How to automatically back up WordPress to Dropbox

Backing up your WordPress website to Dropbox gives you a separate copy of your files and database that does not depend on your hosting provider. If an update causes problems, your server becomes unavailable or your website is compromised, you will still have a recent backup that you can use to restore it.

Once automatic backups are set up, you do not have to remember to download files or manually move them into Dropbox. Your backup plugin creates them on a schedule and sends them directly to your Dropbox account.

In this guide, we will show you how to automatically back up WordPress to Dropbox using the premium features of UpdraftPlus. We will also explain what a complete backup includes, why storing backups off-site matters and how to check that everything is working correctly.

• Storing WordPress backups in Dropbox keeps a copy separate from your hosting account.
• A complete WordPress backup should include both your website files and database.
• Automatic backups make it easier to maintain regular, up-to-date copies of your site.
• UpdraftPlus can automatically send scheduled WordPress backups to Dropbox.
• Running a test backup helps confirm that your Dropbox connection is working correctly.

Before setting up automatic backups, it helps to understand what a complete WordPress backup contains. Your site is made up of two main parts: its files and database. You need both if you want to be able to fully restore your website.

Your WordPress files contain many of the components that make your site look and function as it should, including:

• WordPress core files
• Themes
• Plugins
• Photos, videos and other media uploads
• Configuration files

Without these files, your website will not display or function properly.

Your database stores much of your website’s content and settings, including:

• Posts and pages
• User accounts
• Comments
• Website settings
• Plugin data
• Other site configuration information

The database changes as you publish posts, edit pages, receive comments or update settings, which is why regularly backing up your WordPress database is so important.

A complete WordPress backup includes both your files and database. Backing up only your files could leave you without your posts, settings and other database content, while backing up only the database would leave out themes, plugins and media.

UpdraftPlus can back up both, giving you everything you need to restore your site if something goes wrong.

Creating a backup is only part of protecting your website. Where you store that backup matters too.

If your backups are stored on the same server as your website, a server failure, security incident or hosting problem could leave you unable to access both your live site and its backups. This is why it is good practice to store your WordPress backups off-site.

Dropbox gives you a separate copy of your website outside your hosting environment, with benefits including:

• Protection against hosting problems: Your backups remain accessible if your server or hosting account becomes unavailable.
• Separation from your live site: Your backup files are not stored alongside your WordPress installation.
• Reduced risk of losing everything at once: A problem with your host is less likely to affect both your website and its backups.
• Easier access to your backups: You can access and download them directly from your Dropbox account.

Hosting backups can still be useful, but they are best used as part of a broader backup strategy rather than your only copy. Keeping an additional backup in Dropbox means you are not relying entirely on your hosting provider.

Dropbox is a convenient option for storing WordPress backups, particularly if you already use it for cloud storage. It is easy to access across different devices and integrates directly with backup plugins such as UpdraftPlus.

Some of the benefits of using Dropbox for WordPress backups include:

• Easy access: View and download your backups from the Dropbox website or app whenever you need them.
• Access across devices: Your backups are available from your computer, phone or tablet.
• Flexible storage: You can increase your Dropbox storage as your website and backup requirements grow.
• Built-in security: Dropbox encrypts files while they are being transferred and while stored.
• File recovery: Depending on your Dropbox plan, version history can help you recover files that have been changed or deleted.
• Direct UpdraftPlus integration: UpdraftPlus can automatically send scheduled WordPress backups to your Dropbox account, so there is no need to move files manually.

Combined with an automatic backup schedule, Dropbox gives you a simple way to keep recent copies of your WordPress website stored away from your hosting account.

Manual backups work, but they rely on you remembering to create them regularly. If your website changes frequently, it is easy to miss a backup and find yourself without a recent copy when you need one.

Creating a manual backup can also involve downloading your website files, exporting your database and storing them somewhere safe. Automating the process removes that extra work and makes it easier to follow a regular WordPress backup schedule.

Once automatic backups are configured, your backup plugin creates them at the intervals you choose and sends them directly to Dropbox. This means you can keep recent copies of your site without having to start each backup manually.

Automation is particularly valuable for websites that change frequently. A business website might receive new form submissions throughout the day, while an online store can continually collect orders and customer data.

The more frequently your site changes, the more important it is to have a recent backup available. Scheduling backups at appropriate intervals helps reduce the amount of data you could lose if you ever need to restore your site.

In this tutorial, we will use UpdraftPlus to connect WordPress to Dropbox and set up automatic backups.

Dropbox is available as a remote storage option in the free version of UpdraftPlus, so you can complete the steps below without upgrading to Premium.

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard and go to Plugins > Add New Plugin.
2. Search for UpdraftPlus and click Install Now.
3. Once the installation is complete, click Activate.

In your WordPress dashboard, go to Settings > UpdraftPlus Backups.

Once the UpdraftPlus dashboard opens, select the Settings tab. This is where you will configure your backup schedule and connect your Dropbox account.

At the top of the settings page, you will see separate options for your Files Backup Schedule and Database Backup Schedule.

Change each setting from Manual to the frequency that suits your website. For example, you might back up your files weekly and your database daily.

How often you should back up depends on how frequently your website changes. If you are unsure which schedule to choose, read our guide on how often to back up your WordPress site.

Next to each schedule, choose how many backups you want to retain. For example, you could keep four file backups and 14 database backups, but the right number will depend on how often you back up your site, how frequently it changes and how much Dropbox storage you have available.

Setting a retention limit also helps prevent old backups from unnecessarily using up your available cloud storage.

Scroll down to the Choose your remote storage section, where you will see the available cloud storage options.

Select Dropbox as your remote storage provider. The Dropbox icon will highlight to confirm that it has been selected.

1. Scroll to the bottom of the settings page and click Save Changes. This will start the process of connecting UpdraftPlus to your Dropbox account.

2. After saving your settings, a pop-up will appear asking you to authorise the connection to your Dropbox account. Click the link provided to continue.

3. You will be redirected to Dropbox, where you can log in to your account securely.

4. Log in to Dropbox and click Allow to give UpdraftPlus permission to create its app folder. Then click Complete Setup to return to your WordPress dashboar

1. Return to the Backup/Restore tab in the UpdraftPlus dashboard.
2. Click Backup Now to create your first backup.

3. In the pop-up, make sure the options to include your files and database are selected. Also check Send this backup to remote storage to ensure the backup is uploaded to Dropbox.

4. Click Backup Now to start the backup. Once the backup is complete, log in to your Dropbox account and go to Apps > UpdraftPlus. Check that your backup files have been uploaded successfully.

Automatically backing up WordPress to Dropbox gives you a recent copy of your website that is stored separately from your hosting account. If your site experiences a server problem, failed update or security incident, you have an off-site backup available to help you recover.

Once your schedule is set up, UpdraftPlus can create and send backups to Dropbox automatically. It is still worth checking your Dropbox account occasionally to confirm new backups are being stored and testing your restore process so you know your backups work when you need them.

If you haven’t connected your account yet, follow our guide to connect Dropbox to UpdraftPlus and start storing your WordPress backups off-site.