Backup
What happens when you click Backup.
A full-site backup runs in five stages, each broken into short steps so it keeps going on any host.
1
Scan
Your site’s files are listed, skipping symlinks and anything excluded.
[03:00:04] Scanning files…
2
Dump the database
Each table is exported, with mysqldump if the server has it and a PHP fallback if it doesn’t.
[03:00:31] Dumped table: wp_posts
3
Build the ZIP
Files are added in chunks, resuming after each request so the PHP time limit never stops it.
[03:01:12] Building ZIP archive…
4
Check integrity
Each file is verified the way you chose in Settings, and any problems are listed in red.
[03:06:48] Integrity check: 0 issues found
5
Save the extras
A fresh restore.php and the backup’s log are written next to the ZIP.
[03:06:49] Saved restore.php and backup log
Settings that matter
Tune it to your host.
Five settings on the Settings tab cover almost every situation.
Destination folder
Where backups are written. Each site gets its own BackupEncoderFiles/<Site> folder inside it, so sites sharing a folder never mix.
Exclusions
One pattern per line, relative to the site root. Cache folders, .git, node_modules and BackupEncoder’s own temp files are always left out.
wp-content/uploads/2025/*.zip
wp-content/uploads/old-builds/*
Seconds per request
How long each step runs before handing over to the next. 20 seconds suits most hosts; lower it if you see timeouts.
File integrity checking
| Off | No extra check. |
| Basic (default) | Confirms each file’s size in the ZIP. |
| Full checksum | Verifies every file’s checksum. Slower, most thorough. |
| Full for large files only | Checksums only the big files. |
A file that changes while the backup is running, such as a security plugin’s log, is noted in the log as changed. It is not treated as a failure.
If a file fails the check
| Log and continue (default) | Notes it in the log and carries on. |
| Retry once, then log | Tries the file again first. |
| Fail the whole backup | Stops, so you never keep a backup with a known problem. |
Email problems to
The address BackupEncoder emails when a scheduled backup still has a problem after a second attempt. Leave it blank to use the site’s administration email address.
After the backup
Backup History
Lists each ZIP with its size and date, with Zip, restore.php, Both, View Log and Delete buttons.
Saved log
Every backup’s full log is saved as a text file next to the ZIP. View it in a pop-up without leaving the page.
Tidy deletes
Deleting a backup removes its ZIP and its log together.
Audit Log
Every backup started, finished, failed, cancelled or deleted is recorded with the date and who did it, along with every changed setting. The record stays after the backup itself has gone.
Your first backup is one click away.
Download BackupEncoder and see the whole process in the live log.