How to Restore Website From Backups (cPanel + FTP Method)

Accidentally losing your website content can be a nightmare, whether it is a WordPress website, a static HTML site, or a custom PHP-based project. Important pages, images, themes, plugins, or databases may be deleted due to human error, hacking attempts, server failures, or faulty updates. Such data loss can interrupt business operations, reduce customer trust, and negatively impact search engine rankings.

The good news is that restoring a website from backups is one of the safest and most reliable recovery methods. Most hosting providers offer backup tools through cPanel, and when combined with FTP access, you can fully recover both website files and databases. This guide explains, step by step, how to restore your website using cPanel and FTP, how to recover databases, fix common errors, and verify your website after restoration. The process is explained in simple language, so beginners and experienced website owners can follow it easily.

Understanding Website Backup Types

Before restoring a website, it is important to understand the types of backups available in cPanel:

• Full Backup: Contains all website files, databases, emails, and settings. Best for complete website migration or disaster recovery.
• Home Directory Backup: Includes website files such as HTML, PHP, CSS, JavaScript, themes, plugins, and images.
• Database Backup (MySQL) :Stores all website content, such as posts, pages, user data, and settings for dynamic websites.

For a complete restoration, you usually need both the Home Directory backup and the MySQL database backup.

Downloading Backups from cPanel

Most hosting providers, such as Bluehost, HostGator, SiteGround, or GoDaddy, provide backup options in cPanel.

Steps to Download Backup from cPanel:

1. Log in to your hosting account and open cPanel.
2. Locate the Backup or Backup Wizard
3. Under Partial Backups, click Download Home Directory Backup and save it to your computer.
4. Scroll to Download a MySQL Database Backup.
5. Select the database linked to your website and download the .sql

Advantages of cPanel Backups:

• Full control over restoration
• No dependency on plugins
• Suitable for WordPress, PHP, and static HTML websites

Restoring Website Files via FTP

FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is used to upload website files back to the server. This method is especially useful when cPanel restoration is unavailable or when restoring static websites.

Steps to Restore Files Using FTP:

1. Install an FTP client such as FileZilla or WinSCP.
2. Enter your FTP credentials (host, username, password, and port).
3. Connect to the server and navigate to the public_html folder or the root directory of your website.
4. Extract the downloaded Home Directory backup on your computer.
5. Upload all files and folders to the server. Allow overwriting if prompted.
6. Set correct file permissions:

• Folders: 755
• Files: 644
  7. Open your website URL to confirm files are loading correctly.

Example: If your website is static, ensure index.html, CSS, JS, and image folders are placed exactly as they were before. Even one missing file can break the website layout.

Restoring the Database (MySQL)

For dynamic websites like WordPress, restoring the database is critical because it contains content, user accounts, settings, and configurations.

Steps to Restore Database via phpMyAdmin:

1. Open phpMyAdmin from the cPanel dashboard.
2. Select the database associated with your website.
3. (Optional) Export the current database as a backup for safety.
4. Click the Import
5. Choose the downloaded .sqlbackup file and click Go.
6. Wait for the success message confirming the import.

Important Tip:

• If database credentials have changed, update them in wp-config.php or your website’s configuration file.
• Ensure the database prefix (e.g., wp_) matches the restored database.

Common Errors and How to Fix Them

Website restoration may sometimes result in errors. Below are common issues and their solutions:

Permission Errors

• Error: 403 Forbidden
• Fix: Set folder permissions to 755 and file permissions to 644 via FTP.

Broken Layout or Missing Images

• Error: CSS or images not loading
• Fix: Confirm all folders are uploaded to the correct directory structure.

Database Connection Error

• Error: Error establishing a database connection
• Fix: Verify database name, username, password, and host in the configuration file.

Large Database Import Errors

• Error: Timeout or file size limit
• Fix: Split SQL files or use tools like BigDump. You can also temporarily increase PHP upload limits.

Checklist After Website Restoration

After restoring your website, perform the following checks:

1. Open the website in multiple browsers.
2. Verify images, CSS, and JavaScript files load correctly.
3. Test contact forms, login pages, and user interactions.
4. Confirm that database-driven content, such as posts and page,s is visible.
5. Check SSL certificate, security plugins, and caching settings.
6. Monitor Google Search Console for crawl or indexing issues.
7. Take a fresh backup immediately after successful restoration.

Conclusion

Restoring a website from backups using cPanel and FTP is a practical and dependable solution for recovering lost data. By carefully downloading backups, restoring files via FTP, importing databases through phpMyAdmin, and fixing common errors, you can fully recover your website with minimal downtime.

Key Takeaways:

• Always keep regular backups of both files and databases.
• Follow the correct folder structure during FTP uploads.
• Test your website thoroughly after restoration.
• A combination of cPanel backups, FTP access, and database restoration provides a strong safety net.

With proper backups and the right restoration process, even a major website failure can be resolved efficiently and securely.