How to Back Up Your WordPress Site to Dropbox (Free and Automatic)

Hacks, bad plugin updates, server failures, or a simple mistake can wipe out years of work in seconds. A recent backup turns a disaster into a 10-minute fix.

Where you keep that backup matters. Many site owners only keep backups on their hosting server, but if the server fails or your account is compromised, those backups go too. Storing copies in the cloud, such as Dropbox, keeps them safe and easy to reach from anywhere.

What Makes a Good WordPress Backup?

• It includes both the database (posts, pages, comments, settings) and files (themes, plugins, uploads).
• It runs automatically on a schedule.
• It is stored off your server, ideally in more than one place.
• It is easy to restore.

Dropbox fits well: the free Basic plan includes 2 GB of storage (enough for many small blogs), paid plans add much more, and its desktop app can sync your backups to your computer automatically, giving you a second copy.

Note: the “WordPress Backup to Dropbox” plugin used in the original version of this guide has been discontinued. Today the best free way to back up to Dropbox is UpdraftPlus.

How to Back Up WordPress to Dropbox With UpdraftPlus

UpdraftPlus is the most popular WordPress backup plugin, with more than 4 million active installs, and its free version supports Dropbox.

Step 1: Create a Dropbox Account

If you do not have one yet, sign up free at Dropbox.com.

Step 2: Install UpdraftPlus

In your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New Plugin, search for UpdraftPlus, then click Install Now and Activate. (How to install a plugin.)

Step 3: Set Your Backup Schedule

Go to Settings > UpdraftPlus Backups and open the Settings tab. Choose:

• Files backup schedule: weekly is fine for most blogs.
• Database backup schedule: daily if you publish or get comments often, weekly otherwise.
• Retain this many scheduled backups: 2 to 4 is a good balance between safety and storage space.

Step 4: Connect Dropbox

1. Under Choose your remote storage, click the Dropbox icon.
2. Scroll down and click Save Changes.
3. A popup appears with a link to authorize UpdraftPlus. Click it, sign in to Dropbox, and click Allow.
4. On the confirmation page, click Complete setup. You are returned to WordPress with Dropbox connected.

Step 5: Run Your First Backup

Go to the Backup / Restore tab and click Backup Now. Make sure both the database and files are checked, and that the backup is sent to remote storage. Depending on your site’s size, it can take a few minutes to an hour.

When it finishes, open Dropbox and look in Apps > UpdraftPlus (or the folder shown in the plugin). You should see several .zip and .gz files: database, plugins, themes, uploads, and others.

Step 6: Know How to Restore

To restore, go to Backup / Restore, find the backup under Existing backups, click Restore, choose what to restore, and follow the prompts. If your site is completely down, install a fresh WordPress, install UpdraftPlus, connect Dropbox, and restore from there.

Other Plugins That Back Up to Dropbox

• BackWPup: free plugin (400,000+ installs) whose free version backs up to Dropbox, FTP, Amazon S3, and more.
• WPvivid: free backup, migration, and staging plugin with Dropbox, Google Drive, and OneDrive support.
• Duplicator: best known for migrations; Duplicator Pro adds scheduled cloud backups to Dropbox and others.
• Solid Backups: the premium plugin formerly called BackupBuddy, with Dropbox and other cloud destinations.

Backup Best Practices

• Follow the 3-2-1 rule: three copies, on two types of storage, with one off-site.
• Take a manual backup before updating WordPress, themes, or plugins.
• Test a restore once in a while (for example on a staging site) so you know it works.
• Check that your host also keeps backups, but do not rely on it alone.
• If your Dropbox fills up, lower the number of retained backups or upgrade your plan.

Backups are one part of security. Also see how to protect WordPress from brute force attacks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is UpdraftPlus free for Dropbox backups?

Yes. The free version supports Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon S3, and other destinations. Premium adds incremental backups, more destinations, and migration tools.

How often should I back up my blog?

Weekly for files and daily for the database is a good default. Back up more often if you publish daily or run a store.

Is 2 GB of Dropbox enough?

For a small blog, usually yes, especially if you keep only a few backups. Sites with many images may need a paid plan or a different storage option such as Google Drive.

Which backup plugin do you use? Let us know in the comments.