Keeping a local copy of your website backup is one of the smartest things you can do. If anything goes wrong on the server, you've got a copy sitting safely on your own machine. Here's how to download a backup from Plesk to your computer.
Before you start
You need at least one existing backup in Plesk. If you haven't created one yet, go to Websites & Domains > Backup Manager > Back Up and create one first.
Steps to download a backup
- Log in to your Plesk control panel.
- Go to Websites & Domains > Backup Manager.
- You'll see a list of all available backups with their dates and sizes. Click on the backup you want to download.
- Click the Download button.
- Plesk will ask if you want to protect the backup with a password. We recommend setting a password — if the backup file ever falls into the wrong hands, your data stays protected.
- If you don't want password protection, clear the "Use password protection" checkbox.
- Click OK.
- Your browser will start downloading the backup file to your default Downloads folder.
Things to keep in mind
- Large backups take time. If your site has several gigabytes of data, the download could take a while depending on your internet speed. Don't close the browser tab while the download is in progress.
- Disk space on the server matters. Plesk creates a temporary archive during the download process. If your server is low on disk space, the download may fail. Free up space or contact support if this happens.
- Store backups safely. Once downloaded, move the file to a secure location — an external hard drive, cloud storage, or another safe spot. Don't leave it sitting in your Downloads folder indefinitely.
- You can re-upload later. If you ever need to restore from a downloaded backup, go to Backup Manager > Upload to send it back to the server and restore from there.
How often should you download backups?
That depends on how often your site changes. If you update content daily, download a backup at least once a week. For mostly static sites, once a month is usually enough. The key is having a recent local copy available when you need it — server backups alone aren't enough if the server itself becomes unavailable.
