Help Centre
Answers, fixes and the setup checklist.
Everything you need to get BackupEncoder running and keep it running.
Getting started
- Upload the BackupEncoder zip under Plugins > Add New > Upload Plugin and activate it.
- Open BackupEncoder and go to the Settings tab.
- Set a Destination folder, ideally outside your public web folder.
- Go to the Backup tab and click Backup.
- Optional: turn on automatic backups in the Schedule tab.
Where are my backups?
In your destination folder, inside a folder for this site:
<destination>/BackupEncoderFiles/<Site>/
Each backup is a ZIP named with the site’s domain and the date, alongside its log and the latest restore.php.
Troubleshooting
A large download stops part-way
Big files are more fragile over a browser. If a download fails, BackupEncoder shows the backup’s exact path on the server so you can fetch it with an FTP or SFTP program instead.
The backup times out
Lower Seconds per request on the Settings tab so each step finishes well inside your host’s time limit.
Red lines in the log
These are files that failed the integrity check. What happens next depends on the If a file fails the check setting. On a scheduled backup, BackupEncoder also runs the backup again once and emails you if the problem is still there. A file that only changed while the backup was running is listed separately, marked with a ~, and is not an error.
A scheduled backup ran late
WordPress runs scheduled tasks on page visits. Use a real server cron job to call wp-cron.php if timing matters.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a maximum backup size?
No built-in limit. The backup is built in chunks, so its size is limited only by your server’s disk space.
Does it need mysqldump?
No. It uses mysqldump when the server has it, and falls back to exporting through PHP when it doesn’t.
Can I restore to a different domain?
Yes. Enter the new site URL on the restore page and every reference to the old address is updated safely.
What happens to my plugins after a restore?
They’re switched off so the site comes up cleanly. The restore log lists which were active so you can turn them back on.
Are symlinks included?
No. Symbolic links are skipped so a backup never follows them into shared folders outside the site.
Can several sites share one destination folder?
Yes. Each site’s backups go into their own folder, and Backup History only shows that site’s own backups.
What if a scheduled backup stops part-way?
A backup is built in short steps, and each step books the next one before it starts. If a step is cut off, by the host stopping it for example, the next one carries the backup on from where it stopped a minute or so later.
If a scheduled run finds a backup that has not moved for 10 minutes, it carries it on from where it stopped, emails you, and records Backup stalled on the Audit Log tab. If the same backup stops again, it is run again once, and you are emailed if that fails too. A backup that is still running is left alone.
What does the Audit Log record?
Backups started, finished, failed, run a second time, stalled, cancelled or deleted, alert emails, skipped scheduled runs and every changed setting, each with the date and who did it. Search it, sort it by any column, show problems only, or download it as a CSV. The most recent 1,000 entries are kept, and they stay after a backup’s own ZIP and log have been deleted.
How do I get updates?
New versions appear in your WordPress dashboard like any other plugin update.