The Ultimate Guide to Namecheap Backup: cPanel, AutoBackup Tool and More!

Knowing exactly how to execute a Namecheap backup significantly protects your website data from malware, accidental deletion or overwriting, and hardware failures. And most importantly, when Namecheap silently paused backing up your site months ago after crossing a hidden limit.

So, explore this ultimate guide to Namecheap backup and learn how to secure your site. Including the critical and hidden Namecheap backup limit that users must know for seamless backup!

Namecheap Auto-Backups Limits: Do Not Ignore!

You have observed that Namecheap runs automated weekly server backups even if you are subscribed to an entry-level Stellar shared hosting plan. But Most users weren’t aware of the hidden Namecheap backup limit. And that their account will silently drop from these weekly backups if they exceed these limits;

• 25GB of disk space usage.
• 200,000 inodes

So what happens if I hit the Namecheap backup limit?

The big takeaway: Pushing past these Namecheap backup limits will exclude your account from automated weekly server backups. And you are required to use manual methods or premium tools to backup Namecheap website.

How Do I Backup My Namecheap Website? 5 Effective Methods

Here are the 5 best and most effective Namecheap backup methods available depending on your hosting tier (Stellar, Stellar Plus, VPS, Dedicated) and technical comfort level. These promising backup methods secure the website data, account files, databases, and emails.

Method #1: Namecheap cPanel Backup Wizard (Native Backup Tool)

The native cPanel Backup Wizard is the standard and completely free Namecheap backup method. It is available on every available single tier (Stellar, Stellar Plus, and Stellar Business). And since it is built in, it doesn’t need any third-party plugins or require giving access to external software.

While generating a Namecheap backup is easy, restoring it is where most webmasters experience issues! When you click the “Full Backup” button, it does not create a .tar.gz archive of every single file, database, and email account on the server.

The native Namecheap cPanel backup wizard restricts users to restoring a Full Backup via the standard cPanel interface. A Full Backup is engineered for server-to-server migrations (switching from Namecheap to another host) or for server administrators with “Root” or Web Host Manager access.

Unfortunately, if your site experiences an issue, you cannot click a “Restore” button. And you will be left only with a full backup. Resulting in opening a support ticket, sharing the file, and waiting till their technician overwrites your server.

To avoid this precious downtime, IT experts highly advise generating “Partial Backups”. Partial Backups store the same data. But they are divided into different files that can be easily restored instantly with one click in the cPanel dashboard.

Steps to securing Partial Backups (Download backup locally):

You’re required to download the files and the database separately to ensure a fully restorable copy of your website.

• Log in to your Namecheap account and go to the dashboard.
• Right-click the cPanel icon and scroll down to the Files section >> select Backup Wizard.
• Press the blue Back Up button.
• Under Select Partial Backup, select Home Directory >> click the Download Button. This step will secure all the websites, files, theme data, images, and email accounts.
• Lastly, return to the last screen and click MySQL databases. And download the.sql files for your sites.
  (The actual content (blog posts, user comments, WooCommerce orders, and settings (admin credentials) is stored in MySQL databases, not in the Home Directory.)
• Optional Step: You can also return to the ‘Partial Backup” screen and download Email Forwarders and Email filters to prevent reconfiguring your business email routing.

Steps to Restore Partial Backups:

Applying the following steps will automatically unpack the files, overwrite the broken data, and restore the full backup. And you will be able to see your website online again instantly:

• Return to the cPanel Backup Wizard.
• Click Restore (instead of Backup).
• Choose what you want to restore (Home Directory or MySQL databases).
• Select Choose File >> choose the archive from the desktop >> click Upload.

However, cPanel Backup Wizard has two major technical limitations on shared hosting that shouldn’t be overlooked:

• Browser time-out for massive sites: Large Home Directory like 10GB of high-resolution photography) may result in a browser timeout. And wait for the server to compress the file for download. Also, if the download repeatedly fails at 99%, switch to Automatic Backups via Cron Jobs.
• Local Storage usage: Namecheap cPanel temporarily creates a duplicate of the files on the server before downloading them to the desktop when generating a backup. So, if the backup size exceeds the hosting account limit, it will trigger a “Disk Quota Exceeded” error. Eventually, discarding the backup!

Method #2: Namecheap AutoBackup (For Stellar Plus & Business)

The Namecheap AutoBackup tool is a top-tier, exclusive proprietary backup plugin integrated into Stellar Plus & Business shared hosting plans. This free, incredible cPanel plugin eliminates the need for manual downloads. It automatically captures the:

• Website data
• Account Files
• Databases
• Emails

And offers the option to restore or download backups directly from the cPanel. Also, it acts like a “time machine” for your website by following an automatic data retention schedule:

• 6 Daily Backups
• 3 Weekly Backups
• 5 Monthly Backups

But how to schedule automatic backups in Namecheap? Follow the simple steps given below:

• In cPanel, find the AutoBackup icon in the “Exclusive for Namecheap Customers” section.
• Use the date filter to restore the backup of a specific date.
• Lastly, choose one of the restoration types:
  • File Overwriting (Basic): It swaps modified files with their older backup versions. But saves freshly uploaded files since the backup was taken.
  • File Deletion (Advanced): It deletes the entire current directory and places the exact copy in. This restoration method is highly effective when recovering from malware. Because it guarantees hidden files are wiped out completely.

Note: The Stellar Plus has a designated backup storage cap, whereas the Stellar Business offers unlimited backup storage.

Method #3: JetBackup 5 (Advanced Recovery)

JetBackup 5 is another enterprise-grade backup and recovery solution for hosting control panels. Namecheap uses JetBackup 5 extensively across its VPS, Dedicated Server, and Reseller. Including fresh shared hosting environments. The reason is quite obvious: it is superior to the native cPanel Backup Wizard.

• A part and parcel feature of this backup solution is that it allows granular restores. In simple words, it allows users to choose specific items to restore from the Restore & Downloads section. It means you can download a single file, an email account, or a database.
• It also reduces storage space and system load by utilizing incremental backups. It only stores data that has been modified since the last backup.
• Using JetBack 5, users can save backups in multiple off-site destinations (like Amazon S3, Google Drive, or Remote SSH servers). Ensuring data safety if the main server misbehaves!
• Customized retention policies and automated execution times can also be configured. To do so, admins can use Account Filters and Multi-Scheduling tools.
• Lastly, the end-users can effortlessly manage their own backups. They are no longer required to submit support tickets to their hosting provider.

Since it is integrated into hosting panels like cPanel, DirectAdmin, and Plesk. You can easily find it under the Files section of the cPanel Dashboard. Simply choose the backup type (Full Backup, Full Directory, or Databases). And set the backup date from the list >> click “Download” or “Restore”.

Method #4: Application-Level Backups (WordPress/CMS)

Application-Level Backups on Namecheap are the most practical backup method for over 90% of the webmasters running WordPress, Joomla, or Magento on Namecheap. Because it focuses on the website, unlike cPanel backups that capture the complete hosting environment (including server configurations and hosted email).

Backing websites at the CMS (Content Management System) level splits the website data ( wp-content folder and MySQL database). Making it easy to migrate the site. Including testing new themes or retrieving from a mishandled plugin update. Even without altering the server’s root settings.

So, here are the two ways to perform application-level backups on Namecheap:

Softaculous App Installer Method (Built-in):

Softaculous is a native app installer integrated into the Namecheap cPanel. Users commonly use it to install WordPress and for robust, automated backup systems. It also focuses on bridging the gap between server-level and app-level. And since it runs on the server side, it doesn’t decelerate the WordPress admin dashboard unlike other heavy plugins.

• Log in to Namecheap cPanel and click on Softaculous Apps Installer.
• Right-click the Installations box (wooden crate icon). It will display the list of active websites.
• Click the Backup Icon (yellow folder with green arrow) next to the website URL.
• Select backup for both: Directory (Files) and Database.
• Right-click the Edit icon (a pencil) next to the installation.
• Scroll down to the Advanced Options section.
• Lastly, configure the Automated Backups dropdown to Daily, Weekly, or Monthly. You can also choose how many backups to preserve before deleting the oldest one by setting Backup Rotation.

Third-Party WordPress Plugins:

Third-party plugins are an off-site backup strategy that packages the site and stores it in secure, remote cloud storage (like Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3). It ensures your website and other elements (Account Files, Databases, Emails) remain restorable even if the Namecheap server goes down or your account is compromised. In such scenarios, local backups are useless.

Additionally, isolating Namecheap backups and websites on different servers is considered a healthy, preventive practice. So, what’s the best third-party plugin?  Updraft Plus is the industry standard, enterprise-grade free backup plugin available to configure on a Namecheap shared server.

Here are the steps to configure it on a Namecheap shared server:

• Go to the WordPress Dashboard and click Plugins.
• Select Add New and search “UpdraftPlus” >> install & activate it.
• Move to Settings and click UpdraftPlus backups.
• Select Settings and choose the preferred remote storage (Google Drive is highly recommended)
• Follow the on-screen instructions to validate the Google account.
• Setup backup schedule. But avoid backing up the files and databases on the shared schedule.
  • Database Backup: Configure it to daily backup. Because it is just text/settings, usually under 50 MB. Also, it is imperative to have regular updates of posts and comments.
  • Files Backup: Set it to weekly, as themes, plugins, and images aren’t modified every day. And, archiving 2GB daily violates resources dramatically.
• Lastly, in the Settings, make sure to remove the caching folders (like wp-content/cache) and legacy backups. Backing up a cache folder is of no benefit and bloats the archive size.

But why do backup plugins crash shared hosting? Because backup plugins on budget hosting plans like Namecheap’s entry-level Stellar plan require a significantly higher amount of PHP memory cards. And CPU (I/O) to consolidate thousands of files together.

The basic Stellar plan strictly limits the CPU usage and physical memory (RAM). So, if a backup plugin attempts to compress a 3Gb website at 2:00 PM with 100+ users active on the site, it will hit Namecheap’s resource limit. And throw a “503 Resource Limit Reached” or “508 Resource Limit is Reached” error. Resulting in serious downtime.

How to prevent crashes? Backup plugin premium users can force-schedule the backup to run at the dead of night (around 3:00 AM server time). During this period, the traffic is virtually zero.

• Lowering the “Split archives every” in the UpdraftPlus expert settings is another proven trick to prevent backup plugins from crashing out. It forces the server to process smaller chunks of data at a time. Simply, set it from 400 MB to 100MB.
• The majority of backup plugins offer dedicated settings to reduce the server load. Usually, it is located in UpdraftPlus, under the Expert Settings as “Use server’s zip executable” or “throttling the backup speed”. So, enable it on shared hosting.

So, which application should I choose?

• Use UpdraftPlus connected to Google Drive to ensure total server failures.
• Go with the Softaculous manual backup tool to get an instant overview right before updating a critical theme

H3: Method #5: Automatic Backups via Cron Job (Developer Mode)

Do you know that you can also bypass the cPanel interface and set up automatic backups completely off Namecheap’s server? Yes, by using a PHP script and a Cron Job!

It provides users with ultimate control and redundancy for backups. The core purpose of using this method is to ensure that Namecheap backups are stored off-server and can be easily retrieved. If the entire host’s data center experiences a critical issue or massive outage.

Steps to schedule Cron Job backups:

• Make a PHP script (use fullbackup.php).
  (Ensure it is configured with the cPanel username and password. Include the remote server (like AWS S3, Google Drive via API, or an external FTP server) destination credentials.)
• Put the script in the root directory (above public_html).
• In cPanel, go to the Advanced section and click Cron Jobs.
• Lastly, configure the script to run automatically during the lowest traffic hours. For instance: 00 2 * * 1 /usr/local/bin/php /home/youraccount/fullbackup.php (Runs every Monday at 2:00 AM).

Troubleshooting Namecheap Backup Errors

Here are some real-world challenges and their solutions users encounter across the globe during the Namecheap backup:

Query #1: Namecheap AutoBackup not working or stuck?

Namecheap AutoBackup not working or the icon is missing triggers due to the following reasons:

• Review Hosting Plan: Ensure that you’re subscribed to Namecheap’s Stellar Plus or Stellar Business Plan. Because the AutoBackup feature is an exclusive feature and not available for the base Stellar plan. Hence, to unlock this feature, upgrade hosting via Namecheap Dashboard.
• Locate the Plugin: Sometimes, the AutoBackup plugin gets hidden or named incorrectly. Therefore, you have to locate the plugin correctly. To do so, log into cPanel >> scroll down to the Exclusive for Namecheap Customers section >> locate the AutoBackup icon.
• Check Disk Space (Storage Limits): Crossing the default account disk space can silently fail automated backups. So, check the current disk usage (on the right-hand sidebar of cPanel. If it is exceeding the given limit, delete the unnecessary files, old logs, or emails. Doing this will resume the automated backups.
• Wait for Next Automated Backup Generation Cycle: As you know, Namecheap servers back up automatically once every 3 to 7 days. Depending on the server application and account type. So, wait for the next backup generation cycle to allow the system to process. Especially if you recently changed plans or are a new customer.

Query #2: How to recover deleted files on Namecheap cPanel?

Here are 3 straightforward methods to recover deleted files on Namecheap cPanel:

Method 1: Via cPanel File Manager Trash

• Open Namecheap cPanel >> go to Files >> select File Manager.
• Click the View Trash button (in the top right corner of the File Manager toolbar).
• Select the files or folders to recover.
• Finally, hit the Restore button (from the top menu). Or right-click the file >> select Restore.

Method 2: From Namecheap AutoBackup

• Log into Namecheap cPanel >> scroll down to the Exclusive for Namecheap Customers section.
• Right-click the AutoBackup icon >> select a backup date (from the drop-down menu.
• Switch to the Files tab >> go to the directory of the deleted files.
• Check the boxes next to the files/folders to retrieve.
• Lastly, click Restore. It will overwrite the current files of the same name.

Method 3: Contact Namecheap Support
Submitting a ticket to Namecheap support is another potent method to restore a previous copy of the deleted files.

Query #3: How to restore a WordPress site on Namecheap from a backup?

Restoring a WordPress site on Namecheap depends on your specific hosting type. So, apply the given method based on your hosting type:

Method 1: Via EasyWP (Managed WordPress Hosting)

For webmasters who manage their website from Namecheap’s EasyWP dashboard:

• Go to the EasyWP Dashboard and log in.
• Click the target website >> select the WordPress Backups tab.
• In the list, locate the backup file >> click the More (…) icon on the right side of the backup entry.
• Lastly, click Restore (from the menu options) >> wait for the confirmation and avoid refreshing the screen until the success notification.

Method 2: Shared Hosting (Stellar/Stellar Plus)

• Log into Namecheap Account Panel >> open the cPanel interface.
• Go to the Exclusive for Namecheap Customers section >> click the AutoBackup tool icon.
• In the drop-down menu, select the preferred backup date >> hit Restore Full Backup.
• Or, move to the Databases tab within the same plugin menu >> click Restore in place (for a specific data file only).

Method 3: Configured Softaculous Backups
For users who have deployed their WordPress site through the cPanel standard script installation application (Softaculous):

• Open cPanel >> select Softaculous Apps Installer.
• Click the All Installations icon (top right header menu) or the Backups and Restore icon.
• In the generated list, locate the chosen entry >> hit the yellow Restore icon.
• Check the following configuration tick boxes:
  • Directory (files)
  • Database
  • Or both.

• Finally, click Restore Installation.

Additionally, if your backup file is hosted locally on your desktop as a zip or .wpress document, you will require dedicated internal dashboard plugins to finish external package import. All-in-one WP migration and WP staging are the optimal internal dashboard plugins.

The Takeaway

This ultimate guide to Namecheap Backup outlines the 5 promising and proven backup methods. These robust backup methods secure backups of your website data on Namecheap and prevent it from cyber threats and accidental overwriting of core databases. Including randomly discovering that the host has stopped backing up your site months ago because you jumped a hidden backup limit!

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q.1 Is Namecheap AutoBackup free with Stellar hosting?
Namecheap AutoBackup is exclusively free for the Stellar Plus or Stellar Business plan. The entry-level Stellar plan doesn’t include an AutoBackup tool.

Q.2 How to download a Namecheap cPanel backup to my computer?

Here’s how you can download a Namecheap cPanel backup to your local computer:

• Go to your Namecheap account >> log in >> open cPanel.
• Move to the Files section >> choose the Backup Wizard or Backup menu.
• Click Generate/Download a Full Backup >> Generate Backup.
• Finally, double-click the file name to download it.

Q.3 Does Namecheap charge a fee for restoring server backups?
Namecheap does not charge a fee for restoring server backups when using internal server backups for unexpected data loss. However, retrieving a suspended or terminated hosting service from the latest archive can cost a $15.00 service fee. Also, certain software modifications or complex failures may run from $10 to $15 per hour.