Our partner brands sell WordPress software to customers worldwide, so we have seen firsthand how offering the right payment options can help increase sales. Plus, we have built lots of eCommerce sites with WordPress over the years. So, we know how to optimize the online checkout process to maximize conversions.

In our opinion, you’ll want to make it as convenient as possible for your customers to check out. Offering their preferred digital wallet is a great way to do this.

That’s why we’ve done the research on how to set up GrabPay payments in WordPress. Keep reading to learn 2 easy ways you can do this in your online store.

Why Set Up GrabPay Payments in WordPress?

If you plan to target customers in Southeast Asia, then adding GrabPay payments to your WordPress website can be a great idea. It is a widely trusted digital wallet in this region, with millions of active users relying on it for daily transactions.

When you offer GrabPay as a payment method, you are providing your customers with a convenient, familiar, and secure way to complete their purchases. This can improve customer satisfaction.

Additionally, a GrabPay integration can help your business tap into Grab’s extensive ecosystem. GrabRewards, which is the loyalty program linked to GrabPay, encourages users to shop more, as they earn points for every transaction. This allows you to create a store or site that encourages customers to return and spend more.

Plus, we love how easy GrabPay is to use. Users can top up their wallets using credit cards, bank transfers, or other local payment methods. Once funds are added, payments can be made quickly with just a few taps on their smartphone.

The app also supports QR code scanning, which makes it great for both online and offline transactions.

Having said that, let’s take a look at how to easily set up GrabPay payments in WordPress. In this tutorial, we will be discussing 2 methods. You can use the links below to jump to your preferred approach:

Method 1: Set Up a GrabPay Payment Form in WordPress

This method is for you if you want to set up a GrabPay payment form on your WordPress website without building a full-blown online store.

It’s also perfect if you are not using WooCommerce. For instance, you may want to accept donations, set up recurring membership fees, or charge for your professional services using GrabPay.

The easiest way to add a GrabPay payment form is using WP Simple Pay. During testing, we were really impressed by how beginner-friendly it is. We found that it allows you to add forms with just a few clicks.

In our opinion, it is the best WordPress Stripe plugin, with an intuitive builder, spam protection, and a premade GrabPay payment form template. To learn more about our experience, see our WP Simple Pay review.

To get started, you’ll need to install and activate the WP Simple Pay plugin. For details, see our tutorial on how to install a WordPress plugin.

After you activate the plugin, you will see a setup wizard on your screen. Here, just click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button.

You will now be taken to the next step, where you need to add your plugin’s license key.

You can find this information in your account on the WP Simple Pay website.

Once that is done, you will be asked to connect your plugin with Stripe. This popular payment gateway lets you accept online payments easily.

Keep in mind that since WP Simple Pay is a Stripe plugin, it won’t work on your website until you connect it with a new or existing Stripe account.

To start the process, click the ‘Connect with Stripe’ button.

For more details, see our tutorial on how to accept Stripe payments in WordPress.

Once you have successfully connected Stripe and WP Simple Pay, the setup wizard will ask you to configure your emails.

Here, you can enable options to receive email notifications for payment receipts, upcoming invoices, and payment notifications. You will also need to enter an email address to send them to.

Next, click the ‘Save and Continue’ button.

Then, complete the rest of the setup wizard steps according to your preferences.

Once you are done, go to the WP Simple Pay » Payment Forms page in the WordPress dashboard.

Here, click the ‘Create Your Payment Form’ button.

You will now be taken to the ‘Select a template’ page, where you will see a list of premade templates offered by WP Simple Pay.

Go ahead and locate the ‘GrabPay Payment Form’ template. Once you find it, click the ‘Use Template’ button under it.

This will take you to the ‘Add New Payment Form’ page. Here, you can change your form’s title and add a description.

Then, choose ‘On-site payment form’ as your form type. You can also check the box under it to turn on spam protection.

After that, switch to the ‘Payment’ tab in the left column. From here, choose your preferred tax collection rates under the ‘Tax Collection’ option.

Next, enter the price for the product or service you want to sell through the form. If you’re offering a subscription-based service, choose the ‘Subscription’ option. Then, click the ‘Add Price’ button to include different subscription tiers.

Remember to select a Southeast Asian currency like SGD or RM in this section. If you don’t, then the GrabPay payment option won’t be displayed on your form.

Now, you need to scroll down to the ‘Payment Methods’ section and select the ‘All’ option from the dropdown menu.

You will notice that GrabPay has already been selected from the list. However, you can also add other payment options, such as Klarna, AliPay, or Card, if you like.

After that, switch to the ‘Form Fields’ tab. You can add a form field from the dropdown menu and configure its settings by expanding the tab. Plus, you can rearrange the existing fields by dragging and dropping them.

For example, you can add an address field on your form if you want to sell a physical product or provide in-person services. That way, customers will need to provide their address when they make a purchase or book an appointment.

Finally, visit the ‘Payment Page’ tab to check the ‘Enable a dedicated payment page’ box. You can now create a custom payment form page without manually building a new page on your website.

WP Simple Pay lets you customize the form by setting a permalink, color scheme, image, and footer text.

Once you are done, just click the ‘Publish’ button to save your changes.

You can now visit your WordPress site to view the new page with the GrabPay payment form.

However, if you want to add the form to an existing page on your website, then simply click the ‘Publish’ button after adding form fields.

Next, find the page/post you want to use in the WordPress dashboard. Then, click the ‘Add Block’ (+) button in the top left corner to open the block menu.

From here, find and add the WP Simple Pay block to the page, and select the payment form you created from the dropdown menu within the block.

After that, click the ‘Update’ or ‘Publish’ button to store your settings.

Now, visit your website to view the GrabPay payment form.

Method 2: Set Up GrabPay as a Payment Option in WooCommerce

If you want to accept GrabPay payments in your WooCommerce store, then this method is for you.

First, you’ll need to install and activate Stripe Payment Plugin for WooCommerce. For details, see our beginner’s guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

After you activate the plugin, visit the WebToffee Stripe page in your WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Connect to Stripe’ button.

This will take you to a new tab where you will need to follow the on-screen instructions to connect the plugin to your Stripe account.

Once you have done that, just go back to your WordPress dashboard and visit the WebToffee » Local Gateways page. Here, switch to the ‘GrabPay’ tab at the top.

Next, check the ‘Enable’ box to add GrabPay as a payment method in your store.

You can also add a title, description, and order button text according to your liking.

For instance, to avoid confusion among global users, you can clarify that GrabPay is currently only available in Southeast Asia. This will prevent users from attempting to use a payment method that isn’t supported in their region.

Finally, click the ‘Save Changes’ button to store your settings.

Now, visit the checkout page on your WooCommerce store to see the payment option in action.

Bonus: How to Accept SEPA Payments in WordPress

Just like GrabPay is a go-to payment option in Southeast Asia, SEPA is a widely used payment system across many parts of Europe.

It’s an initiative by the European Union that simplifies bank transfers in euros. With SEPA, you can make cashless euro payments to anyone in the SEPA area, regardless of their bank or country.

Plus, this transaction process charges lower fees than traditional cross-border payments, making it a great solution.

Luckily, it’s easy to accept SEPA payments with the WP Simple Pay plugin.

It even comes with a payment form template specifically for SEPA direct debits.

For more detailed instructions, just see our tutorial on how to accept SEPA payments in WordPress.

We hope this article helped you learn how to set up GrabPay payments in WordPress. You may also like to see our beginner’s guide on how to accept Google Pay in WordPress and our top picks for the best PayPal alternatives for freelancers to collect payments in WordPress.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post How to Set Up GrabPay Payments in WordPress (2 Easy Ways) first appeared on WPBeginner.

Many of our readers ask us about using Amazon Simple Storage Services (S3) for their WordPress backups. They’re often unsure if it’s the right solution for their needs. We understand – backing up your WordPress site shouldn’t feel like solving a puzzle.

That’s why we’ve created this complete guide to help you back up WordPress to Amazon S3, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced user. We will walk you through everything step-by-step, using simple, clear instructions that anyone can follow.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to back up your WordPress and send its files to Amazon S3.

Why Use Amazon S3 to Backup WordPress?

We’ve helped thousands of WordPress users backup and restore their websites. And Amazon S3 offers some unique advantages that make it stand out from other cloud backup storage options like Google Drive or OneDrive.

Amazon S3 is particularly suitable for websites that need enterprise-level backup reliability. It can handle large backup files consistently, regardless of when you run your backups. This makes it perfect for business websites that can’t afford backup failures.

The security features in S3 go beyond basic file sharing. While services like Google Drive and OneDrive offer simple sharing options, S3 provides enterprise-level security through IAM (Identity and Access Management).

This lets you create specific security rules, like restricting access to certain time periods or applying automatic encryption to your backup files.

Amazon offers a free tier that includes 5 GB of storage, along with 2,000 PUT and 20,000 GET requests monthly for your first year.

In practical terms, this means you could store several complete backups of a small WordPress site and perform regular backups without extra costs during that period.

When it comes to pricing, S3 uses a flexible pay-as-you-go model with different storage classes. This means you can choose more affordable options for long-term backup storage while keeping recent backups readily available.

With all these benefits in mind, let’s look at how to send your WordPress backups to Amazon S3. You can use the quick links below to jump to the section you need:

First Things First: Configure Your Amazon S3 Account

Before we can back up your WordPress site to Amazon S3, we need to set up your storage space correctly.

Step 1: Create an Amazon S3 Bucket

First, log in to your Amazon Web Services (AWS) account. Then, click on the menu button at the top left corner and select ‘S3.’

On the S3 dashboard page, you need to look for the ‘Create bucket’ button and click it.

A bucket in Amazon S3 is like a container for your files. Think of it as a special folder that will hold all your WordPress backups.

For the ‘Bucket type,’ you need to choose ‘General purpose.’ Then, give your bucket a name.

We recommend including your domain name in the name, with something like backups.yourwebsite.com as your bucket name. This format ensures your bucket name is unique and helps you easily identify your WordPress backup files later.

You’ll also see several configuration options. For most WordPress backup needs, you can leave these settings at their default values. These defaults include keeping your bucket private and enabling encryption for better security.

At this stage, you can just scroll to the bottom of the page and click the ‘Create bucket’ button.

Your new storage space will be ready in just a few seconds.

Step 2: Create a Security Policy

Now, let’s set up a security policy for your backups. This policy is a set of rules that control what can be done with your backup files.

Start by clicking on the menu again and selecting ‘IAM.’ This will take you to AWS’s security management area.

You can navigate to the ‘Policies’ page from here.

Here, you need to click on the ‘Create policy’ button. This is where you’ll set up your backup permissions. 

When you see the policy editor, you can select the ‘JSON’ tab to enter the security rules.

Here’s where you’ll add the special permission code. You can copy and paste the policy below into the editor:

{
    "Version": "2012-10-17",
    "Statement": [
        {
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "s3:ListBucket",
                "s3:GetBucketLocation",
                "s3:ListBucketMultipartUploads"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::BUCKETNAME",
            "Condition": {}
        },
        {
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": [
                "s3:AbortMultipartUpload",
                "s3:DeleteObject",
                "s3:DeleteObjectVersion",
                "s3:GetObject",
                "s3:GetObjectAcl",
                "s3:GetObjectVersion",
                "s3:GetObjectVersionAcl",
                "s3:PutObject",
                "s3:PutObjectAcl"
            ],
            "Resource": "arn:aws:s3:::BUCKETNAME/*",
            "Condition": {}
        },
        {
            "Effect": "Allow",
            "Action": "s3:ListAllMyBuckets",
            "Resource": "*",
            "Condition": {}
        }
    ]
}

At this stage, you can move down the page.

Then, click ‘Next.’

Now, you can give your policy a friendly name. You might want to call it something like WordPress-Backup-Policy, Duplicator-Backup-Policy, or Updraftplus-Backup-Policy.

Feel free to choose a name that makes sense to you. This policy will work great with either WordPress backup plugin we will cover later.

Once you’re happy with the name, you can finish up by clicking ‘Create policy.’

This will save all your security settings and get you ready for the next step.

Step 3: Create a User

Now that we’ve set up our security policy, let’s create a user who can access your cloud storage. You can think of this as creating a special account just for handling your WordPress backups.

Start by going to the ‘Users’ menu on the IAM page. You’ll see a ‘Create user’ button. Go ahead and click that.

Next, you’ll give your new user a name.

You can name any name that helps you identify its purpose. Then, click ‘Next.’

When you reach the ‘Set permissions’ section, you’ll want to select ‘Attach policies directly.’

This is where you can connect the security policy we just created to your new user. Think of it as giving your backup user their specific set of permissions.

Look through the list of policies until you find the one we created in the previous step. You can easily find it by typing the policy name in the search box.

Once you spot it, just check the box next to it.

After reviewing everything, you can scroll down and click ‘Create user.’

AWS will set up your new user with all the right permissions to handle your WordPress backups safely.

Keep in mind that we’ll need to grab some important security details for this user in the next step, so don’t close this window just yet.

Step 4: Copy Your Access Keys

Let’s set up your access keys. These are like special passwords that will let your WordPress backup plugin connect securely with Amazon S3.

First, you can click on the username we just created to view its details.

Look for the ‘Security credentials’ tab.

This is where we’ll create your access keys.

Move down the page slightly.

When you see the ‘Create access key’ button, go ahead and click on it.

Amazon will now ask about your use case.

Since we’re planning to use a WordPress backup plugin, you can select ‘Third-party service’ from the options.

Now, scroll down the page further.

Check off the box next to ‘I understand the above recommendation and want to proceed to create an access key’ and click ‘Next.’

Before you’ll see your access keys, you can optionally set some description tags.

We’re going to skip this step as it’s not necessary, so go ahead and click on the ‘Create access key’ button.

You’ll now see two important pieces of information: your access key ID and your secret access key. Think of these as a username and password pair that your backup plugin will use.

You’ll want to keep these keys somewhere safe, or at least keep this window open while you set up your chosen backup method. Once you close this window, you won’t be able to see the secret access key again.

Method 1: Use Duplicator to Backup WordPress to S3 (More Customizable)

In our experience, we’ve found Duplicator to be the most reliable solution for Amazon S3 backups. We use it ourselves to back up some of our partner websites and personal projects, so we’re confident in recommending it as our top choice.

What makes Duplicator stand out is its powerful feature set. You can schedule automatic backups, migrate your entire WordPress website, and connect to multiple cloud storage services all from one dashboard. Plus, its Amazon S3 integration is rock-solid and well-tested.

While you can explore our detailed Duplicator review for a complete feature breakdown, let’s focus on getting your S3 backups set up.

Keep in mind that you’ll need Duplicator Pro for the Amazon S3 integration, but you can start with the free version to get familiar with the basic features.

Step 1: Install and Activate Duplicator

Getting started is straightforward. You’ll need to install Duplicator on your WordPress website first. If you’re new to installing WordPress plugins, don’t worry. We’ve got a beginner-friendly guide on how to install a WordPress plugin.

Once installed, you can activate your Duplicator Pro license key. Just head over to Duplicator Pro » Settings in your WordPress dashboard, enter your license key, and click ‘Activate.’ You’ll see a confirmation message when it’s successful.

Step 2: Connect to Amazon S3

Now, let’s connect Duplicator to your Amazon S3 account. Navigate to Duplicator Pro » Storage and click the ‘Add New’ button.

To help you identify this storage connection easily, you can give it a simple name like ‘Amazon S3 Backups’.

Also, look for the ‘Type’ dropdown menu and select ‘Amazon S3.’

Go ahead and scroll down.

You’ll then see the authorization section where you can paste your access key and secret key that we saved earlier.

In the configuration section, you need to enter your bucket name exactly as you created it in Amazon S3. This helps Duplicator know where to store your backup files.

You can also decide how many backup versions to keep. If you set this to ’10,’ for example, Duplicator will automatically remove the oldest backup when an eleventh one is created. Setting it to ‘0’ means it will keep all backups indefinitely.

Finally, click ‘Save Provider’ to secure your settings.

After saving S3 as your new cloud storage provider, the ‘Test Storage’ button will be activated.

You can click on that button to make sure everything works fine.

If the test backup is successful, a popup will appear saying that the plugin has stored and deleted the file.

Feel free to close this popup by clicking ‘OK.’

Step 3: Back Up Your WordPress Site to Amazon S3

Now comes the exciting part: creating your first backup to Amazon S3. Let’s walk through this process step by step.

Start by visiting Duplicator Pro » Backups in your WordPress dashboard. You’ll see an ‘Add New’ button. Go ahead and click on it.

Here’s a helpful tip: You can make your backups easier to find by using a smart naming system.

Duplicator lets you use special tags like %year%, %day%, and %hour% in your backup names. For example, ‘mysite-backup-%year%-%month%’ will automatically create names like ‘mysite-backup-2024-12.’

When you scroll down to the ‘Storage’ tab, you’ll see the available local and remote storage options.

Simply check the box next to Amazon S3, and Duplicator will know to send your WordPress backup to S3.

Now, you get to choose what to back up.

Under the ‘Backup’ section, you’ll see several options. We recommend starting with ‘Full Site’ to create a complete backup of your WordPress website files. Think of it as taking a snapshot of everything, like your posts, pages, images, and settings.

Alternatively, you can choose ‘Database Only’ to back up your WordPress database only.

If that’s your choice, you can read our guide on how to restore WordPress with just a database backup for more information.

Want to add an extra layer of security? Visit the ‘Security’ tab, where you can protect your backup files with a password.

This is especially useful if you’re storing sensitive information.

The Installer section comes with pre-configured settings that work well for most websites.

You can leave these as they are and click ‘Next’ to proceed.

Before creating your backup, Duplicator runs a quick health check of your website.

Think of it as a pre-flight inspection. If everything looks good, then you’ll see a green ‘Good’ status. If there are any issues, Duplicator will let you know exactly what needs fixing.

Finally, click the ‘Create Backup’ button.

When the process completes, you’ll return to your dashboard, where you can view all your WordPress backups.

And that’s it!

Want to make sure everything worked? You can check your S3 bucket directly.

Just log into your Amazon S3 account, navigate to your bucket, and you should see your fresh backup files waiting there safely.

Method 2: Use UpdraftPlus to Backup WordPress to S3 (Free)

While Duplicator Pro is our top choice, we understand that sometimes you need a free solution. That’s where UpdraftPlus comes in. It’s a reliable free plugin that we’ve tested extensively for Amazon S3 backups.

It’s worth noting that the free version has some limitations. You won’t be able to schedule automatic backups or create redundant backups across multiple locations. But for basic S3 backups, it gets the job done nicely.

Let’s get the free version of UpdraftPlus set up on your site. You’ll need to install the WordPress plugin first through your admin area.

Once installed, you can find UpdraftPlus in your WordPress dashboard. Head over to the ‘Settings’ tab.

This is where you’ll see various backup options.

Scroll down until you spot the cloud storage section, and click on ‘Amazon S3.’

Here’s where those access keys we created earlier come in handy. You can paste your access key and secret key into the respective fields. You also need to enter your bucket name here.

Before moving forward, it’s a good idea to click ‘Test Amazon S3 settings.’ This ensures Amazon S3 is connected properly with this WordPress migration plugin.

If the connection works, you’ll see a push notification with a success message, like in the screenshot below.

From here, you can just click ‘OK’ and save your changes.

Ready to back up your WordPress website? Go ahead and switch to the ‘Backup / Restore’ tab.

Then, click the ‘Backup Now’ button.

A friendly popup window will appear with some options to choose from.

Make sure to check ‘Send this backup to remote storage’ to send your WordPress backup S3. We also recommend ticking both ‘Include your database in the backup’ and ‘Include your files in the backup’ for a complete website backup.

After clicking ‘Backup Now,’ UpdraftPlus will start backing up your files.

Once complete, your backup will appear in the ‘Existing backups’ list. You can scroll down the page to find this section.

Want to double-check that your backup made it to S3? You can log in to your Amazon S3 account and look in your bucket.

You should see your WordPress backup files stored safely there.

Bonus Tip: Let the Experts Handle Your WordPress Maintenance

Running a successful WordPress website involves much more than just creating great content. Think about all the technical tasks: regular backups, security checks, speed optimization, and endless WordPress updates. It’s like having a second job, isn’t it?

We understand that, as a business owner, your time is better spent growing your business rather than dealing with technical maintenance. That’s exactly why we created WPBeginner Pro Services to take these technical challenges off your plate.

Our WordPress maintenance team can handle everything your website needs to stay healthy and secure:

• Daily cloud backups to keep your content safe
• Regular WordPress security scans and malware removal
• Performance optimization to keep your site running fast
• WordPress core, theme, and plugin updates
• 24/7 uptime monitoring to catch issues before they affect your visitors

What makes our service different? You’ll receive detailed reports showing exactly what we’ve done to maintain your site. Plus, if something unexpected happens, our emergency support team is ready to help.

Think of us as your WordPress technical team. We handle the complex stuff while you focus on what you do best: running your business.

Ready to make WordPress maintenance hassle-free? Book a consultation with our experts today. We’d love to show you how we can help keep your website running smoothly.

We hope this article has helped you learn how to back up your WordPress site to Amazon S3. You may also want to check out our list of the best Dropbox plugins for WordPress and our guide on how to save your WordPress blog posts to your computer.

If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.

The post How to Backup WordPress to Amazon S3 (Free + Paid Methods) first appeared on WPBeginner.

If you have a multisite network like ours, then one of the most important things you can do is regularly back up your entire network. This protects all your sites, including the main site and subsites, from potential disasters like hacks, server issues, or accidental data loss.

Our personal recommendation for WordPress backup multisite is to use Duplicator Pro. It’s a powerful plugin that makes the backup process simple and straightforward. However, we realize not everyone wants to use a plugin for their backups.

That’s why in this guide, we will show you three different ways to back up your WordPress multisite network: a multisite backup plugin, manual backups using file manager/FTP and phpMyAdmin, and hiring a professional service.

Why You Should Backup Your WordPress Multisite

Here at WPBeginner, we run a WordPress multisite network to manage different language versions of our site. That’s why we understand how important it is to keep everything secure and up-to-date, and one way to do that is with a multisite backup.

A WordPress backup multisite helps protect your entire network, including the main site and all subsites, from potential disasters.

For example, if your website is down due to human error or server issues, then having a recent backup can protect against data loss. Plus, it ensures you can quickly restore your WordPress sites to a functional state.

Backups are also important for WordPress security. If your site gets hacked or infected with malware, then you can easily restore it to a clean version. This saves you time and helps you avoid losing money from your site being down.

Other than that, having a backup is also helpful when you want to make big changes to your multisite network. Before updating themes, plugins, or WordPress itself, you can create a backup. This way, if something goes wrong, you can go back to the working version.

With that in mind, let’s look at three ways to back up your WordPress multisite network. Any of these methods will work whether you have a multisite with subdirectories or a multisite with different domains.

You can use the quick links below to navigate through this tutorial:

Method 1: Use Multisite Backup Plugin (Easiest Way)

Using a WordPress backup plugin with multisite support is the simplest way to create backups, especially for beginners. A good plugin handles everything for you, so you don’t have to worry about the technical details of backing up your multisite network.

We’ve tested many backup plugins with multisite support, but Duplicator Pro stands out as our top choice.

It not only backs up your entire WordPress website but also provides a disaster recovery option. This feature is essential for quickly restoring your WordPress multisite network if something goes wrong and you’re locked out of your WordPress admin.

The only drawback is that Duplicator Pro isn’t free. Although there is a free version, you’ll need the Pro plan, which costs $199.50 per year, to get multisite support. However, when you’re managing multiple sites on the same network, it’s a worthwhile investment.

For a more detailed look at the plugin, check out our comprehensive Duplicator review.

Step 1: Install and Activate Duplicator

After purchasing Duplicator Pro, you’ll need to log in to your WordPress multisite network as a super admin. After that, go ahead and install the WordPress plugin as the network admin of your multisite.

Once installed, you need to go to the Plugins » Installed Plugins page in your WordPress network admin dashboard. Look for Duplicator Pro and click ‘Network Activate’ underneath it.

Finally, visit Duplicator Pro » Settings and go to the ‘General’ tab.

Here, you’ll need to enter the license key you received when you bought the plugin. Paste the key into the appropriate field and click ‘Activate’ to enable all the plugin’s features.

Step 2: Create a Multisite Backup

Now, let’s save all your network’s data into a single zip file. This file can be used as a backup or to move your site to a new server.

Start by going to Duplicator Pro » Backups and clicking ‘Add New.’

At the top, give your backup a name. You can use special dynamic tags to add things like the current date and time of the backup.

This helps you easily identify backups later, especially if you create them regularly.

Next, you have to choose where to save your backup.

Duplicator saves backups on your server by default, but you can also use cloud storage like Dropbox, OneDrive, or Google Drive.

The ‘Backup’ section allows you to decide what to include in the multisite backup. It has three tabs: Filters, Multisite, and Security.

In ‘Filters,’ you can choose to back up entire websites or just create a media-only or a database-only backup. You can also leave out certain files, folders, or file extensions if you want by enabling the ‘File Filters’ option.

For more information on what files to save, you can read our guide on which WordPress files you should back up.

The ‘Multisite’ section lets you choose which sub-sites to include in your backup.

This is helpful if you only want to back up specific parts of your network.

For extra security, go to the ‘Security’ tab.

Here, you can add a password or enable encryption to protect your backup file.

Moving down the page, you can leave the ‘Installer’ settings as they are.

Just click ‘Next’ to continue.

Duplicator will now check your multisite network.

If something is wrong that needs your attention, then Duplicator will add a ‘Notice’ label next to the element. You can then click on the arrow to see what’s happening and resolve the problem based on Duplicator’s recommendations.

If everything is marked as ‘Good’, go ahead and click ‘Create Backup.’

After the backup is done, you’ll see your new backup file on the ‘Backups’ page.

It’s a good idea to click on the ‘Download’ button and download both files to your computer. This way, you can restore your site even if you can’t access your dashboard later or if you decide to switch to a different WordPress hosting provider.

You can also use the archive zip file to view your WordPress backup as a website.

How to Restore a Multisite Backup With Duplicator

Now that you know how to create backups, let’s look at how to restore your WordPress multisite network using Duplicator Pro.

To begin, go to Duplicator Pro » Backups. Find the backup you want to use and click the ‘Restore’ button next to it.

A window will pop up showing you what Duplicator found in the backup file. It gives you an overview of the archive and installer files. If everything looks okay, check the box that says ‘I have read and accept all terms & notices’ and click ‘Restore Backup.’

In our case, Duplicator warned us that our addon staging site wouldn’t be restored. But that was okay with us, so we went ahead with the restoration.

Next, another popup will ask you to confirm that you are running the installer with the new multisite and database settings.

Click ‘OK’ to move forward.

After the recovery finishes, check the ‘Auto delete installer files after login to secure site (recommended)’ box.

You’ll also see an ‘Admin Login’ button. Click this to log back into your WordPress website.

Once you’re logged in, Duplicator will take you to Duplicator Pro » Tools. Here, you can do some final checks.

We suggest clicking the buttons to delete installation files for good measure, remove backup orphans, and clear the build cache. This helps clean up your restored site and ensures everything runs smoothly.

And that’s it.

Technically, that’s all you need to do to back up and restore your WordPress multisite. But here are some tips on how to make the most of the Duplicator Pro plugin.

Assign a Multisite Backup as a Disaster Recovery Point

One great feature of Duplicator Pro is being able to set a disaster recovery point. This tells the plugin which backup to use if you need to restore your website quickly.

To set up disaster recovery, you need a full backup stored on your server. You can check this by going to Duplicator Pro » Backups.

If you have one, just click the disaster recovery icon next to that backup.

A popup should now appear.

Here, just click ‘Set Disaster Recovery.’

After this, you have two options: copy the recovery link to a safe place or download a launcher file.

If something goes wrong with your WordPress multisite, you can use either of these to start the recovery process. Just paste the link into your browser or open the launcher file, then follow the easy recovery steps.

Set Up Automatic Scheduled Backups

While you could create manual backups, this can be time-consuming for network admins. A more efficient solution is scheduling your WordPress backup multisite task to run automatically.

Automated backups provide a hands-off security approach for your WordPress multisite network. You can relax knowing that a reliable plugin like Duplicator Pro is handling your backups on a set schedule.

To set up automatic backups, go to Duplicator Pro » Schedule Backups and click ‘Add New.’

Now, give your backup schedule a name. Then, pick a ‘Backup Template.’

By default, Duplicator selects the Default template, which creates a complete WordPress backup including files, databases, media, themes, and plugins. If needed, you can adjust this by clicking the pencil ‘Edit’ button.

Otherwise, continue to the next step.

Next, choose where to store your backups.

You’ll see a list of cloud storage locations you’ve already set up, but you can also just pick ‘Default Local’ to store the backups in your web host.

After selecting a storage spot, you have to set the backup frequency. You can choose between hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly automatic backups.

Then, pick a Start Time for your backups. Keep in mind that schedules need website traffic to begin.

So if you set a daily 6:00 AM backup but don’t get traffic until 10:00 AM, the backup will start at 10:00 AM.

Finally, check the ‘Enable this schedule’ box at the bottom of the page.

Click ‘Save Schedule’ to activate your automated WordPress multisite backups.

Method 2: Use File Manager/FTP + phpMyAdmin (Manual Backups)

If you’re on a tight budget or want to learn how to manually back up your WordPress multisite network without relying on plugins, then we can guide you through the process.

This method gives you more control over your backups, but it’s not the most beginner-friendly.

For this approach, you’ll need to use either an FTP client or your hosting provider’s file manager to download all your website files. You’ll also need to back up your WordPress database using phpMyAdmin.

It’s important to do both steps because backing up files without the database (or vice versa) will result in an incomplete backup.

Let’s walk through the process step by step.

Step 1: Backup Your WordPress Files With FTP/File Manager

We’ll use Bluehost‘s file manager as an example, but the process is similar for most web hosts and FTP clients.

Start by logging into your Bluehost dashboard and go to the ‘Websites’ tab. Select the site you want to back up and click ‘Settings.’

Scroll down to find the ‘Quick Links’ section.

Here, you need to click on ‘File Manager.’

In the new tab that opens, find and select the public_html folder or root folder of your WordPress multisite network.

You need to choose all the files inside the public_html folder and click ‘Compress’ at the top of the page. This will compress the main site and all of the subsites in your multisite network.

In the popup window, choose ‘Zip Archive.’

After that, just click ‘Compress Files.’

You need to wait for your files to compress into a zip file.

Once that’s done, click ‘Close’ on the compression result window.

Now, you have to find the zip file you just created in the public_html folder. Select it and click ‘Download’ at the top of the page.

This process backs up all the files for your entire multisite network, ensuring you have a copy of your themes, plugins, and media files.

Step 2: Backup Your WordPress Database With phpMyAdmin

Now, let’s back up your WordPress multisite database.

Return to your website’s settings page in the Bluehost dashboard. In the Quick Links section, click on ‘phpMyAdmin.’

This will open phpMyAdmin in a new browser tab.

In the left column, you must select your WordPress database. For a multisite network, the database name often matches your main site’s name. If unsure, you can check your wp-config.php file for the DB_NAME value.

Once you’ve selected the correct database, click the ‘Export’ button at the top.

You’ll be asked to choose an export method.

You can select ‘Custom’ for more control over the process, and you can keep the format as SQL.

After choosing Custom, you can simply scroll down to the ‘Output’ section.

By default, phpMyAdmin shows the export output as text. To change this, you have to select ‘Save output to a file.’

For compression, you can choose either the zipped or gzipped option. Both will help reduce the file size of your database backup.

Finally, scroll to the bottom and click the ‘Export’ button. phpMyAdmin will create and send you the database export as a compressed file.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully created a manual backup of your WordPress multisite database. This backup contains all the content, user information, and settings for your entire multisite network, including the main site and all subsites.

To restore your WordPress backup multisite, you can then upload your WordPress files via the file manager or FTP, and then create a new database where you can import your database backup.

You can read the full instructions below:

• How to Restore a WordPress Site With Just a Database Backup
• How to Manually Restore WordPress Files

Method 3: Hire a WordPress Maintenance Service (Hands-Off Approach)

For people seeking the most convenient WordPress backup multisite solution, hiring a maintenance service is the way to go. This approach lets WordPress experts handle your backup needs, freeing you up to focus on other parts of running your business.

While there are many services available, WPBeginner Pro Services stands out for proven expertise and experience. With 16+ years of experience under our belt, we’ve helped 100,000+ users get started with their WordPress projects.

Our WordPress maintenance and support service takes care of everything from software updates and backups to round-the-clock uptime monitoring.

With our service, you’ll get a dedicated account manager and on-demand emergency support from someone who understands your business. This makes sure that any issues or concerns are addressed quickly and effectively.

By entrusting your WordPress websites to us, you can rest easy knowing they are in capable hands. Our team works hard to prevent slowdowns caused by updates, ensure a smooth user experience, and maintain peak performance.

Feel free to book a free consultation call with our experts today. We’ll assess your specific situation and recommend the most suitable solution for your WordPress security and backup needs.

We hope this article has helped you learn how to back up WordPress multisite. You may also want to check out our expert picks of the best WordPress multisite plugins or our guide on how to connect your Google Drive with the WordPress media library.

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The post How to Backup WordPress Multisite (Plugin + Manual Methods) first appeared on WPBeginner.