Getting Started with Backup Copilot Pro: Creating Your First Backup

Creating regular backups is the single most important thing you can do to protect your WordPress website. Whether you’re running a personal blog, business site, or e-commerce store, a complete backup strategy safeguards you against data loss from hacking, server failures, accidental deletions, or plugin conflicts.

This comprehensive guide walks you through creating your first backup using Backup Copilot Pro. In under 10 minutes, you’ll have a complete copy of your WordPress site safely stored and ready to restore if disaster strikes. No technical experience required—just follow these simple steps.

By the end of this tutorial, you’ll understand exactly what gets backed up, where your files are stored, and how to verify your backup completed successfully. Let’s protect your hard work together.

What You’ll Learn

How to install and activate Backup Copilot Pro
Understanding the backup dashboard
Creating your first manual backup
Selecting what to backup (database, files, plugins, themes)
Adding notes to your backups
Downloading your backup files

Step-by-Step Guide

Installing Backup Copilot Pro

For Free Version Users:

Navigate to your WordPress admin dashboard
Click Plugins > Add New in the left sidebar
Search for “Backup Copilot” in the plugin directory
Click Install Now next to Backup Copilot
Once installed, click Activate
The plugin will appear as “Backup Copilot” in your WordPress menu

For Pro Version Users:

Purchase Backup Copilot Pro from our website
Download the plugin ZIP file from your account
In WordPress, go to Plugins > Add New
Click Upload Plugin at the top
Choose the downloaded ZIP file
Click Install Now, then Activate
Enter your license key when prompted (found in your purchase email)

The plugin installs in seconds and requires no server configuration. It works with any WordPress hosting provider including Bluehost, SiteGround, WP Engine, and Kinsta.

Understanding the Dashboard

After activation, you’ll find “Backup Copilot” in your WordPress admin menu. Click it to access the main dashboard, which consists of four key sections:

Manage Backups Tab: This is your backup control center. Here you’ll see a table listing all your backups with columns for:

Backup Type (Manual, Scheduled, Safety, Export)
Source (Manual or Scheduled)
Created On (timestamp of when backup was made)
Size (total size of backup files)
Actions (Download, Restore, Delete, Cloud Upload)

Create Backup Tab: Quick-access button to generate a new backup on demand. This is what you’ll use for your first backup.

Backup Scheduler Tab (Pro Only): Set up automated backups to run hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly without manual intervention.

Cloud Storage Tab (Pro Only): Connect Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive to automatically sync backups to cloud storage.

Settings Tab: Configure global options like retention policies, safety backups, email notifications, and file exclusions.

The dashboard provides real-time status updates, so you always know what’s happening with your backups.

Creating Your First Manual Backup

Ready to create your first backup? Follow these steps:

Navigate to Create Backup:
- Click Backup Copilot in the WordPress menu
- Select the Create Backup tab
- You’ll see a clean interface with backup options
Select Backup Components: The plugin offers granular control over what to include:
- Database (Recommended: Always Enabled)
  - Contains all your posts, pages, comments, settings, and users
  - Typically the smallest but most critical component
  - Size: Usually 5-50 MB depending on content volume
- wp-content Folder (Recommended: Enabled)
  - Includes plugins, themes, uploads (images, videos, PDFs)
  - Largest component but contains your customizations
  - Size: Can range from 100 MB to several GB
- wp-config.php (Optional but Recommended)
  - Your WordPress configuration file with database credentials
  - Useful for complete site restoration
- .htaccess (Optional)
  - Web server configuration for permalinks and security rules
  - Small file but important for site functionality
For your first backup, we recommend selecting all options to create a complete site backup.
Add Notes (Optional but Recommended):
- Enter a descriptive note like “Before plugin update” or “Pre-redesign backup”
- Notes appear in the Manage Backups table
- Helps you identify specific backups months later
- Character limit: 255 characters
Click Create Backup:
- A progress bar appears showing backup status
- Watch real-time updates: “Backing up database… Archiving wp-content… Securing files…”
- Typical completion time: 30 seconds to 5 minutes depending on site size
- Do NOT navigate away from the page until completion
Confirmation:
- Success message appears: “Backup created successfully!”
- Your new backup appears in the Manage Backups table
- A unique ID (UUID) is automatically generated for organization

Congratulations! You’ve just created your first WordPress backup.

What Should You Backup?

Understanding what each backup component contains helps you make informed decisions:

Always Backup:

Database: Your site’s brain—posts, pages, comments, user accounts, settings, and widget configurations
Themes Folder: Custom themes and child themes you’ve developed or purchased
Plugins Folder: All installed plugins including premium ones
Uploads Folder: Media library images, videos, PDFs, and downloadable files

Consider Backing Up:

wp-config.php: Needed for complete site cloning but contains sensitive database credentials
.htaccess: Required if you use custom permalinks or security rules
Custom Directories: If you’ve added custom folders to wp-content (like custom mu-plugins)

You Can Skip:

WordPress Core Files: These can be re-downloaded from WordPress.org
Cache Files: Temporary files that rebuild automatically
Backup Files from Other Plugins: Avoid backing up backups (inception problem)

For beginners, we recommend backing up everything initially. As you become more experienced, you can optimize by excluding WordPress core files to reduce backup size.

Adding Notes and Labels

Notes transform generic backups into organized, searchable archives. Here’s how to use them effectively:

Good Note Examples:

“Before updating WooCommerce to v8.5”
“After adding new homepage design”
“Monthly backup – January 2025”
“Before migrating to new host”
“Clean backup – all plugins updated”

Poor Note Examples:

“Backup” (too generic)
“1/20” (unclear context)
“Test” (no useful information)

Naming Best Practices:

Include the trigger event (“Before X” or “After Y”)
Add dates for time-series backups
Mention major changes or milestones
Keep notes under 50 characters for readability
Use consistent formatting across all backups

Notes are searchable in Pro version, making it easy to find specific backups months later.

Downloading Your Backup

Every backup creates two downloadable files you can store locally:

To Download Backup Files:

Navigate to Manage Backups tab
Locate your backup in the table
Click the Download icon (download arrow) in the Actions column
Two options appear:
- Download Full Backup: Downloads the complete ZIP archive (database + wp-content)
- Download Database Only: Downloads only the SQL database file
Choose your preferred option
The download starts automatically
Files save to your browser’s default download location

What You Receive:

Full Backup (ZIP): Contains wp-content folder with all themes, plugins, and uploads
Database (SQL): Contains all database tables in SQL format
Both files are named with the unique backup UUID for organization

Storage Recommendations:

Store downloads on an external hard drive
Upload to personal cloud storage (separate from your hosting)
Keep at least 3 recent backups offline
Follow the 3-2-1 rule: 3 copies, 2 different media types, 1 offsite

Pro users can skip manual downloads by enabling automatic cloud sync to Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive.

Best Practices for Beginners

1. Create Backups Before Major Changes:

Before updating WordPress, themes, or plugins
Before installing new plugins
Before making design changes
Before editing theme files or functions.php
Before bulk deleting content

2. Test Your Backups:

Download your backup files and verify they’re complete
Check file sizes are reasonable (not 0 bytes)
Consider testing a restoration on a staging site
Verify database SQL file opens without errors

3. Maintain Multiple Backup Versions:

Don’t rely on just one backup
Keep at least 3-5 recent backups
Store backups in multiple locations
Don’t delete old backups until you have newer ones

4. Document Your Backup Strategy:

Create a simple checklist for when to backup
Keep a log of backup dates and triggers
Share backup locations with team members
Store hosting login credentials securely with backups

5. Start with Manual, Progress to Automated:

Master manual backups first to understand the process
Upgrade to Pro for automated scheduling
Set up weekly automated backups for most sites
Daily backups for high-traffic or e-commerce sites

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Problem: Backup Creation Takes Too Long

Solution: Large sites (>2GB) may take 5-10 minutes. Be patient and don’t close the browser
Check your hosting provider’s PHP execution time limits
Consider upgrading to better hosting with more resources
Exclude large media files if only backing up for rollback purposes

Problem: “Backup Failed” Error Message

Solution: Check available disk space on your hosting account
Your server may have low PHP memory limit (increase to 256MB+)
Disable other plugins temporarily to avoid conflicts
Contact hosting support if errors persist

Problem: Can’t Download Backup Files

Solution: Ensure you’re using a modern browser (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge)
Check your browser’s pop-up blocker isn’t blocking downloads
Try right-clicking the download icon and selecting “Save link as”
Files may be too large for PHP download limits—use FTP/SFTP instead

Problem: Backup Size Seems Too Small or Too Large

Solution: Verify what components you selected (database only is small, full backup is large)
Check if wp-content/uploads has unnecessary media files
Use file manager or FTP to verify actual wp-content folder size
Contact support if sizes don’t match expectations

Problem: Can’t Find Downloaded Backup Files

Solution: Check your browser’s default download folder
Search your computer for the backup UUID filename
Check browser’s download history (Ctrl+J or Cmd+Shift+J)
Try downloading again with a different browser

Next Steps

Now that you’ve created your first backup, here’s what to do next:

Immediate Next Steps:

Download your backup files to your local computer
Store them on an external hard drive or cloud storage
Verify the files downloaded completely (check file sizes)
Delete the notes and create another test backup to practice

Within the Next Week:

Read our guide on automated backup scheduling
Set up a weekly backup schedule (Pro users)
Connect cloud storage for automatic off-site backups (Pro users)
Read about restoration procedures so you’re prepared

Ongoing Best Practices:

Create manual backups before any major site changes
Review and delete old backups monthly to save storage space
Test backup restoration on a staging site quarterly
Update Backup Copilot Pro when new versions are released

Advanced Topics to Explore:

Multisite network backups
Database-only backups for quick rollbacks
Excluding files and folders to reduce backup size
Migration and cloning workflows
Integration with staging environments

Related Resources

Ready to protect your site with automated backups? Upgrade to Pro for scheduled backups, cloud storage, and advanced features. Try it risk-free with our 30-day money-back guarantee!