Joomla Hosting

Backing up Joomla Site and Database

Backing up your Joomla! site involves two separate processes: downloading the Joomla! files, and exporting your database.

Step 1 - Involves logging in to your web hosting account via FTP (filezilla is a popular, free program) and downloading all the Joomla! files to your desktop.

Step 2 - Log in to your hosting control panel, which is normally something like www.yourdomain.com/admin. Please note that the following screenshots are taken from the Parallels Plesk Pro control panel, but can easily be translated into other control panels, such as cpanel.

Click on the shortcuts menu followed by the MySQL Administration tool (see below).

Joomla Database Backup

The manage databases screen will appear. Click on the MySQL Administration Tool.

Mysql Adminstration Tool Link

You will be prompted for your database username and password.

Enter Database Username and Password

Logging in will launch the phpMyAdmin controls.

phpMyAdmin

Select your database.

MySql Database

You will see a screen similar to the following with all the tables from the database listed.

Database Screenshot

Click on the export tab.

Joomla Export Database

Other than the "add drop table" which needs to be turned on all default settings should remain as they are.

Joomla backup - Add drop table

Finally, Select the "Save as file" option and click go.

Save as file

Congratulations you have just backed up your Joomla mysql database.