your site without the stress of losing anything important.
- Why Choose Jetpack Backup and Restore?
- How Do I Get Jetpack Backup and Restore?
- Getting Started
- What Data Is Backed Up in Jetpack Backup and Restore?
- What Does Real-Time Mean?
- When Do Daily Backups Occur?
- Does Jetpack Backup and Restore Support Multisite?
- Where Are Backups Stored?
- Restoring With Jetpack Backup and Restore
- Summary
Why Choose Jetpack Backup and Restore?
Choosing Jetpack offers several compelling advantages for WordPress site owners because of its convenience, security, and peace of mind. Check out its standout benefits:
- Automated, real-time backups. You'll be provided with real-time, automated backups, that ensures every change made to your site is instantly saved. This is particularly beneficial for dynamic websites that frequently update content, products, or user information. You don't have to remember to manually back up your site because Jetpack does it for you.
- Off-site storage. Backups are stored in a secure, off-site location that safeguards your data against server failures, hacking, and data loss scenarios. This separation ensures that even if your website is compromised, your backup files remain and readily accessible.
- One-click restores. Restoring your site from a backup is straightforward with Jetpack. Whether you're dealing with a minor issue or recovering from a significant problem, you can restore your site to any previous state with just one click from the dashboard. This simplicity minimizes downtime and gets your site back up and running quickly.
- Incremental backups. Jetpack's approach to incremental backups means that only the changes since the last backup are saved. This reduces server load and ensures efficient use of resources. This method is less intrusive and allows your site to operate smoothly without the performance hits associated with full-site backups.
- Activity log for easy troubleshooting. The integrated activity log tracks all changes and enables you to pinpoint when specific changes were made. This is crucial for troubleshooting issues because you'll be able to identify when a problem first appeared and then you can choose the optimal restore point.
- Expert support. Premium plans come with expert support from WordPress experts. If you encounter any issues with your backups or restores, you have direct access to knowledgeable support staff who can assist you in navigating and resolving your concerns.
- Versatility and convenience. Jetpack's backup and restore services are part of a broader suite of tools offered by the plugin, from security enhancements to performance optimizations. This integration means you're not just getting a backup solution but a comprehensive package to improve and secure your WordPress site.
How Do I get Jetpack Backup and Restore?
Jetpack Backup and Restore and the Jetpack account require Wordpress.com credentials. Please see Jetpack - Create WordPress and Account Setup for a complete step-by-step guide on creating a free WordPress.com account to begin with Jetpack.
Jetpack Backup and Restore is available to users who have purchased the standalone Jetpack Backup solution, Jetpack Security, and Jetpack Complete.
Note: Once the site is connected to Jetpack Backup and Restore, your site will remain on the Jetpack Backup and Restore solution even if you change your Jetpack plan type to any other one that includes backups or move your site to a new host.
Getting Started
Once Jetpack is activated, your first backup will be created as soon as you purchase.
At the top of your activity log, you'll see the following prompt to add remote access/server credentials for your site:
These credentials allow you to connect for backups if the Jetpack connection isn’t working. They’re also required for site restores. If you don’t see a notification at the top of the activity log indicating that a backup is running, you can add those credentials to start backups.
Once backups start, you’ll see a Backup complete event in your activity log, either daily or when you make changes, and know that your site is securely backed up.
Click the three dots to the event's right to show available restore and download options.
If Jetpack loses contact with your site and your backups stop working, it will send you an email after the second failed backup attempt.
Note: The first backup can take some time to complete. You’ll see the first backup progress bar in My Site(s) → Jetpack → Backup while it’s still in progress. Once the first backup is complete, you’ll see the completed backup there and in the activity log, as mentioned above. Subsequent backups are generally faster.
What Data Is Backed Up in Jetpack Backup and Restore?
We back up the following data:
- Your WordPress database. (Specifically, any tables that begin with your WordPress table prefix and have a unique or primary key.)
- All files in the plugins, mu-plugins, themes, and uploads directories.
- Everything in your WordPress root directory that's not another WordPress install.
- Other select files inside the wp-content directory.
This data set includes all the unique and irreplaceable data you have stored in WordPress and everything properly integrated into the WordPress installation.
We do not back up:
- WordPress’ core files, since these can be downloaded from WordPress.org at any time.
- Files outside the directories listed above.
- Database tables that don’t look like they belong to WordPress.
- Database tables whose rows have no unique identifier.
- Cache and backup directories.
- Additional WordPress installs. (In subdirectories, for example.)
Additionally, we'll exclude any directory containing a file named .donotbackup. You can create these files to prevent certain directories from being backed up if necessary. If a directory named donotbackup is added, we will also exclude all files inside that directory.
Depending on which Jetpack plan you have, backups are either run in real-time or once per day.
What Does Real-Time Mean?
Jetpack Backup and Restore uses WordPress’ built-in “hooks” system to receive alerts when certain data on your site changes. Jetpack then immediately syncs those changes with our servers to generate a backup for your site.
Information that’s backed up in real-time includes changes to:
- WordPress’ core database tables.
- WooCommerce database tables.
- Any associated file changes (uploaded media, for example).
Other changes are backed up daily.
When Do Daily Backups Occur?
Daily backups typically occur 24 hours from the previous backup. However, setting a specific time window for daily backups is impossible.
Does Jetpack Backup and Restore Support Multisite?
At the moment, Jetpack Backup and Restore cannot support multisite.
Where Are Backup and Restore Stored?
Jetpack stores your backups on servers in our secure data centers worldwide.
While it isn’t impossible to restrict data storage to a particular geographic location, we can provide the Standard Contractual Clauses, which we include in our Data Processing Agreement (DPA). DPAs are contractual tools for websites and companies to commit to their customers, vendors, and partners that their data handling complies with the law, including transferring data from the EU.
If you want a DPA with us, you can request one from the Privacy Settings page in your dashboard at https://wordpress.com/me/privacy.
Restoring With Jetpack Backup and Restore
You can now restore from a backup in just a few clicks.
Important note: To restore with Jetpack Backup and Restore, server credentials must be added to your Settings (also known as FTP access).
There are 3 different ways to restore your site:
- Restore your site to a particular event (if your plan includes real-time backups).
- Restore your site to a particular day.
- Download a backup and restore manually.
You can refer to our frequently asked questions below for additional details.
Restore your site to a particular event
Note: This method requires a ‘real-time’ backup solution (Jetpack Complete, Jetpack Security Real-time, Jetpack Backup and Restore Real-time).
- Open your activity log.
- Use the filters to search by selected day(s) and find the event you want to restore.
- Click the ellipsis (three dots) icon, then click Restore to this point to open the Restore Site dialog box.
- Click Confirm Restore.
- Your restore to the specific point in time you have selected will begin. At the top of the activity log, you can follow the progress of the restore. You will also receive email updates on the progress of your restore.
- When the restore has been completed, you’ll see a confirmation message.
- Click View Site to see your site restored to your selected event.
Restore your site to a particular day
- Open your Backup page (Jetpack → Backup). You’ll see the latest backup for your site. (Or the scheduled time of your next backup if a backup has not yet been completed today).
- Use the navigation bar to find the day you want to restore to. Each day will show the time of the latest backup and any changes included in that backup.
- When you find the day you want, click Restore to this point to restore to the latest backup point for that day. Select the items you wish to restore, then click Confirm Restore.
- If you have one of our ‘real-time’ backup solutions, other events for that day will be listed below the latest backup, so you can restore to a different point on that day if you wish.
Download a backup
- Open your activity log.
- Use the filters to search by selected day(s).
- Find the event you’d like to use, click the ellipsis (three dots) icon, and choose Download backup.
- On the Create downloadable backup page, click Create download.
- At the top of the activity log, you can follow the progress of the download creation.
- When it has been completed, you’ll see a confirmation message. You can use the Download button to download the backup. You'll also receive an email with a link that you can use to download the backup.
Once you have downloaded the backup, you can manually restore the site if you wish.
FAQs
Q: Can I restore even if my site is down or has a fatal error?
A: A: Yes! Because Jetpack’s restore system operates separately from the Jetpack plugin, you can still restore to a prior event, even when your site is down.
Important: if your site is down, you’ll see “This site cannot be accessed” on WordPress.com. DO NOT click the Disconnect link there, or you will not be able to access your site’s activity log and will not be able to perform a restore.
Q: Does restoring with Jetpack Backup and Restore delete files from my server?
A: A: No. When we restore your site, we don’t delete files. Files with the same name will be overwritten, but uniquely named files are not removed. We only delete our helper files, which we add to the site during restoration. However, it's important to note that your site’s database is completely replaced with the database from the backup you’re restoring from. So, any posts or pages you’ve added since the restore point date would be lost. It would help if you exported this content before using our restore feature. Then, you can import it back to your site after the restore.
Q: How long does it take to restore?
A: A: This depends on many factors, such as the size of your site and the type of server credentials you’ve added to Jetpack. Generally, SFTP and SSH credentials provide a faster connection. You can check the restore progress by visiting My Site(s) → Jetpack → Activity Log. You should also receive an email once the restore has finished.
Summary
Jetpack Backup and Restore is an excellent tool that can help you restore or download a backup of your WordPress website from a specific point in time. With automatic backups, you don't have to worry about manually saving your work whenever you make changes. It's a reliable and useful solution that lets you focus on creating great content and building your site without the stress of losing anything important. With the information provided, you can better understand how Jetpack Backup and Restore works, what data is backed up, and how to get started with this powerful tool.
If you need further assistance, feel free to contact us via Chat or Phone:
- Chat Support - While on our website, you should see a CHAT bubble in the bottom right-hand corner of the page. Click anywhere on the bubble to begin a chat session.
- Phone Support -
- US: 888-401-4678
- International: +1 801-765-9400
You may also refer to our Knowledge Base articles to help answer common questions and guide you through various setup, configuration, and troubleshooting steps.