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How to Restore Backups at Hostinger
How to Restore Backups at Hostinger

Restoring a website at Hostinger

Updated over a week ago

At Hostinger, you can use the Backup tool to easily restore your website files and databases to the preferred state.

❗️ IMPORTANT NOTES ❗️

  • After restoring a backup, your website will be returned to its state at the moment of backup creation; any changes done after the backup date will be reverted. Please be careful in choosing the best method to restore your data and the date of the backup.

  • If you’re unsure of restoring the backup directly, we recommend downloading the current website data to your local device: How to Download Backups at Hostinger

  • This procedure doesn't apply to websites created with Hostinger Website Builder. In such a case, take a look here: Website Builder: How to Create and Restore Website Backups

Restore a Backup on Your Current Hosting Plan

To restore a backup, go to the Websites section, find the site in question, and click on Manage. Then, search for Backups on the left sidebar and click on it:

The options of backups in the website's management area

You’ll find backup options for your website files and databases. It’s time for you to choose the best method to restore your backup. Check the below explanations to understand the differences between each method and the detailed instructions 👇

Method 1 – Restore a WordPress Website

This method is only available for WordPress websites. It allows you to restore files and databases of a WordPress site in one click.

To start the process, click on Select below Restore website:

The Restore website option in the Backups section

Choose the preferred date from the available backups in the dropdown list, and click on Restore:

The Full website restore option with the dropwdown list of available backups

Confirm that you understand that restoring the selected backup version will replace current website files and databases, and again click on Restore:

Warning indicating that the selected backup will replace all the current website files and databases

Usually, the restoration process takes 10–15 minutes depending on the size of your website; the larger the backup, the longer it may take. The restoration will continue in the background even if the browser tab is minimized or closed. Check the status in the Restore History tab:

Viewing the status of restoration

Once completed, your website will be restored to the state it was on the selected date. If you can't see the restored content on your website, please clear the cache.

Method 2 – Restore Specific Websites, Subdomains, or Directories

This method is recommended when you host several websites, subdomains, or directories and only want to perform partial restorations by selecting only specific files or folders (directories).

Click on Select below Files backups:

The Files backups option on the Backups section

Select the preferred date from the available backups in the dropdown list, and click on Next step:

The date selector for backups

To restore only one domain and its subdomains, open the folder domains, select the folder of the preferred website (e.g., domain.tld), and click on Restore files:

Restoring a backup of the particular folder

To restore a particular directory or a subdomain, open the domains folder, select the folder of the preferred website (e.g., domain.tld), and open the public_html folder within:

Accessing the public_html folder of a website

Select the desired directory (folder), and click on Restore files:

Restoring a backup of a particular website's folder

NOTE

  • The default directory for your subdomain is named after the subdomain; if you chose a custom name when creating the subdomain, you will see that name instead

Usually, the restoration process takes 10–15 minutes, depending on the size of your website; the larger the backup, the longer it may take. The restoration will continue in the background even if the browser tab is minimized or closed. Check the status in the Restore History tab:

VIewing restoration status

If the partial restoration includes a whole website (when restoring from either a domain or subdomain), make sure to restore the databases as well to the same date as the files backup.

Method 3 – Restore Specific Files

This method only restores particular files (e.g., wp-config.php, .htaccess, etc.). Click on Select below Files backups:

The Files Backups option on the Backups section

Select the preferred date from the list of available backups, and click on Next step:

The date selector for backups

Open the domains folder, select the folder of the preferred website (e.g., domain.tld), and open the folder public_html within:

Accessing the public_html folder of a website

Then, select the preferred files within, and click on Restore files:

Viewing restoration status

Usually, the restoration process takes only a couple of minutes, but it also depends on your file size. The larger the backup, the longer it may take. Check the status in the Restore History tab:

Viewing restoration status

Once completed, your selected files will be restored to the state of the selected backup date.

NOTES

  • This method only allows restoring files and whole directories from public_html

  • To restore just some particular files from a subfolder inside public_html, download the backup and upload the desired files via FTP:

Method 4 – Restore Databases

Use this method after restoring entire domains/subdomains or if you need to restore your website’s database only.

Click on Select below Database backups:

The database backups option

Choose the preferred database, and click on Show databases:

The date selector for database backups

Choose the preferred backup date, and click on Restore:

How to select a backup date for a database and download

NOTE

  • The database must exist in your List of Current MySQL Databases before restoring it. If you encounter an error, create the database again using the same database name and retry the restoration:

Error while restoring a database backup

Usually, the restoration process takes only a couple of minutes, but it also depends on the size of your database. The bigger the backup, the longer it may take. Check the status in the Restore History tab:

Viewing restoration status

Once completed, your selected database will be restored to the state of the selected backup date. To check the changes, you may need to clear the cache.

Restore a Backup on Another Hostinger Account

If you wish to restore a backup on a different Hostinger account, check these articles:

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