Backing up your website is one of the most important steps in maintaining a secure and stable online presence. Whether you’re preparing for a migration, recovering from an issue, or simply safeguarding your work, cPanel offers an easy way to generate a full backup of your entire hosting account.
But what exactly is included in that full backup? And more importantly what isn’t?
In this article, we’ll break down everything you get (and don’t get) with a Full cPanel Backup, so you can confidently protect your data and know what to expect when you restore it.

What Is a Full cPanel Backup?

A full backup in cPanel is a compressed archive file (.tar.gz) that contains all data and configurations for your hosting account. It’s generated from the Backup or Backup Wizard section in cPanel.
Unlike partial backups (e.g. just files or just databases), a full backup is meant for complete restoration or server migrations.
Note: Full backups usually can’t be restored from cPanel directly unless your hosting provider allows it. However, support teams can restore them for you on request.

What’s Included in a Full cPanel Backup?

Here’s a complete breakdown of what’s included when you generate a full backup:

1. Home Directory Files

• All website files under public_html, subdomains, and addon domains.
• Any additional folders (like /mail, /logs, /tmp, or custom folders).
• Media uploads, HTML files, WordPress files, PHP scripts, images, fonts, etc.

2. MySQL Databases

• All databases created in your account
• All associated tables, data, and users
• Useful for WordPress, Joomla, Magento, and any CMS-driven sites

3. Email Accounts and Messages

• All email addresses hosted under your domain
• Inbox, Sent, Draft, and Trash folders
• Email filters, forwarders, and autoresponders

 Note: Emails stored in webmail (like RoundCube or Horde) are also included.

4. DNS Zone Configurations

• All DNS records: A, MX, CNAME, TXT, SPF, etc.
• Custom records you’ve added manually via the Zone Editor

This ensures if you move servers, your domain can be pointed exactly the same way as before.

5. SSL Certificates

• Installed SSL certificates (both self-signed and third-party)
• Let’s Encrypt and AutoSSL records
• Private keys (if stored in your account)

6. Addon Domains and Subdomains

• All domains added to your account
• Their configurations and document roots
• Associated DNS entries and folders

7. Cron Jobs

• Any scheduled tasks (like automated scripts or backups)
• Time and command details for each cron job

8. FTP Accounts and Settings

• All created FTP accounts
• Directory access configurations and passwords (if saved)

What’s NOT Included in a Full cPanel Backup?

Now let’s clarify what’s excluded from a standard full cPanel backup:

1. Files Outside Your Home Directory

• Files not located in /home/username/ are not backed up
• System-level files or other users’ files are excluded

2. External Databases

• Databases hosted remotely or outside your cPanel account
• Connections to cloud-based DBs will not be included

3. Third-Party Email Accounts

• Emails hosted through services like Google Workspace, Outlook, Zoho, etc.
• Only emails stored on your hosting server are included

4. Visitor Statistics and Logs (Some Cases)

• Web stats from tools like Awstats may not be retained
• Access logs, error logs, and bandwidth logs are sometimes excluded unless stored in /home/

5. Temporary Files and Caches

• Cache files from plugins like WP Super Cache or LiteSpeed Cache may be skipped
• Session files may be excluded if stored in system-level /tmp folders

When Should You Use a Full cPanel Backup?

• Before migrating to another server or host

• Prior to installing major updates or plugins

• When making DNS or email server changes

• For compliance or offline archiving

• After finishing a major project or redesign

Partial vs Full Backup: Which One Should You Use?

You can generate partial backups if you only want to store or restore a specific part of your account.

Final Thoughts

A full cPanel backup gives you a complete, downloadable snapshot of your hosting account. It’s an essential tool for restoring your site during emergencies or moving it to a new server. However, understanding what is and isn’t included helps you avoid surprises when restoring.
By taking regular full backups and storing them safely off-server, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your website is protected, no matter what happens.