WHM & reselling

Configure cPanel backups in WHM Backup Configuration (root guide)

Set up automatic cPanel account backups in WHM as root: schedule, retention, compressed or incremental type, remote destinations and test restores.

AdvancedWHM (root)3 min read

cPanel includes a full backup system that you configure in WHM. It can back up every account daily, weekly or monthly, keep several copies and send them to remote storage. Even if you use JetBackup or provider snapshots, understanding the built-in system is useful.

MdmHost manages these server settings on its hosting plans. This guide is for administrators of their own cPanel VPS or dedicated server with root access.

Before you start

  • Root access to WHM.
  • Free disk space for local backups, or better, a remote destination: SFTP server, Amazon S3 or an S3-compatible service, Backblaze B2, Google Drive.

Enable backups

  1. Go to WHM → Backup → Backup Configuration.
  2. Set Backup Status to Enable.
  3. Choose a Backup Type:
    • Compressed: smallest, slowest to create.
    • Uncompressed: faster, uses more space.
    • Incremental: only changes are stored; fastest after the first run, but supports fewer destinations.

Schedule and retention

  • Daily Backup: choose days and how many daily copies to keep, for example 7.
  • Weekly Backup: one day per week and how many to keep, for example 4.
  • Monthly Backup: the 1st and/or 15th, and retention, for example 3.

What to back up

  • Back up User Accounts: on. Choose Select Users to pick accounts in WHM → Backup → Backup User Selection.
  • Back up Suspended Accounts: on, so data is safe during grace periods.
  • Back up Access Logs and Bandwidth Data: optional.
  • Back up System Files: on; needed to restore a whole server.
  • Databases: Per Account Only is typical.

Remote destinations

  1. Scroll to Additional Destinations, choose a type (for example SFTP or Amazon S3) and click Create new destination.
  2. Enter the host or bucket, credentials and path.
  3. Click Save and Validate Destination.
  4. Consider ticking Retain backups in the default backup directory off to save local disk space.

Warning: A backup stored only on the same server is lost if the disk fails. Always keep at least one copy off-server.

Save and run a test

Click Save Configuration. To run a backup immediately from SSH:

/usr/local/cpanel/bin/backup --force

Logs are in /usr/local/cpanel/logs/cpbackup/.

Test restores

A backup is only proven when you restore it. Restore a test account with WHM → Backup → Backup Restoration, or a file with WHM → Backup → File and Directory Restoration. Moving archives between servers is covered in restoring a cPanel backup file.

Troubleshooting

Backups fail with "insufficient disk space"

Set the minimum free space check sensibly, use incremental or remote-only backups, or add disk.

Remote validation fails

Check credentials, firewall rules for outbound SFTP/HTTPS and the bucket region.

Frequently asked questions

Should I use this or JetBackup?

Either works. JetBackup adds easier self-service restores for users (see the JetBackup restore guide for resellers); the built-in system costs nothing extra.

When should backups run?

At night in your customers' time zone, when traffic is lowest, because backups use CPU and disk I/O.

Can users download their own backups?

Yes. Users can generate full backups in cPanel → Files → Backup regardless of the server schedule.

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