How To Backup Website On Hawkhost

Backing up your website is one of those tasks you hope you never need—but you’ll be extremely glad you did if something goes wrong. Maybe a plugin breaks your site, a theme update causes layout issues, or you accidentally delete a file. If you’re hosting with Hawkhost, the good news is that you have a few practical options to create reliable backups.

Below, you’ll find clear ways to back up your website using common Hawkhost hosting tools and approaches, plus what to consider so your backup is actually useful when you need it.

What you should back up (before you start)

A full website backup typically includes two categories of data:

1. Website files
   These are your themes, plugins, images, uploads, and core site code. Depending on your platform (WordPress, static HTML, etc.), these files live in your hosting directory.

2. Database (if your site uses one)
   If your website is built with WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, or another CMS, it will usually store content, settings, and user data in a database (commonly MySQL/MariaDB).

If you only back up one of these, restoring can become messy. For example, restoring files without the database might bring the site back, but content and settings may be missing—or the site may not function correctly.

Option 1: Use Hawkhost cPanel (typical for many Hawkhost plans)

Most Hawkhost customers manage hosting through a control panel such as cPanel (or something similar). If your account has cPanel, it’s usually the easiest path because it provides built-in backup tools.

Step 1: Log in to your hosting control panel

• Sign in to your Hawkhost account.
• Open your hosting dashboard.
• Click the link for cPanel (or the control panel you’re using).

Step 2: Back up your files

Look for one of these common features (names can vary):

• File Manager
• Backup Wizard
• Backup or Backup Manager

If there’s a “Backups” section:

• Choose full backup if available, or
• Choose separate options for home directory / files.

If you’re backing up files manually:

• Go to File Manager
• Navigate to your site’s directory (often something like public_html)
• Select all relevant files/folders
• Use the Compress option to create a .zip archive
• Download the zip file to your computer (important—don’t leave it only on the server)

Step 3: Back up your database

In cPanel, you might see tools like:

• phpMyAdmin
• MySQL Databases

A common workflow is:

• Open phpMyAdmin
• Select your database from the left sidebar
• Click Export
• Choose:
  • Quick export (often enough), or Custom if you want more control
  • Format: SQL
• Click Go and download the .sql file

Step 4: Store backups somewhere safe

A backup stored only on the server doesn’t help much if the server is unavailable. Ideally store:

• On your computer (at least temporarily)
• And then also on cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc.) or an external drive

Option 2: Use a manual backup approach (FTP + database export)

If the backup options in your control panel are limited—or you prefer full control—you can back up manually.

Step 1: Download website files via FTP/SFTP

• Use an FTP client such as FileZilla
• Connect using your Hawkhost FTP/SFTP credentials
• Navigate to your website root folder (commonly public_html)
• Download your files to your local computer in a folder dedicated to backups

Tip: Make sure you include everything that makes the site work, especially:

• wp-content (for WordPress)
• uploads folders
• custom themes/plugins folders
• any configuration files you rely on

Step 2: Export the database

Use phpMyAdmin again (or a database export tool) and download an SQL file.

Now you’ll have:

• A folder with website files (or a zip archive)
• An SQL dump for the database

Option 3: If you use WordPress, consider plugin-based backups

If your website runs on WordPress, you can back it up with plugins like those that create scheduled backups and store them in cloud storage.

This option is often convenient because it can:

• Back up files + database
• Keep multiple versions
• Automate scheduled backups
• Sometimes test restore or manage retention

Still, don’t fully “trust” only one system. Even if you use a WordPress backup plugin, it’s smart to occasionally verify you can restore successfully (or at least check that backup files aren’t empty/corrupt).

If Hawkhost provides a simpler control-panel backup tool, that can work alongside plugins for extra safety.

Guide: Create a simple “backup routine” that actually works

Here’s a practical routine you can follow without overcomplicating things:

1) Back up before major changes

Do a fresh backup whenever you plan to:

• Update plugins or themes
• Change PHP settings
• Modify code
• Migrate content or restructure your site

2) Use a clear naming format

Instead of backup.zip, use something like:

• mywebsite_files_2026-09-28.zip
• mywebsite_db_2026-09-28.sql

This makes it easy to find the correct version later.

3) Keep backups in multiple places

A good baseline:

• One copy on your computer
• One copy in cloud storage or an external drive

4) Test a restore occasionally

Every so often (monthly or quarterly), do a test restore into a staging environment or a temporary folder/database. Even a quick check ensures your backup isn’t unusable.

Pros / Cons of different backup methods

Pros of Hawkhost control panel backups (cPanel-style)

• Usually quick and straightforward
• Often covers files and database in a consistent way
• Less technical work than manual setups
• Great for beginners

Cons

• Backup options can vary depending on the plan or interface version
• Some “full backup” downloads may be large and slow
• Backups may remain on the server unless you download them

Pros of manual backups (FTP + database export)

• You fully control what’s included
• You can create backups in the format you prefer
• Good for advanced users and custom setups

Cons

• More steps and easier to miss something
• You must remember to compress files and export the database
• Restore takes more manual work

Pros of WordPress plugin backups

• Automates scheduling
• Easy to manage versions
• Often supports cloud storage

Cons

• Plugin backups can fail silently if misconfigured
• Restores may still require extra steps
• Plugins add another layer that can sometimes break during emergencies

Putting it all together: best practice recommendation

If you want the safest and most reliable setup:

• Use Hawkhost/cPanel to back up files and database, at least occasionally.
• If you’re on WordPress, use a backup plugin too, especially for scheduled backups.
• Always download or export backups off the server and store them elsewhere.
• Test restoration periodically so you know backups are usable.

Backups aren’t just about creating files—they’re about being confident you can recover quickly.

You’re done (and prepared)

Now you know how to back up your website on Hawkhost using the most common approaches: control panel backups, manual FTP/database exports, and (if applicable) WordPress plugin backups. The key is to create complete backups (files + database), store them safely, and ensure you can restore when it matters.

If you tell me what kind of website you run (WordPress, custom HTML/PHP, etc.) and what tools you see in your Hawkhost dashboard (cPanel, for example), I can suggest the fastest exact steps for your setup.

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