How to Back Up and Restore a Bluehost WordPress Site

Affiliate disclosure: ToolTester24 may earn a commission if you buy through the affiliate links in this guide, at no extra cost to you. Our guide relies on public vendor documentation rather than hands-on account testing.

Learning how to back up and restore a Bluehost WordPress site means saving your files and MySQL database. Download your wp-content folder and wp-config.php file via File Manager, then export your SQL tables in phpMyAdmin. Always test your restore process on a demo site before you run major WordPress updates.

Bluehost WordPress backup methods at a glance.

A complete WordPress backup has two parts: your site files and your MySQL database. If you save only your files, you lose your posts, pages, and settings. If you export only your database, you lose your images, themes, and plugins.

Backup method.	What it covers.	Key limitation to check.
Manual File Manager + phpMyAdmin.	Full site files (wp-content, wp-config.php) and exported SQL database file.	Requires manual steps before updates and careful file matching on restore.
SFTP client download.	Direct file transfer of large media folders from your Bluehost server to your computer.	Does not include the MySQL database, which still requires phpMyAdmin export.
WordPress backup plugin.	Scheduled archive of files and database sent to remote cloud storage.	Large backup archives on shared hosting can hit disk usage or timeout caps.
CodeGuard or Jetpack add-on.	Timed cloud backups sold or bundled on selected Bluehost plans.	Check storage caps, tier eligibility, and renewal prices after year one.

Check Bluehost WordPress plans. Compare which hosting tiers include timed backups and check the renewal rate before you buy.

What files and database tables make a complete WordPress backup?

Your WordPress installation lives inside your document root folder, which is usually public_html for a primary domain on Bluehost. Inside that folder, the wp-content folder holds your themes, plugins, and uploaded media files. The wp-config.php file sits in the root folder and stores the exact database name, user, and password.

Reading wp-config.php first prevents a common mistake on multi-site accounts. When you host more than one WordPress site, your account may hold several databases with similar names. Check the DB_NAME line inside wp-config.php so you export the right database in phpMyAdmin.

Store your downloaded ZIP archive and SQL file in a dated folder on your computer and in a secure cloud drive. Never keep your only backup copy inside the same public_html folder on your web server.

How to back up and restore a Bluehost WordPress site step by step.

Follow the official steps in the Bluehost manual file backup guide and the Bluehost phpMyAdmin database backup and restore page.

1. Log in to your Bluehost account dashboard, open the Websites tab, and click Settings on your target site.
2. Open File Manager from the Advanced tab and navigate to your site folder, such as public_html.
3. Open wp-config.php in View mode and write down the exact DB_NAME value for your WordPress site.
4. Select your site files (especially wp-content, wp-config.php, and .htaccess), click Compress, create a ZIP archive, and download it to your computer.
5. Delete the temporary ZIP archive from the server once your local download finishes so you do not waste disk space.
6. Return to your Bluehost dashboard, open phpMyAdmin, select your matching database name in the left sidebar, and click the Export tab.
7. Keep the Quick export method and SQL format selected, then click Go to download your database file.
8. To restore files, upload your saved ZIP archive to the site folder via File Manager or SFTP and extract it over the broken folder.
9. To restore the database, open phpMyAdmin, select the target database, drop the broken tables, open the Import tab, and upload your saved .sql file.

How do you export and restore the MySQL database in phpMyAdmin?

Use SFTP when your media library is large.

Browser uploads and File Manager compression can time out if your wp-content/uploads folder holds gigabytes of photos. When a site is large, connect with an SFTP client such as FileZilla using your Bluehost SSH/SFTP credentials. Download and re-upload your wp-content folder directly over SFTP while using phpMyAdmin for the database.

Test your restore on a demo site first.

Never wait for a live crash to find out whether your backup files actually work. Create a temporary subdomain or local test site and practice importing your ZIP and SQL files there. A dry run before major theme or WooCommerce updates confirms that your SQL export is complete and readable.

How do backup plugins compare with CodeGuard and Jetpack add-ons?

Many site owners install a WordPress backup plugin to schedule weekly exports to external storage like Google Drive or Dropbox. If you use a plugin, set it up to send archives off-server and delete local copies right after upload. Storing dozens of full site backups inside your Bluehost account can quickly trigger inode or disk limits.

Bluehost also markets paid and tier-dependent backup tools on the Bluehost WordPress hosting page, including CodeGuard or Jetpack backup options. Check the exact storage allowance, such as 1 GB or 10 GB on starter tiers, and confirm whether one-click restores cover both files and database tables.

What renewal costs and storage limits should you check?

First-term shared hosting prices and add-on bundles rise at renewal. Before you rely on a paid backup add-on, inspect both the first-term promo rate and the regular renewal price in your billing panel.

Check item.	What to check in your Bluehost account.
Initial vs renewal price.	Check the renewal rate for both your base WordPress hosting plan and any CodeGuard or Jetpack add-on.
Backup storage cap.	Confirm how many gigabytes your backup add-on includes and what extra storage costs per month.
Shared disk and inode limits.	Remove old manual ZIP archives from public_html so your account stays within shared storage rules.
Active store orders.	Restoring an older database overwrites new WooCommerce orders or comments added after that backup timestamp.

Often asked questions.

How do I know which MySQL database belongs to my WordPress site?

Open wp-config.php in your site root folder through File Manager and read the value next to DB_NAME. Match that exact name inside phpMyAdmin.

Does each Bluehost shared plan include guaranteed daily backups?

Not at each tier or storage size. Always check your exact plan terms and keep your own manual off-site copies of your files and SQL database.

Why did my phpMyAdmin import fail with a table exists error?

If the old tables are still in the database and your SQL file lacks drop-table commands, select all existing tables in phpMyAdmin and choose Drop before importing.

When should I use SFTP instead of Bluehost File Manager?

Use SFTP whenever your wp-content folder is too large to compress or upload cleanly in a web browser without timing out.

Our verdict on Bluehost WordPress backups.

Do not rely on assumptions about built-in host backups when running a WordPress site on Bluehost. Take five minutes before each major update to download your wp-content archive and export your MySQL database through phpMyAdmin, and test your restore steps on a demo setup once a quarter.

Continue with the matching review or setup guide.

• Bluehost Review: Plans, Renewal and WordPress Maintenance.
• How to Start a WordPress Blog with Bluehost.
• WordPress Hosting for Small Businesses: Bluehost or Kinsta?
• Budget WordPress Hosting: Initial Cost, Renewal and Upkeep.

View Bluehost hosting options. Check the current plan features, backup add-on terms, and renewal pricing before you start an order.

Official vendor sources reviewed for this tutorial: Bluehost manual file backup guide, Bluehost phpMyAdmin database backup and restore, and Bluehost WordPress hosting. This guide relies on public vendor help docs rather than hands-on server benchmarks.