In this article, we explain how to manually create a backup of your web hosting account via DirectAdmin, for example before a major change to your website.

Note: This is not the same backup as our automatic nightly backups. Those run via JetBackup and are kept for 14 days, see our article about JetBackup. The method in this article is a separate, manual backup you create yourself via Backup/Transfer, for example as extra security before making a significant change yourself.

Creating a backup

1. Log in to DirectAdmin via yourwebsite.com:2222.
2. Navigate under Account Manager to Backup/Transfer.
3. Under Select backup/restore option, choose Create Backup.
4. Select which parts you want to back up, for example all domains, databases, and email accounts, or make a selective choice.
5. Choose where the backup should be stored, for example Local Server so you can download it later.
6. Click Create Backup.

Downloading the backup

1. Go back to Backup/Transfer.
2. Under Create/Restore Backups, you will see the backup(s) you created.
3. Click the backup to download it to your own computer.

Note: Also store important backups outside of DirectAdmin, for example locally or in cloud storage. This way, you also have a copy if something goes wrong with the hosting account itself.

Troubleshooting

• Creating a backup takes a long time: this is normal for large websites with many files or a large database.
• Creating a backup fails: check whether there is enough free disk space on your web hosting account.

Still stuck? Feel free to reach out via Discord or create a support ticket.