How to Back Up and Restore Your Site on Bluehost (Step-by-Step Guide – 2025)

Your website is your business, blog, or portfolio’s digital home—and like any valuable asset, it needs regular backups.

Whether you’re installing a new plugin, updating WordPress, or just want peace of mind, Bluehost makes it incredibly easy to back up and restore your website when needed.

In this step-by-step guide, you’ll learn how to:

  • Automatically back up your Bluehost-hosted WordPress site
  • Manually create a backup (just in case)
  • Restore your website from a previous version
  • Choose the right Bluehost plan that includes free daily backups

And if you’re not yet on Bluehost…

👉 Get Bluehost at $1.99/month + Free Daily Backups + Restore Tool
Includes hosting, domain, AI site builder, staging, and 1-click backup/restore features.

Not sure which hosting tier is ideal for your blog or business? This step-by-step Bluehost plan comparison walks you through performance, resources, and who each plan is designed for. And here’s a limited-time Bluehost discount code you can use to lower your cost.


Does Bluehost Include Website Backups?

Yes—Bluehost includes free website backups with most plans:

Bluehost PlanDaily BackupsRestore ToolAuto Activation
Basic❌ No❌ No
Choice Plus✅ Yes✅ Yes
Online Store✅ Yes✅ Yes
Pro✅ Yes✅ Yes

💡 If you’re on the Basic plan, you’ll need to manually back up your site or upgrade for automated protection.

Step 1: How to Back Up Your Website Automatically on Bluehost

If you’re on Choice Plus, Online Store, or Pro, Bluehost enables daily automatic backups through their built-in CodeGuard Basic service—no setup required.

Here’s how to access and manage those backups:


🔹 Access Your Bluehost Backup Panel

  1. Log in to your Bluehost Dashboard
  2. Click “Websites” or “My Sites” in the left-hand menu
  3. Choose your website and click “Manage Site”
  4. Navigate to the “Backups” tab (or “Site Tools” → “Backups”)

🔄 What Happens Behind the Scenes

  • Bluehost automatically backs up your site every 24 hours
  • It stores up to 30 versions (depending on your plan)
  • You don’t need to configure anything—it’s ready as long as your plan supports it

Each backup includes:

  • ✅ All WordPress files
  • ✅ Your theme and plugins
  • ✅ Your full database (posts, pages, settings)
  • ✅ Media library content

You can view a list of backup dates, then choose to download or restore any version in one click.


👉 Don’t have automatic backups?

💡 Get Bluehost Choice Plus at $3.95/month – Includes Free Daily Backups
Protect your site and avoid losing data from plugin errors, hacks, or failed updates.

Step 2: How to Manually Back Up Your Bluehost Website (For Any Plan)

If you’re on the Basic plan—or just want to create an extra backup before a major update—you can back up your WordPress site manually in a few easy steps.

This ensures you have a clean restore point in case something goes wrong.


🛠️ Option 1: Manual Backup via Bluehost File Manager

  1. Log in to your Bluehost account
  2. Navigate to Advanced > File Manager
  3. Open the folder named public_html (this holds your WordPress files)
  4. Select all files and click Compress to create a .zip archive
  5. Download that .zip file to your computer for safekeeping

💾 Backup Your Database (Important!)

  1. Still inside the Advanced tab, open phpMyAdmin
  2. Choose your site’s database from the left sidebar
  3. Click Export > Select Quick and format as SQL
  4. Click Go to download the .sql file

Now you have a full backup of:

  • ✅ Your website files (themes, plugins, uploads)
  • ✅ Your database (posts, pages, settings, users)

📦 Store both the .zip and .sql files securely (Dropbox, Google Drive, or an external hard drive).


👉 Want to avoid manual backups forever?

🎯 Upgrade to Bluehost Choice Plus for $3.95/month + Free Daily Backups
Save time and reduce risk with automated backups and easy 1-click restoration.

Step 3: How to Restore Your Website from a Backup on Bluehost

If your website breaks after a plugin update, theme change, or hack, restoring a previous backup can bring it back to perfect condition—instantly.

Bluehost makes this process simple if you’re on a plan that includes CodeGuard Basic (like Choice Plus, Online Store, or Pro).


🔄 How to Restore Your Site in One Click

  1. Log into your Bluehost dashboard
  2. Go to Websites > Manage Site
  3. Click on the “Backups” tab
  4. Choose a backup date from the list of available restore points
  5. Click “Restore” next to the version you want to use
  6. Confirm the restore action and wait for it to complete

✅ Bluehost will automatically:

  • Restore your files
  • Restore your database
  • Replace your current live site with the backup version
  • Notify you when it’s done (usually takes a few minutes)

💡 Need to Restore Only Files or Database?

You can choose to:

  • Restore just your files (in case of plugin or theme conflict)
  • Restore only the database (if you deleted pages, posts, or users)

This gives you full flexibility without having to revert your entire site.


👉 Want peace of mind knowing your site is always recoverable?

💥 Get Bluehost Hosting with Daily Backups + Restore Tool – Only $3.95/month
Perfect for bloggers, store owners, and WordPress users who can’t afford downtime.

Conclusion: Why Backups Are a Must-Have (And Bluehost Makes It Easy)

In today’s digital world, even a simple mistake—like a plugin conflict or a theme update—can bring your entire website down. That’s why having a reliable backup and restore system isn’t optional—it’s essential.

With Bluehost, you get:

  • Daily automatic backups on Choice Plus and above
  • One-click restore to instantly recover from mistakes
  • Manual backup options if you’re on the Basic plan
  • ✅ Full control over restoring files, databases, or both
  • ✅ Zero need for third-party tools or paid backup plugins

Whether you’re running a personal blog or an online business, Bluehost gives you the tools to back up your work—and the confidence to move forward without fear.


🔥 Want Hosting That Has Your Back (Literally)?

👉 Start with Bluehost at $1.99/month + Free Daily Backups & Restore
Includes:

  • Free domain for 1 year
  • AI site builder & staging
  • SSL, CDN, malware scanning
  • And yes—automatic backups you can count on

Read Detailed Review of Bluehost Hosting Services

FAQs: Bluehost Backups & Restore

Does Bluehost back up my website automatically?

Yes, but only if you’re on Choice Plus, Online Store, or Pro plans. Basic plans do not include automatic backups.

Can I restore my site with one click on Bluehost?

Yes. With CodeGuard Basic (included in higher plans), you can restore your full site or database in one click.

How do I back up my Bluehost site manually?

Use File Manager to compress and download your files, and use phpMyAdmin to export your database. This is essential if you’re on the Basic plan.

Are Bluehost backups stored safely?

Yes. Bluehost stores backup versions securely and allows you to choose from multiple restore points based on date.

More Bluehost Tutorials and Reviews

Affiliate Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. This will not cost you a single penny extra. Thanks for the understanding and rewarding me for my hard work.