Backups help you recover your WordPress site if something goes wrong.
In Antihost, backups are used to protect your site files and database before updates, changes, experiments, or unexpected issues. Depending on your hosting plan, backups may be created automatically, manually, or both.
Good to know
A backup is not a replacement for careful site management. It is a recovery point you can use if a change breaks the site or if you need to return to an earlier version.
What types of backups are available
Automatic backups
Automatic backups are created by the platform without manual action from your side.
They are useful for regular protection because you do not need to remember to create them yourself.
Depending on your plan, automatic backups may run:
- daily;
- on a fixed schedule;
- with a specific retention period;
- with a limited number of stored restore points.
Plan limits apply
The number of automatic backups and how long they are stored may depend on your WordPress hosting plan.
Manual backups
Manual backups are backups you create yourself from the Antihost panel.
They are useful before making important changes to your site.
Create a manual backup before:
- updating WordPress core;
- updating multiple plugins;
- changing the active theme;
- editing important pages;
- testing custom code;
- making WooCommerce or checkout changes;
- pushing staging changes to live.
Recommended
Create a manual backup before any change that may affect site availability, forms, checkout, user accounts, or business-critical pages.
On-demand backups
If available on your plan, on-demand backups let you create a backup at the moment you need it.
This is usually the safest option before risky changes because you know exactly when the restore point was created.
Note
On-demand backups may not be available on every plan. Check your plan limits in the Antihost panel.
What is included in a backup
WordPress files
A backup usually includes your WordPress site files.
This may include:
- WordPress core files;
- theme files;
- plugin files;
- uploaded media;
- configuration files;
- custom files stored inside the WordPress environment.
WordPress database
A backup also usually includes the WordPress database.
The database stores important site data, such as:
- pages;
- posts;
- users;
- settings;
- plugin data;
- theme settings;
- WooCommerce products and orders, if WooCommerce is used.
Important
WordPress files and the WordPress database work together. Restoring only one part may not fully return the site to its previous state.
What may not be included
Some items may not be included in standard backups, depending on the platform configuration and plan.
This can include:
- external email inboxes;
- external CDN configuration;
- third-party SaaS data;
- external DNS records;
- data stored outside the WordPress environment;
- custom integrations hosted outside Antihost.
Check before relying on a backup
If your site depends on external services, confirm whether their data is covered by Antihost backups. In many cases, external services have their own backup or recovery process.
How to create a backup
Open your WordPress instance
To create a backup, open your Antihost panel and select the WordPress instance you want to back up.
The backup must be created for the correct WordPress site.
This matters if you have more than one site or hosting plan.
Go to the backups section
Inside the selected WordPress instance, open the backups section.
There you should see existing backups and available backup actions.
Depending on your plan, you may be able to:
- view automatic backups;
- create a manual backup;
- download a backup;
- restore from a backup;
- delete old manual backups.
Create a new backup
Select the option to create a new backup.
Wait until the backup process is completed before making changes to the site.
Important
Do not start major updates, plugin changes, or restore actions while a backup is still being created.
How to download a backup
Find the backup you need
In the backups section, find the backup you want to download.
Use the backup date and time to choose the correct restore point.
If multiple backups are available, check which one was created before the issue happened.
Download the backup file
If downloads are available on your plan, select the download option for the chosen backup.
The backup may be downloaded as an archive or another backup format used by Antihost.
Plan limits apply
Backup download may depend on your hosting plan. Some plans may allow restore inside the panel but not direct backup download.
Store downloaded backups safely
If you download a backup, keep it in a secure location.
Backups may contain sensitive data, including database content, user information, forms, orders, or configuration files.
Security note
Do not share backup files publicly. A backup can contain private site and customer data.
How to restore a backup
Choose the restore point
Before restoring, choose the backup you want to use.
Check:
- when the backup was created;
- whether it was created before the issue happened;
- whether it contains the version you want to return to;
- whether the site had important updates after that backup.
Important
Restoring an older backup may remove changes made after that backup was created.
Start the restore process
In the Antihost panel, open the backups section and select the backup you want to restore.
Choose the restore action and confirm it.
The restore process may take some time depending on the size of the site.
Wait until restore is complete
Do not make changes to the site while restore is in progress.
After restore is complete, check the site in the browser and log in to WordPress admin to confirm that everything works as expected.
Recommended check after restore
Open the homepage, key pages, forms, checkout flow if used, and WordPress admin. Confirm that the restored version works correctly.
What happens to existing files during restore
Restore replaces the current site state
A restore returns the site to the state saved in the selected backup.
This means current files and database data may be replaced with the backup version.
For example, changes made after the backup may be lost.
This can include:
- new pages or posts;
- uploaded media;
- plugin settings;
- theme changes;
- form submissions;
- WooCommerce orders;
- user registrations;
- custom code changes.
Important
Restore is not just “adding old files back”. In most cases, it replaces the current site state with the selected backup state.
Recent data may be lost
If your site receives live data, be careful before restoring.
This is especially important for:
- WooCommerce stores;
- membership sites;
- booking sites;
- LMS platforms;
- forms with lead submissions;
- websites with user accounts.
If you restore an older backup, data created after that backup may no longer exist on the restored site.
Before restoring a live site
Check whether the site received orders, leads, registrations, or content updates after the backup was created.
Backup limits by plan
Backup availability depends on your plan
Backup features may vary by WordPress hosting plan.
Your plan may define:
- whether automatic backups are included;
- how often automatic backups are created;
- how long backups are stored;
- how many backups can be kept;
- whether manual backups are available;
- whether on-demand backups are available;
- whether backups can be downloaded;
- whether restore is self-service or requires support.
Plan limits apply
Check the backup section in your Antihost panel or your plan details to see which backup features are available for your hosting plan.
Higher plans may include more backup options
Higher-tier plans may include more frequent backups, longer retention, more manual backup options, or additional restore flexibility.
Lower-tier plans may have more limited backup storage or retention.
Note
Exact backup limits should be checked in your current plan details. Backup availability may differ between plans.
When to create a manual backup
Create a backup before important changes
Create a manual backup before changes that can affect site behavior.
This includes:
- WordPress core updates;
- plugin updates;
- theme updates;
- custom code changes;
- checkout changes;
- form changes;
- database changes;
- migration steps;
- staging-to-live actions.
Create a backup before troubleshooting
If the site is already unstable but still accessible, create a backup before trying to fix it manually.
This gives you a restore point in case the fix makes the issue worse.
Simple rule
If a change can break the site, create a backup first.
When to contact support
Contact support if backup or restore does not work
Contact Antihost support if:
- you cannot see backups in the panel;
- automatic backups are missing;
- manual backup creation fails;
- backup download does not work;
- restore fails or gets stuck;
- the site does not work after restore;
- you are not sure which backup to restore;
- you need to restore a business-critical site and want confirmation before proceeding.
What to include in your support request
When contacting support, include:
- your domain name;
- your WordPress hosting plan;
- the backup date and time;
- what action failed: create, download, or restore;
- any error message shown in the panel;
- whether the issue affects the live site;
- whether the site has WooCommerce, forms, or user accounts.
Why this matters
Backup and restore issues can affect live data. Providing exact backup time and site context helps support avoid restoring the wrong version.
Summary
Backups protect your WordPress site from risky changes and incidents
Antihost backups help you recover your WordPress site when something goes wrong.
Depending on your plan, you may have automatic backups, manual backups, on-demand backups, downloads, and restore options.
Before restoring, always check which backup you are using and what data may be replaced.