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How to backup WordPress to Google Drive

How to backup WordPress to Google Drive
Checkout the benefits of a WordPress Backup to Google Drive.
Before storing your WordPress backups in Google Drive, you need a Google account. You can find a guide how to set up it here. After this, you need to authenticate BackWPup in Google Drive. Follow these steps:

Log in to your Google account.
Visit https://console.developers.google.com/apis/library.
Create a new project and select it.
Create a new project
Create project
Activate the Google Drive API for this project.

Activate the Google Drive API for this project
Enable Google Drive API
In the sidebar, click on Credentials, and then, if a consent screen configuration is requested because was never set before, like in the picture below, proceed to click on CONFIGURE CONSENT SCREEN
Click on CONFIGURE CONSENT SCREEN if no consent screen is set
And in the next screen select the External option:
Select the external option for the User Type
Finally, in the next screen set an application name, your google account for email support and your own email address at the bottom for Developer contact.
After that, you can complete the process by pressing the Save button in the next screens until you get back to the Dashboard.
After these settings, your Authentication is set in Testing mode as default: in order to set it in Production, when your App has to be used in production mode,  select the OAuth consent screen link in the left menu and then click on PUBLISH APP.
Work in testing mode will limit the access to Google Drive, providing more restrictions to the authentication process. See the picture below:
Select the OAuth consent screen link in the left menu and then click on PUBLISH APP
Now, if the consent screen is set, from the main dashboard click on the Credentials link, and then click in the link + CREATE CREDENTIALS and selectOAuth client ID.
Click on the Credentials link, and then click in the link + CREATE CREDENTIALS and selectOAuth client ID
Here you are redirected in a new page: select Web application under Application type and fill in a name for the web application. Leave the field Authorised JavaScript origins empty. For the field Authorised redirect URIs you need to go your WordPress Dashboard (see next Step).
Set the Web Application
In your WordPress admin area go to BackWPup → Settings → API Keys and there to the section Google API Keys.
BackWPup → Settings → API Keys and there to the section Google API Keys
Copy the displayed URL under Redirect URIs and paste it into the Authorized redirect URI field in the Google Drive form.
Now click on Create.
Create the Redirect URI
After that, the client is created and a form shows the Client ID and Client Secret.
Client ID and Client Secret form
Copy the Google Drive Client ID and Secret and paste them into the BackWPup backend in the field Client ID and Client Secret.
Save the BackWPup settings.
Edit the desired backup job and choose Google Drive as backup destination. Or create a new job: BackWPup → Add new job → General, section Job Destination.
BackWPup → Add new job → General, section Job Destination
Now you can see a new tab To: GDrive. Click on the tab.
GDrive. Click on the tab
Click on Reauthenticate to authenticate BackWPup in Google Drive.
You are redirected to Google and have to allow BackWPup access to Google Drive. Click on Allow.
BackWPup access to Google Drive
After this, you will be redirected to your WordPress admin area, where you should see the successful authentication.
Please note: If you want to set up multiple WordPress backup jobs to the same Google Drive account, you can run into trouble with the authentication. Instead of creating a new job, copy the job where you first set up Google Drive. Make the changes to the copied job to keep the same authentication details.

On the settings page, there are some more options:

Folder in Google Drive: Name of the folder, where all backups will be stored.
File Deletion: The maximum number of backups to be stored. Older backups will be deleted.
Checkbox below File Deletion: Pushes the old backups to the Google Drive trash instead of deleting immediately.

Test the correct Google Drive authentication by starting a backup job with this destination. If the run was successful, you should see your backup in Google Drive.
You should see your backup in Google Drive

Dropbox Token and Permission Updates

Dropbox Token and Permission Updates
Starting September 30th, 2021, the Dropbox Authentication model will change: OAuth flow will no longer return long-lived access tokens.
In order to manage such a change also BackWPup has been properly updated: version 3.10.0 implements all the needed updates that let you continue to use BackWPup as usual.
What should I do as a BackWPup user?
In general there are no particular changes to perform. The important thing is to update your plugin to version 3.10.0 in order to manage the new authentication model set by Dropbox.
After updates, if you currently don』t have any job connected to Dropbox, then there are no further steps to perform.
Instead, if you already have some jobs created and connected to Dropbox using a previous BackWPup version, you will need to re-authenticate to Dropbox.
If this is your case, right after installing the latest version, you will get a notice that warn you to re-authenticate your jobs as reported in the following picture.
Dropbox Authentication Notification
In order to re-authenticate your jobs you can refer to: How to backup WordPress to Dropbox.

How can I encrypt backups before I upload them?

How can I encrypt backups before I upload them?
As of version 3.6, BackWPup Pro offers the option to encrypt backups for upload to the backup target – a great feature for the security of your data and that of your customers and users.
And – because of the GDPR regulations – an absolute must for all those that store personal information in their backups and are based in the EU or have personal data of users residing in the EU in their WordPress installation.

Table of Contents

What exactly is an encrypted backup and why should you make use of the feature?Encryption procedureGenerating encryption keysEncrypting the backup during creationRestoring an encrypted backupDecrypting a backup
1. What exactly is an encrypted backup and why should you make use of the feature?
Whenever you create a backup with BackWPup or any other backup plugin, the result is usually uploaded to a backup target. That could be your FTP server, Google Drive, or any other cloud service.
In the event that someone gains access to the backup target, they are able to read the data in your backup without any problem. Unencrypted backups are a security gap and run the risk of your data and that of your customers and users falling into the wrong hands.
Encrypting a backup means that the data is made unreadable by way of an encryption process. You will have to generate a key (or a key pair) before encrypting. This key must then be kept in a safe place. The key is needed in the encryption algorithm to render the data unreadable and to decrypt the data as well. Only those in possession of the key are able to make the backup readable again.
Caution: You will no longer be able to access the data if you lose the key.
2. Encryption procedure
BackWPup offers two procedures for encryption: one symmetrical and one asymmetrical procedure.
The symmetrical procedure works with a single key and is based on the popular AES 256 procedure (AES = Advanced Encryption Standard). The same key is used for encrypting and decrypting.
The asymmetrical procedure uses the RSA algorithm and the AES procedure. Here we generate a random AES-256 key, which is then used for the encryption. Additionally, the AES key itself is then encoded using the RSA procedure (hybrid procedure).
The RSA procedure requires a key pair consisting of a public key and a private key. These can be generated via BackWPup Pro. The private key must be kept in a safe place and must only be known to you.
If you aren』t sure which of the two procedures to use – here are their advantages and disadvantages:

The symmetric procedure is easier to use because we simply store the key in the BackWPup Pro database once it has been generated. You don』t have to worry about keeping the key safe: you can copy-paste the key value that is available in the BackWPup Pro → Settings in the Encryption tab. But anyway we always strongly suggest creating and keeping a copy of your key. Your backup is safe as long as the database of your WordPress installation doesn』t become compromised: if your database is damaged, you could lose the key, and so you could not be able anymore to decrypt your backup unless you have a copy of the key. So, after the key is generated in your system, it has to be downloaded using the related button, otherwise the encryption cannot be properly activated.
The asymmetrical procedure is the safer option because it uses two keys. You are the only one in possession of one of those two keys. Disadvantage: You have to ensure the safekeeping of the private RSA key. You will no longer be able to access your data if you lose the key. Also in this case the download of the private key is required after the generation.

3. Generating encryption keys
You will first have to generate the key before you can create an encrypted backup with BackWPup Pro:

Go to BackWPup Pro → Settings and then select the Encryption tab.
Select the encryption procedure you want to use: symmetrical or asymmetrical.
Click Generate Key.

If you have selected the symmetric method, a single key will be generated and stored in BackWPup Pro. You should also save it to another location to be on the safe side.
If you have selected the asymmetric method, BackWPup generates an RSA key pair. Both keys will be offered to you for download. You should download the private key at least. Next, click Use these keys.

Click Save Changes.

Generate encryption key – symmetric (AES) or asymmetric (RSA)
4. Encrypting the backup during creation
For each backup job you can decide individually whether to create the backups with or without encryption. Simply check the Encrypt Archive box when creating or editing a backup job.
Activate encryption for backups
5. Restoring an encrypted backup
A backup is there to be able to restore your site in case of an emergency. Our BackWPup Pro Restore feature can restore both encrypted and unencrypted backups. Simply follow our BackWPup Restore instructions.
6. Decrypting a backup
In the event that you want to decrypt an encrypted backup, please download it from the backend of your WordPress installation as follows:

Go to BackWPup Pro → Backups.
Hover the mouse over the desired backup.
Click Download.
The backup is decrypted. If you have chosen the asymmetric method for encryption, you must enter your private RSA key in the window that opens, otherwise, you have to enter the symmetric key.

Note: You will need BackWPup Pro to decrypt the backup. You will not be able to decrypt the backup with any other tool.

How do I create a Dropbox account?

How do I create a Dropbox account?
To use Dropbox as destination to store backups, you only need a free Dropbox account, if the available space of 2 GB is enough for you.
If you already have a Dropbox account, you can of course use it for the backups.
To create a new Dropbox account, do the following steps:

Visit dropbox.com and register with your full name, e-mail address and password.
Visit dropbox.com and register
Check the I agree to Dropbox terms box. Click on Sign up.
You got an email confirming the registration. Follow the instructions there to finish the registration.
You got an email for confirming the registration
Now you can access your Dropbox Dashboard, where you can store, manage and share files.
Now you can access your Dropbox Dashboard
In the browser you will get a link to the paid version for a trial period or, if you want to use the free basic plan, you can click on the related link. This way you could download and install the Dropbox app into your computer selecting the version that fits your Operative System.

How do I use the BackWPup Restore feature?

How do I use the BackWPup Restore feature?
The BackWPup restore feature allows the simple restore of your WordPress backup in only a few steps. The restore functionality is only integrated into the BackWPup PRO version of our backup plugin. In this documentation we explain how you restore your WordPress backup with the BackWPup restore feature.
Attention: Only backups made with BackWPup are restorable with the BackWPup restore feature.
There are two different ways how to use the BackWPup restore feature. On the one hand you can go to the menu point Backups and then use the link Restore which is directly displayed below the backups. On the other hand you can upload and restore a backup by using the menu link Restore. In this documentation we will present both ways. Moreover we will explain the functionality of a couple of useful files and directories.

Table of Contents

Use the BackWPup restore feature with the menu link RestoreRestore a backup directlyI have no access to my WordPress installation. Well, how shall I use the BackWPup restore feature?BackWPup Pro licence key is missing after restoring the websiteBackWPup restore feature: Important files and directoriesRestore.logRestore.datUpload directoryExtract directory.htaccess.donotbackup
1. Use the BackWPup restore feature with the menu link Restore

Go to BackWPup Pro → Restore.
First, you need to upload the zip file of the backup you want to restore. You can either add it via drag & drop or use the button select archive. In case you don』t know where you can get the zip file from, read this documentation.
Upload your backup archive.
Attention: Take care of the backup that you upload. The one you restore is going to overwrite your website. So, check out whether you uploaded the correct backup.

When you uploaded the backup archive successfully, you need to decide between these two possibilities:
Choose between a full restore and a database restore.
Now you can choose whether you want to make a database restore or a full restore. When you decide to make a database restore, you are only going to restore the database dump. In case you decide to make a full restore, you are going to restore the whole installation with all files. In this documentaion we are going to make a full restore.
Next, you need to find out and indicate some database settings so that a working connection to your database can be build up.
You need to enter some database settings because BackWPup needs a working connection to your database in order to make a restore.
Enter the Database Host, the Database Name, the Database User and the Database Password. You can find all relevant database connection settings in the wp-config.php. However, you can also ask your hoster. In this documentation we take the data from the wp-config.php. You find the file in the zip file of your backup. We also wrote a documentation about the wp-config.php.
When you entered all data, click the button test connection. In case the test was successful, you get the information Connection to Database Successful.
The plugin tested the database connection successfully.
Now click the button Continue. You just reached the last step. When you want to restore your backup, click Start. BackWPup now restores your backup. This may take a few minutes in case you make a full backup.
When the restore was successful, the information below is displayed. If BackWPup had any problems during the restore process, you can download the log file directly. There, the whole restore process is documented. So the troubleshooting is much easier.
The restore was successful.

2. Restore a backup directly
Besides to the described way you can also restore a backup directly.

To do that, go to BackWPup Pro → Backups. There all your backups are listed. Choose the backup you want to restore and click the link restore.
Choose the backup you want to restore directly.
BackWPup now directs to the restore step we already described above as step 2. Choose whether you want to make a full restore or a database restore. Now we choose the database restore and click Database only.

Click the button Database only to restore the database dump.
BackWPup now directs to the step we already described above as step 3. You need to enter the database settings to connect with your database. Test the connection. If the test was successful, click Continue.
Now the BackWPup restore feature restores your database.

3. I have no access to my WordPress installation. Well, how shall I use the BackWPup restore feature?
In case you have no access at all, our BackWPup stand-alone app is your rescue. Check out this documentation to find out how you install and use this app.
4. BackWPup Pro licence key is missing after restoring the website
If the licence key is not activated after a restore or you have problems to activate it, please read the tutorial How do I activate my BackWPup Pro licence? 
5. BackWPup restore feature: Important files and directories
All readers who are interested in technical things should read the following section. That』s because we want to explain what happens in the BackWPup』s background when restoring a backup. As soon as you select the menu link Restore, the plugin installs the directory wp-content/uploads/backwpup-restore on your server.
We want to explain the functionality of some of the files which are stored in that directory:
5.1. Restore.log
This file is going to contain all information which are logged during the restore process. That』s the database import, the copied directories and some more information which are important for the debugging process. This log file is used to enable a fast support. Due to the file we can have a quick look at the restoring process.
5.2. Restore.dat
This file contains the restore process state as well as some information which are needed to know where the things shall be uncompressed, where the database dump is localized and so on.
5.3. Upload directory
That』s a directory in which the archive upload is stored. You can find the directory here: wp-content/uploads/backwpup-restore/uploads.
5.4. Extract directory
This directory is the place where the uploaded file is extracted. You can find the directory here: wp-content/uploads/backwpup-restore/extract.
5.5. .htaccess
This file is used to prevent a direct access to the restore directory.
5.6. .donotbackup
That』s a file that prevents that the plugin makes a backup of the temporary restore directory. The wp-content/uploads/backwpup-restore is a temporary directory that includes the uploads as well as all extracted archives and all other files of which the user needn』t have a backup.

How many BackWPup Licenses do I need?

How many BackWPup Licenses do I need?
You do not necessarily need a license for each domain. Instead, the number of necessary BackWPup licenses depends on the number of your single- and multisites.
Examples: BackWPup Licenses
In the following we would like to show some examples so that you can have a quick overview:

One single site = one BackWPup license – example: 5 pages in an own installation = 1 license
One multisite = one BackWPup license – example: 5 pages in one multisite = 1 license
A network of multisites = one BackWPup license for each multisite
redirections do not need an extra license – example: 1 installation on example.com + redirection from example.de to example.com = 1 license

TIP: If you need a couple of licenses, take a look at our product website backwpup.com, you』ll find interesting offers for sure.

What do I need to get BackWPup running smoothly?

What do I need to get BackWPup running smoothly?
To have BackWPup running smoothly on your website, it should meet the following requirements:

At least WordPress 3.9
At least PHP 5.6
To get the full functionality of this plugin:

PHP 5.6
mysqli
FTP
gz
ZipArchive
curl

Even if your website doesn』t offer the features listed under 3., BackWPup can be used. In this case the features which use these requirements will be not available.

Create a WordPress full backup: Database and files

Create a WordPress full backup: Database and files
BackWPup not only allows you to automatically back up your WordPress website, but also to make detailed decisions about exactly what you want to back up. The simplest way – which we recommend to BackWPup novices – is to set up a WordPress Full Backup , i.e. of the entire database and all files.
It means that if something goes wrong, you still have everything in your backup and don』t have to reinstall anything manually – as would be the case if you exclude your plugins to save disk space.
Back up WordPress completely
Once you have installed  BackWPup, create a new job by going to BackWPup Pro → Add New job via the backend.

Create a name for your backup job in the tab 「General」.
Under Job details, select all checkboxes or at least the first two: Database Backup and File Backup. Here』s what the individual points mean:

Database Backup – backs up the database of your WordPress installation. That is where information specific to your installation is stored: users, posts and pages, products, orders etc. A backup of this database is vital, as this information cannot be found anywhere else.
File Backup – backs up the files of your WordPress installation. These include WordPress files, themes and plugins, as well as your uploaded images.
WordPress XML export – exports some information from your database to an XML file, which can then be loaded into another installation via Tools →  Import Files. It allows you, for example, to transfer your blog entries and pages to another blog. For beginners, using an XML file is a lot easier than going via the database.
Installed plugins list – this is simply a list of the plugins installed in the blog; if things go wrong, it shows you which plugins you will have to reinstall manually. You won』t need the list if you do a complete backup of the database and files.
Check database tables – the system checks for corrupt data during the backup process and repairs them, depending on your settings in the tab Database Check.

Under Job details, select all checkboxes or at least the first two: Database Backup and File Backup
Select the backup destination in the section Job Destination. More information about backup destinations can be found in the category Backup Destinations.All other settings in the tab General can be left as they are.The settings you have configured now should be sufficient for creating a full backup. Each of the tabs contains more detailed settings and if you aren』t ready to back up all files as yet, you can exclude specific directories or files in the tab Files.
To start your backup job, please follow our guide Starting a backup job – immediately or scheduled.

How do I upgrade BackWPup Free (version lower than 3.8.0) to BackWPup Pro?

How do I upgrade BackWPup Free (version lower than 3.8.0) to BackWPup Pro?
If you want to install BackWPup Pro and you have the free plugin with version lower than 3.8.0 already running in your WordPress installation, then check out this tutorial.
We are going to show you how to keep the settings of the free version after the pro one is installed and activated.
Before to go on we also want to suggest you the quickest way to achieve your goal: simply upgrade your free plugin to version 3.8.0 or higher, and then follow How do I upgrade BackWPup Free to BackWPup Pro?.
But if you instead do not want to upgrade your free version, continue reading this tutorial.
BackWPup Pro can be purchased at BackWPup.com. The plugin zip file is available in your account after the purchase.

Buy BackWPup Pro and download the zip file to your computer.
Unzip the zip file. The unzipped folder is called backwpup-pro.
Login to your WordPress installation and go to Plugins → Installed Plugins.

Deactivate BackWPup. DO NOT delete the plugin.
Via FTP, go to the /wp-content/plugins/ folder of your WordPress.
Deactivate BackWPup
Delete the folder backwpup.
Upload the folder backwpup-pro, which you have unzipped in step 2, to the /wp-content/plugins/ folder.
Go to Plugins → Installed Plugins of your WordPress. Maybe you have to reload the page, to see the newly uploaded Pro plugin.
Plugins → Installed Plugins
Activate BackWPup Pro.
Enter your licence data on the license tab settings page (BackWPup Pro → Settings) to receive automatic updates and get support if needed.
Enter your Master API Key and Product Id to activate your licence

How to install BackWPup Pro and activate your licence

How to install BackWPup Pro and activate your licence
The installation of BackWPup works just like any other WordPress plugin. You can install it via the WordPress backend or upload the files via FTP.

Table of Contents

Installing BackWPup ProDownload BackWPup ProInstallation via WordPress admin areaInstallation via FTPHow to activate your BackWPup Pro licence?
1. Installing BackWPup Pro
1.1. Download BackWPup Pro
First, get the BackWPup Pro zip file and download it to your computer.
You can buy the Pro version on BackWPup.com. After the purchase, you can find the zip file in your BackWPup account:

Log in to BackWPup.com with the credentials you got via email.
In the upper right corner, click on My Account . You can find the plugin zip file in the API Downloads section.
Download BackWPup Pro to your computer.

Important: If you want to upgrade the free version to BackWPup Pro, please have a look at our guide 「How do I upgrade BackWPup Free to BackWPup Pro?「, so you don』t lose your plugin settings.
1.2. Installation via WordPress admin area

Log in to your WordPress installation.
Go to Plugins → Add new.
Click the Upload Plugin button and upload the BackWPup Pro zip file from your computer.
Click on Install now and wait until WordPress says the plugin was installed successfully.
You can activate the plugin immediately with clicking on Activate now on the success page. If you want to activate it later, you can do so via Plugins → Installed Plugins.
In section 2 we show you how to activate your BackWPup Pro licence.

1.3. Installation via FTP
Do you have trouble installing BackWPup Pro via the WordPress admin area? Then try it via FTP. For this you need an FTP program, like Filezilla.

Unzip the BackWPup Pro zip file on your computer.
Connect to your web server via the FTP program.
Upload the unzipped BackWPup Pro folder to the /wp-content/plugins folder of your WordPress.
Installation via FTP
Log in to WordPress and activate BackWPup Pro via Plugins → Installed Plugins.

2. How to activate your BackWPup Pro licence?
In the BackWPup Pro admin menu click on Settings and then select the License tab: you will be redirected to the activation page, where you can enter your Master API Key and Product Id.
If your BackWPup version is minor or equal to 3.7.0, the info here reported cannot be applied. Please instead refer to this doc: BackWPup License Update.
To get your licence data, please log in to your account on backwpup.com  and visit the My Account page. Master API Key and Product Id are listed on the My Account Dashboard.