How To Backup Website On Hawkhost

If you run a website on Hawkhost (or any hosting platform), one of the most important habits you can build is regular backups. Backups protect you from things like accidental deletes, failed updates, malware infections, or server-side issues you can’t control. The good news: making a reliable backup on Hawkhost doesn’t have to be complicated—you just need to know what to back up and where to find the tools.

Below is a straightforward, native-guide walkthrough you can follow, whether your website is a simple static site or a WordPress (or similar) setup.

What you should back up (before you start)

A “website backup” usually includes two main parts:

1. Your website files
   These are things like HTML/CSS files, themes, plugins, images, and any custom scripts. If you have WordPress, your themes and plugins live here too.

2. Your database (if you use one)
   Many dynamic sites store content in a database—WordPress uses MySQL/MariaDB tables for posts, pages, users, and settings.

Depending on your site type:

• Static website: You mostly need files.
• WordPress / CMS: You should back up both files and the database.

It’s best to create a backup plan that includes at least both items for CMS sites.

Backing up your website files on Hawkhost

Option 1: Use an FTP/SFTP client to download files

A common approach is to download your site’s files to your computer.

1. Connect to your hosting account using an FTP or SFTP client (examples: FileZilla, WinSCP, Cyberduck).
2. Locate your website root folder. This is often inside something like:
   • public_html
   • httpdocs
   • or the folder you configured during setup
3. Select all files and folders inside the site directory.
4. Download them to a local folder on your computer.

Tip: Compress the downloaded files into a .zip archive after the download. That makes storage and later restore processes easier.

Option 2: Backup from the hosting control panel (if available)

Many hosting providers offer a built-in backup feature (varies by account and plan). If Hawkhost provides a control panel option such as:

• “Backups”
• “Backup Wizard”
• “Site Backup”

…you can often generate and download backups directly without using FTP.

If you see backup tools in your Hawkhost dashboard, it’s usually the quickest way to create a complete file backup.

Backing up your database on Hawkhost

If your site uses a database (very likely for WordPress), you’ll want a database backup too.

Option 1: Export using phpMyAdmin

Most hosting accounts provide phpMyAdmin, which makes exporting a database simple.

1. Log in to your Hawkhost hosting dashboard.
2. Open phpMyAdmin.
3. Select your database (usually by clicking it on the left sidebar).
4. Look for the Export tab.
5. Choose:
   • Quick or Custom export
   • Format typically SQL
6. Click Export and download the .sql file.

Important: Keep a copy of the exported SQL file in a safe place (ideally not only on the same server).

Option 2: Use a database management tool (if provided)

Some hosts offer alternatives to phpMyAdmin (like admin interfaces or command-line tools). If Hawkhost provides a “database backup” button or a database management utility, follow its export/download instructions. The goal is always the same: obtain an SQL dump or equivalent backup format.

A better backup workflow: make it easy to restore

A backup is only useful if you can restore it quickly. A simple workflow helps:

1. Create a folder for the date
   Example: backup-2026-06-19/
2. Store files backup inside it (e.g., files.zip)
3. Store database backup inside it (e.g., database.sql)
4. Keep multiple versions if possible
   For example, keep the last 3–7 backups so you can roll back to a previous state.

Also, consider uploading backups to external storage, such as:

• Google Drive / Dropbox
• an external hard drive
• Backblaze / similar backup services

Storing backups only on the same hosting account defeats part of the purpose—if that account is compromised or deleted, backups might be lost too.

Guide: Step-by-step backup for a WordPress site on Hawkhost

If your Hawkhost account runs WordPress, here’s a practical checklist that works well.

1) Backup your WordPress files

• Use FTP/SFTP to download the contents of your WordPress directory (commonly public_html or a subfolder).
• Include these folders and files:
  • wp-content/ (themes, plugins, uploads)
  • wp-admin/
  • wp-includes/
  • wp-config.php
  • any custom files in the root folder

2) Backup your WordPress database

• Open phpMyAdmin
• Select the WordPress database
• Export it as an SQL file

3) Verify your backup files (quick sanity check)

Before you rely on them:

• Ensure your database .sql file is not tiny (it should contain a lot of table data and SQL statements).
• Confirm the file zip contains key WordPress folders like wp-content.

4) Store backups somewhere safe

Copy the backup archive and SQL file to external storage.

Pros / Cons

Pros

• More control: You decide when and how you back up.
• Safer against mistakes: Restoring from a previous backup can save hours (or days) of troubleshooting.
• Good for security incidents: If malware or a harmful update happens, you can roll back to a known-good version.
• Works for any site type: Whether your site is static, PHP-based, WordPress, or another CMS.

Cons

• Manual backups take time: FTP downloads and database exports can be slower than automated systems.
• Requires organization: If you don’t label backups properly, you may struggle to find the right restore point.
• Partial backups can be risky: Backing up only files or only the database can make restores incomplete—especially for CMS sites.
• Restore still takes effort: Even with backups saved, restoring requires careful steps to avoid overwriting correct files or breaking permissions.

Useful tips to make backups more reliable

• Back up before major changes: Updates to plugins/themes, theme changes, or new deployments are ideal moments for a backup.
• Test restores occasionally: If you can, perform a restore in a staging environment or temporarily validate in a safe way.
• Keep your credentials safe: If you use FTP/SFTP, ensure you store passwords securely.
• Use compression for file backups: Zipping reduces file size and helps keep backups manageable.
• Automate if possible: If Hawkhost offers scheduled backups, use it and still keep at least one periodic off-server copy.

Keeping it simple: what to do today

If you want the “best next step” without overthinking it, do this:

1. Download a full files backup (via FTP/SFTP or built-in tools).
2. Export a database SQL backup (via phpMyAdmin) if you use a database.
3. Store them in a dated folder and copy them to external storage.

That alone gives you a solid safety net.

When to restore (and what to watch out for)

Restoring should be your go-to solution if:

• you accidentally deleted critical content,
• a bad update broke the site,
• your database got corrupted,
• you suspect malicious changes.

Before restoring, consider:

• restoring both files and database for CMS sites,
• checking whether file permissions need adjustment after restore,
• confirming that your domain/subdomain points to the correct directory.

You’re set

Backing up your website on Hawkhost is a practical task you’ll thank yourself for later. By taking regular snapshots of both your files and (when applicable) your database—and storing copies off the server—you dramatically reduce downtime and stress. Start with a full backup today, and then set a routine that matches how often you update your site.

🚀 Sign Up for hawkhost

Register for hawkhost here to receive a “lifetime discount” of up to 20%