A full cPanel backup creates a complete snapshot of your hosting account — website files, email accounts, databases, DNS zone files, and cPanel settings. This is essential before making major changes, migrating to a new server, or as a routine disaster recovery measure.
What's Included in a Full Backup
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Website files | Everything in /publichtml/ and all subdomains |
| Email accounts | All mailboxes, filters, forwarders, and autoresponders |
| Databases | All MySQL databases and users |
| DNS zone files | Custom DNS records configured in Zone Editor |
| cPanel settings | Cron jobs, SSL certificates, redirects, and configurations |
Steps
Step 1: Log in to cPanel
Navigate to yourdomain.com/cpanel or log in via the Cynet client area at manage.cynet.com.my → My Services → Web Hosting → Manage → cPanel Login.
Step 2: Open the Backup Tool
In the cPanel dashboard, scroll to the Files section and click Backup.
Step 3: Generate a Full Backup
- Under Full Backup, click Download a Full Account Backup
- Configure the backup settings:
| Setting | Recommended Value |
|---|---|
| Backup Destination | Home Directory — Saves the backup file to your hosting account |
| Email Address | Enter your email to be notified when the backup is complete |
- Click Generate Backup
Note: You can also select Remote FTP Server or Remote SCP as a destination if you want the backup sent directly to another server.
Step 4: Wait for Completion
cPanel generates the backup in the background. Depending on your account size, this can take:
- Small accounts (under 1 GB): A few minutes
- Medium accounts (1–5 GB): 10–30 minutes
- Large accounts (5+ GB): 30 minutes to a few hours
Step 5: Download the Backup
- Go back to cPanel → Backup → Full Backup section
- Your completed backup will be listed with a download link (e.g.,
backup-3.5.202609-30-00_yourusername.tar.gz) - Click the filename to download it to your computer
- Store the backup in a safe location (external drive, cloud storage, etc.)
Downloading Partial Backups
If you only need specific parts of your account, cPanel also offers partial backups on the same Backup page:
Home Directory Backup (Files Only)
Under Partial Backups → Home Directory, click Download to download all your website files as a compressed archive.
Database Backup
Under Partial Backups → Databases, click the database name to download a .sql.gz backup of that specific database.
Email Forwarders and Filters
Under Partial Backups, you can also download your email forwarders and filters configuration.
Using Backup Wizard (Alternative)
cPanel also includes a Backup Wizard that guides you through the process step by step:
- Go to cPanel → Files → Backup Wizard
- Click Back Up
- Choose Full Backup or Partial Backup
- Follow the on-screen prompts
Restoring From a Backup
Important: On shared hosting, you cannot restore a full backup yourself. Full backup restoration must be done by the server administrator. Contact Cynet support with your backup file and we will restore it for you.
Restoring Partial Backups (Self-Service)
You can restore individual components yourself:
Restore Files
- Go to cPanel → Backup → Restore a Home Directory Backup
- Click Choose File and select your home directory backup
- Click Upload
Restore a Database
- Go to cPanel → Backup → Restore a MySQL Database
- Click Choose File and select your
.sql.gzdatabase backup - Click Upload
Automating Backups
cPanel's built-in backup tool does not support scheduled automatic backups. For automated backups, consider:
- Softaculous (Business plan) — Set up automatic WordPress backups in Softaculous → Edit Installation → Backup Settings
- WP Toolkit (WordPress plan) — Configure scheduled backups in WP Toolkit
- Cron Job — Advanced users can create a cron job to automate backups (contact support for guidance)
- Third-party plugins — WordPress plugins like UpdraftPlus or BlogVault can schedule automatic backups to cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.)
Best Practices
- Back up before major changes — Always create a backup before updating WordPress, installing new software, or modifying core files
- Download backups locally — Don't rely solely on server-stored backups; download them to your computer or cloud storage
- Regular schedule — Create a full backup at least once a month, or weekly for active websites
- Test your backups — Periodically verify that your backup files are complete and can be restored
- Delete old backups from the server — Backup files are large and count towards your disk quota. Download them locally, then delete the server copy to free space
- Keep multiple copies — Store at least 2–3 recent backups in different locations
Troubleshooting
Backup fails or takes too long
- Your account may be too large. Try creating partial backups (files and databases separately) instead of a full backup
- Check your disk usage — if you're near the quota, the backup may fail because there's no room to store the backup file
- Contact Cynet support for assistance with large account backups
Backup file is corrupted or won't download
- Try downloading again — the connection may have timed out during a large download
- Use FTP (FileZilla) to download the backup file from your home directory instead of the browser
- The backup file is located at
/home/yourusername/in cPanel File Manager
"Backup in progress" message won't go away
- A previous backup may still be generating. Wait for it to complete
- If it's stuck for more than a few hours, contact Cynet support to clear the backup queue