Backups and restoring your website

Mercury, Venus, World and Mars web hosting plans include weekly backups. Backups are retained for the duration of the service. Do not assume this policy applies to VPS, dedicated servers or another service; check the terms for that service separately.

Take a current copy before changes

A weekly backup may not contain everything changed today. Before a major update or migration, keep a current copy of both files and the database. Decide whether email also needs to be included. Check the backup date, contents and readability. Keep backup archives outside publicly accessible website directories.

Choose the recovery point

Record when the problem started and which data was affected. Identify the service and desired recovery date in a support ticket. Confirm the available recovery point and scope before proceeding. Explain whether you need files, databases, email or a combination restored.

Restoring can affect orders or content created after the chosen backup. Preserve a copy of the current state where possible. Consider testing the backup separately before restoring the live service. Confirm that the database and application file versions are compatible.

Verify after restoration

Test the homepage, administrator sign-in, important records, forms and uploads. If email was restored, check folders and messages. Review error logs. If the original problem came from an outdated plugin or compromised account, restoring an older backup does not remove its cause; address that problem as well.

Export the data you will need before ending a service. The retention policy covers the duration of the service; do not assume restoration will remain available after cancellation.