How to Restore a WordPress Site from Backup Manually (Complete 2025 Guide)

If you’re running a WordPress website, restoring your site from a backup is one of the most important skills you’ll ever learn.

Whether your site broke after a plugin update, got hacked, crashed due to server issues, or you simply deleted something by mistake — knowing how to manually restore WordPress can save your business, your SEO rankings, and your peace of mind.

While backup plugins like UpdraftPlus, All-in-One WP Migration, or Jetpack VaultPress are useful, manual restoration is the most reliable method. It works even when your WordPress dashboard is inaccessible or your backup plugins fail. That’s why professional developers always prefer restoring manually during emergencies.

In this ultimate guide, I’ll walk you through step-by-step, in a fully beginner-friendly and expert-ready format, how to restore a WordPress site manually using:

• WordPress backup files

• Database (.sql) files

• cPanel / file manager

• FTP (FileZilla, WinSCP, Cyberduck)

• phpMyAdmin database import

• wp-config.php configuration

• Manual troubleshooting

By the end, your site will be live, clean, working, and exactly as it was when backed up.

Let’s start.

Why You May Need to Restore WordPress Manually

Before moving into the technical steps, it’s important to understand scenarios where a manual restoration is needed:

1. Plugin or Theme Update Crashed Your Site

A faulty update can lead to:

• White screen of death

• Critical error

• 500 internal server error

2. Hacked or Malware-Infected Site

Sometimes an infection is so deep that restoring from a clean backup is the fastest fix.

3. Hosting Failure or Migration Issues

If your hosting is:

• Overwritten

• Corrupted

• Accidentally wiped
  …a manual restore becomes necessary.

4. Broken Database

Even a single corrupted table can break your site completely.

5. You Deleted Files or Posts by Mistake

Backups help you roll back instantly.

Manual restoration gives you full control, works on any hosting provider, and never depends on WordPress being accessible.

What You Need Before You Begin

To manually restore WordPress, you must have:

1. WordPress Files Backup

This usually includes:

• wp-content/ folder

• wp-admin/

• wp-includes/

• theme & plugin files

• uploads

2. Database Backup (.sql file)

This is the heart of your site:

• posts

• pages

• settings

• WooCommerce orders

• users

• menus

3. Hosting Access

Either:

• cPanel

• DirectAdmin

• Plesk

• or any panel

4. FTP Access (optional but recommended)

5. The wp-config.php File Settings

These include database:

• name

• username

• password

• host

Step 1: Prepare Your Backup Files

Your backup may come in different formats, such as:

• .zip file

• .tar.gz

• exported folder structure

• backup from a plugin

Make sure you extract the .zip locally on your computer.

Inside the backup, you should see something like:

The wp-content folder is the most critical because it contains:

• Themes

• Plugins

• Uploads (media library)

Also locate your database backup. Usually named:

Keep both files ready.

Step 2: Delete Existing WordPress Files (If Required)

If your site is currently broken or infected, you must remove the old files.

Using cPanel File Manager:

1. Login to cPanel

2. Open File Manager

3. Navigate to public_html or your site folder

4. Select all → Delete

Using FTP:

1. Connect via FileZilla

2. Navigate to your site root folder

3. Select all → Delete

Important Note:

Never delete database files here — those are separate.

Step 3: Upload Your Backup Files

Now upload the fresh backup.

Option A: Upload via cPanel (Recommended)

1. Go to File Manager

2. Open the site folder

3. Click Upload

4. Upload the .zip

5. Right-click → Extract

Option B: Upload via FTP

Drag and drop all files into:

or

Upload may take time depending on size.

Step 4: Create a New Database (If Needed)

If the database is corrupted or missing, create a fresh one.

How to Create a Database in cPanel

1. Go to MySQL Databases

2. Click Create New Database

3. Create a database user

4. Assign the user to the database

5. Give All Privileges

Save:

• DB Name

• DB User

• DB Password

• DB Host (usually localhost)

Step 5: Import Database Using phpMyAdmin

1. Open phpMyAdmin

2. Select your database

3. Click Import from top menu

4. Choose your .sql file

5. Click Go

If database already exists:

Select all tables → Drop
Then import fresh backup.

Step 6: Update wp-config.php (Very Important)

Your wp-config.php file must connect to your restored database.

Open:

Find the database settings:

Update them accordingly.

If you created a new database, add its credentials.

Step 7: Fix Site URL (If Restoring to a New Domain)

Sometimes WordPress won’t load due to incorrect URLs.

Use phpMyAdmin SQL Query:

Replace:

Optional: Fix Permalinks

If URLs break after the restore:

1. Visit /wp-admin

2. Go to Settings → Permalinks

3. Click Save Changes

Restoring wp-content Only (If the Site Core is Clean)

If your WordPress core is working fine but:

• media is missing

• theme broke

• plugin files corrupted

…you can restore only:

Just replace the folder.

When Should You NOT Restore Manually?

Sometimes manual restore is not ideal.

Avoid it when:

• You do not have full backups

• Backup contains malware

• You don’t have database access

In those cases, plugin restore or host-level backups are safer.

Troubleshooting After Manual Restore

Here are common issues and fixes:

White Screen After Restore

Check:

Enable debugging:

Database Connection Error

Recheck wp-config.php:

• DB name

• username

• password

• host

Missing Styles / Broken Theme

Regenerate .htaccess by saving permalinks.

mages Broken

Upload /wp-content/uploads/ again.

Plugin Errors

Rename the folder:

Sample .htaccess File (Useful for Restore)

If your .htaccess is missing, use this:

Final Checklist After Restoring WordPress

Check homepage

Check admin login

Visit multiple pages

Test WooCommerce (if applicable)

Check contact forms

Reinstall the security plugin

Enable backups again (very important)

Conclusion

Restoring a WordPress website manually is a skill that every website owner, freelancer, and agency must learn. This method is the most reliable, most precise, and works in any situation — even when WordPress dashboard access fails.

By following this in-depth guide, you can restore your:

• posts

• pages

• themes

• plugins

• media

• settings

…and bring your site back to life exactly as it was.

Bookmark this guide or save it — it will save you someday.

FAQs – Restoring WordPress Manually

1. Can I restore WordPress without cPanel?

Yes, you can restore via FTP + phpMyAdmin only.

2. Can I restore WordPress without a database backup?

No, the site cannot be restored without a database. WordPress needs it to load content.

3. How long does a manual restore take?

10 minutes to 1 hour depending on:

• file size

• hosting speed

• database size

4. What if my backup is infected with malware?

Do not restore. Scan or clean the backup first.

5. Can I restore only plugins or themes?

Yes, by replacing folders inside wp-content.

6. Why is my site still not loading after restore?

Check:

• wp-config.php

• missing uploads

• incorrect URLs

• .htaccess issues

7. Can I restore to a new domain?

Yes, but update URLs using phpMyAdmin.