WordPress Website Recovery from Backup

The Problem

You have a backup, but restoring it correctly — files and database in sync, URLs matching, nothing left half-restored — is easy to get wrong under pressure when the site is already down.

About this problem

A WordPress backup is only useful if its files and database belong together. Restoring them from different dates, or into an environment with a different domain, table prefix, PHP version or file path, can leave a site half working with missing media, broken serialized settings or redirects to the old address. Backups can also be incomplete or corrupt without anyone noticing.

People usually look for this after a failed update, accidental deletion, a hack or a hosting incident, when the site is already offline or damaged and every extra mistake costs time. They often have a backup but are not sure it is complete or how to apply it.

What's Included

• Verifying the backup is complete and usable before restoring anything
• Restoring files and database in the correct order
• Fixing any URL/configuration mismatches between the backup and current environment
• Confirming the site is fully functional afterwards

What's NOT Included

• Recovering data that was never backed up in the first place
• Fixing the root cause that caused the data loss (scoped separately if needed)
• Setting up ongoing backups going forward (see Plesk/server backup services)

How It Works

1. I inspect the backup archive and database dump to confirm they are complete, readable and from a matching point in time.
2. I secure a copy of the current state of the site, however damaged, so that nothing is lost by the restore.
3. I restore files first, then import the database, using the correct table prefix and character set.
4. I update siteurl, home and path references if the domain, protocol or directory differ from the backup.
5. I check wp-config.php, .htaccess, permalinks and file permissions against the current environment.
6. I test the front end, admin, media, forms and plugin features, and check for leftover errors in the logs.

In practice: you buy the service, send over whatever access or details the job needs, I investigate and do the work, and you confirm it's resolved before we call it done.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I restore a WordPress site from a backup?

Restore the files and the database from the same backup point, then fix any URL or configuration differences. Doing it in the wrong order or mixing sources causes errors.

What if my backup is incomplete?

I check it before restoring anything and tell you what is missing. Data that was never backed up cannot be recovered by this service.

Will you find out what caused the data loss?

Finding and fixing the root cause is scoped separately if needed, for example with the malware service after a hack.

Do you set up future backups?

No, ongoing backup setup is not included. Server and Plesk backup services cover that.

Can you restore to a different domain or host?

Yes, URL and configuration differences are corrected as part of the restore.

Will I lose content created after the backup?

Anything newer than the backup is not in it. Where the damaged site still has newer content, I secure a copy first so it is not lost.