If your website has been hacked, files were accidentally deleted, or you need to revert to a previous state, you can restore from a backup. Plesk allows you to restore the entire account or only specific components. This guide covers the restoration process.
Restoring All Data from a Backup
- Log in to Plesk.
- Go to Websites & Domains → Backup Manager.
- Find the backup you want to restore from. Click on the backup date to open it.
- Select All objects to restore everything.
- Choose a conflict resolution policy:
- Do not overwrite: Skip any files or settings that already exist.
- Overwrite: Replace existing files and settings with the backup version.
- If the backup is password-protected, enter the password.
- Optionally enter your email for a completion notification.
- Click Restore.
- Wait for the restoration to complete. Your website may be briefly unavailable during this process.
Restoring Specific Objects
- Open the backup by clicking its date.
- Select Selected objects.
- Choose the type of object to restore:
- Subscription — Restore the entire subscription configuration and content.
- Site — Restore only website files.
- Database — Restore a specific database.
- Mail account — Restore email accounts and messages.
- DNS zone — Restore DNS records.
- SSL/TLS certificate — Restore certificates.
- Select the specific objects from the list.
- Click Restore.
Uploading and Restoring a Downloaded Backup
- Go to Websites & Domains → Backup Manager.
- Click Upload.
- Select the backup file from your computer.
- If the backup was password-protected, enter the password.
- Click OK.
- Once uploaded, the backup will appear in the list. Click on it to restore.
Important Notes
- Restoring a backup overwrites existing data. Any changes made after the backup was created will be lost.
- Always download a backup before performing major changes (updates, redesigns).
- If you forget the backup password, some data (like database passwords) may not be restored properly.
Troubleshooting
Restore fails with a conflict:
- Choose Overwrite as the conflict resolution policy.
- If the error persists, contact your hosting provider.
Upload fails or takes too long:
- Large backup files may take a while. Be patient and do not navigate away from the page.
- FTP upload may be faster for large files. Contact your hosting provider for assistance.
