 is free, right? Let’s not forget that. And you can’t have a sustainable ecosystem if everything is just free in the core platform. But I think we’ve maybe felt for a while that shipment tracking was probably a bit of a miss or something that is going to cover 80-90% at least of people using the core platform. So I’m super excited to see Woo make that decision to start to put a core shipment tracking feature available in WooCommerce as a result of this. I think it’s going to be a huge value add. And to our previous point, it gives you a standardized way for other apps to understand how to access tracking numbers as part of a fulfillment.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>James:</strong><br />Yeah, I’m hoping we can implement it in a way that means there can be versions of shipment tracking that expand upon the feature of whatever’s in core.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Patrick:</strong><br />Well, there’s attaching a shipping number, and then there’s having real-time updates you send to the customer. There’s value that could be added. When’s the last time you heard someone say that the WooCommerce order thank-you page is good?</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Beka:</strong><br />Yeah, I think there are opportunities for carrier-specific integrations to have shipment statuses. A good example: if I’m integrated with FedEx, the basic level of that is just getting the FedEx tracking number and URL and showing it in the orders page or emails. But what if I want to have live updates because FedEx has more granular statuses for a shipment? There’s “awaiting package,” “received,” “in transit,” “out for delivery.” I think pro versions or more advanced integrations could be polling FedEx or getting webhooks from FedEx for those delivery alerts, for example, to send even more emails to your customers. I think there are some really cool opportunities that can be built on this with more advanced functionality, but at least from a core sense, you can be supporting that basic concept of: “Hey, a fulfillment is sometimes going to need a tracking number associated with it.”</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>James:</strong><br />Yeah. It’s very exciting stuff. I think the other important thing to touch on is that not every order is going to need shipping, and that’s something we’re discussing quite a lot. How do we frame this functionality in a way that covers digital orders and virtual orders? I think &#8220;fulfillment&#8221; makes sense as a term for covering all of those different use cases. We’ve discussed the opportunity of also fulfilling downloadable orders and virtual orders, but also having it possible to dictate—probably through code—when an order is fulfilled. So if you’re selling a membership (and Beka, I think you touched on this before), you might not want to fulfill that order, or a course, for example, you might not want to fulfill it until they finish the course. So there would be a way to fulfill orders outside of just shipping an item or shipping all of the line items.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Beka:</strong><br />Yeah, I think one of the things that’s exciting about Woo in general is that you have this long tail of use cases that can come out of every feature in these surprising and unexpected but very cool ways. That’s the beauty, I think, of open source—people will use things in ways you’ve never imagined. We tried to take that concept with fulfillment. Okay, the core reason to have a fulfillment is probably a shipment, but let’s dream a little bigger. What else could people do with this feature? I think as we all discussed this and talked to a lot of merchants, virtual goods like downloads, services, etc. may have the concept of fulfillment. You might want to skip that and not use fulfillments as a merchant, but you might want to—let’s say I sell content writing services and that’s a virtual item. I’m not going to ship anything to someone for content writing, but what I might do is say, &#8220;Hey, when I&#8217;m done, the first draft is up. Here’s my fulfillment—it’s my Google Doc,&#8221; and I send you the Google Doc link. Well, what are the parallels? What if we extract the idea and look for what&#8217;s core between a package and a Google Doc? They’ll have a name, they’ll have a URL, and they’ll have a status. So as a service provider, I could add a fulfillment with the Google Doc name and the Google Doc URL, and that’s my fulfillment to you. While I might not use that use case, I might use it differently. What we tried to do is think: what are other ways this feature can apply to different types of fulfilling a good or service, even if it&#8217;s not a package, if it&#8217;s a digital fulfillment or a service fulfillment, and how can we support that? Which things could be core for virtual sellers? If they&#8217;re not core, how do we facilitate extensibility and extensions of that? Core may not, let&#8217;s say, have a delivery date attached to fulfillment, but we need to make sure it&#8217;s possible to do such a thing, whether that&#8217;s enabling a semantic structured form of metadata. There are ways that we can do that and be mindful of that extensibility, which I think is an exciting part of this.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>James:</strong><br />Even touching on what you said before about the fulfillment statuses—not the overall fulfillment status of an order, but the status of a shipment or a shipment status—just having a status per shipment is something we could do via metadata in some way, or maybe it’s a permanent field that belongs to a shipment. But yeah, I think having this structured data of shipments is going to be massively useful in any number of use cases.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Beka:</strong><br />I mean, especially with the number of digital goods sellers that WooCommerce has. I think that’s always been one of the strengths of Woo—it’s always been fantastic for virtual goods, whether downloadable, services, courses, memberships, all kinds of different things that I think will be very exciting to see how people use this feature. We’ve definitely tried to design it in mind that while it will primarily be used for shipments and packages, we have a ton of other exciting use cases that it could be brought to bear for.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>James:</strong><br />And I think speaking of design, the key area that we’ve been focused on at the moment is how the merchant can come into the orders list and create a fulfillment from that page so they don’t have to click through to the single order page. They can create fulfillments from the orders list and complete that process a lot more quickly than they could right now, which is actually quite a challenge we’ve found in terms of designing this in its most simple form without adding too many buttons or things calling for your attention. So yeah, I think the design aspect of this is very challenging. We’ve got that screen to focus on. We’ve got, once they create a shipment or a fulfillment, how does that look? What does that screen look like? And then also we’ve got the edit order screen—what does it look like when you create a fulfillment from that screen? So we’re definitely in the very early stages in terms of design for this, and we’re focusing on how to make that experience as simple as possible, while also covering all of these different bases that we’ve talked about and all these different use cases.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Patrick:</strong><br />Not to mention as fast as possible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>James:</strong><br />Yes.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Patrick:</strong><br />We spent a fair amount of time in that one design call just talking about, &#8220;This page needs to be fast. You should not sit here and wait five seconds for this order to load after waiting 10 seconds for the orders list to load. We&#8217;re going to make it fast.&#8221;</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>James:</strong><br />Yeah, exactly. That’s one of the key things. We want the merchant to be able to create and fulfill orders as quickly as possible because their time is important, and that is more than likely one of the most time-consuming things they have to do. And Patrick, I don’t know whether, but I imagine a lot of merchants are currently fulfilling orders via some other means.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Patrick:</strong><br />Especially as stores grow, they&#8217;ll often have warehouses. Warehouses aren&#8217;t going to open up WooCommerce admin to fulfill an order, at least in a lot of cases they aren’t. So integrating these fulfillments into other platforms and having that ability will definitely be a thing. But customer service may need to look up the fulfillment that was fulfilled from the warehouse, and being able to integrate all these things or make it possible for the warehouse that fulfilled the order in some other platform to sync back to WooCommerce, which is integrated into your customer service tooling. In the little sidebar of your HelpScout or Zendesk, wherever you&#8217;ve got your order and your fulfillments, everything will be right there, all powered by one consistent data model.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>James:</strong><br />And that’s the goal. So yeah, in terms of a timeline for this, we’re very much in the design phase. We’ve scoped out how we ideally want this to look and work. There’s definitely still more discussion around specifics, particularly around what the data structure is going to look like and how we actually embed that into WooCommerce itself. I would hope next year is when we could be rolling this out in some form, but I definitely want to get feedback early and often on what we’re working on. Right now, it’s hard to find somewhere where you can do that. I think as a company, we use GitHub discussions quite a lot for more officially collecting feedback from the developer community. I use Twitter a lot, but that’s a very unofficial way of doing it—or X, as they call it now. So I don’t know if you guys have thoughts on how we can get more community involvement in this. And also, I&#8217;m conscious that we don’t want to have the classic saying of too many cooks. I imagine there’s a lot of design-based input that we could get on this in terms of visual design or even database</p>\n\n\n\n<p>design, and there are probably a lot of differing opinions on how best to approach it. But I do feel like GitHub discussions has a technical barrier. I think the people who comment there are more than likely developers or part of some sort of agency, and less likely merchants.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Beka:</strong><br />Yeah, I would say I don’t feel like that’s a terrible thing, though, because if you’re an agency or a builder, you are oftentimes supporting the merchant and understanding their needs and use cases. Sometimes it’s helpful to have that sense of technical creativity to understand what are the possible ways we could solve this, or what is possible now and what are the gaps. I definitely welcome that side of the input. I do think it’s important, though, to hear the pain in the merchant’s own words and also to get very close to what expectations they have of the experience. Ultimately, you need each of those personas or types of people to make a really wonderful product because they’re all going to be users of the product. Even if the agency, developer, or plugin developer isn’t the person who&#8217;s in there using the UX every day—let’s say from my perspective as a plugin developer—I’m the one trying to build something on top of it. If I hate it, I’m just not going to use it. So we need all of those people to be excited to adopt what we’re doing. It’s got to be a carrot; it’s got to be a no-brainer. It’s got to be: why would I do this my own way? Why would I build my own data structure for a fulfillment when what&#8217;s in core works really wonderfully for me? I’ve had a lot of success in the past using customer councils. I think Woo has experimented with such a thing. I think it would be great to do a rotation of agencies in the space, of merchants who are actively using it, who want to see improvements in the software. I think Patrick and I are definitely in some ways fitting that persona in different ways—Patrick being on the agency side, working with high-volume sites, and myself being in the plugin developer space, trying to build things on top of WooCommerce and supporting the merchant store using these customizations and plugins. I would love to see a variety of voices involved in contributing to that. I agree with you, James—you can get inundated with feedback that’s not super valuable. So I think it’s having a small group of folks, and it’s also great if it’s not always the same people. If it rotates maybe every six months, I find that works best.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Patrick:</strong><br />There are so many bike sheds for us to debate what color to paint.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Beka:</strong><br />Yeah.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Patrick:</strong><br />Woo’s had a hard time getting store feedback. Think of a big business—they go out, they’re like, &#8220;Hey, web developer, I need you to build my store. I don’t care what platform it’s on.&#8221; Some of them… So how do you get their feedback from the agency side? What I’ve tried to do, and I recommend many people do, is there are people like James, Ken, and others in the Woo space who want to talk to stores. I can certainly take the store’s feedback and go bring it to James and be like, &#8220;Hey, here’s what the store said.&#8221; But I just outright introduce the store owner to James, to Ken, to these other people within Woo who can have their own calls and ask their own questions. How you word a question and which way you ask will impact the answer. I’ve got multiple projects right now where we ask the client a question in a way that makes sense to us. They give us an answer that makes sense for the question that made sense to them, but the answer was wrong. So getting these different perspectives from different people is the best way to build a good product—lots of opinions from different perspectives, from different use cases. Spam James with all your store owner introductions.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>James:</strong><br />Just send it all to me. Actually, Patrick, I think it was you that introduced me to the bedding store that I spoke to previously.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Patrick:</strong><br />That was one of them.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>James:</strong><br />Yeah. I think that’s quite valuable—to have that kind of interaction, that direct interaction with the merchant and really dig into how they use the system.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Patrick:</strong><br />I mean, it makes you look good as the agency: &#8220;Hey, I’m going to introduce you to the head of product at Woo who’s going to listen to your feedback,&#8221; which isn’t me. Some people might think introducing your store owner to someone else is going to take away from what you’re doing. It’s the opposite.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>James:</strong><br />Yeah, it’s definitely a useful thing to do. I think even the setup we’ve got here of WooCommerce working directly with you guys from different backgrounds and different perspectives is massively valuable. I think it takes away the too-many-cooks scenario where we’re aligned on what the goal is. Myself, coming from a plugin developer background, I’m kind of consciously aware of how would I want to extend this if I was building a product on top of this. So I think that’s really useful. Beka, you were going to say something. I don’t know if you remember what it was.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Beka:</strong><br />I do. One thing I did want to call out: we talked a lot about fulfillments in this conversation. I think it’s the first step and most exciting. The plan is to continue building in this line. The other thing we should spend a little bit of time on is talking about payments. One of my complaints about Woo for a long time has been the way payments are represented. I’ve built around two dozen payment integrations with WooCommerce as part of SkyVerge. We have a couple at Kestrel as well that are payment integrations. One of the really challenging things has been that a payment is just a metadata blob attached to an order right now, and that’s not always very semantic or easy to work with. If an email wants to show the card type and last four digits that were used on the order, how does it do that? Well, it has to know which meta keys to look for from all these various payment gateways. That’s not great. So the other part would be what we can do on the fulfillment side, we can kind of do a parallel on the payment side, which is attaching transaction objects to an order. Each transaction would represent a payment. So number one, that’s cool for data standardization—a payment can be represented with the type, the payment name, the payment method that was used, some basic information about that payment method—and that’s exciting for all the integrations that Patrick’s pointed out on the order thank-you page, like, &#8220;Hey, we could just display this information; it’s now going to be available in the API,&#8221; and that’s pretty cool. But that also opens up the possibility for a couple of pain points for big merchants, which would be partial payments, deposits, multiple payments, multiple captures per order against different line items. There are a lot of more advanced workflows around payment processing that are difficult in WooCommerce, or you&#8217;ve got to go bespoke and build everything yourself with all your own custom code. There’s no standardization to allow for translation between apps and plugins. While fulfillments are one area, I just want to make sure people understand payments is another area where we see this need, and we can take the lessons learned from shipments and fulfillments and translate those lessons over to transactions as well, which I think will be a very exciting thing. I know Patrick, you&#8217;ve seen a lot of really weird use cases around payments. If there&#8217;s anything you want to add there that we can facilitate, just to call out that there&#8217;s some cool stuff coming there too next year once the fulfillment project can be kicked out the door.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Patrick:</strong><br />I’ve been screaming from the rooftops for years about let’s separate the order, payments, and shipments/fulfillments. There are so many scenarios. As businesses get bigger, they add more process. Enterprise isn&#8217;t millions more orders; it&#8217;s a lot more red tape and process around everything they do. So having the ability to separate these things out, having bespoke objects for a payment, for a fulfillment, and you could have an entire workflow in your store. I&#8217;m selling a website. The first fulfillment could be sending off a contract through DocuSign that includes a payment afterwards of a deposit. Then the second fulfillment is a logo, and then a third fulfillment is the pages, the content. All of these things could just fit in a native data structure. You wouldn’t think, &#8220;I’m going to sell a website out of WooCommerce,&#8221; but you could! Multiple payments, multiple fulfillments of digital and physical things—that’s all possible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Beka:</strong><br />Yeah, I&#8217;ll give you an example that wasn&#8217;t even enterprise-level but was similar. I bought some swag from a Woo store. They&#8217;re called Scout Books—they do notebooks with custom printing, and they use their Woo orders as invoices and to pay a deposit. They can either use two separate orders, or you have to do a fee line item and then discount the main line item. But again, you have to have two separate payments, and that&#8217;s a customization. So there&#8217;s a lot of weirdness to that in Woo, and while it&#8217;s supposed to be the most flexible e-commerce system on the planet, let&#8217;s make it easier for developers to enable such a thing. Even if we don&#8217;t have to facilitate that in the core plugin, we should at least have the on-ramps for plugins to be able to do this in a sane and semantic way. So I&#8217;m very excited for that potential because I think multiple payments against a single order will open up a ton of really cool use cases around upsells and cross-sells, post-purchase additions, like a thank-you page order bump. These are all</p>\n\n\n\n<p>things that we could make so much easier for plugin developers with that as well. Fulfillment is one piece of it, but then actually accepting the payments against the same order object is the other piece.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Patrick:</strong><br />That&#8217;s like I said earlier: we go from &#8220;we can do it&#8221;—all of that you described is possible…</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Beka:</strong><br />But it&#8217;s ugly.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Patrick:</strong><br />We can do it well.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Beka:</strong><br />Yes, it&#8217;s ugly now, and that&#8217;s the thing that I will be so excited to fix.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Patrick:</strong><br />It’ll be sustainable, scalable, and performant—just all of that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>James:</strong><br />And I think on top of the transactions entity being just payments, it can also be refunds, fees, disputes—all of that stuff can be within the same database, and that alone will make reporting easier as well. I think that&#8217;s the more challenging side of the two entities that we&#8217;ve discussed because once you get into those grounds, you&#8217;re then affecting how the overall order status works and the need for using it at all. Whereas I think with shipments, it&#8217;s kind of an optional thing. You could either utilize that, but your overall experience, unless you&#8217;re using it, would remain much the same. But with payments, every order has a payment—there’s no way to not use that. So it&#8217;s definitely a challenging thing.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Patrick:</strong><br />There’s a way to do it though—to not scare everyone into thinking there’s going to be this huge breaking change in WooCommerce coming. You could have a payment gateway that just marks the order as paid, like it does today, and it just marks the order paid without the data. So there’s going to be a path.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Beka:</strong><br />And I think, to tie onto that, Patrick, I think as someone who has built both plugins and apps consuming the Woo API, I do want to call that out—that’s definitely part of the path that we&#8217;ve talked about: making sure that if you&#8217;re an API consumer right now and let&#8217;s say you might even be inferring financial and fulfillment statuses depending on whether the order is on hold, processing, or completed, or has a &#8220;date paid&#8221; property or not, you might have some work in your app right now that&#8217;s even circumventing these problems. One of the things we&#8217;ve discussed is not making specific breaking changes to the existing version of the API, but allowing you to upgrade to a new version of the API. Now you&#8217;ll have discrete properties and data objects for each of these things. The backwards compatibility aspect has been a big part of the discussion. It’s certainly a big project, and that&#8217;s why transactions would come after fulfillments, but there is a path to adding these things in a way that is not going to create breaking changes for stores, API consumers, or plugin developers. It would just behoove you as an app or plugin developer to adopt them because it’ll let you do much better things, and it will let you remove probably some of your internal logic that you&#8217;ve had to maintain. I think it’ll just be the smart decision to make the updates to adopt this once it’s out there, but definitely not something that would pull the rug out from underneath you.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>James:</strong><br />Yeah, I mean, that’s definitely the approach we’re going for. I think that’s why we’ve separated it out into these phases of work. We don’t want to just one day release a completely different way to manage orders all in one go. So yeah, I think that’s a great point to raise. That is the phase two, I guess, of what I would call the order status project. Ultimately, it’s all boiling down to having these separated order statuses for orders, even though there’s a whole iceberg of a mechanism that goes on behind the scenes for both scenarios.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Beka:</strong><br />But to tie it back to our point at the beginning, the goal is just so much more clarity around order management. So I think both of these things can add wonderful clarity for even more complex use cases than just: I have a single item in an order, a single payment, and a single shipment. Woo is totally fine for that today, but as we&#8217;ve seen, the beauty is that it can be used for way more complex things too. We can have a cleaner way to support those complex things while still having a really beautiful, snappy, fast, and easy interface for people in the orders list.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>James:</strong><br />Agreed. Cool. I think we&#8217;ve had a pretty good discussion about what we’re working on, unless anyone’s got any additional points to raise about the project.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Patrick:</strong><br />I heard from James we&#8217;re going to be live in a year!</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Beka:</strong><br />He’s going to hold you to that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>James:</strong><br />For fulfillment! To be honest, I&#8217;m hoping less than a year. I would hope…</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Beka:</strong><br />I think Patrick and I are just excited to see the project happening. We&#8217;ve talked about this for a long time in Woo—how it would be a great improvement. I would just say thanks, James, for giving us the opportunity to collaborate and contribute to it. It’s nice to have more of a work-in-public mindset and to have more visibility, I think, as developers. Hopefully other folks too, because Woo is definitely more powerful when we understand even the extensibility use cases, not just core use cases. Not everything will be a core use case, but the extensibility is definitely something that is very powerful to facilitate and make possible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>James:</strong><br />On which note, I think it would be useful to say how people can contact me or you. I’m on Twitter/X as @jamesckemp, which is probably the best place to reach me, to be honest. Beka?</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Beka:</strong><br />Yeah, also on Twitter—I refuse to call it X.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>James:</strong><br />I feel like I have to…</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Beka:</strong><br />On the bird app—@beka_rice. As James mentioned earlier, our website is kestrelwp.com, contact form. There’s only a few of us, so the contact form will hit me too.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Patrick:</strong><br />Patrick, and I’m also on Twitter—@pmgarman, G-A-R-M-A-N. You can find us at mindsize.com. Definitely reach out.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>James:</strong><br />Awesome. Well, I hope we can do this again, potentially next month, and we’ll keep people updated on where we’re at on the project as a whole, any kind of roadblocks we’re up against, or any new decisions we need to make. I think it&#8217;ll be quite a fun project to keep an eye on. But yeah, thanks for joining me and thanks for being willing to contribute to this project.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Beka:</strong><br />Thanks, James.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Patrick:</strong><br />Thank you.</p>\n</div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>In this episode of <strong><em>Woo ProductChat</em></strong>, host <strong>James Kemp</strong> makes his debut alongside <strong>Beka Rice from Kestrel and Patrick Garman from Mindsize</strong>. James describes this monthly episode as what they&#8217;re working on at WooCommerce behind the scenes that maybe you, the community, don&#8217;t generally get to hear about.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>They jump into the ongoing development projects at WooCommerce, particularly focusing on improving order management. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>Beka and Patrick,  join James to explore solutions for streamlining the order fulfillment process, addressing the complexities of partial shipping and shipment tracking within WooCommerce. They discuss the importance of creating a structured shipment data model and the impact that could have on merchants, as well as envision future developments in payment transaction handling to enhance usability and customization. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>The conversation further highlights the effort to involve the community for feedback and discuss potential enhancements, balancing the technical and experiential aspects of development. </p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Takeaways</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Revamping Order Fulfillment</strong>: WooCommerce is addressing long-standing challenges in order fulfillment by introducing a more granular fulfillment status system. The new system will include three states: <strong>fulfilled, partially fulfilled, and unfulfilled</strong>, making it easier for merchants to manage orders and shipments more effectively.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Splitting Order Statuses</strong>: The project will introduce a more refined order status system, splitting it into three categories: <strong>order status</strong>, <strong>payment status</strong>, and <strong>fulfillment status</strong>. This separation will provide clearer insights into each phase of the order process, while minimizing disruption to existing workflows.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Focus on Extensibility</strong>: The new fulfillment and order management features will be highly <strong>customizable</strong> and <strong>extensible</strong>, allowing third-party developers to build on the new data structures and support varied use cases like multiple shipments or integration with different shipping carriers.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Payment Handling Overhaul</strong>: WooCommerce’s payment system is being revamped with the introduction of <strong>transaction objects</strong> to handle payments, refunds, fees, and disputes. This structured approach will simplify managing <strong>partial payments</strong>, <strong>deposits</strong>, and <strong>multi-payment captures</strong>, making it easier to work with complex payment scenarios.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Better Workflow for Merchants: </strong>The project aims to enhance merchants&#8217; efficiency by enabling them to create and manage shipments <strong>directly from the orders list</strong>. This will streamline the fulfillment process, especially for merchants handling large volumes of orders, without requiring them to click into individual orders.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Shipment Tracking Integration</strong>: A <strong>core shipment tracking feature</strong> will be introduced, which has been a frequently requested addition. This will standardize how tracking numbers are handled and displayed, improving transparency and customer communication.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Collaborative Approach:</strong> WooCommerce is working closely with developers and merchants in the community to ensure the new order management features meet real-world needs. By seeking feedback throughout the development process, the team aims to make these changes both useful and adaptable to a wide range of use cases.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Connect</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://twitter.com/jamesckemp\">James on X</a></strong></li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://twitter.com/beka_rice\">Beka on X</a></strong></li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://kestrelwp.com\">KestrelWP</a></strong></li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://twitter.com/pmgarman\">Patrick on X</a></strong></li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://mindsize.com/\">Mindsize</a></strong></li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Chapter Titles with Timestamps</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<p>00:00 Welcome to Woo Product Chat <br />00:55 Meet James, Beka, and Patrick <br />01:16 Diving into WooCommerce Order Management <br />05:14 Challenges in Order Fulfillment <br />09:27 Introducing New Fulfillment Statuses <br />19:55 Enhancing Shipment Tracking <br />24:17 Exploring Virtual Fulfillment <br />26:36 Designing a Seamless Fulfillment Process <br />28:21 Integrating Fulfillment with Other Platforms <br />30:09 Community Involvement and Feedback <br />35:35 Enhancing Payment Systems <br />42:50 Future Plans and Collaboration <br />44:59 Contact Information and Closing Remarks</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 09 Oct 2024 09:00:00 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:5:\"BobWP\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:30;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:47:\"WordPress.org blog: Please Welcome Mary Hubbard\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:35:\"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=17900\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:46:\"https://wordpress.org/news/2024/10/proud-mary/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:843:\"<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<img width=\"1626\" height=\"1002\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/wordpress.org/news/files/2024/10/maryhubbard.png?resize=1626%2C1002&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-17920\" />\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;re proud to announce that <a href=\"https://maryhubbard.blog/\">Mary Hubbard</a> (<a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/4thhubbard/\">@4thhubbard</a>) has resigned as the Head of TikTok Americas, Governance and Experience, and will be starting as the next Executive Director of WordPress.org on October 21<sup>st</sup>!</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mary previously worked at Automattic from 2020 to 2023, and was the Chief Product Officer for WordPress.com, so she has deep knowledge of WordPress and expertise across business, product, marketplaces, program management, and governance.</p>\n</div>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 08 Oct 2024 19:26:15 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:14:\"Matt Mullenweg\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:31;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:80:\"WPTavern: WPGraphQL to Become a Canonical Plugin as its Creator Joins Automattic\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:30:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=174387\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:91:\"https://wptavern.com/wpgraphql-to-become-a-canonical-plugin-as-its-creator-joins-automattic\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:6400:\"<p>WPGraphQL, a popular plugin that provides an extendable GraphQL schema and API for WordPress sites,  is set to become a canonical plugin on WordPress.org. Its creator and maintainer, Jason Bahl, has <a href=\"https://www.wpgraphql.com/2024/10/07/wpgraphql-becomes-a-canonical-plugin-my-move-to-automattic\">joined Automattic</a> after spending 3.5 years at WP Engine, allowing him to continue his work on WPGraphQL.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-graphql/\">WPGraphQL</a> adds a flexible and powerful GraphQL API to WordPress, enabling efficient querying and interaction with your site’s data. It allows developers to interact with WordPress data using GraphQL queries instead of the traditional REST API, making it ideal for building modern, headless WordPress applications.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Canonical Plugins</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Canonical plugins were <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/news/2009/12/canonical-plugins/\">first introduced</a> to the WordPress community in 2009 to provide users with optional features that offer higher reliability than regular plugins.</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Canonical plugins would be plugins that are community developed (multiple developers, not just one person) and address the most popular functionality requests with superlative execution. These plugins would be GPL and live in the WordPress.org repo, and would be developed in close connection with WordPress core. There would be a very strong relationship between core and these plugins that ensured that a) the plugin code would be secure and the best possible example of coding standards, and b) that new versions of WordPress would be tested against these plugins prior to release to ensure compatibility. There would be a screen within the Plugins section of the WordPress admin to feature these canonical plugins as a kind of Editor’s Choice or Verified guarantee. These plugins would be a true extension of core WordPress in terms of compatibility, security and support.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">WPGraphQL &amp; Jason Bahl’s Journey</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Jason Bahl launched the WPGraphQL plugin in 2016. In 2019, he <a href=\"https://wptavern.com/jason-bahl-joins-the-gatsby-team-to-work-on-wpgraphql-full-time\">joined the Gatsby Team</a> to work on WPGraphQL full-time and continued there till joining WP Engine 2021 as a Principal Software Engineer maintaining WPGraphQL.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>About <a href=\"https://www.wpgraphql.com/2021/02/07/whats-next-for-wpgraphql\">leaving Gatsby</a>, he said, “The team I was part of was asking me to start transitioning to work more on other Gatsby integrations, such as Contentful and Shopify, and work less on WordPress and WPGraphQL. This doesn’t mean Gatsby was abandoning WordPress or WPGraphQL, just that I would need to spend less time on it and prioritize other things… WP Engine is investing in the future of headless WordPress, and they see WPGraphQL as an important part of that future.”&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Working at WP Engine, he published over 100 releases of WPGraphQL, re-architected WPGraphQL for ACF, introduced WPGraphQL Smart Cache, and helped countless users successfully deploy decoupled sites powered by WPGraphQL.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>He shared this about WP Engine: “While WP Engine has treated me well personally, <strong>the focus on open-source contributions from the organization has declined during my time there. </strong>My time was also reallocated away from WPGraphQL and community projects as internal initiatives took priority. Any company needs to focus on internal growth. Still, I believe there’s a conversation to be had about how that fits into the broader open-source community and whether it supports long-term success. Several other former colleagues and I tried to talk about how WP Engine could better participate in Open Source, but those conversations didn’t always gain traction. Hopefully, those conversations can begin again. I don’t have the answers, but I do know there is a problem.”</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Jason’s Opinion About Matt and Automattic</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Jason has made it clear that he does not agree with everything Matt has done. “<strong>I’ve told Matt directly that I don’t agree with everything he’s done — and he has welcomed the disagreement. </strong>For example, I don’t think WordCamp US was the right time or place for his speech. I also do not agree with blocking WP Engine customers from WordPress.org without more notice. Should WordPress.org be required to remain a free service forever? Not necessarily. But should long-time users receive advance notice when significant changes are made? I think so.”</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Leadership often involves making uncomfortable choices that others might not fully understand or agree with. His historical actions have led WordPress to its current success, and I believe that bold moves—though uncomfortable—are sometimes necessary to ensure the long-term future of WordPress. As a maintainer of open-source software, my livelihood depends on people like Matt, who are willing to keep WordPress relevant in the years to come.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>He also pointed out Automattic’s long history of nurturing open-source projects. He believes that joining Automattic will benefit WPGraphQL users and developers building decoupled WordPress experiences.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;Automattic’s track record as a fantastic steward of open-source projects is well known, and I believe it’s the <strong>perfect home for WPGraphQL</strong>. This move will continue to keep WPGraphQL free and open source while bringing more visibility and contributions from the community.&#8221;, he said</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Response From the Community&nbsp;</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The community was excited about Jason’s move to join Automattic.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img src=\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfRkng2Oq1dNyhh4Yj2HrWK9lZUnwXOj9Ht-YyfPoeXM_WM8ZjDy2odQvxn2gszIIzMCN8_y5jeV64xRE5YAPBcCfKgBXBX5dgS84rXK5JPe6M_2O8VBef_2hLsgsjCCwevs10naU6zDfNu4qCCObH8tS9R?key=TInnMVVnqSVBTlHQ6XzXXQ\" alt=\"\" />\n\n\n\n<p>“WPGraphQL has always been and will continue to be free open-source software.”, Jason reassured the community.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 08 Oct 2024 18:15:44 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:7:\"Jyolsna\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:32;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:80:\"Gravatar: Personalized SaaS Onboarding: A Checklist for the Perfect User Journey\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:32:\"http://blog.gravatar.com/?p=2186\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:63:\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/10/08/saas-onboarding-checklist/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:23546:\"<p>SaaS onboarding involves guiding new users through their first steps with your product, helping them understand your software&#8217;s value, and setting them up for long-term success.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It’s something we recommend every business take seriously because effective onboarding is the key to unlocking user retention and reducing churn rates. <strong>When users quickly grasp how your product can solve their problems, they&#8217;re more likely to stick around. </strong>This translates to increased customer lifetime value, higher revenue, and more engaged users who actually enjoy using your software.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you’re not sure where to start, this in-depth checklist is for you! From personalization strategies to interactive product tours, we&#8217;ll cover everything you need to craft an onboarding experience that will have your users saying &#8220;Aha!&#8221; instead of &#8220;Huh?&#8221;&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key components and elements of SaaS onboarding</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Creating a stellar SaaS onboarding experience isn&#8217;t about throwing a bunch of fancy features at your users and hoping something sticks. Instead, you need to carefully craft each element to guide them toward success.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s break down the essential components that will make your onboarding process shine.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. Clear goals and success metrics</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>First things first: you need to know where you&#8217;re going. <strong>Setting clear goals for your onboarding process is like having a GPS for your product&#8217;s success.&nbsp;</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here&#8217;s how to nail it:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Define specific objectives:</strong> Don&#8217;t just aim to &#8220;improve onboarding.&#8221; Get specific. Want to increase user activation by 20%? Reduce abandonment by 15%? Or maybe drive secondary feature adoption up by 30%? Whatever your goals, make them measurable and time-bound. Consider using the OKR (Objectives and Key Results) framework to keep your team aligned and focused.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Actionable metrics:</strong> Numbers are your friends here. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) like activation rate, feature adoption, conversion rate, monthly active users, churn rate, and time-to-value are your north stars. These metrics will tell you if you&#8217;re on the right track or if you need to make a U-turn.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Align with business goals: </strong>Your onboarding goals shouldn&#8217;t exist in a vacuum. Make sure they&#8217;re in sync with your broader business objectives. If your company is aiming for rapid growth, your onboarding might focus on quick activation and viral sharing. If you&#8217;re after increased revenue per user, you might spotlight premium features during onboarding.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember, these goals aren&#8217;t set in stone. As you gather data and learn more about your users, don&#8217;t be afraid to adjust your targets and be flexible.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Excellent user experience</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that you&#8217;ve got your goals sorted, it&#8217;s time to focus on the star of the show: <strong>your users</strong>. Creating an excellent user experience during onboarding can mean the difference between a user who sticks around and one who bounces right off.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Personalize the onboarding flows:</strong> You can use the data you collect during sign-up to <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/09/06/onboarding-user-experience/\">tailor the onboarding experience to each user</a>. Are they a small business owner or an enterprise manager? A tech whiz or a newbie? Adjust your onboarding flow accordingly. Here is an example from <a href=\"https://www.videoask.com/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Videoask</a> that starts their onboarding by asking how big the user’s business is.&nbsp;</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<img tabindex=\"0\" width=\"2322\" height=\"1250\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/videoask-company-size.png\" alt=\"Selecting the business size during onboarding in Videoask\" class=\"wp-image-2188\" />\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Add interactive product tours:</strong> Don&#8217;t just tell users about your awesome features – show them! Create engaging, interactive walkthroughs that guide users through your product&#8217;s key functionalities. And here&#8217;s a pro tip: <strong>gamify these tours</strong>. Add progress bars, achievement badges, or even small rewards. It&#8217;ll make the learning process feel less like a chore and more like an adventure.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Include in-app guidance: </strong>Your users shouldn&#8217;t feel like they&#8217;re navigating a maze. Provide contextual help right where they need it. Tooltips like the one from <a href=\"https://asana.com/\" rel=\"nofollow\">Asana</a> below, pop-ups, and hotspots can offer just-in-time assistance without overwhelming users. And remember, less is often more. Don&#8217;t bombard users with information – give them what they need when they need it.&nbsp;</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<img tabindex=\"0\" width=\"686\" height=\"400\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/asana-tooltips-1.png\" alt=\"Tooltips in Asana\" class=\"wp-image-2189\" />\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Train a responsive support team:</strong> Even with the best in-app guidance, some users will still have questions. Make sure there is an easily-accessible help center and your support team is ready to assist whenever. Quick response times and knowledgeable assistance can turn a potentially frustrating experience into a positive one.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<img tabindex=\"0\" width=\"1838\" height=\"1272\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/videoask-help-center.png\" alt=\"Videoask help center tab\" class=\"wp-image-2190\" />\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. Reliable analytics</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You&#8217;ve set your goals and crafted a killer user experience. But how do you know if it&#8217;s actually working? Here’s what you need to do:&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Track key metrics:</strong> Use analytics tools to monitor activation rates, feature adoption, conversion rates, monthly active users, and other KPIs (more on that in a little bit). These numbers will tell the story of your onboarding success (or areas for improvement).</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Data-driven decisions: </strong>Analytics aren&#8217;t just for show – they should drive your decision-making process. Is your activation rate lower than expected? Maybe it&#8217;s time to simplify your sign-up process. Are users dropping off at a specific point in your product tour? That could be a sign that you need to revamp that section.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>User feedback collection:</strong> Numbers are great, but don&#8217;t forget the qualitative data. Implement ways to gather user feedback during the onboarding process. This could be through quick in-app surveys, email follow-ups, or even user interviews. Sometimes, the most valuable insights come straight from the horse&#8217;s mouth.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>And don&#8217;t just collect this data – use it</strong>. Regularly review your analytics and user feedback to identify areas for improvement. Your onboarding process should be a living, breathing thing that evolves with your users&#8217; needs.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>SaaS onboarding best practices and strategies</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that we&#8217;ve covered the key components, we can dive into some advanced techniques and strategies to take your onboarding from good to great.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. Personalize the onboarding experience</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Gather user data:</strong> Start collecting valuable information right from the get-go. Use smart sign-up forms and welcome surveys to understand your users&#8217; goals, pain points, and experience levels. But remember, don&#8217;t ask for their life story – keep it brief and relevant.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>User segmentation:</strong> Once you&#8217;ve got that juicy data, put it to work. Segment your users based on characteristics like role, industry, or experience level. A startup founder and an enterprise manager have different needs – your onboarding should reflect that.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Dynamic content:</strong> Here&#8217;s where the magic happens. Use the data you&#8217;ve collected to dynamically adapt your onboarding content. Show different features or use cases based on the user&#8217;s profile. A marketing pro might be interested in your analytics features, while a project manager might care more about task management tools.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Gravatar integration:</strong> Here&#8217;s a pro tip – integrate Gravatar into your onboarding flow. With its API, you can <a href=\"https://docs.gravatar.com/api/avatars/images/\">automatically pull in user avatars</a> and basic info, adding a personal touch without any extra effort from the user.&nbsp;</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Implement interactive product tours</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Action-focused tours: </strong>Don&#8217;t just show users your features &#8211; guide them through actually using them. Have you got a note-taking app within your product? Have users create their first note during the tour. It&#8217;s all about learning by doing.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Gamification techniques:</strong> Who says learning can&#8217;t be fun? Add progress bars, achievement badges, or even small rewards for completing onboarding steps. It taps into our natural love for progression and achievement, making the whole process more engaging.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Step-by-step guidance:</strong> Break your tour into bite-sized chunks. Guide users through one action at a time, building up to more complex features. It&#8217;s like teaching someone to swim – you start in the shallow end before diving into the deep stuff.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>User feedback:</strong> Remember to ask users how they&#8217;re finding the tour. A simple &#8220;Was this helpful?&#8221; at the end of each step can provide valuable insights. And if they say no, that&#8217;s your cue to improve that part of the tour.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. Utilize in-app messaging and contextual guidance</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Timely support:</strong> Use in-app messages to provide support based on user actions. If a user has been staring at a blank project page for a while, why not pop up a message offering some starter templates?</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Contextual tooltips:</strong> Implement tooltips that offer quick explanations when users hover over different features. It&#8217;s like having a knowledgeable friend whispering helpful tips in your ear.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>AI chatbots:</strong> Consider integrating an AI chatbot for real-time, personalized assistance. It can answer common questions, suggest relevant features, and even guide users through complex processes. Just make sure it&#8217;s actually helpful and not a source of frustration.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4. Showcase social proof</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Customer testimonials:</strong> Sprinkle in some glowing words from happy customers. It reassures new users that they&#8217;ve made the right choice.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Case studies: </strong>Share success stories that demonstrate how other users have benefited from your product. Bonus points if you can match these to the user&#8217;s industry or use case.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>User reviews:</strong> If you&#8217;ve got great ratings on review sites, don&#8217;t be shy about showing them off. It&#8217;s like a seal of approval from the wider user community.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Gravatar integration:</strong> Here&#8217;s another place where Gravatar shines. Use it to display user avatars alongside testimonials and reviews. It adds a human touch and makes the social proof feel more authentic and relatable.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>5. Continuously iterate and optimize</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The work doesn&#8217;t stop once you&#8217;ve launched your onboarding process. The key to long-term success is continuous improvement.</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Monitor key metrics:</strong> Are activation rates improving? Is time-to-value decreasing? Let the data guide your optimization efforts.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Collect user feedback: </strong>Regularly ask users for their thoughts on the onboarding process. You might be surprised by what you learn. Maybe that feature you thought was intuitive is actually confusing users.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A/B testing: </strong>Don&#8217;t be afraid to experiment. Try different versions of your onboarding flow and see what performs best. Maybe a video tutorial works better than a step-by-step guide for some features.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Use all this information to make informed decisions about changes to your onboarding process. It&#8217;s not about following hunches – it&#8217;s about listening to what your users and your data are telling you.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember, creating a great SaaS onboarding experience is more art than science. It requires creativity, empathy, and a willingness to continually learn and adapt. But with these strategies in your toolkit, you&#8217;re well on your way to creating an onboarding experience that users will love.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Metrics and KPIs for SaaS onboarding</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You can&#8217;t improve what you don&#8217;t measure. That&#8217;s why tracking the right metrics is crucial for optimizing your SaaS onboarding process. Let&#8217;s dive into the key performance indicators that will help you gauge the effectiveness of your onboarding and drive continuous improvement.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Time to Value (TTV)</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>TTV is the time it takes for a new user to realize the value of your SaaS product. A shorter TTV indicates a more effective onboarding process – the quicker users see the value, the more likely they are to stick around.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Track the time from user sign-up to the completion of key actions that demonstrate value. This could be creating their first project, sending their first message, or generating their first report – whatever represents the core value of your product.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tips:</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Streamline your onboarding process by cutting out any unnecessary steps.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use in-app messaging to guide users quickly to key features.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Leverage Gravatar to auto-populate user profiles, reducing friction and speeding up the initial setup.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Trial to paid conversion rate</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This metric represents the percentage of users who upgrade from a free trial to a paid subscription. A high conversion rate suggests that users are finding enough value during the trial to justify paying for your product.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>To track this, keep an eye on the number of trial users who upgrade to a paid plan within a specific timeframe, usually within the trial period or shortly after. Divide this by the total number of users that were on the free trial at the start of the period and multiply by 100 to get a percentage.</p>\n\n\n\n<table class=\"has-contrast-background-color has-background has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><td><strong>Trial to paid conversion rate = (Users that upgraded from the free trial / Total number of users that got a free trial) x 100</strong></td></tr></tbody></table>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tips:</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Clearly communicate the benefits of upgrading throughout the trial period.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use targeted, personalized messages to encourage conversion as the trial end date approaches.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Integrate Gravatar to create a more personalized experience, which can boost user engagement and, in turn, conversion rates.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Customer onboarding completion rate</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Think of this as your onboarding graduation rate. It&#8217;s the percentage of users who complete your entire onboarding process. A high completion rate indicates that your onboarding process is engaging and easy to follow. It&#8217;s a good sign that users are setting themselves up for success with your product. To calculate this, divide the number of users who complete all onboarding steps by the total number of new users.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tips:</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Break your onboarding into manageable chunks. Don&#8217;t overwhelm users with too much at once.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use progress indicators to show users how far they&#8217;ve come and what&#8217;s left.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Utilize Gravatar to auto-fill user information where possible, reducing the effort required from users.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Customer engagement score</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This composite metric measures how actively users are interacting with your product. It&#8217;s your product stickiness gauge. High engagement scores typically correlate with higher retention rates and customer satisfaction.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>To measure this, calculate the sum of various weighted engagement metrics such as login frequency, feature usage, and session duration.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tips:</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use in-app prompts to encourage users to explore different features.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Segment users based on engagement levels and tailor your communication accordingly.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Leverage Gravatar to personalize user interactions, making engagement feel more meaningful and relevant.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT)</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>CSAT is your &#8220;How did we do?&#8221; metric. It measures how satisfied users are with your onboarding process. High CSAT scores indicate a positive onboarding experience, which can lead to higher retention rates and positive word-of-mouth.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>To gather this data, use surveys with simple questions like &#8220;How would you rate your onboarding experience?&#8221; with a 1-5 scale.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tips:</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Regularly collect and analyze user feedback to identify areas for improvement.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Act on the feedback you receive. Users appreciate when their input leads to visible changes.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Feature adoption rate</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is your &#8220;Are they actually using it?&#8221; metric. It represents the percentage of users who start using key features of your product. High feature adoption rates indicate that users are discovering and utilizing your product&#8217;s core functionalities, which often correlates with higher retention.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>To measure this, track the usage of specific features by new users over a defined period. Divide this figure by the total number of new users during the period and multiply by 100 to get a percentage.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tips:</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Highlight key features during the onboarding process through tutorials and in-app messages.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provide contextual help and resources to assist users in understanding and using features.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Product adoption rate</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is your big-picture adoption metric, representing the overall percentage of users who adopt and regularly use your product. High adoption rates are crucial for your SaaS product&#8217;s long-term success and growth.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>To measure this, track the number of active users over a specific time period, often measured monthly (Monthly Active Users or MAU). Use the same formula as the feature adoption rate to calculate a percentage.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tips:</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ensure your onboarding process clearly demonstrates your product&#8217;s value proposition.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Provide ongoing support and resources to help users get the most out of your product.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Use Gravatar to create a more personalized, engaging user experience from day one.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>User Retention Rate</strong></h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is your &#8220;Are they sticking around?&#8221; metric. It represents the percentage of users who continue to use your product over time. High retention rates indicate that users find ongoing value in your product, which is crucial for sustainable growth and reducing churn.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>To measure this, start by tracking the number of users who remain active after a certain period, such as 30, 60, or 90 days. Subtract the number of new users from the number of users at the end of the period. Divide the resulting figure by the number of customers at the start of the period and multiply by 100 to get a percentage.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tips:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Provide continuous value through regular updates and new features.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Engage users with personalized communication and support.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Leverage Gravatar to maintain a personalized user experience throughout the customer lifecycle, making users feel valued and connected.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Gravatar: Your partner in SaaS onboarding</strong></h2>\n\n\n\n<img tabindex=\"0\" width=\"1473\" height=\"918\" src=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/gravatar-profiles-as-a-service-2.png\" alt=\"Gravatar – Profiles as a Service\" class=\"wp-image-2192\" />\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://gravatar.com/\">Gravatar</a>, short for Globally Recognized Avatar, is a service by <a href=\"https://automattic.com/\">Automattic</a> that can significantly enhance your SaaS onboarding process. Its primary function is <a href=\"https://blog.gravatar.com/2024/06/03/profiles-as-a-service/\">managing and sharing user profile data</a>, including avatars, bios, and preferences, completely for free with the <a href=\"https://docs.gravatar.com/api/profiles/rest-api/\">Gravatar REST API</a>.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>By linking a user&#8217;s email to their profile information, Gravatar offers several key benefits:</p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Consistency across platforms, reducing friction in the signup process.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enhanced personalization from the moment a user registers.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Streamlined onboarding by auto-populating user profiles.</li>\n</ol>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Practical applications include:</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Personalized welcome messages using the user&#8217;s name and industry.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Customized product tours based on user roles or experience.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Improved community building with familiar avatars in forums or user directories.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Implementing Gravatar is straightforward, thanks to our API and extensive documentation, making it a low-effort, high-impact addition to your onboarding strategy.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ready to elevate your onboarding? Check out our <a href=\"https://docs.gravatar.com/\">developer documentation</a> to learn more about integrating Gravatar into your platform.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 08 Oct 2024 17:50:32 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:11:\"Ronnie Burt\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:33;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:102:\"Do The Woo Community: Exploring Accessibility and Neurodiversity in WordPress with Anne Mieke Bovelett\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"https://dothewoo.io/?p=85962\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:101:\"https://dothewoo.io/exploring-accessibility-and-neurodiversity-in-wordpress-with-anne-mieke-bovelett/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:18603:\"<div class=\"wp-block-group has-border-color has-light-gray-background-color has-background has-small-font-size has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-12 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p class=\"has-secondary-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-9acf640b7ba38a84a982fc35d618387f\">This show is sponsored by&#8230;</p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-11 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-2 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-8 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-base-background-color has-background wp-container-content-3 has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-7 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<img width=\"750\" height=\"750\" tabindex=\"0\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/dothewoo.io/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Kinsta-Hosting.jpg?resize=750%2C750&ssl=1\" alt=\"Kinsta Hosting\" class=\"wp-image-85514\" />\n</div>\n</div>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-container-content-4\"><strong><a href=\"https://kinsta.com/?utm_source=dothewoo&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=website\">Kinsta</a></strong>: Offering a high-performance hosting platform with managed WordPress hosting, powered by Google Cloud, ensuring fast load times and robust security. </p>\n</div>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-3 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-10 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-base-background-color has-background wp-container-content-5 has-global-padding is-content-justification-left is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-9 wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<img width=\"1509\" height=\"1038\" tabindex=\"0\" src=\"https://i0.wp.com/dothewoo.io/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Woo-logo-color.png?resize=1509%2C1038&ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-77744\" />\n</div>\n</div>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-container-content-6\"><strong><a href=\"https://woocommerce.com/products/\">Woo Marketplace</a></strong> &#8211; Grow your business with hundreds of solutions for your clients or your own store.</p>\n</div>\n</div>\n</div>\n</div>\n\n\n\nEpisode Transcript\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>Birgit:</strong><br />Hi, I am your host Birgit, and we are here with another episode of <em>The WordPress Way</em>, where we dive deep into the heart and soul of WordPress, exploring the cutting edge and the current with incredible people shaping the future. I&#8217;m very pleased today to have our beloved friend, or my beloved friend, as a guest—Anne Mieke Bovelett. Anne is a passionate, multilingual specialist for both WordPress and accessibility in Germany. She is also an accessibility consultant, public speaker, and workforce trainer, especially for full-site editing. Please, dear Anne, would you like to tell our audience a bit more about yourself?</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Anne:</strong><br />Well, you already gave me a very good introduction. Maybe it&#8217;s also good to know, given the topic of our show today, to tell people a bit about the other side of my background. I come from a bit of a crazy family. I like to joke about it in my bio, saying I come from a family of crazy artists, professors, and inventors, but it&#8217;s not really exaggerated. That&#8217;s what it is. All my life, I grew up with my mother and father not telling me, &#8220;Oh, be careful what you do, you might run into this kind of trouble.&#8221; Instead, they taught us, &#8220;If you want to reach something, go find out what you need to do to get there.&#8221; That in itself is very positive, but if you&#8217;re like me and you&#8217;ve got ADHD, you&#8217;re going to end up running around, jumping from topic to topic, thinking, &#8220;This is it, this is it!&#8221; and then changing your mind after a year or a year and a half. But a steady factor in my life has been everything involving web creation, web design, and content. Four years ago, I ran into that famous topic called accessibility, and I came home. Yeah, that’s basically it. If I keep talking, I’m probably going to ruin your questions.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Birgit:</strong><br />No worries. I love listening to you. I also really admire how vocal you are about accessibility, especially for someone with neurodivergent traits. Given our conversations, whether on web cams or at CloudFest, I’ve seen the strength you bring in raising awareness about accessibility, inclusive language, and how just a few small tweaks can create a better experience for everyone on a website. You mentioned recently that you come from a family of creative artists—crazy artists, as you called them. Would you mind sharing more about your personal journey that led you to become an advocate for accessibility, particularly focusing on ADHD and neurodiversity? You mentioned you were diagnosed with ADHD. How did you find your way into this direction, both personally and professionally?</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Anne:</strong><br />Well, interestingly enough, I was already thinking about accessibility when I was very active on Twitter. I saw this tweet from a lady—I’ve written about it on my blog, and I can share the link with you later if you&#8217;d like. In the tweet, this lady said, &#8220;My father was crying on the phone. He needed help to do something on the web again because he&#8217;s blind. And if you’re now wondering if your website is accessible, then it certainly is not. Go learn.&#8221; I still get very emotional when I think back to that because I had heard more about accessibility and had worked with people who depend on it. In the team of CMS Made Simple, my previous CMS of choice along with WordPress, it never hit close to home until then.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>That tweet changed everything. I went into a frenzy, thinking, “Oh no! I’ve been creating experiences for people that made them feel unwelcome because they couldn’t use the sites I had built.&#8221; I’d been doing that since 1998, and that was a painful realization—22 years of doing something that could have been done better.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>That same year, I got diagnosed with ADHD. I was 49. I have worn many hats, have many specialties—which is common among people with ADHD, as we tend to chase this substance called dopamine. We’re often labeled as lazy or unfocused, and people tell us, “You need to learn to focus.” The thing is, I <em>can</em> focus. I can focus for 12 hours straight and forget to eat or drink. The problem is, I don’t always get to choose what I focus on, and I didn’t know that for most of my life.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>When I was employed—before I started my full-time business in 2009—I always struggled to fit in. It was nearly impossible. I admired all these super-organized people who would get their tasks done and tick off their to-do lists, while I would freeze up over things that they could do in a few minutes. But I was also the one who could manage very stressful situations or complex tasks that others found overwhelming.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>To be honest, the world has often felt like a hostile place to me because I couldn&#8217;t do things that &#8220;normal&#8221; people can do. It’s like being a goldfish that’s judged for not being able to climb a tree. When you grow up like that and don’t know you’re different because your brain chemistry is different, it’s easy to try to become what others want you to be—to wear that suit, to mask. Masking is a big thing. It turns out I’m not only ADHD; I’m also on the spectrum, which explains some other quirks I have. But I don’t let these things define me.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Getting diagnosed with ADHD was a massive relief. It helped me realize that I had been trying to change things about myself that I couldn&#8217;t change. I will never be that goldfish that wins a contest in tree climbing, but I can do other things. One of my biggest passions has always been community. I could be successful as a solopreneur, but doing something that benefits a whole community is far more fulfilling.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another challenge with ADHD is that we tend to get bored quickly. When I started working with accessibility, I was worried. I know I can motivate a large crowd, but it’s difficult if I burn out afterward. So, I asked myself, &#8220;How can I make myself replaceable?&#8221; That led me to focus on something that has sustained my interest for four years—helping companies divide the responsibility for accessibility across teams. It’s joyful to see companies like Great Suite in Munich adopting accessibility, and the movement is growing. The Accessibility Checker by Equalize Digital, for example, automatically flags issues in WordPress that can be improved, catching 30-35% of problems. People often worry about the remaining 65%, but most issues are easy to fix by the right person.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Birgit:</strong><br />That’s amazing! When I listen to you, I get this image in my mind of someone with minority divergent traits, such as ADHD or being on the spectrum, having this broader perspective. Do you feel you have a bird’s eye view on some topics and can connect dots that others might miss?</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Anne:</strong><br />Yes, that’s a great observation. Many neurodivergent people, like those with ADHD or autism, are super-fast thinkers. Our brains move at 500 miles an hour. As long as there’s context, we can connect the dots others might not see. The challenge is that because our brains move so fast, it’s difficult to translate these thoughts into a message others can easily understand. I often ramble on, seeing all the logic, while others say, &#8220;You lost me a while ago.&#8221;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Websites and apps often lose us within seconds. For example, I struggle with sites that have sliders, animations, or parallax effects, where the background moves slower than the foreground. It’s distracting. I always ask designers, &#8220;Do you want color or conversion?&#8221; because over-designed websites can obstruct functionality and drive customers away.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If companies want to improve their conversions, they should focus on creating functional, minimalistic designs. Look at some of the highest-converting websites in the world—they are simple, especially since most visitors use mobile devices. People complain that modern websites look the same, but that’s because they’re designed to be functional. Accessibility benefits everyone, not just people with disabilities.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Birgit:</strong><br />I completely agree! I know people who rely on smartphones or tablets for everything, organizing their lives, including shopping. Websites should definitely be accessible, especially on mobile devices.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Anne:</strong><br />Exactly. And it&#8217;s not just about making things accessible for people with disabilities. Even neurotypical people are getting overstimulated by all the noise online. Some young people are setting their phones to grayscale to reduce sensory overload. If designers can create websites that still work and convert well in black and white, they’re ahead of the game.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Birgit:</strong><br />That’s so insightful. As we wrap up, what advice would you give to our listeners? How can they contribute to a more accessible web, especially in the e-commerce space?</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Anne:</strong><br />My top advice: Get your website user-tested, and not just by people with visual or auditory impairments. Include neurodivergent people too. They’ll tell you if your forms are unclear or if your design is confusing. Also, break down the responsibility for accessibility across teams.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Content is key—make sure it&#8217;s perceivable and robust. Simple changes like avoiding &#8220;click here&#8221; as link text and improving your alt text can make a huge difference. Put yourself in someone else&#8217;s shoes and ask, “Can I navigate this website with a keyboard? Does the message come across clearly?” Think about how to make the web a more welcoming place for everyone.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Birgit:</strong><br />Wow, thank you so much, Anne! I&#8217;ve learned so much from you today, and I’m sure our audience has too.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Anne:</strong><br />Thank you for having me!</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Birgit:</strong><br />You&#8217;re very welcome. And thanks to our audience for tuning into <em>The WordPress Way</em>. We hope today’s conversation has sparked new ideas and inspired you to engage more deeply with our vibrant WordPress community. Remember, DEIB stands for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging. It’s about making real changes that foster a sense of belonging and respect for everyone. Please share this episode and join us next month as we continue to explore these important topics. Don’t forget to subscribe to your favorite podcast platform so you never miss an episode. Until next time, keep pushing the envelope and doing WordPress the right way.</p>\n</div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>In this episode of <strong><em>the WordPress Way</em></strong>, host <strong>Birgit</strong> and chats with guest and host <strong>Anne Mieke Bovelett</strong>, a specialist in WordPress and accessibility, as they talk about the intersection of neurodiversity and digital accessibility. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anne shares her personal journey with ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder, discussing how these experiences drive her advocacy for inclusivity in web design and content creation. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>She also emphasizes the importance of minimalistic, functional design that caters to diverse audiences, including neurodivergent individuals. The conversation highlights the need for businesses to embrace accessibility testing to improve user experiences, especially within the context of the upcoming European Accessibility Act. </p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Takeaways</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Importance of Accessibility</strong>: Accessibility is about making digital experiences inclusive for everyone, not just people with visible disabilities. It&#8217;s important to consider all users, including those with cognitive or neurodivergent traits, such as ADHD or autism.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Web Design Should Be Functional, Not Overstimulating</strong>: Highly animated websites with sliders, parallax effects, and excessive design can be overwhelming, especially for neurodivergent users. A simple, functional design often leads to better user experiences and higher conversion rates.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Test with Real Users</strong>: To ensure your website is truly accessible, conduct user testing with diverse groups. Include people with various disabilities, neurodivergent traits, and even older users. This provides valuable insights into how accessible and user-friendly your site is.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Break Down Accessibility Responsibilities Across Teams</strong>: Accessibility should be a shared responsibility across all teams involved in creating a website—designers, developers, and content creators each have a role to play in ensuring the site is accessible.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Content Matters</strong>: Ensure content is perceivable and easy to understand. Use descriptive link text instead of generic &#8220;click here&#8221; and add meaningful alt text for images. Make content digestible for users with cognitive disabilities by breaking up large blocks of text and using visuals strategically.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Inclusive Design Benefits Everyone</strong>: Accessibility isn&#8217;t just for people with disabilities. Designing for accessibility can reduce sensory overload for all users, especially in an overstimulating digital world. It creates a calmer, more efficient online experience for everyone.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Neurodivergence and Focus</strong>: People with ADHD or similar traits often struggle with traditional methods of focus and productivity. They may hyper-focus on tasks they are interested in but may find it hard to control their focus otherwise. This impacts how they interact with websites and applications.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>The Power of Minimalism</strong>: Websites that are simple, minimalistic, and functional often outperform over-designed sites. This simplicity benefits users who are easily overwhelmed by sensory input and also tends to improve usability for all users.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Community Focus</strong>: A strong theme in the episode is the importance of community. Anne emphasizes the fulfillment that comes from building accessible, inclusive websites that not only benefit the creator but the entire community of users.</li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Prepare for Legislation</strong>: With increasing regulations, such as the European Accessibility Act coming into effect, businesses should prioritize accessibility now, not just to comply with laws but to better serve their customers.</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Links</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://dothewoo.io/host/anne-mieke-bovelett/\">Host Anne Mieke Bovelett </a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://equalizedigital.com/accessibility-checker/\">Equalize Digital&#8217;s Accessibility Checker Plugin</a></li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1202\">European accessibility act</a></li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Chapter Titles with Timestamps</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<p>00:00 Introduction to The WordPress Way  <br />00:56 Meet Our Guest: Anne Mieke Bovelett <br />01:36 Anne&#8217;s Journey and Passion for Accessibility <br />02:23 The Impact of ADHD and Neurodiversity <br />04:30 Discovering Accessibility and Its Importance <br />06:02 Challenges and Triumphs in Accessibility <br />09:05 The Role of Community and Continuous Learning <br />12:07 Creating Accessible Digital Experiences <br />23:53 The Importance of Minimalistic and Functional Design <br />32:24 Tips for Online and In-Person Meetings <br />38:41 Final Thoughts and Takeaways</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 08 Oct 2024 07:21:04 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:5:\"BobWP\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:34;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:50:\"WPTavern: Impact of WPEngine’s Ban on ACF Plugin\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:30:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=174249\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:58:\"https://wptavern.com/impact-of-wpengines-ban-on-acf-plugin\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:9859:\"<p>When WP Engine was blocked from accessing WordPress.org, users were left wondering what the future holds for ACF (Advanced Custom Fields) and how this ban will impact their sites moving forward.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">ACF Blocked from WordPress.org </h3>\n\n\n\n<p>On October 03, 2024, ACF (Advanced Custom Fields) <a href=\"https://x.com/wp_acf/status/1841843084700598355\">announced</a> via X that “The ACF team has been blocked from accessing WordPress dot org and are unable to release updates for the free version of ACF.”&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>WP Engine, the owners of the ACF plugin, were earlier <a href=\"https://wptavern.com/wp-engine-banned-again-reports-deploying-a-solution\">banned from accessing WordPress.org</a> , which prevented the ACF team from deploying updates to the free version hosted on the platform. So the users were unable to automatically update ACF to newer versions. To help users, the ACF team&nbsp; shared a <a href=\"https://www.advancedcustomfields.com/blog/installing-and-upgrading-to-the-latest-version-of-acf/\">guide to manually update</a> to the latest version of the plugin.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Customers of WP Engine or Flywheel, however, could still receive automatic updates for the free version. The ACF team assured users that “Recent events do not impact customers of ACF PRO. All updates of ACF PRO will continue to be served from advancedcustomfields.com and no action is required.”</p>\n\n\n\n<p>They also noted, “While there are no pending security updates for ACF, this alternative update mechanism ensures your sites are ready to receive new features, bug fixes, and security updates going forward.”</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Automattic’s Vulnerability Announcement</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>However, Automattic soon tweeted about a vulnerability in the plugin. The tweet was later deleted.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img src=\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfyXXq9B4xt-YDlCxDEYq8TZxXGjJdelIGNnH_OdD9I7AunXBGx5V7NOwvm9IlBO_UCh5g1GI5zctcUx52up0HZWU0uQDJg3_ztiSWymuTLzCyonop0NMFwSkezIujqNGhZW25Dzfbu1zFVY-WJyx5GA_m-?key=TInnMVVnqSVBTlHQ6XzXXQ\" alt=\"\" />\n\n\n\n<p>In response, John Blackbourn, WordPress Core Security Team Lead, <a href=\"https://x.com/johnbillion/status/1842627564453454049\">tweeted</a>, “Automattic has responsibly disclosed a vulnerability in ACF but breached the @Intigriti Code of Conduct by irresponsibly announcing it publicly. I am going to work my damned hardest to ensure that the fix gets shipped to dotorg if it affects the free version of ACF.”&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Automattic has responsibly disclosed a vulnerability in ACF but breached the <a href=\"https://twitter.com/intigriti?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@Intigriti</a> Code of Conduct by irresponsibly announcing it publicly. I am going to work my damned hardest to ensure that the fix gets shipped to dotorg if it affects the free version of ACF. <a href=\"https://t.co/LpMhvAIQou\">https://t.co/LpMhvAIQou</a></p>&mdash; John Blackbourn (@johnbillion) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/johnbillion/status/1842627564453454049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 5, 2024</a></blockquote>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Matt Mullenweg’s Comments on ACF</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Previously, Matt Mullenweg had raised the idea of integrating ACF Pro into WordPress core in WordPress <a href=\"https://wordpress.slack.com/archives/C02RQBWTW/p1727501240087269\">Slack</a> channel .&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<img src=\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXecMZAt0EUktcT_ypcJ-2Wz4ynJ6g0_urqDU82u1f5gpgwCMd03cpJAEdsq3r9du1EU4wPImuOwcCcxQctKsFgGqs-ctcSEA61pZI7wq5yD540D-6tZ3Ti7uiY0piKrObnXCYdUoWl-IwRAcXC8BY8GwK7Y?key=TInnMVVnqSVBTlHQ6XzXXQ\" alt=\"\" />\n\n\n\n<p>On October 05, Matt Mullenweg <a href=\"https://x.com/photomatt/status/1842500184825090060\">tweeted</a>: “What are the best alternatives to Advanced Custom Fields @wp_acf for people who want to switch away? Is there an easy way to migrate? I suspect there are going to be millions of sites moving away from it in the coming weeks.”</p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, most of the replies he received were favouring the plugin. </p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">ACF is literally the reason why so many people choose to build with WordPress.<br /><br />Does he really think people will want to switch away and spend tons of hours rebuilding everything?<br /><br />Doesn’t make sense, and that’s likely never going to happen.<br /><br />We use ACF on almost every website we… <a href=\"https://t.co/KNUlbUHAse\">https://t.co/KNUlbUHAse</a></p>&mdash; Corentin (@corxntyn) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/corxntyn/status/1842596017725673677?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 5, 2024</a></blockquote>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">ACF is what made WordPress actually useful as a CMS well over a decade ago, and it\'s block features are what continue to make it useful in a Block Editor world that is impractical to approach natively. There is nothing comparable. <a href=\"https://t.co/1rEHtEEOcn\">https://t.co/1rEHtEEOcn</a></p>&mdash; Galen Gidman (@galengidman) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/galengidman/status/1842580286200283418?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 5, 2024</a></blockquote>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Dear Matt,<br />I tell you in roman slang:<br />\"Non famo cazzate, su!\"<br /><br />There\'s NO ALTERNATIVE!<br /><br />Keep on fighting against WPEngine. Destroy it if you want/can.<br />Many don\'t give a fuck about it.<br /><br />But ACF is something any WP dev out there has been using for years. We love it. Wee need it. <a href=\"https://t.co/GlU5gcWUIV\">https://t.co/GlU5gcWUIV</a></p>&mdash; Mauro Bono (@UpTheIrons1978) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/UpTheIrons1978/status/1842907760431669666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 6, 2024</a></blockquote>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Core ignores agency features for the last 5 years of block development. Asks for alternatives to ACF. Delusional.</p>&mdash; philhoyt (@philhoyt) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/philhoyt/status/1842729361079722076?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 6, 2024</a></blockquote>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, Ghost, another open-source CMS jumped into the fray <a href=\"https://x.com/Ghost/status/1843065099969536409\">asking</a> “so should we add custom fields?”&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">ACF 6.3.8 released</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The ACF team <a href=\"https://x.com/wp_acf/status/1843329216009400818\">shared</a> that they have released <a href=\"https://www.advancedcustomfields.com/blog/acf-6-3-8-security-release/\">ACF 6.3.8</a>, a routine security release. &#8220;WP Engine remains blocked from accessing our plugins on the .org plugin repository and therefore this update has been shipped to WP Engine’s repository and to the ACF website.&#8221;, they said.</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>This latest release contains a security fix for Post Type and Taxonomy metabox callbacks. The vulnerability addresses the unlikely scenario where one user with ACF admin permissions attacks a different admin user with permissions to create or modify posts, or in a Multisite configuration where a single site admin attempts to exploit a super admin to modify or add a new post.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Iain Poulson, the Product Manager for Advanced Custom Fields</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>They also shared that: &#8220;Once manually updated to 6.3.8, updates will appear in the admin dashboard as normal going forward. No more manual zip updates will be required.&#8221;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"500\" height=\"356\" tabindex=\"0\" src=\"https://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-1-500x356.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-174280\" />\n\n\n\n<p>The team also shared that &#8220;We made a copy of the update available to the WordPress.org Security team, who have posted it to the plugin repository.&#8221;</p>\n\n\n\n<img width=\"500\" height=\"280\" tabindex=\"0\" src=\"https://wptavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/image-2-500x280.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-174295\" />\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Other Updates</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In related news, WP Tavern’s ex-author Sarah Gooding published <a href=\"https://sarahgooding.dev/2024/10/06/21-years-of-wordpress/\">21 Years of WordPress</a>. “I don’t fully agree with how Matt has handled this matter, but I will not support any governance model that doesn’t have his leadership at the forefront. WordPress is his life’s work and his legacy. No design-by-committee model is going to give you the same consistent, decisive, nonstop forward momentum that we have experienced with WordPress thus far. After 21 years of delivering on this, I believe Matt is uniquely qualified to steer the project forward. His leadership has built something truly extraordinary.”</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kaelon <a href=\"https://x.com/Kaelon/status/1843013559980003682\">tweeted</a> about how “WordPress is entering its &#8220;end-stage founder&#8221; period.” His advice for WP and Matt includes, &#8220;Do not turn on your people.&#8221;, &#8220;Step the Founder back.&#8221; and &#8220;Reinvent.&#8221;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The WP Minute&#8217;s Eric Karkovack published <a href=\"https://thewpminute.com/private-equity-and-the-soul-of-wordpress/\">Private Equity and the Soul of WordPress</a>. He says &#8220;Perhaps having a few private equity-owned WordPress products isn’t a big deal&#8230;The real threat is an ecosystem controlled by a few big firms&#8230;That’s only half the potential catastrophe, though. Companies that are in it for the short-term may not be compelled to give back to WordPress core.&#8221;</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 08 Oct 2024 02:33:56 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:7:\"Jyolsna\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:35;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:40:\"WordPress.org blog: WordPress 6.7 Beta 2\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:35:\"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=17887\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:56:\"https://wordpress.org/news/2024/10/wordpress-6-7-beta-2/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:8179:\"<p id=\"block-3cf2f536-f167-464f-a4ba-07f45105e476\">WordPress 6.7 Beta 2 is now ready for testing!</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-b65e3bf0-0494-4039-a701-f21e505600ad\"><strong>This beta version of the WordPress software is under development</strong>. Please do not install, run, or test this version of WordPress on production or mission-critical websites. Instead, it is recommended you evaluate Beta 2 on a test server and site.</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-e904322b-c488-4166-8312-0b769067b943\">You can test WordPress 6.7 Beta 2 in four ways:</p>\n\n\n\n<table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><tbody><tr><th>Plugin</th><td>Install and activate the <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/wordpress-beta-tester/\">WordPress Beta Tester</a> plugin on a WordPress install. (Select the “Bleeding edge” channel and “Beta/RC Only” stream).</td></tr><tr><th>Direct Download</th><td>Download the <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/wordpress-6.7-beta2.zip\">Beta 2 version (zip)</a> and install it on a WordPress website.</td></tr><tr><th>Command Line</th><td>Use the following <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/cli/\">WP-CLI</a> command:<br /><code>wp core update --version=6.7-beta2</code></td></tr><tr><th>WordPress Playground</th><td>Use the <a href=\"https://playground.wordpress.net/#%7B%20%22preferredVersions%22:%20%7B%20%22php%22:%20%228.0%22,%20%22wp%22:%20%22https://playground.wordpress.net/plugin-proxy.php?build-ref=a49bf5596f7258375345826dc136bfc589372e37%22%20%7D,%20%22features%22:%20%7B%20%22networking%22:%20true%20%7D,%20%22steps%22:%20%5B%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22login%22,%20%22username%22:%20%22admin%22,%20%22password%22:%20%22password%22%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22importFile%22,%20%22file%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22url%22,%20%22url%22:%20%22https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wpaccessibility/a11y-theme-unit-test/master/a11y-theme-unit-test-data.xml%22%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22importFile%22,%20%22file%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22url%22,%20%22url%22:%20%22https://raw.githubusercontent.com/WordPress/theme-test-data/master/themeunittestdata.wordpress.xml%22%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22installPlugin%22,%20%22pluginZipFile%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22wordpress.org/plugins%22,%20%22slug%22:%20%22query-monitor%22%20%7D,%20%22options%22:%20%7B%20%22activate%22:%20false%20%7D,%20%22progress%22:%20%7B%20%22weight%22:%202%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22installPlugin%22,%20%22pluginZipFile%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22wordpress.org/plugins%22,%20%22slug%22:%20%22create-block-theme%22%20%7D,%20%22progress%22:%20%7B%20%22weight%22:%202%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22installPlugin%22,%20%22pluginZipFile%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22wordpress.org/plugins%22,%20%22slug%22:%20%22debug-bar%22%20%7D,%20%22progress%22:%20%7B%20%22weight%22:%202%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22installPlugin%22,%20%22pluginZipFile%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22wordpress.org/plugins%22,%20%22slug%22:%20%22health-check%22%20%7D,%20%22progress%22:%20%7B%20%22weight%22:%202%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22installPlugin%22,%20%22pluginZipFile%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22wordpress.org/plugins%22,%20%22slug%22:%20%22test-reports%22%20%7D,%20%22progress%22:%20%7B%20%22weight%22:%202%20%7D%20%7D,%20%7B%20%22step%22:%20%22installPlugin%22,%20%22pluginZipFile%22:%20%7B%20%22resource%22:%20%22wordpress.org/plugins%22,%20%22slug%22:%20%22user-switching%22%20%7D,%20%22progress%22:%20%7B%20%22weight%22:%202%20%7D%20%7D%20%5D%20%7D\">6.7 Beta 2 WordPress Playground instance</a> to test the software directly in your browser without the need for a separate site or setup.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-93b754f0-e211-47b7-ac89-349d85c2f02f\">The current target date for the final release of WordPress 6.7 is <strong>November 12, 2024</strong>. Get an overview of the <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/6-7/\">6.7 release cycle</a>, and check the <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/\">Make WordPress Core blog</a> for <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/core/tag/6-7/\">6.7-related posts</a> in the coming weeks for more information.</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-7b5d791d-225a-4623-83ee-19a586c7094b\"><strong>Catch up on what&#8217;s new in WordPress 6.7</strong>: <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/news/2024/10/wordpress-6-7-beta-1/\">Read the Beta 1 announcement</a> for details and highlights.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-f1abd396-a019-4c9a-bcb8-9ac381a61ca1\">How to test this release</h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-92dfcab6-d2a8-4753-84ce-8ef7b6dd1e90\">Your help testing the WordPress 6.7 Beta 2 version is key to ensuring everything in the release is the best it can be. While testing the upgrade process is essential, trying out new features is equally important. <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/test/2024/10/01/help-test-wordpress-6-7/\">This detailed guide</a> will walk you through testing features in WordPress 6.7.</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-6519fad7-59ea-45f1-9b8f-ca14c09c865d\">If you encounter an issue, please report it to the <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/support/forum/alphabeta/\">Alpha/Beta area</a> of the support forums or directly to <a href=\"https://core.trac.wordpress.org/newticket\">WordPress Trac</a> if you are comfortable writing a reproducible bug report. You can also check your issue against a list of <a href=\"https://core.trac.wordpress.org/tickets/major\">known bugs</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-4bd66b13-6784-4a4f-bb7a-b4dab8e5fc12\">Curious about testing releases in general? Follow along with the <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/test/\">testing initiatives in Make Core</a> and join the <a href=\"https://wordpress.slack.com/messages/core-test/\">#core-test channel</a> on <a href=\"https://wordpress.slack.com/\">Making WordPress Slack</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-67b6a6c7-a95e-4b27-8946-a66d15105cb7\">Vulnerability bounty doubles during Beta/RC</h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-16175da3-84c9-45d0-b735-08a9d4453a14\">Between Beta 1, released on October 1, 2024, and the final Release Candidate (RC) scheduled for November 5, 2024, the <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/security/2024/02/12/welcoming-2024-with-wordpress-6-5-beta-1/\">monetary reward for reporting new, unreleased security vulnerabilities</a> is doubled. Please follow responsible disclosure practices as detailed in the project’s security practices and policies outlined on the <a href=\"https://hackerone.com/wordpress\">HackerOne page</a> and in the <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/about/security/\">security white paper</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-14306771-b240-4e15-948f-7504757bbb61\">Beta 2 updates and highlights</h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-93917d31-4478-45b5-b71c-1c8a1f49cc65\">WordPress 6.7 Beta 2 contains more than 18 Editor updates and fixes since the Beta 1 release, including <a href=\"https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&changetime=02%2F14%2F2024..02%2F19%2F2024&milestone=6.5&col=id&col=milestone&col=owner&col=type&col=priority&order=id\">28 tickets for WordPress core</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-ffdc1220-c2f5-4c23-982b-60c366c629d1\">Each beta cycle focuses on bug fixes; more are on the way with your help through testing. You can browse the technical details for all issues addressed since Beta 1 using these links:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul id=\"block-3fcf78c7-bebc-42e1-96f6-8b605ea23aae\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/gutenberg/commits/wp/6.7?since=2024-10-02&until=2024-10-07\">GitHub commits for 6.7</a> since October 2, 2024</li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https://core.trac.wordpress.org/query?status=closed&changetime=10%2F02%2F2024..10%2F07%2F2024&milestone=6.7&col=id&col=milestone&col=owner&col=type&col=priority&order=id\">Closed Trac tickets</a> since October 2, 2024</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-c414b25e-802f-4f29-a31c-9e13394a4947\">A Beta 2 haiku</h2>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-a0f155a2-19b3-4645-a516-c7ae56541e5f\">Beta 2 arrives,<br />October’s code settles in,<br />Change rustles like leaves.</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-014ab749-322b-44bd-bf4f-bf5817d90bfd\"><em>Props to <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/jeffpaul/\" class=\"mention\"><span class=\"mentions-prefix\">@</span>jeffpaul</a></em> for proofreading and review.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 08 Oct 2024 00:44:58 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:14:\"David Baumwald\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:36;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:21:\"Matt: Rhino Dehorning\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:23:\"https://ma.tt/?p=127802\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:38:\"https://ma.tt/2024/10/rhino-dehorning/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:3834:\"<p>Yesterday in the African bush <a href=\"https://www.threads.net/@photomatt/post/DA0WWnTsESD\">was great</a>, I saw giraffes, zebras, warthogs, leopard turtles, elephants. Today wasn&#8217;t great: I witnessed a rhino shot with a tranquilizer from a helicopter, then it was held down, had its horns cut off, and then shaved down. I have some photos and videos from the event but I&#8217;m not going to share them, because I think it&#8217;s really tragic. While this was happening I put my hand on the rhino&#8217;s belly to try to send it love, because I can&#8217;t imagine how confusing and terrifying the experience was.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Let&#8217;s back up: Why does anyone care about rhino horns? First, you have to start with how dangerous false ideas and memes can be. Rhino horns are 92-95% keratin, just like your fingernails, the rest is basic stuff like melanin, calcium salts, magnesium, sulfur, nitrogen, amino acids, and phosphorus. There is nothing special or magic about a rhino horn that you couldn&#8217;t easily obtain many other ways.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>However there is a dangerous infovirus going back thousands of years that rhino horns can cure various ailments, from cancer to fevers, and have aphrodisiac properties. To quote <a href=\"https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-hard-truth-about-the-rhino-horn-aphrodisiac-market/\">Scientific American</a>:</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Some purchase horn chunks or powder for traditional medicinal purposes, to ingest or to give others as an impressive gift. Wealthy buyers bid for antique rhino horn carvings  such as cups or figurines to display or as investments. A modern market for rhino horn necklaces, bracelets and beads has also sprung up. [&#8230;]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the bright side, traditional Chinese medicine experts have increasingly joined the fight to reduce the demand for rhino horn. When China officially banned the international trade in 1993, it followed up by removing rhino horn as a medical ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine&#8217;s pharmacopeia  and curriculum. [&#8230;]</p>\n\n\n\n<p>“Traditional Chinese medicine has a history of 3,000 years and we have been educating the public for less than 30 years,” Huang notes. “Therefore this is an ongoing education.”</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Regardless of the reasons, there is a price for rhino horns. I was told the larger front horn would get about $300,000 on the black market, and rhinos have been poached to near-extinction. Combine that with <a href=\"https://tradingeconomics.com/south-africa/unemployment-rate\">South Africa&#8217;s 33% unemployment rate</a>, some people turn to crime or poaching to make money. It&#8217;s cheaper and faster to kill the rhino and take its horn than tranquilize it as the game reserve did.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I don&#8217;t want to criticize the people at the game reserve. They clearly cared for the animal quite deeply, and while it was tranquilized, they provided other veterinary help for it, like removing ticks. They also put a tracker on its foot. They say they lock the horns in a vault&#8230; why? Burn it, toss it. <a href=\"https://www.savetherhino.org/thorny-issues/de-horning/\">The thinking is that reserves that are known for de-horning will attract fewer poachers</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is obviously a middle solution, and I hope ten years from now we&#8217;ll look back at this as a point in time we learned from. On the demand side, it seems like aggressive education campaigns could help decrease demand for keratin from rhinos. On the anti-poacher side, I think drones will be able to secure perimeters far more securely than fences currently do. It would be fascinating for an economist like <a href=\"https://marginalrevolution.com/\">Tyler Cowen</a> to dive into these issues.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 07 Oct 2024 20:36:36 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4:\"Matt\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:37;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:42:\"WordPress.org blog: WPGraphQL is Canonical\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:35:\"https://wordpress.org/news/?p=17891\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:45:\"https://wordpress.org/news/2024/10/wpgraphql/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:249:\"<p>Happy to announce that WP GraphQL is becoming canonical on WordPress.org. I could say more, <a href=\"https://www.wpgraphql.com/2024/10/07/wpgraphql-becomes-a-canonical-plugin-my-move-to-automattic\">but I&#8217;ll let Jason tell his story</a>.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 07 Oct 2024 18:44:09 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:14:\"Matt Mullenweg\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:38;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:51:\"Do The Woo Community: Do the Woo at WordCampUS 2024\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:43:\"https://dothewoo.io/?post_type=blog&p=85923\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:55:\"https://dothewoo.io/blog/do-the-woo-at-wordcampus-2024/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:5586:\"<p>Getting around to doing a recap of WordCampUS. Over on my personal site <a href=\"https://bobwp.com\">bobwp.com</a> I shared more about my own day to day stuff.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And here on Do the Woo, I gave you a look at our <a href=\"https://dothewoo.io/blog/the-do-the-woo-lunch/\">official Do the Woo Lunch</a> during Showcase Day.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But I thought I would do a recap from the perspective of Do the Woo and some of the things we did, or didn&#8217;t do. The fact is I always have written a recap of WordCamps I attend, and I just wanted to pull out so much of the positive I experienced on behalf of Do the Woo.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conversations</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In line with Do Woo, I had several conversations. In fact, a lot of short ones and long ones. But I did specifically schedule a couple of slots with an old and new friend via their calendars. My first one was with <a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/jesserfriedman/\">Jesse Friedman</a> from <a href=\"https://jetpack.com/\">Jetpack</a> and <a href=\"https://wp.cloud/\">WP Cloud</a>. We took the time to catch up on projects we were both doing. In fact Jesse is shared about his new podcast <em><a href=\"https://impressive.host/\">Impressive Hosting</a></em>, which you should check out.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The other conversation was with Aaron Edwards from <a href=\"https://docsbot.ai/\">DocBots AI</a>. It was not only great getting to know Aaron better, but I was really impressed with his product. He even had it hooked up via our site and showed me some it in action. Good stuff!</p>\n\n\n\n<p>In fact I got a bonus from him. <a href=\"https://bobwp.com/2024/10/04/the-many-faces-of-ai-bobwp/\">Some AI images that you can see over on my personal blog</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And as I said, so many, many other great conversations</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Podcasting at WCUS</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>This one was no different than others. Scheduled times often go awry. We were the victim of confusion around a time slot. The second one, with a couple of our hosts and a sponsor, was slotted in for the last day, early afternoon. Not a great time as all of our energies were low and we just didn&#8217;t have it in us.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now on the other hand, spontaneous recordings always work out much better. But, again, that just didn&#8217;t happen. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>There is one that I will be putting out in a bit. Since the slogan for Portland is <em>Keep Portland Weird</em> I decided to ask some attendees a weird WordCamp question. Nothing edgy or offensive. Just weird. That turned out to be a lot of fun and you can look forward to that.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">And now for something completely different</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Okay, one more thing that will be coming to the blog, though it may take time</p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the Woo booth they were giving out disposable cameras. It was really fun to use one of them that I haven&#8217;t used in years and years. Advancing your film manually and moving backwards or forwards without a zoom. It was great!</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now for those who attended, you will know that there was a whole area clustered with Automattic properties. Woo, WP VIP, Jetpack, WordPress.com, Gravatar, etc. Something I named Mattic Town.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a result I took several pictures of various people and things in the booths with my disposable camera. And from that I am going to use them in a post about my visit to Mattic Town. Slanted towards visiting a &#8220;real town&#8221;. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>Right now, having brought the camera back to Portugal, I am researching a local place that will developer the film. So this might be down the road.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">To sum it up</h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, those are some of the highlights specific to Do the Woo. Between my personal post and this post, it was a busy time.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And if you are curious, here are all of our hosts that attended WordCampUS 2024.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://dothewoo.io/host/adam-weeks/\">Adam Weeks<br /></a><a href=\"https://dothewoo.io/host/brad-williams/\">Brad Williams</a><br /><a href=\"https://dothewoo.io/host/carl-alexander/\">Carl Alexander<br /></a><a href=\"https://dothewoo.io/host/courtney-robertson/\">Courtney Robertson</a><br /><a href=\"https://dothewoo.io/host/emma-young/\">Emma Young</a><br /><a href=\"https://dothewoo.io/host/jonathan-wold/\">Jonathan Wold</a><br /><a href=\"https://dothewoo.io/host/katie-keith/\">Katie Keith</a><br /><a href=\"https://dothewoo.io/host/marcus-burnette/\">Marcus Burnette</a><br /><a href=\"https://dothewoo.io/host/robbie-adair/\">Robbie Adair</a><br /><a href=\"https://dothewoo.io/host/robert-jacobi/\">Robert Jacobi<br /></a><a href=\"https://dothewoo.io/host/tammie-lister/\">Tammie Lister</a><br /><a href=\"https://dothewoo.io/host/tom-willmot/\">Tom Willmot</a><br /><a href=\"https://dothewoo.io/host/zach-stepek/\">Zach Stepek</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p>And lastly, our sponsors who also sponsored WCUS.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.avalara.com/us/en/index.html\">Avalara</a><br /><a href=\"https://www.godaddy.com/\">GoDaddy</a><br /><a href=\"https://www.hostinger.com/\">Hostinger</a><br /><a href=\"https://kinsta.com/?utm_source=dothewoo&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=website\">Kinsta</a><br /><a href=\"https://www.omnisend.com/\">Omnisend<br /></a><a href=\"https://www.weglot.com/\">Weglot</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p>So what&#8217;s up next? <a href=\"https://asia.wordcamp.org/2025/\">WCAsia 2025</a> in Manila. We are really looking forward to this one as both a media sponsor and a sponsor. And as we did earlier this year, our booth will be a hub for community conversation and connections. Hope to see you there!</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 07 Oct 2024 13:19:00 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:5:\"BobWP\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:39;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:66:\"WPTavern: Thank You, Josepha: WordPress Executive Director Resigns\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:30:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=163323\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:75:\"https://wptavern.com/thank-you-josepha-wordpress-executive-director-resigns\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:6654:\"<p>Josepha Haden Chomphosy has stepped down from Automattic, where she served as the Executive Director of the WordPress project. She was also leading Automattic&#8217;s open-source division, championing the efforts of developers, designers, community builders, and WordPress advocates. She has now updated her title in the WordPress Slack to &#8220;Community Steward.&#8221;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like Josepha, <a href=\"https://wptavern.com/159-employees-leave-automattic-after-accepting-the-alignment-offer\">159 employees left Automattic</a> after accepting the Alignment Offer.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Rumors of her resignation first surfaced on X, to which she <a href=\"https://x.com/JosephaHaden/status/1841793834931397070\">responded</a>: &#8220;Ok, this is not how I expected that news to come to y’all. I apologize that this is the first many of you heard of it. Please don’t speculate about anything.&#8221;</p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">It\'s been a beautiful and transformative nine years, WordPress. I\'m never at a loss for words, but let the main thing you hear be \"Thank you\"! <a href=\"https://t.co/lHTPNqwvkS\">https://t.co/lHTPNqwvkS</a></p>&mdash; Josepha’s AFK Today (@JosephaHaden) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/JosephaHaden/status/1842321304583627218?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<p>In a farewell post titled <a href=\"https://josepha.blog/2024/10/04/thank-you-wordpress/\">Thank you, WordPress</a>, she expressed continued optimism for the future of the open-source project: “There’s still more to do in our shared quest to secure a self-sustaining future of the open source project that we all love, and my belief in our global community of contributors remains unchanged. I have spent nine years working shoulder to shoulder with you, and I didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye.”</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>I still believe that open source is an idea that can transform generations. I believe in the power of a good-hearted group of people. I believe in the importance of strong opinions, loosely held. And I believe the world will always need the more equitable opportunities that well-maintained open source can provide: access to knowledge and learning, easy-to-join peer and business networks, the amplification of unheard voices, and a chance to tap into economic opportunity for those who weren’t born into it.</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>She continued:<strong> “While my next steps aren’t yet clear, I hope to never be too far from this community that taught me so much.”</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<p>Josepha has been uncharacteristically silent since the onset of the Automattic-WP Engine controversy aside from a brief comment on Slack. Since joining WordPress in 2019, she was always actively involved in community discussions or <a href=\"https://wp-content.co/bay-lights/\">controversies</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<img src=\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXejnkbeXF_axw_ioYYMuyFvIVZvox8rUTa5P3BcJSeGx_n3ACeJ3kNIwzwZx5-SfXvZmgR2kOlarUKV5UzFe9m1mb8cL5GS676AoX2iMjJrGcUeaO4dEcTXQ3DrdepkjXvlN60gDS4TE3eNeCMOBiC7xj-1?key=-gzwbuSTOmslNC3WjniK0g\" alt=\"\" />\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Community Response</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Josepha always had a special place in the community’s heart and it was reflected in the messages that poured in following her announcement.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Josepha, we met when you became the <a href=\"https://twitter.com/hashtag/WordPress?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#WordPress</a> Training Team Rep. Watching you find your footing to being our executive director for so many years has had a profound impact on me. It has been an honor to work alongside you. Thank you. <a href=\"https://t.co/Ko3aDxlhak\">https://t.co/Ko3aDxlhak</a></p>&mdash; @courtneyr_dev <img src=\"https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f33b.png\" alt=\"🌻\" class=\"wp-smiley\" /> (@courtneyr_dev) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/courtneyr_dev/status/1842327905193324851?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Josepha\'s leadership is one of the reasons I am an active contributor to WordPress. I am exceptionally pleased to have had the opportunity to work with her over the years. Good luck with whatever comes next, Josepha. <a href=\"https://t.co/5AyqhRNMOo\">https://t.co/5AyqhRNMOo</a></p>&mdash; Peter Wilson <img src=\"https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f3f3-fe0f-200d-1f308.png\" alt=\"🏳️‍🌈\" class=\"wp-smiley\" /> (@pwcc) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/pwcc/status/1842328528735609120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Josepha you are a great leader. You have inspired so many of us. <br /><br />Thank you for everything you had done for the community. It was great interacting with you on multiple occasions.<br /><br />Hoping to cross paths with you again in the future. <img src=\"https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1faf6.png\" alt=\"🫶\" class=\"wp-smiley\" /></p>&mdash; Meher Bala | WP Mumbai &amp; WC Asia Organiser (@meherbala) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/meherbala/status/1842645793259602258?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 5, 2024</a></blockquote>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Thank you, Josepha!<br /><br />It’s been an absolute pleasure interacting with you over the years and I do hope you stay close to the project. <br /><br />Either way, best of luck with whatever lies ahead.</p>&mdash; Remkus de Vries (@remkusdevries) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/remkusdevries/status/1842460273728225477?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 5, 2024</a></blockquote>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I appreciate your ability to bring people together, to create safe and welcoming spaces, and to thoughtfully listen to and hear a wide variety of voices. I knew from the first time I met you that you were special. Thank you for all you\'ve done for the community over the years…</p>&mdash; Brandon Dove (@brandondove) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/brandondove/status/1842342417191875005?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank you, Josepha, for all you&#8217;ve done for WordPress. We wish you the best in your future endeavors!</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Sun, 06 Oct 2024 16:41:50 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:7:\"Jyolsna\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:40;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:76:\"WPTavern: New Social Web Foundation Launched with Automattic’s Support  \";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:30:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=166856\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:80:\"https://wptavern.com/new-social-web-foundation-launched-with-automattics-support\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4218:\"<p>The Social Web Foundation was officially <a href=\"https://socialwebfoundation.org/2024/09/24/launch/\">launched</a> on September 24, 2024, with a mission to foster a &#8220;growing, healthy, financially viable, and multi-polar Fediverse.&#8221; This non-profit organization is <a href=\"https://socialwebfoundation.org/team/\">spearheaded by</a> Evan Prodromou (Research Director), Mallory Knodel (Executive Director), and Tom Coates (Product Director) and is dedicated to uniting social networks through the open standard protocol, ActivityPub.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Fediverse is a collection of interconnected, decentralized social media platforms that communicate using open protocols, with <a href=\"https://www.w3.org/TR/activitypub/\">ActivityPub</a>—developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)—as the primary standard. “Until now, no major organization has taken on advocacy for ActivityPub as its central goal. Many people have ideas about what the Fediverse needs to be bigger, safer, and easier to use. But the solutions they propose fall between the cracks of anyone implementer or service. We want the SWF to be the entity that takes on those jobs.”, <a href=\"https://write.as/evanp/announcing-the-social-web-foundation\">said Evan Prodromou</a>, often referred to as “The Father of the Fediverse.”</p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"http://plasticbag.org/archives/2024/09/on-the-social-web-foundation/\">Tom Coates</a> emphasized the foundation&#8217;s straightforward goal: “Fundamentally, its goal is pretty simple – it’s there to help the Fediverse grow in a sustainable and healthy way that benefits everyone.”</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>The Social Web Foundation is our best chance to establish the conditions in which the new social media operates with zero harm.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211; Mallory Knodel</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The foundation aims to address challenges within the ActivityPub ecosystem and support its growth, especially in the commercial sector. Key <a href=\"https://socialwebfoundation.org/projects/\">areas of focus</a> include:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>People: Educating the public about the Fediverse and its benefits.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Policy: Clarifying policy frameworks for international and federated networks.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Protocol: Developing and maintaining open standards.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Plumbing: Building the necessary infrastructure</li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Thirteen prominent companies, including Automattic, Mastodon, Meta, Ghost, and Medium, are backing the foundation.</p>\n\n\n\n<img src=\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXf8GjBqJZhiDMXBxukXJ9h34UKYKsVzt6UzrtrPPLBPFwPe1ziQzzIw2YJfOZo0-U5i4y0P69HA8wqca_WqmmKRFFvz9GoFh1IvAUXMmKgiq1P7sThjprXu3fcHGX8mgz93_L8CYqT2bjTLNiGzXlUOD0U4?key=Znh0DVRkNQsoeNp-57L7wg\" alt=\"\" />\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Automattic &amp; Fediverse</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Automattic&#8217;s involvement with the Social Web Foundation comes as no surprise, given its long-standing contributions to the Fediverse. Back in 2021, Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg expressed interest in bringing <a href=\"https://techcrunch.com/2022/11/21/tumblr-to-add-support-for-activitypub-the-social-protocol-powering-mastodon-and-other-apps/\">ActivityPub support to Tumblr</a>. In 2023, Automattic acquired the <a href=\"https://wptavern.com/automattic-acquires-activitypub-plugin-for-wordpress\">ActivityPub plugin for WordPress</a> from German developer Matthias Pfefferle and made the ActivityPub feature <a href=\"https://wordpress.com/blog/2023/10/11/activitypub/\">available</a> across all WordPress.com plans.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>“Automattic is excited about the launch of the Social Web Foundation and its mission. We’re eager to collaborate with the Foundation to expand platform diversity and enhance the support for various content types—especially long-form content—within the Fediverse, fostering greater interoperability across the ecosystem.”, said Matthias Pfefferle, Open Web Lead at Automattic.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>To know more about Automattic and Fediverse, check the YouTube series, <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6nDc7ACvovJMt8MEiebpsXnlBuKp158j\">The Fediverse Files</a>.&nbsp;</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Sat, 05 Oct 2024 18:14:21 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:7:\"Jyolsna\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:41;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:76:\"WPTavern: 159 Employees Leave Automattic After Accepting the Alignment Offer\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:30:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=166873\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:87:\"https://wptavern.com/159-employees-leave-automattic-after-accepting-the-alignment-offer\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:5535:\"<p>While the controversy between Automattic and WP Engine was unfolding, social media discussions surged about whether Automattic employees not agreeing with Matt were offered an ultimatum to quit and exit with a generous payout.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://twitter.com/kellie/status/1841210258422972536\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://twitter.com/jeffr0/status/1841585100665872569\n</div>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;In response, Matt Mullenweg addressed the situation in a blog post titled <a href=\"https://ma.tt/2024/10/alignment/\">Automattic Alignment</a>. He has clarified that: &#8220;It became clear a good chunk of my Automattic colleagues disagreed with me and our actions. So we decided to design the most generous buy-out package possible, we called it an Alignment Offer: <strong>if you resigned before 20:00 UTC on Thursday, October 3, 2024, you would receive $30,000 or six months of salary, whichever is higher. </strong>But you’d lose access to Automattic that evening, and you wouldn’t be eligible to boomerang (what we call re-hires). HR added some extra details to sweeten the deal; we wanted to make it as enticing as possible.&#8221;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Matt revealed that 159 employees, representing 8.4% of the workforce, accepted the offer. Of these,<strong> 79.2% were part of Automattic’s Ecosystem businesses</strong>, while 18.2% came from Cosmos, working on apps like Pocket Casts, Day One, Tumblr, and Cloudup.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>“It was an emotional roller coaster of a week. The day you hire someone you aren’t expecting them to resign or be fired, you’re hoping for a long and mutually beneficial relationship. Every resignation stings a bit.”, Matt added.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://automattic.com/2024/10/04/looking-ahead/\">Automattic</a> referred to this move as “<strong>a strategic realignment to better pursue our core values and operational goals.</strong>”&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>We remain deeply grateful to all our employees, past and present. For those who have chosen new paths, we sincerely wish them the best, and thank them for helping make Automattic what it is today. We emerge from this chapter with a renewed vigor and clarity in our mission.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8211;  Automattic&nbsp;</p>\n</blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">159 People Accepted the Offer&nbsp;</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In a surprising turn, the names of people leaving Automattic include Josepha Haden Chomphosy, the Executive Director of the WordPress project. “While my next steps aren’t yet clear, I hope to never be too far from this community that taught me so much.”, <a href=\"https://josepha.blog/2024/10/04/thank-you-wordpress/\">she said</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other notable departures include <a href=\"https://naoko.blog/2024/10/04/leaving-automattic/\">Naoko Takano</a> (Open Source Project Manager), <a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/danwalmsley/\">Daniel Walmsley</a> (AI Engineer and Architect), <a href=\"https://x.com/jeffikus/status/1842227784350859484\">Jeffrey Pearce</a> (Team Lead) and <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/rmartinezduque/\">Reyes Martínez</a> (Communications Wrangler &amp; <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/marketing/2024/03/20/making-a-wordpress-media-corps/\">WordPress Media Corps</a> lead). Daniel Bachhuber (head of WordPress.com) also left but posted this in <a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7247936060008136704/\">LinkedIn</a>: “I believe in Matt. Leaving Automattic for other reasons. It&#8217;s a bummer, and I will miss everyone there.”</p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://twitter.com/danwalmsley/status/1841882447073706317\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://twitter.com/jeffikus/status/1842227784350859484\n</div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">91.6% of Automatticians are Staying</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, 91.6% of Automattic employees chose to stay, with many expressing support for Matt’s decisions on X.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://twitter.com/zeldman/status/1842201921433608640\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://twitter.com/NerdwithCoffee/status/1842351786134229318\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://twitter.com/pootlepress/status/1842051172183490811\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://twitter.com/justintadlock/status/1842197703272300968\n</div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Community Response</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As usual, the community remains divided, with some praising the offer&#8217;s generosity while others are worried.</p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://twitter.com/awilkinson/status/1842227042256920691\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://twitter.com/FloWendelborn/status/1842072441280983440\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://twitter.com/foolstechdev/status/1842220667111932279\n</div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\nhttps://twitter.com/mnowak_eth/status/1842131124165775653\n</div>\n\n\n\n<p>As mentioned above, 79.2% of the people who left Automattic were working on Ecosystem projects. The Marketing Team again got the short end of the stick with <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/marketing/2024/03/20/making-a-wordpress-media-corps/\">WordPress Media Corps</a>’s future in doubt due to Reyes Martínez’s resignation. The coming days will provide more clarity on the effects this development has on WordPress.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Sat, 05 Oct 2024 17:45:40 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:7:\"Jyolsna\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:42;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:23:\"Matt: CNBC on WP Engine\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:23:\"https://ma.tt/?p=127659\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:40:\"https://ma.tt/2024/10/cnbc-on-wp-engine/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:342:\"<p>Ari Levy at CNBC has a great article covering the battle between WordPress and Silver Lake / WP Engine: <a href=\"https://www.cnbc.com/2024/10/05/wordpress-ceo-matt-mullenweg-goes-nuclear-on-silver-lake-wp-engine-.html\">Why WordPress [co-]founder Matt Mullenweg has gone ‘nuclear’ against tech investing giant Silver Lake</a>.<br /></p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Sat, 05 Oct 2024 13:03:13 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4:\"Matt\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:43;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:26:\"Matt: Automattic Alignment\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:23:\"https://ma.tt/?p=127517\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:32:\"https://ma.tt/2024/10/alignment/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2301:\"<p>Winston Churchill said, &#8220;Never let a good crisis go to waste.&#8221; Since I last blogged here, <a href=\"https://automattic.com/2024/10/03/meritless/\">WP Engine filed a meritless lawsuit and Automattic responded</a>, and there&#8217;s been a hurricane of public activity and press. Inside of <a href=\"https://automattic.com/\">Automattic</a>, there&#8217;s been a parallel debate and process.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Silver Lake and WP Engine&#8217;s attacks on me and Automattic, while spurious, have been effective. It became clear a good chunk of my Automattic colleagues disagreed with me and our actions.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So we decided to design the most generous buy-out package possible, we called it an Alignment Offer: if you resigned before 20:00&nbsp;UTC&nbsp;on Thursday, October 3, 2024, you would receive <strong>$30,000 or six months of salary, whichever is higher</strong>. But you&#8217;d lose access to Automattic that evening, and you wouldn&#8217;t be eligible to boomerang (what we call re-hires). HR added some extra details to sweeten the deal; we wanted to make it as enticing as possible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I&#8217;ve been asking people to vote with their wallet a lot recently, and this is another example!</p>\n\n\n\n<p>159 people took the offer, 8.4% of the company, the other 91.6% gave up $126M of potential severance to stay! 63.5% were male. 53% were in the US. By division it impacted our Ecosystem / WordPress areas the most: 79.2% of the people who took it were in our Ecosystem businesses, compared to 18.2% from Cosmos (our apps like <a href=\"https://pocketcasts.com/\">Pocket Casts</a>, <a href=\"https://dayoneapp.com/\">Day One</a>, <a href=\"https://tumblr.com/\">Tumblr</a>, <a href=\"https://cloudup.com/\">Cloudup</a>). 18 people made over 200k/yr! 1 person started two days before the deadline. 4 people took it then changed their minds.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It was an emotional roller coaster of a week. The day you hire someone you aren&#8217;t expecting them to resign or be fired, you&#8217;re hoping for a long and mutually beneficial relationship. Every resignation stings a bit. </p>\n\n\n\n<p>However now, I feel much lighter. I&#8217;m grateful and thankful for all the people who took the offer, and even more excited to work with those who turned down $126M to stay. As the kids say, LFG!</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Fri, 04 Oct 2024 03:28:02 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4:\"Matt\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:44;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:76:\"WPTavern: WordPress Enforces Plugin Check and 2FA for New Plugin Submissions\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:30:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=163317\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:87:\"https://wptavern.com/wordpress-enforces-plugin-check-and-2fa-for-new-plugin-submissions\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:3487:\"<p>Security Review Lead Chris Christoff has announced <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/plugins/2024/10/01/plugin-check-and-2fa-now-mandatory-for-new-plugin-submissions/\">two new changes</a> for the WordPress Plugin Directory, effective from October 1, 2024. These changes aim to enhance plugin directory security and promote best practices among plugin developers.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mandatory Two-Factor Authentication</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As of October 1, 2024, all plugin owners and committers must enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) to submit new plugins to the WordPress Plugin Directory. This change was <a href=\"https://wptavern.com/wordpress-org-introduces-new-security-measures-for-plugin-and-theme-authors\">announced</a> by Automattic-sponsored developer Dion Hulse last month.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plugin owners are encouraged to enable 2FA, review committers’ access levels, and use additional security features like the SVN password option and Release Confirmation. Detailed guides on <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/meta/handbook/tutorials-guides/configuring-two-factor-authentication/\">Configuring Two-Factor Authentication</a> and <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/plugins/2024/06/26/keeping-your-plugin-committer-accounts-secure/\">Keeping Your Plugin Committer Accounts Secure</a> are also available.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Plugin Check Tool</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>From now on, any new plugin submitted to the Plugin Directory will first go through a pre-submission check using the Plugin Check tool. If any errors are found, the submission will be blocked until they are fixed.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>This new step aims to reduce the review queue by enabling plugin authors to catch common issues before submitting their plugins for manual review. Plugin Check helps by identifying frequent issues, such as mismatched versions between the plugin header and the readme.txt file, incorrect text domains, and erroneous &#8220;Tested To&#8221; values in the readme. Although Plugin Check adds a layer of automation,<strong> it will not replace the manual review of plugins</strong>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>David Perez from the Plugin Review Team <a href=\"https://make.wordpress.org/plugins/2024/09/17/introducing-plugin-check-pcp/\">recommended making Plugin Check</a> a part of the development workflow as “In addition to things relevant for the review process, the tool flags violations or concerns around plugin development best practices, from basic requirements like correct usage of internationalization functions to accessibility, performance, and security best practices. It does so using both static checks using PHP_CodeSniffer and dynamic checks, where it actually activates your plugin to test it “live”.”</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Plugins Team is working to expand Plugin Check’s coverage to existing plugins. A roadmap detailing this broader application will be released in the coming months. Contributors can help improve the tool via its <a href=\"https://github.com/WordPress/plugin-check\">GitHub Repo</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The WordPress community has responded positively to these updates. Josepha Haden Chomphosy <a href=\"https://x.com/JosephaHaden/status/1841810132495143307\">tweeted</a> “This was years in the making and is a huge deal. Congratulations (and big thanks) to everyone who contributed!”</p>\n\n\n\n<p>These two measures are expected to help the WordPress Plugin Team improve the security of the platform while reducing the backlog of plugins awaiting approval.</p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 03 Oct 2024 20:01:51 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:7:\"Jyolsna\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:45;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:70:\"WPTavern: Automattic Publishes WP Engine Term Sheet Amidst Controversy\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:30:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=163230\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:81:\"https://wptavern.com/automattic-publishes-wp-engine-term-sheet-amidst-controversy\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:5085:\"<p>As the Automattic-WP Engine <a href=\"https://wptavern.com/wp-engine-banned-from-using-wordpress-org-resources\">controversy</a> continues, Automattic published the term sheet delivered to WP Engine on September 20, 2024. “In the interest of transparency, we’ve published the term sheet we offered to @LeeEWittlinger and @heatherjbrunner, it’s a simple one-pager.”, <a href=\"https://x.com/photomatt/status/1841276456162279724\">tweeted</a> Matt Mullenweg.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https://automattic.com/2024/10/01/wpe-terms/\">announcement post</a> reveals that initial discussions between Automattic and WP Engine began in February 2023, led by Matt Mullenweg and continued by Toni Schneider during Mullenweg’s sabbatical.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The <a href=\"https://automattic.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/term-sheet-wp-engine-inc.-automattic-trademark-license_09.19.2024-1.pdf\">term sheet</a> outlines five key points regarding a trademark license agreement. Under the terms, Automattic would grant WP Engine the rights to use WordPress and WooCommerce trademarks and branding, with WP Engine agreeing to follow all relevant guidelines. WP Engine was presented with three options for compensation:</p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pay Automattic a royalty fee of 8% of its gross revenue on a monthly basis, along with a detailed report of its gross revenue, granting Automattic full audit rights.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Allocate 8% of its revenue to employee salaries for work on core WordPress features under the direction of WordPress.org, with both WordPress.org and Automattic retaining audit rights.</li>\n\n\n\n<li>Combination of the above two options. </li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The term sheet also prevents WP Engine from modifying or forking any software from Automattic, WooCommerce, or its affiliates. The agreement is for seven years with automatic one-year renewals.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, the announcement post has a critical update: “<strong>Given WP Engine’s behavior, deception, and incompetence since September 20th these terms are no longer sufficient.</strong>”</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Matt also told <a href=\"https://www.therepository.email/mullenweg-threatens-corporate-takeover-of-wp-engine\">The Repository</a>, “That deal’s not on the table anymore. We’re seeking more, not 8%. I don’t want to speculate on what the deal might be… In July it was less than 8%, it was smaller. In September it was 8%. The deal they have to do next could be taking over the company, they have no leverage.” </p>\n\n\n\n<p>Public reactions to Mullenweg’s tweet sharing the term sheet have been mixed, with most replies critical of him, though some view the terms as reasonable.</p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">You want to see their revenue as a report monthly broken down by product. You are a direct competitor! That can\'t be ok in terms of anti trust laws or something. The monetary amount also seems excessive on top of that.</p>&mdash; Steve Struemph (@SteveStruemph) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/SteveStruemph/status/1841294550221897738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 2, 2024</a></blockquote>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<img src=\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeDe4ljBL0nRPgiWup0QhAA_bQO12n6NNjHnixoOIS9Xybum1-zJh-hggqf7xxdRtAkm3NMAJetbOmBKXxMZ8T5qVVAjUSZVLYcNAKIOPp8Ei7OsCEzuGFhYJd3g9R9oKJRulmiGHfsWyAmcPMuse1rLqV1?key=b9ha9SS9oPAGSdj_1r13xQ\" alt=\"\" />\n\n\n\n<p>The final results of a survey by Matt from The WP Minute:</p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Automattic v. WP Engine</p>&mdash; Matt (@mattmedeiros) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/mattmedeiros/status/1839660169241755740?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">September 27, 2024</a></blockquote>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<p>During the ongoing discussions, co-founder &amp; CEO of Cloudflare Matthew Prince <a href=\"https://x.com/eastdakota/status/1841154152006627663\">offered to donate</a> the capacity to power WordPress.org for the community. </p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">We’d be happy to donate the capacity to power <a href=\"https://t.co/NYrfF5j4KC\">https://t.co/NYrfF5j4KC</a> for the community.</p>&mdash; Matthew Prince <img src=\"https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/15.0.3/72x72/1f325.png\" alt=\"🌥\" class=\"wp-smiley\" /> (@eastdakota) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/eastdakota/status/1841154152006627663?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<p>Meanwhile, the controversy seems to be spilling into Automattic, too.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I\'ve been told by a few sources that it\'s not a rumor. I don\'t understand. If you\'re not with Matt, you\'re against Matt and he\'ll pay you to leave? Seems like an odd way of going about things. <a href=\"https://t.co/Eh3NPrIAfm\">https://t.co/Eh3NPrIAfm</a></p>&mdash; Jeff (@jeffr0) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/jeffr0/status/1841252171012042794?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>\n</div>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 02 Oct 2024 19:32:08 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:7:\"Jyolsna\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:46;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:62:\"WPTavern: WP Engine Banned Again, Reports Deploying a Solution\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:30:\"https://wptavern.com/?p=163178\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:72:\"https://wptavern.com/wp-engine-banned-again-reports-deploying-a-solution\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:4296:\"<p>After a <a href=\"https://wptavern.com/matt-mullenweg-announces-temporary-lifting-of-wp-engine-ban\">brief reprieve</a>, WP Engine has been <a href=\"https://x.com/wpengine/status/1840905665440633087\">banned again</a> from WordPress.org and the company took to X to share: “Thousands of WordPress community members have once again been blocked from accessing WordPress.org. WP Engine has commenced deployment of its solution for accessing updates and installations for plugins and themes across our customers’ sites. We expect deployment of the solution to all customers to be completed within the hour.”</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The next <a href=\"https://x.com/wpengine/status/1840910240801316924\">tweet</a> read: “We are pleased to report that our solution has been fully deployed and regular workflow practices have been restored to our customers around the globe. We thank all our customers for their patience and support over the past week. Like so many of you, we love WordPress, and are committed to the stability and longevity of the community.”</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">WP Engine Website Updates</h3>\n\n\n\n<p>WP Engine has made several changes to its website, including reducing the use of the word “WordPress” and adding a new footer clarifying its trademark usage.</p>\n\n\n\n<img src=\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXd9koeDMR5KyJiqM4cqeIumyvqNyx6agVBbHnFqCidKWr1WYFK9ZdouMR7cQMIITZ7Do1GLTKbOsdeyF8Xc_Q0QhRTbmemkZ0gpIPC6E3BJTdYvKiEjFR_p59yhXARlZT6s6KntjRVvlz98U6JddsRN4IpZ?key=ltzJcIAhElrogVEpgiRyHg\" alt=\"\" />New Footer in WP Engine Website\n\n\n\n<p>The names of its pricing plans have been updated, omitting “WordPress” from the titles.</p>\n\n\n\n<img src=\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdwSKLlAGwXjLwFHFKC2ZHedUhrAwr7PuAxB4ZjtMQ3YuZDZI1cShKiOlvbpFhjOWAWVWP0erZw75z_GVznKb5b5f85GFYZVC-Y6JxLR_9nYLTFlTIl4GicAG6MXRqTTbHl-5HNyj-6ivW7Gx2HZondn_ze?key=ltzJcIAhElrogVEpgiRyHg\" alt=\"\" />Current WP Engine Pricing Plans \n\n\n\n<p></p>\n\n\n\n<img src=\"https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcJnOE9z6belsDyaZK_VYSoAHKInDUVwbLuFtnmLAt4gYvEXUmGlwDgaY18DyBeu5dz8NLzslEdhz7c9fwOUQkrph755ANh-EKckHpoNg3vlmNoyxESDTcjIi7AqsU2i2maHP4VPzMw7eOXxszH-h8dl8DR?key=ltzJcIAhElrogVEpgiRyHg\" alt=\"\" />Previous Pricing Plans of WP Engine\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://wpandlegalstuff.com/wp-engine-changes-use-of-trademarks-on-its-website/\">WP And Legal Stuff</a> has covered more details on the website changes.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<p>WP Engine has not offered any explanation about the solution beyond what was shared on Twitter, though people have been asking for more details.&nbsp;</p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">1. Are you mirroring the wordpress(dot)org repos?<br />2. Is this a permanent or temporary solution?<br />3. What are you doing to stop future interruptions?<br />More information would be appreciated, as communication and transparency from <a href=\"https://twitter.com/wpengine?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@wpengine</a> has been exceptionally poor.</p>&mdash; Charlie Moss (@charliemoss) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/charliemoss/status/1840912940372808077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 1, 2024</a></blockquote>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<p>WP Engine has been silent since the start of the incidents, while Matt has been going all-out speaking about the issues. Matt even issued an open invite to Lee Wittlinger, Managing Director of Silver Lake. “Lee, let’s debate this publicly. Propose a neutral venue and moderator,” he said in a post titled “<a href=\"https://ma.tt/2024/09/missing-spokespeople/\">Where is Lee Wittlinger?</a>” “Why is WP Engine scared of talking to journalists live?”, he had <a href=\"https://ma.tt/2024/09/on-theprimeagen/\">asked</a> earlier.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>He also published his <a href=\"https://ma.tt/2024/09/charitable-contributions/\">charitable contributions</a> from 2011 to 2023, shared how WP Engine is <a href=\"https://ma.tt/2024/09/wordpress-engine/\">violating WordPress’ trademarks</a>, and gave interviews to <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/F6vXWQrQXgY\">Theo &#8211; t3․gg</a> and <a href=\"https://www.youtube.com/live/9sBuHwQpwAU\">WP Minute</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The community is deeply troubled by the proceedings but both sides do not show any signs of backing down. </p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 02 Oct 2024 18:23:06 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:7:\"Jyolsna\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:47;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:73:\"WPTavern: #139 – Andy Fragen on Automatic Update Rollbacks in WordPress\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:48:\"https://wptavern.com/?post_type=podcast&p=163149\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:87:\"https://wptavern.com/podcast/139-andy-fragen-on-automatic-update-rollbacks-in-wordpress\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:46636:\"Transcription<div>\n<p>[00:00:00] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Welcome to the Jukebox podcast from WP Tavern. My name is Nathan Wrigley.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jukebox is a podcast which is dedicated to all things WordPress. The people, the events, the plugins, the blocks, the themes, and in this case, automatic update rollbacks in WordPress, what they are, and why this was a difficult feature to build.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;d like to subscribe to the podcast, you can do that by searching for WP Tavern in your podcast player of choice. Or by going to wptavern.com/feed/podcast. And you can copy that URL into most podcast players.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you have a topic that you&#8217;d like us to feature on the podcast, I&#8217;m keen to hear from you and hopefully get you, or your idea, featured on the show. Head to wptavern.com/contact/jukebox, and use the form there.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So on the podcast today, we have Andy Fragen.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Andy is a dedicated member of the WordPress community, as well as a trauma surgeon. Somehow he manages to balance the demands of his profession with his passion for the community. And, as you will hear, to important work inside of WordPress Core. Even while in the operating room waiting for patients to be prepped, Andy has been known to find moments to answer forum questions and provide support to others. It&#8217;s truly remarkable.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Andy talks about the important topic of automatic rollbacks in WordPress, a feature aimed at reverting to a previous version if an automatic plugin or theme update fails, ensuring the website remains functional for users. I&#8217;ve managed to encapsulate the idea into the previous sentence, but as you will hear, the execution of that idea was anything other than straightforward.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Andy discusses the origins of the rollback feature. The team working on this problem identified complexities and potential fatal errors during plugin updates, and came up with a simple, yet effective solution, which worked. But as with so much in code, some edge cases meant that the road to a fully workable solution for all WordPress users was not quite in sight. Many times the drawing board had to be dusted off, and the problem looked at once again.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>While developing this feature, numerous challenges were encountered. From finding consistent test conditions to managing technical limitations. Andy shares insights into the critical role of testing and collaboration with hosting companies, meticulous attention to detail and problem solving skills, developed to combat issues like file write delays, and loop back test redirects.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Andy explains how the team managed to avoid fatal errors in active plugins with extensive testing and incremental improvements. They introduce functionalities like WP error checks, simulation features for testing error handling, and a new move directory function to enhance reliability.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Andy also discusses the broader impact of their rollback efforts. Many users might not notice this new feature, but in a sense that&#8217;s how it should be. The more unnoticeable to end-users update failures are, the better. It means that sites that would previously have been broken and are now working, and that&#8217;s a win for everyone.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re interested in the behind the scenes development of a WordPress feature, that quietly keeps your website running smoothly, and in hearing how a dedicated contributor balances his passion for WordPress with a demanding medical career, this episode is for you.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;d like to find out more, you can find all of the links in the show notes by heading to wptavern.com/podcast, where you&#8217;ll find all the other episodes as well.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so without further delay, I bring you Andy Fragen.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>I am joined on the podcast by Andy Fragen. Hello, Andy.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:21] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> Hello Nathan. How are you?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:22] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, good. Nice to speak to you. We are in WordCamp US, we&#8217;re in Oregon. We&#8217;re in the convention center. I&#8217;ve actually no conception of what the convention center&#8217;s called.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:30] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> I think that&#8217;s it. I think it&#8217;s called the Oregon Convention Center.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:04:32] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Normally when I come to these events, I&#8217;m talking to people who are doing a presentation of some kind, but we had a conversation, introduced, I think, via Courtney Robertson. She suggested that I might like to talk to you about this particular subject, and I bit her hand off frankly, because this is really interesting.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;re going to talk about automatic rollbacks in WordPress Core. And if that doesn&#8217;t mean anything to you, that&#8217;s fine, Andy will introduce the subject a bit later. First of all though, Andy, it&#8217;s a bit of a boring, dull question, but can you give us your little bio, and then I think, unusually, I&#8217;m going to dwell on your bio for quite a long time, if that&#8217;s all right? Tell us what you do in all of your life.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:08] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> I am a full-time trauma acute care surgeon, and I work in Southern California. And I dabble in WordPress as a hobby.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:18] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> You are also a Core committer.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:19] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> Yes, sir. I got my first props for a Core commit about nine years ago.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:23] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Okay. So, to me, Core commit, if you have privileges to commit to Core.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:29] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> Well, I&#8217;m not a committer, I&#8217;m a Core contributor.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:31] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> A core contributor.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:33] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> If they ever offered me commit access, I would decline.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:05:36] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yes, okay. Nevertheless, you are working at a very high level within WordPress, and this is the kind of thing that I think, this is what people do as a career. You know, they become incredibly skilled at coding, and in this case with WordPress, and this is the level maybe that they reach.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But let&#8217;s just rewind a little bit, because at the beginning of your bio you said you are also a trauma surgeon, which to me seems much more than a regular job. It seems like that would be an incredibly difficult thing to achieve in life, but also a thing which would consume many, many hours. And so I&#8217;m kind of wondering, how do you keep up in life with being a Core contributor as well as a trauma surgeon?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:13] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> As I said previously, time is the only fungible commodity we have. You spend it how you want to spend it. Obviously, depending on how you work and what the structure is, you have certain time availability, and then certain time not availability.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some of what I have as a trauma surgeon is downtime. There are certain parts of my day that are busier than others, and there are certain parts of my day that aren&#8217;t as busy. I have been known to answer forum questions, and do support while in the operating room, waiting for a patient to be prepped.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:46] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So, let me just parse that a little bit. Whilst in the hospital, when there are not urgent things to be done, you are whipping out the laptop and contributing to WordPress.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:56] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> No, I usually do that on the phone, believe it or not.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:06:58] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I think that&#8217;s remarkable. Honestly, I am really, really amazed that you can manage that. I think you must have an incredible grasp of your own time management.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:07:07] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> Honestly, a lot of the support stuff is just having been in my own plugins that I&#8217;ve written for a long time. I have a better understanding of what the issue is almost without even getting too much you know, stack traces and things like that. Not that I don&#8217;t need them sometimes, but if you&#8217;ve ever done support and gotten issues from people, sometimes it takes a while to tease out the actual information you need to give a response.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:07:31] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Do you regard WordPress as a hobby then, or is it more like a second career almost?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:07:36] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> Career would imply that you earn something from it. And, yes, I do sell a plugin, and part of the reason my wife allowed me to fly up to Portland for a WordCamp is I could say that the plugin sales paid for an airline ticket and a hotel. The usual deal I had with my wife living in Southern California was I could go to any WordCamp I could drive to. Since Covid they&#8217;ve really just stopped. Everybody&#8217;s sort of burned out, and that&#8217;s a whole other issue unfortunately.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:08:01] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah. How much time do you think, let&#8217;s say a month, would you be putting into WordPress?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:08:08] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> Some of that depends on where you consider your time. If I&#8217;m kind of paying attention to the Core dev Slack when they&#8217;re doing meetings, do you count that towards time? I mean, some people do, some people don&#8217;t. So I have said that I have usually put anywhere between 10 to 15 hours a week into it, depending on where it was. I mean, for a while I was running the Core upgrade install meeting. Sometimes we get, there&#8217;s not much for us to talk about, we&#8217;ve foregone the meeting at times.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, somehow I&#8217;ve found myself as a component maintainer for the upgrade install component, along with several other people.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Over the years I&#8217;ve done, or found my way into, I should say, several different things. And one of the things I did when we met Courtney last WordCamp US in San Diego, she was having trouble getting set up in a dev environment on her computer. And I&#8217;d already sort of figured it out, and sat down and helped her with it and, yes, by the end of the time period, we had Courtney up and running in the docker dev environment for WordPress Core.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:09:08] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So 10 to 15 hours a week, 40 to 60 hours a month, that&#8217;s a lot.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:09:14] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> Yes, and you have no idea what my normal schedule is like. Even if I didn&#8217;t do that, as a trauma acute care surgeon, we work shift work, and our shifts are 12 hours long. And an FTE, full-time equivalent, for being considered full-time is 16 shifts a month. Whether that&#8217;s two shifts in a row in 24 hours, or not, or individually, it just depends. I would&#8217;ve considered at some point in time, in the last several years, only doing 16 shifts quite nice. I&#8217;ve done as many as 30 in a month, and probably in the last several years, averaged somewhere around 20, give or take.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:09:54] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I think what I&#8217;m taking from this, Andy, is that you work quite hard in all things that you do.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:09:59] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> I have two adult children, 29 and 23, and I did not encourage them in the least to go into medicine. I think they saw how hard I worked, or how much I worked, and I&#8217;m very pleased to say that neither one of them went into healthcare. I think it&#8217;s just a changing field.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:10:16] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah. Where did your interest in WordPress, or coding come from? Is this something that you&#8217;ve had as a child, or did you pick this up later in life?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:10:23] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> I took a coding class in college, not my major. But I graduated from college in 1985 as a senior, the first time they had an intro to microcomputers, and there was this new computer out called a Macintosh. And it looked fascinating. And the class had a lab, you could either choose to be in the Macintosh lab or the PC lab. And honestly it was a freshman level class, I took the class just so I could do the lab and learned how to use the computer. And on graduation I bought one, and I&#8217;ve been using Macintosh computers since 1985.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:10:57] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> So it is not really from childhood this, I guess maybe, I don&#8217;t know exactly how old you are, but certainly at my age, computers were a brand new thing. You couldn&#8217;t really do a great deal with computers back in the day. But I picked up the interest when I was probably a similar age to you, and it just kind of blossomed in me, and I just got really into it. And although it&#8217;s become what I do for a living, I can well imagine that if I hadn&#8217;t have done it for a living, it would&#8217;ve been a big part of my life anyway, a little bit like you by the sounds of it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:11:23] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> I look at it as an interesting hobby. It&#8217;s a lot about problem solving, and it&#8217;s a lot about making a repetitive process simple, defined and consistent.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:11:34] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah. We&#8217;re going to talk now about something which is new in WordPress, and it&#8217;s automatic rollbacks. I don&#8217;t know if there&#8217;s a more grandiose title than that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:11:44] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> We call it, I mean, internally we call it rollback auto updates, that&#8217;s just part of it though. Initially we just called it rollback.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s taken several years, and many cycles to kind of get into Core. And part of the issue was, when we first had it, a lot of Core committers don&#8217;t want to touch something, or don&#8217;t want to commit something that touches such a large piece of WordPress, such as plugin updates, or theme updates. And as you can imagine, everybody had a lot of trepidation. And it was a big enough project that somebody who wasn&#8217;t directly involved in it, if they left and weren&#8217;t paying attention for several months, they&#8217;d come back and whole things were new again.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:12:24] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Right. Let&#8217;s describe what it is. So this is my understanding of it. A couple of years ago it feels like now, we got this option in the plugin screen to automatically update plugins. And it may be that almost everything in your WP admin, plugin wise, you can automatically update. So you don&#8217;t check a box, but in effect you check a box.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And from that moment on, that plugin, or all the plugins, if you decide to go that route, will automatically update in the background, so you don&#8217;t have to think. I guess it&#8217;s a part of a broader initiative to make WordPress as automatic as possible, so that you don&#8217;t have to log in if you&#8217;re an inexperienced user, or you&#8217;re just not really bothered about WordPress, you just want a website. And it&#8217;ll just all tick over in the background and keep itself updated.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that&#8217;s great, except when there&#8217;s a problem with the plugin update, and the updating automatically breaks something. You know, you come back and either you&#8217;ve got an email to say that things have gone wrong, or you just go to your website and discover, why does my website now not function anymore?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The initiative here was to make it so that some automatic detection mechanism would update the plugin, throw an error, say, there&#8217;s a problem, wait, roll it back, so go back to the previous safe version, and go from there. And so everything in theory should be good. Now that all sounds so straightforward to say, but just before we hit record, you indicated to me, and let&#8217;s get into this really granularly, you indicate to me that it was anything other than straightforward. Now, why was that?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:13:54] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> So Core has had the ability for a failed update to revert, try again, I&#8217;m not quite sure of the process, since about 3.5 or 3.7. And the ability to roll back a failed update for a plugin, or a theme really just wasn&#8217;t around. Colin Stewart and I, and Paul Baron had kind of gotten together on trac tickets about rolling back, and I think it was Paul&#8217;s initial trac ticket about it and, no, I don&#8217;t remember the number offhand, that really got us started. And it was intriguing to all of us on how to do it, and where to go.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so we get together in private DMs, and discuss it, and kind of try and figure it out. We would overcome problems and basically create the solution, and I&#8217;d put it in a plugin so that we could test. And what we found was, well, once we got to parts where we had the whole solution, and we had a whole solution for quite a while, including the auto updates before we even had any of it committed.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>But again, as I say, it was so complex and, you know, when you have millions of sites, and 45% of the web, and all of them are doing updates to plugins and themes at any given time, it&#8217;s like touching the third rail. I mean, sometimes you can kind of get away with it, but more often than not, you could potentially kill yourself.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So we never had a Core committer deeply involved in it. We had some that came and would give us advice on how to do things, or not do things, and we would seek to solve those issues and those problems. But without having someone with commit access, it made it very difficult to actually get things in. Colin now has commit access, and he got it just before the rollback was complete. But again, he&#8217;s like, I don&#8217;t feel comfortable, as my very first commit, committing this big part of Core.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>After we&#8217;d had it done for a while, there was a discussion on the trac ticket about what it would take to test it. And one of the Core committers suggested that we test it on thousands of sites, of various different server setups, to ensure that it didn&#8217;t cause issues or problems.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, conceptually I do understand that, because WordPress can run on a vast variety of installations, and hardware, and virtual environments, and all sorts of things. You don&#8217;t want to screw it up. You don&#8217;t want to brick somebody&#8217;s site consistently.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The problem is, I don&#8217;t think anybody&#8217;s ever been asked to do something so extensive before. And so we basically found that it was almost impossible. I was at the first WordCamp in San Diego, the first one after Covid, and I literally went around to all the hosts and said, I need you to test this, I need you to test this, I need you to test this. And everyone was very agreeable, but they would test it on their environment, right? Make sure that it worked in their system, but probably only on one site that was a test site, and not in production on anywhere else. And I&#8217;m not quite sure that that&#8217;s what they were looking for.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We only kind of overcame that process when we broke it down in smaller pieces. So rollback started out with getting, let me go back. Currently, the way Core works, Core updates work, and the way plugin and theme updates work is, Core would download the package, the update, it would store it on your system locally. It would run some checks, it would re-expand the zip into the upgrade folder, and then it would do a recursive file copy into the location of the plugin directory, or the theme directory. Although it would also delete the file first, before it that recursive copy.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consequently, if something failed, your plugin was gone. You had to go find it again and reinstall it, if somewhere along that process failed. The first thing we did is try and, well, one of the first things I did was made it a zip file. So I back up the plugin or theme is a zip file, store that, do the update. If it failed, I&#8217;d reinstall the zip file. But we heard from several hosting companies, that may be taxing on resources creating, and zipping, and unzipping files at that scale.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so I&#8217;m like, okay, let&#8217;s come up with something else. And what we ended up with is changing that recursive file copy to use PHPs rename function, with the recursive file copy as a backup, as a fallback for it. Now, you would think that, since this runs on PHP, and everybody has PHP installed, that it would work out just fine, except VirtualBox and VVV. And so these are custom local dev environments.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We did put out a call to the hosting companies, does anyone offer a virtualised solution using VVV or VirtualBox? And the answer was, no. We kept getting failures using the PHP rename and VirtualBox. Partial file transfers, partial rights, and it took a lot of investigation to figure it out. Peter Wilson, one of the Core committers from Australia, uses VVV as his dev environment. And when you get a Core committer, and some basic part of this isn&#8217;t working, it&#8217;s not going in.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So we got the fallback. We did a lot of research, and it appears, from some Composer bug reports, that VirtualBox has sort of a delayed file right. Go figure. And they found that by adding a 200 millisecond delay to things, it solved the problem. We added a 200 millisecond delay to things, it sort of solved the problem. We later had some help from, I want to say it was Andrew Ozz, who&#8217;s clearly been around WordPress for a long time. And he suggested we try flushing the memory for, after we did the rights and stuff.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And we eventually got it so that it did work by doing that. We had a PR for essentially a new function, for a move directory, move dir, underscore dir, that replaced, copied, the recursive file copy, copy dir, in the update process. Copy dir&#8217;s still there as a fallback, but we now had the PHPs rename function working in every environment that we had, and consistently, even with VirtualBox and its limitations, or its peculiarities.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that was the first big step we had towards getting committed. And I want to say that was committed in 6.2. So if you think back, all the stuff we had, aside from that little piece with the VirtualBox, was all done before 6.2. And the final piece just got committed in 6.6. So when I say this was years in the making, it really was years in the making.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The second part we did was just on manual updates. So we had, when you click a manual update, several things can happen during the course of the update process. Somewhere along the way the file copy, or the download can fail, the file copy can fail, certain pieces can be missing. So we created enough checks during that process and returned errors, such that, if any of those pieces failed, how we started with is storing the file to be updated in a temporary update folder.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so if any of those processes failed, we would go and restore that folder using our moving function. The process was actually very quick in testing, on the order of, you know, less than a second because PHP rename just sticks the whole chunk and moves it. So you have to remember the first part of the process on the update is, you delete the plugin in the folder that it&#8217;s in, and so as you&#8217;re downloading and installing the other one, you&#8217;ve got nothing left.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The normal update process, you&#8217;ve deactivated the plugin, you reinstall it, and then it reactivates. That&#8217;s in a manual process. Remember when we get to the automatic updates how that&#8217;s different, and where it can be problematic. So we had restore functions, we had our delete functions, because after we had a couple of cron tasks that we created to clean up after ourselves on a weekly basis, so that those copies wouldn&#8217;t be around anymore. Even on a shutdown function, we would delete the folders, and then on a weekly basis we&#8217;d make sure they were all gone.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So once we got that working and committed, we had basically a safe method for manual updates. So if someone would go to the dashboard, they&#8217;d click update, if somewhere along the way their connection lagged, or their connection to wordpress.org was delayed, and things took too long, and the server timed out, it would reinstall the previous version. And you would still show that the plugin or theme required an update, because you&#8217;ve now reinstalled the previous version that was installed.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We didn&#8217;t have to go out to .org and re-download anything. Part of that is really what limited the resources that we were acquiring for servers. Because all we were requiring them to do was copy a directory back and forth to different locations.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:22:59] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> What&#8217;s the flag for success or failure in this case? What&#8217;s the thing which determines that the update hasn&#8217;t succeeded?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:23:06] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> It depends on different parts of the process. So if there&#8217;s a failure in the download package, and the downloading the package, there are several parts that we&#8217;re already checking, where it would succeed or fail. We either created new WP errors for those, and returned those values, and so when we looked for those returns, if they happened, we would send it to the functions we wrote to restore from the backup or not.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>So we&#8217;d start the process by creating the backup. And then if the process continued on without error, the backup just got deleted at the end. If there was an error in the process, the backup was restored. You&#8217;d basically be right back to the place you started from, requiring an update to either the plugin or a theme.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:23:44] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah. Does the user in this scenario of the website, do they get some sort of notification that, actually, this didn&#8217;t work out? We&#8217;ve rolled back, your site is now working, but the thing that you intended to do didn&#8217;t happen. And if they do, does it list out what the problem was? Like it was, I don&#8217;t know, a download failure, or the plugin seems to be malfunctioning.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:24:03] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> You would see an error message, either in, if you were using the shiny updates on the plugins page, or the themes page, you&#8217;d receive the error message, and kind of a brief description of where the error was. Either the directory wasn&#8217;t writeable, or there was a download problem, or whatever the error happened to be. And then you&#8217;d be back at the place, if you refreshed your screen, it would show that you still needed the update.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you did the update from the Core update page, you know how the update shows, here&#8217;s the zip I&#8217;m downloading, it&#8217;s doing this, you would see an update error there. And part of what we put in the test plugin, or the feature plugin, was a way to simulate an error. And so we simulated a download error. And so you&#8217;d see that, and it would say it&#8217;s simulated error.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:24:47] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> If I was to receive this error, let&#8217;s say that I&#8217;d put a plugin onto automatic updates, and I had received a failure, does your setup then say, okay, permanently stop automatically updating this, or is it more a process of wait for a day, or is there a setting that I can engage to say, try again arbitrarily later, just keep trying the update, or is it a case of, okay, we&#8217;ve identified there&#8217;s a problem here, now it&#8217;s up to you to go and check and fix?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:25:15] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> Well, at this point it&#8217;s just a manual update, right? So if the manual update fails, you refresh the page, it&#8217;ll say, update now again. And you just try again. Our assumption at that point is, if you continue to get an error because your upgrade path isn&#8217;t writeable, well, it&#8217;ll tell you that, and you probably have to check your permissions on the folder, and make sure that they are writeable. If there&#8217;s some other issue involved in downloading the file, the usual assumption is that will go away. And so you try updating again, and maybe the next time you update it works. You&#8217;re done.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:25:47] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> I guess one of the goals of automatically updating plugins was that you could have a site that you essentially could have an autopilot. And it could be, let&#8217;s say a brochure site, where the intention really is just to have a site and never look at the backend ever again.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:26:01] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> We haven&#8217;t gotten to that part. That was part one and two. The third part was the auto updates. Now, this does not apply to themes, and I say that doesn&#8217;t apply to themes because themes are kind of a different beast. And I guess we probably could figure that out, and maybe that&#8217;s the next, on the part four, which we haven&#8217;t really defined yet. But there&#8217;s certainly a lot more plugin updates than theme updates.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The difference between an auto update and a manual update is the auto update runs in a cron task. The auto update does not deactivate the plugin, update the plugin, and then reactivate the plugin. The plugin is active the entire time, which means if the plugin has an error in it, and the update completes successfully, you&#8217;ll have a white screen. And this has happened.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>What we needed to do was figure out how to catch the error, essentially. And I want to say, the first iteration, there are basically three types of error handlers in PHP. I was checking every single one of them to make sure that we would catch the error. Now the problem with doing that is the shutdown error handler catches everything. So sometimes you catch the error twice, and that&#8217;s okay, but it was trying to figure out how to make sense out of some of those errors that was difficult.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And so we had a list of certain types of errors sometimes, and we would cause a rollback if we spotted any of those things. And it worked. For all the errors that we figured out, it worked. That&#8217;s not what we went with though, because what they don&#8217;t tell you is, when you write these things and you have feature plugins, is that, the way they integrate into Core, when you&#8217;re trying to commit them, may be totally different. So integrating it into Core is like, okay, now I need to update this file in Core, and that file in Core. Some of those things we could not duplicate in a plugin.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the things that we ended up with was a change to the load PHP file. There&#8217;s no way to mock it, there wasn&#8217;t. I couldn&#8217;t duplicate it, it loads too early, I couldn&#8217;t replace it. So we were just, okay, this could be the problem. So we tried to work around it a little bit, which is fine too. Colin did a little bit more digging and found out that, if you edit a plugin in the plugin editor on screen, it does a loop back check as it saves, to determine whether or not there&#8217;s a fatal in that plugin, and it won&#8217;t save it for you. And so we reutilise that loop back, as a test for whether the reactivation, or the installation of the plugin causes an issue or not.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We found it worked well. It greatly simplified what we were doing. I don&#8217;t even want to get into the fact that I was using reflection, and reflected objects, and reflected methods, and all sorts of things to fix it in the plugin in the first place. It worked and, yes, there are places in Core that uses the reflection classes, and reflection objects, and things like that, but not many. At least we knew we weren&#8217;t breaking new ground with that. But in adding that to Core, it made it a lot easier to do the loop back request.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Part of the issue in testing was we didn&#8217;t really have a file that would accurately fail every single time it was updated. I make an updater, it was easy to create a file that would fail on an update. So that&#8217;s all we had for a moment, until Aaron Jorbin piped up in one of the Slack meetings and said, here&#8217;s a plugin that&#8217;s been in the repo for a while, the title is, DO NOT USE THIS PLUGIN! And it is exactly for that. It&#8217;s set to fail on an update, it&#8217;s set to fatal on an update. And so now we had a plugin that other people could use more successfully, they didn&#8217;t have to go and install my updater or to find it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Having both of them installed though did help things out because there&#8217;s all the scenarios you have to test for. What happens when you have a plugin that runs, and then a fatal, and then another plugin update that needs to happen, and maybe another fatal after that, or maybe two fatals in a row? All these things you don&#8217;t really think about, but you should test for, or you have to test for.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>And it&#8217;s all manual testing. I had no idea how we could ever write, and then testing for it otherwise, without just doing it manually. I want to say, the first time we tested it for the update rollback, we picked 13 of the largest plugins. And when I say largest, some of the more complex plugins, as far as folders, and files, and size to run, and to see whether we get timeouts, whether they would complete successfully, and things like that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We found what worked well, and that&#8217;s one of the places we found that VirtualBox error, because it would just time out. It wouldn&#8217;t complete it. We were making it fall back to the file copy originally, and nobody is going to have this list of files to recursively update at any one time, except us and testing, but it just wouldn&#8217;t work consistently. And so that was before we got the move directory function in and working for it, and then it worked.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:30:59] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> What I&#8217;m getting from this is you must have incredible patience. Years and years and years of trying different things, problems emerging that you couldn&#8217;t foresee, solutions that you tried to implement, and then discover, okay, that didn&#8217;t work, let&#8217;s try something new. I don&#8217;t know how good you are at not throwing things at the wall, but it feels like there was an opportunity here to throw things at the wall.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:31:19] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> You&#8217;re making an assumption Nathan, who says I don&#8217;t throw things at the wall.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:31:23] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Was it a fairly, how to describe this? Did it surface things about the open source project, in terms of the way it&#8217;s done, that you wish were different?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:31:33] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> Certainly. You know, one of the things that certainly helped move us along was having a lead developer, in this case Andrew Ozz, take an interest, and help answer questions and move along the way. He helped us tremendously with the plugin dependencies feature as well.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since none of us were committers, and it&#8217;s a big feature, it would be nice if the leadership assigned experienced Core committers to feature projects, assuming that most of the people involved in the development of those projects aren&#8217;t Core committers. Another reason I should never have commit privileges.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:32:11] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, it sounds like from everything that you&#8217;ve said, that the process could have been expedited in a variety of different ways.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:32:17] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> It certainly could have. And some of that made for a lot of frustration because we would have experienced Core committers who would look at the project every couple of months maybe. It was a huge undertaking in total. And it was really only by splitting up into smaller pieces that we were able to accomplish it at all.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:32:36] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, and also the dramatically impactful nature of what you were doing. And I&#8217;m sure the irony&#8217;s not lost on anybody, that you could have achieved fatal errors in the attempt to remove fatal errors. Just the idea that such an important thing, from your perspective, maybe didn&#8217;t get the, how to describe it, didn&#8217;t get the.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:32:55] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> Attention.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:32:55] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, the attention, the sort of level of importance that it might have done given the impactful nature of it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>That now is in the past though, this is now a feature of WordPress. How much of a hand on heart moment, and I don&#8217;t know if that&#8217;s the right phrase, how difficult was it for you on the day that the version of WordPress that the shipped with came out? Were you fairly confident at that point that all the things were going to be fine?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:33:18] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> I&#8217;ve been running the plugin, which has had a version of the rollback code in it on sites for years, with plugins that would fatal on update. Now, the auto update will only check for the fatal update if the plugin is active, right? Because if it&#8217;s not active and it updates, all you&#8217;ll happen is, is when you go to activate it, it won&#8217;t let you activate it because it&#8217;ll say it fataled. And so you&#8217;ll have to go and reinstall another version or something, but it won&#8217;t take your site down. We specifically don&#8217;t test for plugins that aren&#8217;t active. Honestly, we&#8217;ve been running the code for so long on our own stuff, I wasn&#8217;t worried. I mean, have you heard of anyone having a problem?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:33:57] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> No, and that&#8217;s pretty remarkable. Have you?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:01] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> No. Well, yes, yesterday.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:04] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Deliberately?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:04] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> Well, it was something we found that we hadn&#8217;t honestly considered.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:08] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> But just one individual, so far, that you know of.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:10] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> So far. And I think I actually no way to mitigate it. Apparently, if you have a redirect to your homepage, the loopback doesn&#8217;t work. So what happens is you don&#8217;t see a failure, even if there is a failure. And so because you don&#8217;t see the failure, because you&#8217;re now no longer looking at your actual homepage, you&#8217;re looking at a redirect, it might work just fine. And so you don&#8217;t revert, and your site might, you know, when you go somewhere else in the site, it might fatal then.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:34:40] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Given that WordPress occupies 43% of the web, and that this endeavor of yours, and colleagues working on it, is probably now inside of millions of websites, the fact that you&#8217;ve found one character who has been able to show that it didn&#8217;t work in a, it sounds like you can mitigate more or less immediately. That&#8217;s pretty remarkable. And you&#8217;ve just, over the last 40 minutes or so, you&#8217;ve done this, it sounds like a detective story almost. Here&#8217;s a problem, we tried to fix it, this went wrong, we tried to fix that, this went wrong, we didn&#8217;t have the boots on the ground or whatever. You&#8217;ve managed to achieve it. And it also feels as if this is the kind of feature update that nobody will ever thank you for, because it&#8217;s in the background, if you know what I mean?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:35:24] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> Oh, no.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:35:25] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Oh, good.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:35:25] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> The people that are going to thank us for this are all hosting companies that aren&#8217;t going to see these issues anymore.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:35:30] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> That&#8217;s what I meant. It&#8217;s more of an invisible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:35:33] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> It is exactly invisible. The user has nothing to do. All they have to do is have auto updates enabled, and their plugins will auto update. If there&#8217;s a problem or an issue, it&#8217;ll revert back, and all it&#8217;ll do is show another update again, in 12 hours it&#8217;ll try again.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:35:50] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> As we said at the top of this interview, it sounds so simple, just roll back when there&#8217;s a problem, but now we know.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:35:56] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> It&#8217;s not that the problem isn&#8217;t simple to define, it&#8217;s finding all the little pieces in creating the solution that isn&#8217;t always simple.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:36:04] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, I remember Kennedy saying, we choose to go to the moon.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:36:07] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> Not because we have to, because we want to, or something like that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:36:09] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Yeah, and the problem was hard, but they got over it. And we have echoes of that here. All I can say is thank you so much for making this an important thing. And hopefully, for me at least, and probably everybody else, the more invisible it is in the future of WordPress, in a sense, the better that is.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>The less time that I have to worry about plugins updating, the more time that I can concentrate on building the website, and not thinking about those things. And for the millions, millions of people who have no interest in WordPress, but just want a website, this stuff will be remarkable, but probably they&#8217;ll never know, which is nice.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:36:48] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> You know, honestly our goal is if nobody ever knows about it, perfect. That means it works. No one sees a problem. It hopefully pushes people into clicking that little button link that says, enable auto updates, so that they keep their sites up to date. Because one of the biggest security issues in WordPress is out of date websites, or websites with out of date plugins.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:14] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Well, dear listener, if you are listening to this podcast, I think there&#8217;s a high chance that you obsess about WordPress. So hopefully what Andy has told us today gives you some understanding of the complexities of what&#8217;s been going on in the background, but also will make you aware that it happened. If you haven&#8217;t been reading the change log, and you&#8217;ve just updated to the latest version of WordPress, this fairly consequential, but fairly hidden feature is now available to you free of charge, on the back of Andy&#8217;s, and many other people&#8217;s labor. So just very quick thank you from me. Thank you for taking the time to do that, and thank you for chatting to me today.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:46] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> It is certainly not me alone. Colin Stewart has been invaluable, and is a brilliant developer.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:52] <strong>Nathan Wrigley:</strong> Well, a profound change to WordPress. Yeah, thank you so much for chatting with me today, I really appreciate it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>[00:37:58] <strong>Andy Fragen:</strong> You&#8217;re very welcome, sir.</p>\n</div>\n\n\n\n<p>On the podcast today we have <a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/afragen/\">Andy Fragen</a>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Andy is a dedicated member of the WordPress community as well as a trauma surgeon. Somehow he manages to balance the demands of his profession with his passion for the community and, as you will hear, to important work inside of WordPress Core. Even while in the operating room, waiting for patients to be prepped, Andy has been known to find moments to answer forum questions and provide support to others. It’s truly remarkable.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Andy talks about the important topic of automatic rollbacks in WordPress, a feature aimed at reverting to a previous version if an automatic plugin or theme update fails, ensuring the website remains functional for users. I’ve managed to encapsulate the idea into the previous sentence, but as you will hear, the execution of that idea was anything other than straightforward.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Andy discusses the origins of the rollback feature. The team working on this problem identified complexities and potential fatal errors during plugin updates and came up with a simple yet effective solution which worked, but as with so much in code, some edge cases meant that the road to a fully workable solution for all WordPress users was not quite in sight. Many times the drawing board had to be dusted off and the problem looked at once again.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>While developing this feature, numerous challenges were encountered, from finding consistent test conditions to managing technical limitations. Andy shares insights into the critical role of testing and collaboration with hosting companies, meticulous attention to detail, and problem-solving skills developed to combat issues like file write delays and loopback test redirects.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Andy explains how the team managed to avoid fatal errors in active plugins with extensive testing and incremental improvements. They introduced functionalities like WP error checks, simulation features for testing error handling, and a new move directory function to enhance reliability.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Andy also discusses the broader impact of their rollback efforts. Many users might not notice this new feature, but in a sense that’s how it should be. The more unnoticeable to end-users update failures are, the better. It means that sites that would previously have been broken, are now working, and that’s a win for everyone.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re interested in the behind-the-scenes development of a WordPress feature that quietly keeps your website running smoothly, and in hearing how a dedicated contributor balances his passion for WordPress with a demanding medical career, this episode is for you.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Useful links</h2>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/afragen/\">Andy&#8217;s WordPress.org profile</a></p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https://github.com/afragen/core-rollback\">core-rollback on GitHub</a></p>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 02 Oct 2024 14:03:22 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:14:\"Nathan Wrigley\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:48;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:107:\"Do The Woo Community: WordPress Accessibility Day with Michelle Frechette, Sarah Kornblum &amp; Ryan Bracey\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:28:\"https://dothewoo.io/?p=85884\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:100:\"https://dothewoo.io/wordpress-accessibility-day-with-michelle-freschette-sarah-kornblum-ryan-bracey/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:25581:\"Episode Transcript\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p>Michelle:<br />Well, I&#8217;m excited because I host a bunch of podcasts. This is my first time guest hosting on the <em>Do the Woo</em> Podcast. So we&#8217;re here today at WordPress Event Talk because the three of us are going to be working on a very important event coming up. So who is <em>us</em>? I&#8217;m Michelle Frechette. I am the Director of Community Engagement at StellarWP. I&#8217;m also the Executive Director at Post Status, but all of that takes a backseat today to the fact that I am one of the organizers for an incredible upcoming 24-hour event on accessibility called WordPress Accessibility Day, coming up on October 9th and 10th. So who is the rest of <em>us</em>? I&#8217;m going to ask you to introduce yourselves, tell us a little bit about yourselves, and then we&#8217;re going to talk, the three of us, about why WordPress Accessibility Day is so important. Over to you, Sarah. Sarah, tell us a little bit about yourself.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />Hi, I am Sarah. I have my own web design company, <em>Two Dogs and a Laptop.</em> Before coming into the WordPress space and the website world, I was a middle school special education math teacher. Accessibility has a very important place in my heart because, given the right tools, anybody can do anything they want to do. So that&#8217;s why I am here today.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />I love it. I do have one question though. Does that mean you could never get another dog?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />Right now, I actually have two fosters.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />So it&#8217;s temporarily four dogs and a laptop?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />Yes, right now it&#8217;s four dogs and a laptop. The numbers change every once in a while.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />As long as the URL stays the same, it&#8217;s all good.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />That&#8217;s right. The name doesn&#8217;t change, but sometimes the number fluctuates a little bit.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />Exactly. And joining us today, we also have Ryan Bracy. Ryan, tell us about yourself.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />Yeah, my name is Ryan Bracey. I&#8217;m the Director of Web Development and User Experience at an agency called <em>Second Melody</em> based in New Jersey. I am also an organizing member of WordPress Accessibility Day, which, as Michelle said, kind of takes front row today.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />I&#8217;m excited. This is my first time organizing this event. Ryan, this is your second year, is that correct?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />Yeah, I was a volunteer three years ago and an organizer the past two.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />Oh, so it&#8217;s more than, yeah. And Sarah?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />This is my first time. I&#8217;m new to this space as well.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />So, how have you found our organization? It seems like we had our first meeting at the beginning of the year, thinking we had so much time, but now it&#8217;s coming up very quickly.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />It goes really fast.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />It really does.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />When we&#8217;re talking in January or February, it seems like the event is so far away, and now we&#8217;re here, and it&#8217;s crunch time. It&#8217;s coming up real quick.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />It sure is. Comments, Ryan?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />No, the same. Yeah, I remember a bunch of our updates being like, &#8220;I&#8217;m just in a holding pattern right now,&#8221; and then all of a sudden, it was every day something new happening. But we&#8217;re coming up to it now.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />And now we need flight control because so much is happening all at once.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />Yes, exactly.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />So what are your roles within the organizing team? Sarah, what are you doing?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />I am helping June with social media, so I&#8217;ve been doing a lot of the social media posting. She does most of it. I&#8217;m just here for moral support and backup. But it&#8217;s a lot. I don&#8217;t know how any one person does it on their own, which is why there&#8217;s a team of us, right? Because it&#8217;s not possible to do all of this. It&#8217;s become such a big day that you need as much help as you can get.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />Absolutely. It would be like seven full-time jobs if anybody tried to do it alone. It&#8217;s unlikely that one person could handle it all. If anybody could, it’d probably be Amber or Joe, but we&#8217;ll talk about them in a little while. Ryan, what&#8217;s your role on the team?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />I think Amber and Joe did it by themselves for a while, too.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />Probably.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />I am the team lead for the speakers&#8217; team. My role this year has been receiving speaker applications, reviewing them with my team, making selections, coordinating with speakers, getting them the information they need, adding them to our Slack workspace, and preparing them for the event. We&#8217;re also holding practice sessions as we lead up to the day. So, pretty much everything with the speakers is coming through me.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />Yeah, 24 hours of programming is all but on your shoulders. I know you have a team, and we all work together.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />Yeah, and day of, I&#8217;ll just be coordinating with speakers, of course. But yes, it&#8217;s not just me, there&#8217;s a whole team.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />Absolutely. You asked what I do. I am the team lead for marketing. I&#8217;ve been doing things like asking people like Bob to let us have an episode of his podcast to talk about the event. We&#8217;ve also had great team members on other podcasts and webinars for different companies to spread the word as much as possible. Which brings me to my next question: Why is web accessibility so important? Why should people attend a 24-hour event like this? We don’t expect anyone to listen to all 24 hours live, but why is it important for people to learn more about web accessibility, especially if they don&#8217;t have any disabilities themselves? Ryan, what are your thoughts?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />A lot of thoughts, but I&#8217;ll try to keep it short. So, I&#8217;ve been involved in this space for a few years now, probably since 2016 or 2017, when I started to become aware of accessibility. At first, you think it&#8217;s just about catering to people with disabilities. But as you dive in, you realize that making a website more accessible improves the experience for everyone. Better contrast, more functional UI components, structured headings—all of these make the site easier to use for everyone, not just those with disabilities. By focusing on accessibility, you put out a much better product, which benefits everyone. At the end of the day, you&#8217;re creating something that anyone in the world can use, which is how it should be. There&#8217;s a Tim Berners-Lee quote where he says the internet is for everybody, and accessibility is a way to achieve that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />Oh, I like that. Sarah, when we talk about accessibility, I know you and I echo everything Ryan just said. I don&#8217;t know if you have anything to add, but we often hear that accessibility compromises design and aesthetics. What are your thoughts about that?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />I don’t think accessibility compromises design and aesthetics. If your design can&#8217;t be viewed by most people, what&#8217;s the point of the design? If you feel it’s a compromise, then the design wasn’t good to begin with. Accessibility means everyone can use it, no matter their background or what&#8217;s going on in their lives. Going back to my teaching background, when I made adjustments to help certain students, all the students benefited. It made the material accessible for everyone, not just those who needed extra help. The same applies to websites—accessibility helps everyone, and it’s often overlooked if you don’t personally need it. Accessibility Day starts the conversations that need to be had.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />That reminds me of something people often talk about when they say accessibility helps everyone. When curb cuts started to be required for wheelchair users, of which I am one, it also made life easier for people pushing strollers, using pushcarts, or walking with a cane or walker. Curb cuts benefit so many people, not just those in wheelchairs. Isn’t that also true of accessibility features on the web?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />Definitely.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />So true. And those little plates with bumps on them at curb cuts—those are meant for people with vision impairments, but they help everyone. If you&#8217;re texting while walking and you hit those bumps, you’re reminded that a street crossing is coming up. They benefit everyone, not just those with vision impairments.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />Absolutely. Ryan, you had something to add?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />I love bringing in real-world examples like that. It makes the case for accessibility so much clearer. The web is just an extension of that.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />I like to compare it to my experience as a wheelchair user. I walk around my house, but as soon as I go beyond 20 or 30 feet, I need accessibility features. If I approach a building with no curb cut and no automatic door opener, I can&#8217;t access it. The same happens on the web—if the tabbing doesn’t work, or the screen reader isn&#8217;t accurate, I can’t access your website, just like I can’t access stairs in the physical world.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />Yeah, that&#8217;s great.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />Exactly. And there are so many people who need the help, so you&#8217;re losing those potential customers if your website isn’t accessible. If somebody can’t access it, they’re leaving. Just like you wouldn’t try to break down a door to get into a building—you’d just go somewhere else.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />We often think of people with disabilities as being born with them or having experienced some tragic accident, like becoming blind or using a wheelchair. But the truth is, most of us—or I’ll say many of us—will end up with some kind of disability as we age. For instance, a large portion of the population will need glasses as they get older. And I think my generation, and younger ones, will experience this even more rapidly because of our constant screen use. This is anecdotal, but from my own experience, I now wear not only glasses for the computer but also bifocals. That didn’t happen because I was born with vision issues—it’s from years of screen use and aging. So, web accessibility benefits all of us as we grow older and need things like larger fonts and better contrast.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />That&#8217;s a great point. Microsoft has an Inclusivity Handbook, which is excellently written, and they break down user impairments into categories: visual impairment, hearing impairment, motor impairment, cognitive impairment. But then they also talk about the temporality of those impairments, meaning that you can have a permanent disability, a temporary disability, or even a situational one. For instance, if someone breaks an arm, that’s a temporary disability. Or if you’re a new parent, breastfeeding a child, you temporarily can’t use both hands, so you have a motor disability. Situational impairments might be something like being on a noisy train and not being able to hear your phone, so captions become really important. Accessibility helps everyone, even in temporary or situational contexts.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />I love how you mentioned situational and temporary disabilities, because those are so often overlooked. When people think about disabilities, they tend to only consider permanent disabilities, but there are so many times when a temporary or situational disability affects someone’s ability to use a website, and accessibility helps in those moments, too. For example, if you’re on the subway, you can’t listen to something at full volume, so you need captions. Accessibility just makes life easier for everyone.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />Exactly. And every time you consider these things, you increase the number of users your website reaches by making it accessible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />I live in a condo built in 1988, and every door handle is just a knob. I walk with a cane, so if I have something in one hand and my cane in the other, I have to put something down to turn the doorknob. I just ordered brand-new handles with levers so that I can hit them with my elbow and open the door without putting anything down. It’s a simple fix, but it makes a big difference. It’s the same with web accessibility—it’s often about small changes that make things much more accessible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />You just have to be careful not to make the doors too accessible for your cats! They might learn how to open them, and then you’ve got a whole new problem.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />Right, especially when you have guests in the restroom—awkward! But yes, you&#8217;re always being observed if you live with pets.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />I love the door example. Those are called Norman doors—doors that are confusing to use. It’s a user experience concept introduced by Don Norman in the ’90s. His example was how you don’t know whether to push or pull a door when you walk up to it. Your example ties into that—it’s about making doors, or anything, easier to use.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />Exactly.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />Something as simple as a door.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />And even with keyless entry cars now, I never take my car key out anymore. It used to be a hassle to find it in my bag or pocket, but now I just walk up to the car, and it opens. Accessibility can be like that—it makes things easier for everyone.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />I need one of those cars! My next car will definitely have more features.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />But bringing it back to WordPress Accessibility Day—Ryan, you’re the speaker wrangler, the lead speaker organizer, as we might say in WordCamp talk. What are some of the things we can look forward to that day?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />Oh boy, this is a hard question for me because I love all my speakers equally! But yes, I’ll start with the keynote. Our keynote speaker this year is Lainey Feingold, a disability rights lawyer. She’s going to talk to us about the legal landscape surrounding web accessibility, which is really in flux right now, especially with new European laws coming out. Lainey has been involved in accessibility since the early ’90s. One of her major accomplishments is the braille on ATM machines—that was because of her advocacy. So she’ll be kicking off the entire event. It’s definitely a session to attend if you can.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>We also have a wide range of topics that cover everything from beginner to expert levels. Whether you’re a content creator, designer, developer, product manager, or team manager, there’s something for you. The full schedule is up now, and you can also register on the website.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />I love that. Sarah, what are some of the topics you’re excited about?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />Oh, there are so many that I want to stay up for all 24 hours just to catch them all. It feels like if I’m not there live, I’m missing out. But honestly, there’s so much I want to see!</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />Same here. As a non-developer, I’m not as interested in those more technical talks, but I’m excited for developers to hear them. I’m a content marketer, so I’m most excited about the sessions on content and design, but I plan to catch as many as possible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />I know, it’s hard to pick favorites. But if you can’t attend live, don’t worry—all the sessions will be available on YouTube afterward, and we’re striving to have them translated into as many languages as possible. So if anyone listening speaks another language and would like to volunteer to help with translations, that would be a great way to contribute!</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />And during the live sessions, we’ll have human live captioning, so the transcripts will be accurate. We’ll also have live ASL interpretation on screen during the event. While we recognize that there are different sign languages around the world, for this event we’ll be using American Sign Language (ASL). I’ve also been busy recording all the intros for the sessions that will be on YouTube afterward, so you’ll hear my voice introducing speakers and thanking our sponsors.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />Wow, that’s a lot of work!</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />Yes, the dulcet tones of Michelle Frechette! (laughs) But seriously, it’s been a lot of fun. And speaking of which, Sarah, tell people how they can register and what they can expect.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />It’s a completely free event! You just need to register ahead of time. The registration link is 2024.wpaccessibility.day/register/. It’s a big register button, so you can’t miss it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />And Bob assures us that all the links will be in the show notes for this episode, so you can find them there as well. Sarah’s wearing our official T-shirt for this year that says “Focus: It’s a Feature, Not a Bug,” which is a fun inside joke for developers.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />Yes, it comes from people reporting the focus outline (the box around links when tabbing) as a bug, when in fact it’s a feature for accessibility.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />Exactly! Focus outlines aren’t a design flaw—they enhance the design by making it easier for people to navigate the site.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />I still get that comment on almost every website.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />And if you want a shirt like Sarah’s, you can get one when you register with a donation of $50 or more. All the funds go toward running the event—paying speakers, interpreters, and captioners, and covering the costs of the website and other resources.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />Yes, and no one on the organizing team pockets any of the money. We do this because we love the community and accessibility, and we want to help others.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />If this event had a paid staff, it would cost money to attend, but we’re all volunteers.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />Exactly. Any donations go toward making the event possible. And because we operate under the umbrella of a nonprofit, donations are tax-deductible. It all goes back into the event to keep it going year after year.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />October 9th and 10th is coming up fast! Ryan, what time does the event start?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />It starts at 14:45 UTC, which is 10:45 AM Eastern time.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />And are all of our speakers from North America?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />No, we have speakers from 12 different countries this year, which is three more than last year. We’ve made a strong effort to branch out, and we have speakers from Europe, Africa, Asia-Pacific, Australia, Canada, South America—we’re very international this year.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />That’s awesome! I think around 25% of our speakers also identify as disabled, which I think is really cool.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />Yes, I have all the stats. We have 37% of our speakers identifying as male, 57% as female, 7% as non-binary, and 3% as trans. Additionally, 17% of our speakers are non-white, and 23% identify as living with a disability.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />And all of that information was volunteered by the speakers themselves.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />What other stats do you have for us?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />Four of our speakers are first-time speakers, which is very exciting!</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />That’s amazing!</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />We’ll definitely need to show up and give them extra support.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />Exactly.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />And we can ask questions, right? This is a live event.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />Yes, all the sessions are live, and there will be time for Q&amp;A at the end of each talk. We’re asking our speakers to limit their talks to 30 to 45 minutes so there’s about 10 minutes for questions. There will also be breaks between sessions.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />I’m going to try to stay up for all 24 hours, but we’ll see how that goes!</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />All-nighters aren’t kind to us anymore!</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />Exactly. Any final thoughts, Ryan?</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />We’re just really excited for this year and hoping for a huge turnout. There’s no limit on registration, so if you’re interested, definitely sign up! Whether you’re new to accessibility or an expert, there’s something for everyone. You can also volunteer or donate to support the event.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />I’m super excited for this event! It’s my first time attending live, and I can’t wait to experience it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michelle:<br />It’s going to be great! Thanks to both of you for joining me today, and thanks to Bob Dunn for letting us take over this podcast spot to talk about WordPress Accessibility Day. We’ll see everyone on October 9th!</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ryan:<br />Yeah!</p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sarah:<br />Yay!</p>\n</div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>In this episode of <em><strong>Do the Woo</strong></em>, <strong>Michelle Frechette</strong>, guest hosting for the first time, joins fellow <strong>WordPress Accessibility Day</strong> organizers, <strong>Sarah Kornblum</strong> and <strong>Ryan Bracey</strong>, to discuss the upcoming 24-hour event on October 9th and 10th, 2024. Together, they chat about the importance of web accessibility, the challenges of organizing a global event, and the various ways accessibility improves the user experience for everyone. </p>\n\n\n\n<p> Whether you&#8217;re a developer, designer, or content creator, this episode highlights why WordPress Accessibility Day is an essential resource for anyone in the WordPress community.</p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Takeaways</h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Web Accessibility Benefits Everyone</strong>: The hosts emphasize that web accessibility is not just about helping people with permanent disabilities but improves the experience for all users. Features like better contrast, structured navigation, and user-friendly designs make websites easier to use for everyone, including those with temporary or situational impairments.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference</strong>: Simple adjustments, both in physical spaces and on the web, like curb cuts or focus outlines, improve access for a wider audience. Accessibility features benefit all users, not just those with specific disabilities.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>WordPress Accessibility Day is Global</strong>: The event has speakers from 12 different countries, showcasing diverse perspectives on accessibility from around the world. This international focus enhances the inclusivity of the event and the information shared.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>It’s a Free Event with a Wide Range of Topics</strong>: WordPress Accessibility Day covers accessibility for all levels—from beginners to experts. There are sessions tailored for content creators, designers, developers, and team leaders, making it a valuable resource for anyone in the WordPress community.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Inclusivity Goes Beyond Design</strong>: Beyond aesthetics, accessibility is about creating websites and digital experiences that everyone can navigate and use. Good design doesn&#8217;t compromise accessibility—it enhances it.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Live and Accessible</strong>: All sessions at WPAccessibility Day will feature live human captioning, live ASL interpretation, and will be made available on YouTube afterward with translations in multiple languages, ensuring the event is accessible to as many people as possible.</p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Opportunities to Get Involved</strong>: Listeners can volunteer, help with translations, or donate to support the event. This community-driven approach helps make the event free and accessible to all while ensuring that speakers, interpreters, and captioners are compensated for their work.</p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Links to WordPress Accessibility Day</h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://2024.wpaccessibility.day/\">WordPress Accessibility Day 2024</a></strong></li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://2024.wpaccessibility.day/\">WordPress Accessibility Day Registration</a></strong></li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://2024.wpaccessibility.day/schedule/\">WordPress Accessibility Day Schedule</a></strong></li>\n</ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Connect</h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://meetmichelle.online/\">Meet Michelle</a></strong></li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/michelleames/\">Michelle on WordPress.org</a></strong></li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellefrechetteames/\">Michelle on LinkedIn</a></strong></li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://secondmelody.com/\">Second Melody</a></strong></li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://profiles.wordpress.org/braceomatic88/\">Ryan on WordPress.org</a></strong></li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-bracey-61288324/\">Ryan on LinkedIn</a></strong></li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://2dogsandalaptop.com/\">Two Dogs and a Laptop</a></strong></li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-kornblum/\">Sarah on LinkedIn</a></strong></li>\n</ul>\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 02 Oct 2024 09:18:57 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:5:\"BobWP\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:49;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:2:{s:0:\"\";a:5:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:74:\"Do The Woo Community: Tips for the Anonymous Product Developers About Page\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:43:\"https://dothewoo.io/?post_type=blog&p=85197\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:78:\"https://dothewoo.io/blog/tips-for-the-anonymous-product-developers-about-page/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2788:\"<p id=\"ember607\">This is a pet peeve of mine. Being a visible player in the WooCommerce (and WordPress) space, I am inundated with requests to look at stuff, connect, offer advice, all of which I&#8217;m cool with. I also keep my eye on what&#8217;s happening out there.&nbsp;Often this all happens on social media. But regardless of the quality of the product, there is one thing that bugs me.</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember608\"><strong>Who are you?</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember609\">This has happened a lot of times to me. And it happened again, so it&#8217;s fresh in my mind. a month or so ago. I was on X, saw a Woo plugin that I have never heard of and I clicked through to the site. Typically, I do two things. I glance at what the extension does, then I find out who created it. I look for the about page.</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember610\">But as so often happens, there is nothing about the person, team or business behind it. Now I understand that a lot of developers are introverts. And sometimes writing about themselves can be challenging, but yet&#8230;</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember611\">Absolutely <strong>nothing</strong>.</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember612\"><strong>Where is the online authenticity?</strong></p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember613\">Guess what people? I am not going to use— or buy— your product out of the blue, even if I really need it. Unless you tell me who the heck you are.</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember614\">In that last example, I did a bit more investigation and in a roundabout way figured out it was the person who had originally tweeted it. But he didn&#8217;t make it easy.</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember615\">And it didn&#8217;t change my mind about using it. Sorry.</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember616\">And not too long ago I saw a different tweet. There was no link for a handle to the plugin&#8217;s Twitter page. Lo and behold, in the description, I found who created it. Following through to the site I was kept in the dark there with little information.</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember617\">I cannot say if other people are like me or not. But I can only wonder if there is some specific reason you don&#8217;t want to let me know you are behind this plugin? Do you really think I will snag it up without any proof of credibility? And I&#8217;m not talking an about page that says something like:</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember618\">We are a dedicated team of WooCommerce developers who really understand your needs and wanted to give you a solution that would make your life easier.</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember619\">And that is it. Well, blah, blah, blah.</p>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"ember620\">About pages are important. Otherwise, in the whole scheme of things,&nbsp;you are just another speck of dust in the cosmic universe. So, please tell me, who are you&nbsp;. 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INSERT INTO `7xs3i_options` VALUES (0,'_transient_feed_1ba599ab7de10d3141b69dcb9b501248','a:4:{s:5:\"child\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:3:\"rss\";a:1:{i:0;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:3:\"\n\n\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:7:\"version\";s:3:\"2.0\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:7:\"channel\";a:1:{i:0;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:49:\"\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n	\n		\n		\n		\n		\n		\n		\n		\n		\n		\n	\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:3:{s:0:\"\";a:7:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:11:\"UpdraftPlus\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:24:\"https://updraftplus.com/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:48:\"The World\'s Most Trusted WordPress Backup Plugin\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:13:\"lastBuildDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 17 Sep 2024 10:10:44 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"language\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:5:\"en-US\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:9:\"generator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:30:\"https://wordpress.org/?v=6.6.2\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"item\";a:10:{i:0;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:73:\"\n		\n		\n					\n		\n		\n		\n				\n		\n\n					\n										\n					\n					\n			\n		\n		\n			\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:5:{s:0:\"\";a:7:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:49:\"Plugin Comparison: UpdraftPlus vs BackUpWordPress\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:55:\"https://updraftplus.com/updraftplus-vs-backupwordpress/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:63:\"https://updraftplus.com/updraftplus-vs-backupwordpress/#respond\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 17 Sep 2024 08:42:23 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:17:\"Plugin comparison\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:34:\"https://updraftplus.com/?p=2244483\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:573:\"<p>Compare UpdraftPlus vs BackUpWordPress. Learn the key differences, features, and which plugin offers better value and functionality <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/updraftplus-vs-backupwordpress/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&#8594;</span></a></p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/updraftplus-vs-backupwordpress/\">Plugin Comparison: UpdraftPlus vs BackUpWordPress</a> appeared first on <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus</a>. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus - Backup, restore and migration plugin for WordPress.</a></p>\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Brenda Barron\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:40:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/\";a:1:{s:7:\"encoded\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:34800:\"<div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_0 et_section_regular\" >\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_0\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_0  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_0  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p>There are many WordPress backup plugins out there, and figuring out which one is best is no easy task. BackUpWordPress is loved for its straightforward simplicity. But how does it compare to UpdraftPlus? And can it provide everything you need in a backup plugin?</p>\n<p>A simple comparison can clear things up and help you figure out which plugin suits you best. Our goal is to be objective and factual about the differences between these plugins.</p>\n<p>Let’s get into it.</p></div>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_1\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_1  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_1  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><table class=\"w-full table table-fixed text-md\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"text-left\">\n<th scope=\"col\">Feature</th>\n<th scope=\"col\">UpdraftPlus</th>\n<th scope=\"col\">BackUpWordPress</th>\n</tr>\n</thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\">Manual and scheduled backups</td>\n<td>\nUpdraftPlus supports both manual and scheduled backups.</td>\n<td>\nBackUpWordPress also supports manual and scheduled backups.</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\">Backup to remote storage</td>\n<td>\nThe free version of UpdraftPlus gives you 10 remote storage options to choose from, plus the option to save backups to your server. The premium version offers 15+ remote storage options.</td>\n<td>\nDoes not support remote storage at all. All backups are saved on your server.</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\">Backup restore</td>\n<td>\nAllows you to restore backups at any time. It even supports restoring backups taken with other plugins.\n</td>\n<td>\nDoesn’t allow you to restore backups, only take them.\n</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\">Multisite support</td>\n<td>\nPremium UpdraftPlus supports multisite.\n</td>\n<td>\nSupports multisite for free.\n</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\">Incremental backups</td>\n<td>\nSupports incremental backups in the premium version.\n</td>\n<td>\nNo incremental backups feature.\n</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\">\nBackup non-WordPress files\n</td>\n<td>\nYou can backup non-WordPress files with UpdraftPlus premium.\n</td>\n<td>Backs up any files in your root directory, including non-WordPress files.</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\">Backup encryption</td>\n<td>\nUpdraftPlus premium allows users to Encrypt your database with UpdraftPlus Premium. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/updraftvault/\">UpdraftVault</a> also supports encryption.</p>\n</td>\n<td>Does not support database or file encryption.</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\">Migration and cloning</td>\n<td>Can migrate with the free or premium versions of UpdraftPlus. Can also spin up temporary clone sites on UpdraftPlus servers with UpdraftClone. </td>\n<td>No migration or cloning features.</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\">Reporting</td>\n<td>The site administrator receives a basic report when a backup is taken. UpdraftPlus premium allows you to send this email to several people. It also includes advanced reporting with a lot more information.</td>\n<td>\nIncludes basic reporting features sent to a single email of your choice.\n</td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td scope=\"row\">Premium, priority support</td>\n<td>\nUpdraftPlus premium users receive priority ticket support. Free users can get support through the plugin page’s forum.</td>\n<td>\nThere is no way to get support except through the plugin forum, which appears to be abandoned.</td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_2  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Going off the number of features alone, it’s clear that UpdraftPlus is more feature-rich. Sometimes a simple and straightforward plugin can be preferable. The issue is that BackUpWordPress is missing several key, necessary features.</p>\n<p>For one, BackUpWordPress doesn’t support remote storage. This used to be a paid feature, but it’s been discontinued entirely, so backups are only stored on your server. UpdraftPlus supports many remote storage options for free.</p>\n<p>There’s also no way to restore a backup through the plugin, unlike UpdraftPlus with its one-click restoration. Advanced features, like incremental backups, are also missing.</p>\n<p>BackUpWordPress does some things that the free version of UpdraftPlus doesn’t. Namely, multisite support and backing up non-WordPress files. But the lack of support for basic features like remote storage is a major trade-off.</p>\n<p>BackUpWordPress does a good job if you want a simple backup plugin, but it’s missing a lot of necessary features. And UpdraftPlus does a lot more for free.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_3  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2>UpdraftPlus vs BackUpWordPress: Areas of difference</h2></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_4  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p>UpdraftPlus and BackUpWordPress are very different plugins. While UpdraftPlus has all the bells and whistles, BackUpWordPress is relatively simple. Let’s take a closer look at how these two plugins look and feel, and the major differences between them.</p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_5  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>Backup options</h3></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_6  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">When you install a backup plugin, the most important feature is how it backs up your content.</p>\n<p>Does it let you schedule backups? Save them to remote storage? Is taking a backup straightforward and easy, or is it buried in several layers of menus? What about extra features like<a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/tell-me-more-about-incremental-backups/\"> incremental backups</a>?</p>\n<p>Let’s compare the backup features UpdraftPlus vs. BackUpWordPress offers.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_7  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h4>UpdraftPlus</h4>\n<p>Once you install UpdraftPlus, you can find it out of the way in <strong>Settings &gt; UpdraftPlus Backups</strong>. All plugin features are conveniently located on this page.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_0\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1032\" height=\"391\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/updraft-plus-backup-restore-66e800503f2fa.webp\" alt=\"updraft-plus-backup-restore\" title=\"updraft-plus-backup-restore\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/updraft-plus-backup-restore-66e800503f2fa.webp 1032w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/updraft-plus-backup-restore-66e800503f2fa-980x371.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/updraft-plus-backup-restore-66e800503f2fa-480x182.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1032px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244493\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_8  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Taking a manual backup is as simple as clicking <strong>Backup Now</strong>. A menu will pop up where you can configure what files to include and where the backup gets sent. With the premium version, you can pick exactly what database tables and files you include.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_1\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"628\" height=\"486\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/take-a-new-backup-dialogue-66e8005034376.webp\" alt=\"take-a-new-backup-dialogue\" title=\"take-a-new-backup-dialogue\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/take-a-new-backup-dialogue-66e8005034376.webp 628w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/take-a-new-backup-dialogue-66e8005034376-480x371.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 628px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244494\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_9  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Premium UpdraftPlus users can also take a manual incremental backup. Click<strong> Add changed files</strong> below the <strong>Backup Now</strong> button.</p>\n<p>As for setting up scheduled backups, you can find these in the <strong>Settings</strong> tab at the top of the page. Just set the <strong>Files backup schedule</strong> and <strong>Database backup schedule</strong>. Then select how often you want new backups to run.</p>\n<p>UpdraftPlus premium gives you fine control over exactly what time backups are taken. You can also set up advanced retention rules. The free version lets you pick from preset times, like every 12 hours or every month.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_2\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"995\" height=\"256\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/files-backup-schedule-66e8004f41941.webp\" alt=\"files-backup-schedule\" title=\"files-backup-schedule\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/files-backup-schedule-66e8004f41941.webp 995w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/files-backup-schedule-66e8004f41941-980x252.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/files-backup-schedule-66e8004f41941-480x123.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 995px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244495\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_10  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Finally, you can choose where to send backups. There are 10 cloud storage options in the free version and 17 in the premium version of UpdraftPlus. Premium users can send backups to several storage sites, while free users can pick one.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_3\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"928\" height=\"417\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/choose-your-remote-storage-66e8004f37dfb.webp\" alt=\"choose-your-remote-storage\" title=\"choose-your-remote-storage\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/choose-your-remote-storage-66e8004f37dfb.webp 928w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/choose-your-remote-storage-66e8004f37dfb-480x216.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 928px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244496\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_11  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Taking backups with UpdraftPlus is easy, but there are plenty of advanced features. Migration, cloning, WP-CLI support, encryption, and advanced reporting are all premium features that UpdraftPlus users can take advantage of.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_12  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h4>BackUpWordPress</h4>\n<p>Taking a backup with BackUpWordPress works a little differently. Like UpdraftPlus, BackUpWordPress keeps itself out of the way in Tools &gt; Backups. For multisite, it’s in the Network Settings menu.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_4\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1030\" height=\"359\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/backupwordpress-wordpress-completed-66e8004e5af3e.webp\" alt=\"backupwordpress-wordpress-completed\" title=\"backupwordpress-wordpress-completed\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/backupwordpress-wordpress-completed-66e8004e5af3e.webp 1030w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/backupwordpress-wordpress-completed-66e8004e5af3e-980x342.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/backupwordpress-wordpress-completed-66e8004e5af3e-480x167.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1030px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244497\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_13  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Things are pretty simple here. You can click the <strong>Help</strong> menu in the top right for some FAQs, but otherwise, there are no plugin settings to tweak. All you can do is set up a backup.</p>\n<p>BackUpWordPress actually comes with some backup schedules in place. You can tweak these by clicking <strong>Settings</strong>, click <strong>Run now</strong> to run the backup outside of its schedule, or press <strong>Delete</strong> to get rid of the premade schedules.</p>\n<p>To create your own backup schedules, click the <strong>+ add schedule</strong> button. Pick whether to backup files, database, or both, configure the exact start time, the number of backups to keep, and where to send an email notification.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_5\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"764\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/database-settings-66e8004e55f16.webp\" alt=\"database-settings\" title=\"database-settings\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/database-settings-66e8004e55f16.webp 1024w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/database-settings-66e8004e55f16-980x731.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/database-settings-66e8004e55f16-480x358.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244498\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_14  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">It’s a little confusing – if you want to set up a manual backup, you have to set the <strong>Schedule</strong> to <strong>Manual Only</strong>. Then you can click <strong>Run now</strong> whenever you want to take a backup.</p>\n<p>Once you’ve created a file or complete backup, you’ll have access to another setting: <strong>Excludes</strong>. This lets you exclude directories and files from the backup.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_6\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1023\" height=\"207\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/complete-backup-manually-66e8004d51c95.webp\" alt=\"complete-backup-manually\" title=\"complete-backup-manually\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/complete-backup-manually-66e8004d51c95.webp 1023w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/complete-backup-manually-66e8004d51c95-980x198.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/complete-backup-manually-66e8004d51c95-480x97.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1023px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244499\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_15  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">And that’s all there is to it. BackUpWordPress actually does have some features that UpdraftPlus doesn’t offer for free. This includes setting the exact time backups start and backing up non-WordPress files and databases. You can also send backup reports to someone other than the administrator.</p>\n<p>But some major features are missing, most notably the ability to send backups to remote storage. While this used to be offered as a paid add-on, it’s now no longer an option at all.</p>\n<p>Keeping a backup only on your server is a lot like not having a backup at all. If something happens (your site gets hacked, server file corruption, bugs resulting in file deletion, etc.) then your backup will be gone along with your site.</p>\n<p>While you can download backups manually, it’s not a good idea to rely on your memory. BackUpWordPress itself even <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/backupwordpress/\">recommends using UpdraftPlus</a> for remote storage backups.</p>\n<p>Some useful features like incremental backups and advanced retention rules are also missing. Overall, everything you’ve seen so far is basically it – unlike UpdraftPlus, there aren’t any advanced features.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_16  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>Backup restore</h3></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_17  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">A great backup plugin will always include the ability to restore the backups it takes from within the dashboard.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_18  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h4>UpdraftPlus</h4>\n<p>Restoring a backup with UpdraftPlus is just as easy as taking one, and can be done in the same central dashboard at Settings &gt; UpdraftPlus Backups.</p>\n<p>Once there, scroll down to the Existing backups section. If you’ve already taken a backup, either manually or scheduled, you’ll find the list here. Click Restore and you’re good to go.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_7\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1029\" height=\"529\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/backup-log-66e8004d34a49.webp\" alt=\"backup-log\" title=\"backup-log\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/backup-log-66e8004d34a49.webp 1029w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/backup-log-66e8004d34a49-980x504.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/backup-log-66e8004d34a49-480x247.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1029px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244500\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_19  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">You can also download the backup files from the remote storage you sent them to, then <strong>Upload backup files</strong>, and drop the zip file in. This also works with backup files taken from other plugins.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_8\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1013\" height=\"383\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/drop-backlup-files-66e8004c5ac91.webp\" alt=\"drop-backlup-files\" title=\"drop-backlup-files\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/drop-backlup-files-66e8004c5ac91.webp 1013w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/drop-backlup-files-66e8004c5ac91-980x371.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/drop-backlup-files-66e8004c5ac91-480x181.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1013px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244501\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_20  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">You can restore the entire backup all at once or only the database, plugins, themes or uploads. </div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_21  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h4>BackUpWordPress</h4>\n<p>Unfortunately, BackUpWordPress lacks any sort of way to restore the backups taken with it.</p>\n<p>While you can restore backups manually, this can be difficult for WordPress beginners and you may not have access to tools like FTP, cPanel or phpMyAdmin. It’s a big blow to the plugin’s ease of use, since it’s much more convenient to just upload a backup file and click ‘Restore’.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_22  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>Multisite support and management</h3></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_23  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Finding a backup plugin that works well with multisite installations, or one that can handle several websites spread across different servers, isn’t easy. How well do UpdraftPlus and BackUpWordPress work with multiple websites?</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_24  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h4>UpdraftPlus</h4>\n<p>The free version of UpdraftPlus doesn’t support multisite. For that you’ll need UpdraftPlus Premium.</p>\n<p>Once installed on a multisite setup, UpdraftPlus will move to the Network dashboard and only the super admin will be able to access this.</p>\n<p>You can then backup and restore sub-sites instead of the entire WordPress multisite network.</p>\n<p>You can migrate a single site into a WordPress multisite network and you can migrate a subsite into another multisite network. However these are considered <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/information-on-importing-a-single-site-wordpress-backup-into-a-wordpress-network-i-e-multisite/\">permanent beta features</a>.</p>\n<p>UpdraftPlus can’t guarantee results because of the nature and complexity of how multisites are configured.</p>\n<p>You can’t currently clone a sub-site within the same multisite network or export a sub-site to a standalone WordPress site with Updraft.</p>\n<p>As for keeping track of backups across multiple sites on different servers – useful for agencies who have several clients, or people who run several websites at once – this can be done with <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/updraftcentral/\">UpdraftCentral</a>.</p>\n<p>UpdraftCentral is free for up to five websites, and allows you to manage updates, backups, and other administrative tasks from a single dashboard. For large agencies or networks, there’s a plan that lets you manage unlimited sites.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_25  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h4>BackUpWordPress</h4>\n<p>BackUpWordPress works with multisite for free out of the box, which makes it pretty unique among backup plugins. Most, including UpdraftPlus, require you to upgrade to the pro version or buy an add-on.</p>\n<p>The downside here is that the lack of scheduled backups is only amplified by having to manage backups from several sites at once. Having to manually download backups from individual sites isn’t ideal.</p>\n<p>BackUpWordPress also lacks any sort of centralised management dashboard, unlike UpdraftPlus.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_26  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>Plugin documentation, support, and maintenance</h3></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_27  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Finally, an aspect you definitely should not overlook: plugin support and maintenance. Many users rely on support from the plugin developers when something goes wrong. Others use detailed documentation to help them fix the issue themselves.</p>\n<p>And it goes without saying that an actively maintained plugin is ideal.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_28  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h4>UpdraftPlus</h4>\n<p>UpdraftPlus is actively maintained and updated, and has been for many years. New updates are released several times per year, both to add new features, streamline existing ones, and patch security issues.</p>\n<p>As for support, premium UpdraftPlus users can send in a ticket and get a response within 24 hours. Free users must use the WordPress plugin support forum, which is actively maintained so that everyone gets help.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_9\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"429\" height=\"201\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/no-of-issues-resolved-66e8004b86976.webp\" alt=\"no-of-issues-resolved\" title=\"no-of-issues-resolved\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/no-of-issues-resolved-66e8004b86976.webp 429w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/no-of-issues-resolved-66e8004b86976-300x141.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 429px) 100vw, 429px\" class=\"wp-image-2244502\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_29  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h4>BackUpWordPress</h4>\n<p>BackUpWordPress is certainly not an abandoned plugin. However, development seems to have ceased and no new features are being added. New updates are only released to update to the latest version of WordPress and PHP, or to fix security issues. Whether that will change in the future is unclear.</p>\n<p>While that means it’s safe to use BackUpWordPress long-term, the lack of new features in a plugin already lacking some major ones is a let-down.</p>\n<p>There’s also no documentation, though it’s a very simple plugin, so you may not need it.</p>\n<p>Unfortunately, it seems like the support forums are not maintained at all anymore. Most topics don’t have any developer replies. If you run into a problem, you’re on your own.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_10\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1141\" height=\"792\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/backup-wordpress-support-66e8004c18ae1.webp\" alt=\"backup-wordpress-support\" title=\"backup-wordpress-support\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/backup-wordpress-support-66e8004c18ae1.webp 1141w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/backup-wordpress-support-66e8004c18ae1-980x680.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/backup-wordpress-support-66e8004c18ae1-480x333.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1141px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244492\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_30  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>Pricing and plans</h3></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_31  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Now here’s the big question: How much does each plugin cost? And if one costs more, is it the better choice? You need to budget appropriately, so here’s what you need to know.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_32  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h4>UpdraftPlus</h4>\n<p>With the free version of UpdraftPlus, you get everything you’ll need to take a backup: manual and scheduled backups, backup restore, remote storage, file exclusion, and more. Basic, necessary features aren’t locked behind paywalls.</p>\n<p>If you need advanced features like incremental backups, fine control over scheduling, direct site-to-site migration and cloning, or extra remote storage options, you can <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/shop/\">upgrade to UpdraftPlus Premium.</a></p>\n<p>This costs $70-$400/year depending on your plan.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_33  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h4>BackUpWordPress</h4>\n<p>BackUpWordPress was once like UpdraftPlus, a freemium plugin with paid add-ons, including the ability to backup to remote storage. But those add-ons are no longer sold or supported, and only the free plugin is left.</p>\n<p>This means that BackUpWordPress is entirely free. But there are no advanced features, including necessary ones like cloud storage support and restoring backups, and no way to buy them.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_34  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2>Conclusion and recommendations</h2></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_35  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">BackUpWordPress is a decent choice if you just want a plugin that’s simple, free, and gets to the point. The big downside is that it lacks a lot of necessary features like the ability to restore backups or send them to remote storage. It’s also no longer under active development, and plugin support is minimal to nonexistent.</p>\n<p>UpdraftPlus is opposite in every way: it’s packed full of features that BackUpWordPress is missing. It’s actively developed and supported, including for free users. And while UpdraftPlus Premium includes advanced features like incremental backups, the free version has everything you’ll need to take, schedule, and restore backups.</p>\n<p>In short, BackUpWordPress is good at what it does, but it’s missing a lot. <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/updraftplus/\">UpdraftPlus</a> is the superior option if you’re looking for an all-in-one backup solution, and <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/shop/updraftplus-premium/\">UpdraftPlus Premium</a> has even more to offer.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_36  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2>FAQs</h2></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_accordion et_pb_accordion_0\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_0  et_pb_toggle_open\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">What is the main difference between UpdraftPlus and BackUpWordPress?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p>UpdraftPlus offers a much more comprehensive set of features compared to BackUpWordPress. While both provide basic backup functionality, UpdraftPlus also supports backup restore, cloud storage, incremental backups, and a lot more.</p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_1  et_pb_toggle_close\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">Is UpdraftPlus or BackUpWordPress easier to use?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p>Both plugins are pretty easy to use, and BackUpWordPress is fairly simple and straightforward. However, some of its UI can be confusing, while UpdraftPlus is designed with user-friendliness in mind.</p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_2  et_pb_toggle_close\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">Can UpdraftPlus back up my WordPress site to cloud storage?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p>Yes, UpdraftPlus supports multiple cloud storage options, including Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, and more. BackUpWordPress does not offer built-in support for cloud storage at all.</p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_3  et_pb_toggle_close\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">Is there a free version of UpdraftPlus?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, UpdraftPlus offers a free version with essential backup and restore features. While BackUpWordPress is entirely free, it lacks many of the advanced features found in UpdraftPlus.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_4  et_pb_toggle_close\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">Does BackUpWordPress offer support?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p>While BackUpWordPress does offer basic forum support, these forums are not maintained. UpdraftPlus offers fast and active support for free and premium users, plus extensive documentation and tutorials.</p></div>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div>\n				\n				\n			</div>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/updraftplus-vs-backupwordpress/\">Plugin Comparison: UpdraftPlus vs BackUpWordPress</a> appeared first on <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus</a>. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus - Backup, restore and migration plugin for WordPress.</a></p>\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:36:\"http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/\";a:1:{s:10:\"commentRss\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:60:\"https://updraftplus.com/updraftplus-vs-backupwordpress/feed/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:38:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/\";a:1:{s:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:1:\"0\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:1;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:76:\"\n		\n		\n					\n		\n		\n		\n				\n		\n		\n\n					\n										\n					\n					\n			\n		\n		\n			\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:5:{s:0:\"\";a:7:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:61:\"Tutorial: How to back up your WordPress site with UpdraftPlus\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:55:\"https://updraftplus.com/how-to-backup-with-updraftplus/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:63:\"https://updraftplus.com/how-to-backup-with-updraftplus/#respond\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Tue, 17 Sep 2024 08:20:45 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:18:\"Training materials\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}i:1;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:6:\"Backup\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:34:\"https://updraftplus.com/?p=2244519\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:596:\"<p>Discover how to back up your WordPress site with UpdraftPlus. Our guide covers both free and premium versions for secure, hassle-free backups. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/how-to-backup-with-updraftplus/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&#8594;</span></a></p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/how-to-backup-with-updraftplus/\">Tutorial: How to back up your WordPress site with UpdraftPlus</a> appeared first on <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus</a>. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus - Backup, restore and migration plugin for WordPress.</a></p>\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Brenda Barron\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:40:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/\";a:1:{s:7:\"encoded\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:40905:\"<div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_1 et_section_regular\" >\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_2\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_2  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_37  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Regular backups are essential for every WordPress site, and UpdraftPlus offers an easy and efficient way to manage them. This guide will take you through the backup process step by step, whether you&#8217;re using the free or Premium version of UpdraftPlus.</p>\n<p>While both versions follow the same core backup process, UpdraftPlus Premium offers extra features like scheduling incremental backups to save storage space and backing up before updates for extra protection.</p>\n<p>Curious about what else UpdraftPlus Premium offers? Check out our detailed free vs premium UpdraftPlus comparison.</p>\n<p>Now, let’s dive into the backup process.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_38  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2>How to back up with UpdraftPlus free</h2></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_39  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">First, let’s go over how to back up with the <a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/updraftplus/\">free version of UpdraftPlus</a>, which you can download from the WordPress plugin directory.</p>\n<p>While it may not have the advanced features of the premium version, it’s still a very convenient and efficient way to start backing up your website. Everything you need to schedule backups and send them to cloud storage is here.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_40  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>Step 1: Turn on reporting</h3></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_41  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Before doing anything else, it&#8217;s a good idea to enable reporting. This will let you know whether your backups were successful.</p>\n<p>To get started, navigate to <strong>Settings</strong> in your WordPress dashboard and select <strong>UpdraftPlus Backups</strong>. Then, go to the <strong>Settings</strong> tab within the plugin.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_11\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"658\" height=\"58\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/settings-66e810b59ca70.webp\" alt=\"settings\" title=\"settings\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/settings-66e810b59ca70.webp 658w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/settings-66e810b59ca70-480x42.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 658px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244532\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_42  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Scroll down to the <strong>Email</strong> section and check the box to enable email reporting. Click <strong>Save Changes</strong> at the bottom. Reports will now be sent to your admin email.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_12\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"910\" height=\"99\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/email-reporting-66e810b537359.webp\" alt=\"email-reporting\" title=\"email-reporting\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/email-reporting-66e810b537359.webp 910w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/email-reporting-66e810b537359-480x52.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 910px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244533\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_43  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Upgrade to Premium to send reports to multiple email addresses and receive detailed information, including backup contents, backup size, warnings, and cryptographic checksums to verify the integrity of your backups.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_44  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>Step 2: Choose a backup location</h3></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_45  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">UpdraftPlus supports numerous cloud backup locations so you can store your backups in a safe, off-site location. It&#8217;s a good idea to do this. If something happens to your server or hosting provider, your backup is gone too.</p>\n<p>If you still want to save backups to your server, you can still do that with UpdraftPlus. To save to a cloud backup location, go to the <strong>Settings</strong> tab.</p>\n<p>Look for <strong>Choose your remote storage</strong> and tap the icon for the remote storage you want to use. Follow the relevant instructions to connect UpdraftPlus. For instance, if you’re using Dropbox, you’ll need to authenticate your Dropbox account, for FTP, enter your FTP credentials, and so forth. When you’re done, click <strong>Save Changes</strong> at the bottom.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_13\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"928\" height=\"417\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/choose-your-remote-storage-66e8004f37dfb.webp\" alt=\"choose-your-remote-storage\" title=\"choose-your-remote-storage\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/choose-your-remote-storage-66e8004f37dfb.webp 928w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/choose-your-remote-storage-66e8004f37dfb-480x216.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 928px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244496\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_46  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">UpdraftPlus supports the following backup locations in the free version:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>UpdraftVault.</li>\n<li>Dropbox.</li>\n<li>Amazon S3.</li>\n<li>Rackspace Cloud Files.</li>\n<li>Google Drive.</li>\n<li>FTP.</li>\n<li>OpenStack (Swift).</li>\n<li>DreamObjects.</li>\n<li>S3-Compatible (DigitalOcean</li>\n<li>Spaces, Linode Object Storage, etc.).</li>\n<li>Email.</li>\n</ul></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_47  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Upgrading to Premium gives you access to these extra storage locations, plus the ability to back up to more than one location:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>UpdraftVault (1GB of integrated storage is included).</li>\n<li>Microsoft OneDrive.</li>\n<li>Microsoft Azure.</li>\n<li>SFTP/SCP.</li>\n<li>Google Cloud.</li>\n<li>Backblaze.</li>\n<li>WebDAV.</li>\n<li>pCloud.</li>\n</ul></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_48  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>Step 3: Schedule your backups</h3></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_49  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">UpdraftPlus lets you schedule backups at regular intervals, so you don’t have to remember to run them manually. It’s a convenient &#8216;set it and forget it&#8217; solution that ensures your site is always backed up.</p>\n<p>From the same <strong>Settings</strong> tab as before, look for <strong>Files backup schedule</strong> and <strong>Database backup schedule</strong>. You can back up the files and database at separate times, which is useful if you don’t want to use too many server resources all at once.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_14\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"748\" height=\"122\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/files-backup-schedule-every-2-hrs-66e810b4e732f.webp\" alt=\"files-backup-schedule-every-2-hrs\" title=\"files-backup-schedule-every-2-hrs\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/files-backup-schedule-every-2-hrs-66e810b4e732f.webp 748w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/files-backup-schedule-every-2-hrs-66e810b4e732f-480x78.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 748px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244534\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_50  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">In the free version, you can pick from the following scheduling options:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>Manual backups only.</li>\n<li>Every 2 hours.</li>\n<li>Every 4 hours.</li>\n<li>Every 8 hours.</li>\n<li>Every 12 hours.</li>\n<li>Daily.</li>\n<li>Weekly.</li>\n<li>Fortnightly.</li>\n<li>Monthly.</li>\n</ul></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_51  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">If you need to schedule backups at specific times—like overnight when server resources are more available—or to stagger multiple website backups and reduce server load, consider upgrading to UpdraftPlus Premium.</p>\n<p>You can choose how many backups you retain with the free version. UpdraftPlus will delete excess backups so they don’t clutter your server or eat up your cloud storage.</p>\n<p>You can also choose which files are included or excluded from backups. Scroll down to the<strong> Include in files backup</strong> section and untick anything you don’t want to include.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_15\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"914\" height=\"666\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/what-to-include-in-files-backup-66e810b46362d.webp\" alt=\"what-to-include-in-files-backup\" title=\"what-to-include-in-files-backup\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/what-to-include-in-files-backup-66e810b46362d.webp 914w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/what-to-include-in-files-backup-66e810b46362d-480x350.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 914px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244535\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_52  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Hit <strong>Save Changes</strong>. Now you don’t need to do anything – UpdraftPlus will run on its own in the background.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_53  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>Step 4: Take a manual backup</h3></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_54  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Even if you’ve scheduled backups, you might still want to take a manual backup. For example, you might want to back up manually before <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/migrator/\">migrating to a dev site</a> or installing major updates (note: UpdraftPlus Premium <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/automatic-backups-before-wordpress-updates/\">automatically backs up before updates</a>).</p>\n<p>To manually back up with UpdraftPlus, click the Backup / Restore tab. You’ll see a blue button that says Backup Now; click it.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_16\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"989\" height=\"165\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/backup-now-manually-66e810b4473cf.webp\" alt=\"backup-now-manually\" title=\"backup-now-manually\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/backup-now-manually-66e810b4473cf.webp 989w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/backup-now-manually-66e810b4473cf-980x163.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/backup-now-manually-66e810b4473cf-480x80.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 989px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244536\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_55  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">A pop-up will appear. You can choose whether to include your files or database, and which file directories to include. If you want, you can enable or disable sending it to remote storage, or just store the backup on your server. Finally, you can ensure the backup isn’t deleted even once you hit the retention limits you set in the last step.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_17\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"633\" height=\"486\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/take-a-new-backup-dialogue-check-all-66e810b3882c9.webp\" alt=\"take-a-new-backup-dialogue-check-all\" title=\"take-a-new-backup-dialogue-check-all\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/take-a-new-backup-dialogue-check-all-66e810b3882c9.webp 633w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/take-a-new-backup-dialogue-check-all-66e810b3882c9-480x369.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 633px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244537\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_56  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">When you’re finished, click <strong>Backup Now</strong> and wait for the backup process to complete.</p>\n<p>If you want to take incremental backups, you’ll need to upgrade to the premium version.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_57  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>Step 5: Restore a backup</h3></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_58  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">If you ever need to <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/faqs/restore-site-updraftplus/\">restore a backup</a>, this can be done quickly from the same Backup / Restore tab as before.  Scroll down to the <strong>Existing backups</strong> section. The backups you’ve taken, whether automatically or manually, will appear here. Just click <strong>Restore</strong> next to any one of them to revert back.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_18\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1023\" height=\"355\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/existing-backup-log-66e810b37f5c4.webp\" alt=\"existing-backup-log\" title=\"existing-backup-log\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/existing-backup-log-66e810b37f5c4.webp 1023w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/existing-backup-log-66e810b37f5c4-980x340.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/existing-backup-log-66e810b37f5c4-480x167.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1023px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244538\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_59  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">If you instead have a backup stored on your computer, just click <strong>Upload backup files</strong> and drop the zip file in to restore that way.</p>\n<p>Once you click <strong>Restore</strong>, the restoration wizard will open. You can choose exactly which parts of your website to roll back.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_19\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"887\" height=\"371\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/updraft-restoration-settings-66e810b2a9cb5.webp\" alt=\"updraft-restoration-settings\" title=\"updraft-restoration-settings\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/updraft-restoration-settings-66e810b2a9cb5.webp 887w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/updraft-restoration-settings-66e810b2a9cb5-480x201.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 887px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244539\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_60  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">With all that, you now know how to take a backup and restore it within the free version of UpdraftPlus.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_61  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2 class=\"relative  group\" id=\"how-to-back-up-with-updraftplus-premium\">How to back up with UpdraftPlus Premium</h2>\n<p>Backing up with UpdraftPlus Premium is very similar to the free version, but there are a bunch of extra features you can take advantage of. If you don’t have it yet, you can <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/shop/updraftplus-premium/\">purchase UpdraftPlus premium here</a>.</p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_62  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>Step 1: Turn on reporting</h3></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_63  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Just like in the free version, the first step in setting up your backups with UpdraftPlus is to enable reporting.</p>\n<p>There’s a lot more information in the report compared to the free version. It will tell you exactly what was included in the backup, the backup size and where it was sent to. Reports even include cryptographic checksums so you can verify the integrity of backups.</p>\n<p>Open UpdraftPlus, then click the <strong>Settings</strong> tab at the top.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_20\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"658\" height=\"58\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/settings-66e810b59ca70.webp\" alt=\"settings\" title=\"settings\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/settings-66e810b59ca70.webp 658w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/settings-66e810b59ca70-480x42.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 658px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244532\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_64  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Scroll down to the <strong>Send reports</strong> section. Here you can send the backup reports to as many email addresses as you like. You can also configure reports so they only send if there are errors. Or, you could attach the backup itself to the report.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_21\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"965\" height=\"517\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/send-reports-dialogue-66e810b288097.webp\" alt=\"send-reports-dialogue\" title=\"send-reports-dialogue\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/send-reports-dialogue-66e810b288097.webp 965w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/send-reports-dialogue-66e810b288097-480x257.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 965px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244541\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_65  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Click <strong>Save Changes</strong> once you’ve entered the email addresses you’d like to send backup reports and/or backups to.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_66  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>Step 2: Choose backup locations</h3></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_67  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Now you need to set your remote storage locations. In the premium version of UpdraftPlus, you can set multiple storage locations, not just one. That way, if you lose access to the backup, if something goes wrong with the cloud provider, or if the backup is deleted through human error, you’ll have another one ready to replace it.</p>\n<p>In this same <strong>Settings</strong> tab, look for the <strong>Choose your remote storage</strong> option. You’ll see a list of the following options to choose from:</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_68  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><ul>\n<li>UpdraftVault (1GB of free Vault storage included with Premium).</li>\n<li>Dropbox.</li>\n<li>Amazon S3.</li>\n<li>Rackspace Cloud Files.</li>\n<li>Google Drive.</li>\n<li>FTP.</li>\n<li>OpenStack (Swift).</li>\n<li>DreamObjects.</li>\n<li>S3-Compatible (DigitalOcean Spaces, Linode Object Storage, etc.).</li>\n<li>Email.</li>\n<li>Microsoft OneDrive.</li>\n<li>Microsoft Azure.</li>\n<li>SFTP/SCP.</li>\n<li>Google Cloud.</li>\n<li>Backblaze.</li>\n<li>WebDAV.</li>\n<li>pCloud.</li>\n</ul>\n<p>Click on any number of storage options. Several tabs will appear below the remote storage menu, and you can click between them to authenticate each remote storage option.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_22\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1029\" height=\"595\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/remote-storage-options-66e810b1d642f.webp\" alt=\"remote-storage-options\" title=\"remote-storage-options\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/remote-storage-options-66e810b1d642f.webp 1029w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/remote-storage-options-66e810b1d642f-980x567.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/remote-storage-options-66e810b1d642f-480x278.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1029px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244540\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_69  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">When you’ve selected and authenticated all your options, click <strong>Save Changes</strong>.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_70  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>Step 3: Schedule your backups</h3></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_71  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">You can schedule backups from the same <strong>Settings</strong> page. Just look for the sections that read <strong>Files backup schedule</strong> and <strong>Database backup schedule</strong>. File and database settings can be modified individually, ensuring a schedule that makes sense for you.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_23\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"995\" height=\"256\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/files-backup-schedule-66e8004f41941-1.webp\" alt=\"files-backup-schedule\" title=\"files-backup-schedule\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/files-backup-schedule-66e8004f41941-1.webp 995w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/files-backup-schedule-66e8004f41941-1-980x252.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/files-backup-schedule-66e8004f41941-1-480x123.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 995px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244554\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_72  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">There’s plenty to customise here on this settings page. You can choose a time from when backups will run and then pick a frequency e.g. from midnight and then:</p>\n<ul>\n<li>Every 2 hours.</li>\n<li>Every 4 hours.</li>\n<li>Every 8 hours.</li>\n<li>Every 12 hours.</li>\n<li>Daily.</li>\n<li>Weekly.</li>\n<li>Fortnightly.</li>\n<li>Monthly.</li>\n</ul></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_73  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Setting exact timing for backups is useful particularly on multisite installations – you can choose separate backup times and significantly spread out the server load.</p>\n<p>You can also tell UpdraftPlus to automatically delete backups once they reach a certain age, to save you from having to manually delete them.</p>\n<p>Finally, you can also schedule incremental backups. Full backups can take up a lot of space. Incremental backups only back up files that have changed or been uploaded.</p>\n<p>Make sure to click <strong>Save Changes</strong> when you’re done.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_74  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>Step 4: Include or exclude files</h3></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_75  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">You may need to specifically exclude certain files or directories. You can find this in the <strong>Settings</strong> tab, scrolling down to the<strong> Include in files backup</strong> section.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_24\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"936\" height=\"761\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/what-to-include-in-files-backup2-66e810b19be13.webp\" alt=\"what-to-include-in-files-backup2\" title=\"what-to-include-in-files-backup2\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/what-to-include-in-files-backup2-66e810b19be13.webp 936w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/what-to-include-in-files-backup2-66e810b19be13-480x390.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 936px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244542\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_76  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">While this is available in the free version of UpdraftPlus, a major difference is that you can back up WordPress core files, and also back up any other files also located on your server, not just those within your WordPress install.</p>\n<p>Click <strong>Save Changes</strong> when you’ve finished setting up your custom rules.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_77  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>Step 5: Take a manual backup</h3></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_78  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Even if scheduling backups, there are times when a manual backup is necessary. Taking a manual backup is the same as with the free version of UpdraftPlus, but there are a few notable premium features you can take advantage of.</p>\n<p>On the Backup / Restore tab, click the blue <strong>Backup Now</strong> plugin.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_25\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"986\" height=\"164\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/database-backup-now-66e82cb08439a.webp\" alt=\"database-backup-now\" title=\"database-backup-now\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/database-backup-now-66e82cb08439a.webp 986w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/database-backup-now-66e82cb08439a-980x163.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/database-backup-now-66e82cb08439a-480x80.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 986px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244559\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_79  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">A pop-up will appear, where you can customise exactly what to include in the backup. Click the ellipsis symbol next to each option to select which files and database tables are included.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_26\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"628\" height=\"480\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/updraft-plus-perform-a-backup-66e82cb0d3e03.webp\" alt=\"updraft-plus-perform-a-backup\" title=\"updraft-plus-perform-a-backup\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/updraft-plus-perform-a-backup-66e82cb0d3e03.webp 628w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/updraft-plus-perform-a-backup-66e82cb0d3e03-480x367.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 628px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244558\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_80  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">There’s also an option to anonymise personal, sensitive information in the database.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_27\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"628\" height=\"482\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/anonymize-senstive-information-in-backup-66e810b10d255-1.webp\" alt=\"anonymize-senstive-information-in-backup\" title=\"anonymize-senstive-information-in-backup\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/anonymize-senstive-information-in-backup-66e810b10d255-1.webp 628w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/anonymize-senstive-information-in-backup-66e810b10d255-1-480x368.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 628px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244556\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_81  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Once your backup settings are configured, click <strong>Backup Now</strong> to start the process.</p>\n<p>As a premium user, you can also take a manual backup of incremental changes made (instead of a full site backup) to save on file space. Below the <strong>Backup Now</strong> button, click <strong>Add changed files (incremental backup)</strong>. A similar pop-up will appear, and you can again customise what is included.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_28\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"628\" height=\"480\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/manual-backup-of-incremental-changes-66e810b0ba472-1.webp\" alt=\"manual-backup-of-incremental-changes\" title=\"manual-backup-of-incremental-changes\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/manual-backup-of-incremental-changes-66e810b0ba472-1.webp 628w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/manual-backup-of-incremental-changes-66e810b0ba472-1-480x367.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 628px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244557\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_82  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>Step 6: Restore a backup</h3></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_83  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">It’s easy to restore a backup with UpdraftPlus. Go to the <strong>Backup / Restore tab</strong>, then scroll down to the <strong>Existing backups</strong> section.</p>\n<p>Click <strong>Restore</strong> on the backup you want to revert to. Alternatively, if you’ve downloaded a backup manually, you can click<strong> Upload backup files</strong> to restore the backup that way.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_29\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1032\" height=\"545\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/august-backup-log-66e810b6641de.webp\" alt=\"august-backup-log\" title=\"august-backup-log-\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/august-backup-log-66e810b6641de.webp 1032w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/august-backup-log-66e810b6641de-980x518.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/august-backup-log-66e810b6641de-480x253.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1032px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244530\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_84  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">Once you click to restore a file, you’ll be taken to a wizard. You can restore some or all components – for example, you can restore your uploads folder but not your plugins.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_30\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"887\" height=\"371\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/restore-files-from-august-66e810b5dfddc.webp\" alt=\"restore-files-from-august\" title=\"restore-files-from-august\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/restore-files-from-august-66e810b5dfddc.webp 887w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/restore-files-from-august-66e810b5dfddc-480x201.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 887px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2244531\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_85  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">And with that, you now know how to use UpdraftPlus Premium to take and restore a backup.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_86  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2>Conclusion</h2></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_87  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">You now know the ins and outs of backing up with UpdraftPlus, both free and premium versions. To learn even more, check out the <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/frequently-asked-questions/\">frequently asked questions</a> or contact support for assistance.</p>\n<p>If you’re a free user intrigued by the premium features, consider purchasing <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/shop/updraftplus-premium/\">UpdraftPlus Premium</a>. Incremental backups, more remote storage locations and granular control over every setting are just some of what the premium version has to offer.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_88  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2>FAQs</h2></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_accordion et_pb_accordion_1\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_5  et_pb_toggle_open\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">How do I schedule backups in UpdraftPlus?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\">For both free and premium versions, just go to<strong> Settings &gt; UpdraftPlus Backups</strong> and click the <strong>Settings</strong> tab. You can then set up scheduled backups for certain intervals, though you have finer control over the exact times with the premium version.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_6  et_pb_toggle_close\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">Can I back up my WordPress site to multiple locations using UpdraftPlus?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\">Yes, UpdraftPlus premium allows you to back up to as many locations as are supported. Just click on each remote storage location you want and authenticate each one.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_7  et_pb_toggle_close\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">What is the difference between UpdraftPlus free and premium?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\">UpdraftPlus premium offers several extra features, including incremental backups, the ability to back up to multiple remote storage locations, advanced retention settings for old backups and customize exactly what files are backed up.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_8  et_pb_toggle_close\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">How do I restore a WordPress site using UpdraftPlus?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\">You can restore an UpdraftPlus backup – or even backups from other plugins – from within the UpdraftPlus interface. Just go to<strong> Settings &gt; UpdraftPlus Backups</strong> and look for the <strong>Existing Backups</strong> section. You can click <strong>Restore</strong> on any backup, or upload ones you took manually.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_9  et_pb_toggle_close\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">What are incremental backups?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\">Incremental backups allow you to back up only the changes made since the last backup. This can very much reduce server load and storage space spent on backups.</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_10  et_pb_toggle_close\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">How often should I back up my files and/or database?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\">Ask yourself how often your content is changing and updating. If your site is fairly static, a monthly or fortnightly schedule will work fine. If it’s constantly updating, you may need to back up every few hours. A daily or weekly backup is appropriate for most websites.</div>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div>\n				\n				\n			</div>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/how-to-backup-with-updraftplus/\">Tutorial: How to back up your WordPress site with UpdraftPlus</a> appeared first on <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus</a>. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus - Backup, restore and migration plugin for WordPress.</a></p>\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:36:\"http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/\";a:1:{s:10:\"commentRss\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:60:\"https://updraftplus.com/how-to-backup-with-updraftplus/feed/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:38:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/\";a:1:{s:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:1:\"0\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:2;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:76:\"\n		\n		\n					\n		\n		\n		\n				\n		\n		\n\n					\n										\n					\n					\n			\n		\n		\n			\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:5:{s:0:\"\";a:7:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:67:\"Discover the new location of UpdraftPlus in the WordPress dashboard\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:79:\"https://updraftplus.com/new-location-of-updraftplus-in-the-wordpress-dashboard/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:87:\"https://updraftplus.com/new-location-of-updraftplus-in-the-wordpress-dashboard/#respond\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 02 Sep 2024 07:29:56 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:16:\"UpdraftPlus News\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}i:1;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:20:\"UpdraftPlus Releases\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:34:\"https://updraftplus.com/?p=2233410\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:649:\"<p>Discover the new location of UpdraftPlus in the WordPress dashboard. Find it easily alongside your other go-to plugins in the left-hand menu. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/new-location-of-updraftplus-in-the-wordpress-dashboard/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&#8594;</span></a></p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/new-location-of-updraftplus-in-the-wordpress-dashboard/\">Discover the new location of UpdraftPlus in the WordPress dashboard</a> appeared first on <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus</a>. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus - Backup, restore and migration plugin for WordPress.</a></p>\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"Team Updraft\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:40:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/\";a:1:{s:7:\"encoded\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:2943:\"<div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_2 et_section_regular\" >\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_3\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_3  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_89  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><b>A very simple change to announce. </b></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since its launch, locating UpdraftPlus in the WordPress dashboard has required an assumed level of knowledge. The knowledge to look under &#8216;Settings&#8217; to find it. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So we made a simple change. </span></p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What’s new?</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In our next release, you will find UpdraftPlus alongside your other favorite plugins in the left hand menu.</span></p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Customising your experience</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We’ve made that change to help new users find our plugin. But we’ve also made it easy to turn it off too; if you don’t want UpdraftPlus to show in the new location, simply add the following to your wp-config.php file:</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">define(&#8216;UPDRAFTPLUS_DISABLE_TOP_LEVEL_MENU_ENTRY&#8217;, true);</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This should be placed after ‘Add any custom values between this line and the &#8220;stop editing&#8221; line.’ in the file. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can then continue accessing UpdraftPlus via the settings menu as you did before. </span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_31\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"166\" height=\"300\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/new-location-od-updraftplus-in-the-wordpress-dashboard-166x300.webp\" alt=\"new-location-od-updraftplus-in-the-wordpress-dashboard\" title=\"The new location of UpdraftPlus in the WordPress dashboard\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/new-location-od-updraftplus-in-the-wordpress-dashboard-166x300.webp 166w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/new-location-od-updraftplus-in-the-wordpress-dashboard.webp 373w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 166px) 100vw, 166px\" class=\"wp-image-2233430\" /></span>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div>\n				\n				\n			</div>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/new-location-of-updraftplus-in-the-wordpress-dashboard/\">Discover the new location of UpdraftPlus in the WordPress dashboard</a> appeared first on <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus</a>. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus - Backup, restore and migration plugin for WordPress.</a></p>\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:36:\"http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/\";a:1:{s:10:\"commentRss\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:84:\"https://updraftplus.com/new-location-of-updraftplus-in-the-wordpress-dashboard/feed/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:38:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/\";a:1:{s:8:\"comments\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:1:\"0\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:3;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:60:\"\n		\n		\n		\n		\n		\n				\n		\n		\n\n					\n										\n					\n		\n		\n			\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:3:{s:0:\"\";a:6:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:34:\"How to Back up Your WordPress Site\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:53:\"https://updraftplus.com/how-to-backup-wordpress-site/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Fri, 23 Aug 2024 10:35:26 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"category\";a:2:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:15:\"Tips and tricks\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}i:1;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:18:\"Training materials\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:34:\"https://updraftplus.com/?p=2213851\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:561:\"<p>Learn how to backup your WordPress site safely and easily in our step-by-step guide. Complete WordPress backups manually or with a plugin. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/how-to-backup-wordpress-site/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&#8594;</span></a></p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/how-to-backup-wordpress-site/\">How to Back up Your WordPress Site</a> appeared first on <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus</a>. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus - Backup, restore and migration plugin for WordPress.</a></p>\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Brenda Barron\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:40:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/\";a:1:{s:7:\"encoded\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:48393:\"<p><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_3 et_section_regular\" >\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_4\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_4  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_90  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p>If there’s one thing every WordPress user should do, it’s back up their website. Server crashes, website malfunctions, and malware are more common than you think, and it can all lead to the total loss of your website and its content.</p>\n<p>You probably know this already, which is why you’re here. You want to learn the best way to back up your website and keep your content safe.</p>\n<p>Which backup method is best will heavily depend on the individual user, so we’re going to cover five different ways to back up your website. This guide will walk you step by step through the process whether you want to take manual backups, schedule automated ones with a plugin, or use other tools.</p>\n<p>That way, you can go with the backup method that suits you best and protect your website from catastrophic data loss.</p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why back up your WordPress site?</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Imagine losing everything – all your hand-written posts, all the pages you carefully crafted, your theme customisations, plugin settings, and everything.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For individual bloggers and creators, it can be a massive loss of all your hard work. For businesses and e-commerce sites, it can be all that and financially devastating on top of it.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider just a few of the reasons why backing up your website is extremely important.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Preventing data loss</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you’re writing a blog full of personal posts that are important to you, or running a business where having to set up your entire website from scratch would sink your company, data loss is a major issue.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A few missing posts or defaced pages may not be a big deal, but what about your entire website? Data loss can happen at any moment – whether due to simple mistakes or malicious deletion.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider a few common causes:</span></p>\n<p><b></b></p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Accidental deletion:</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> You go to remove an unwanted post or page or make some edits – only to realise later that you deleted the wrong thing entirely. WordPress’ revisions feature and trash folder usually guards against this, but it can fail and this type of mistake is common.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Glitches and corruption:</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> You go to perform a routine WordPress update when all of a sudden your site is nothing more than a </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/how-to-fix-unable-to-access-wordpress-admin-dashboard/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">white screen of death</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Or you install a new plugin and run into a strange conflict that results in parts of your site being broken and corrupted. Websites are finicky; anything can happen.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Server crashes:</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> When server components crash, they may corrupt the data on them – your website and database. This can happen randomly through no fault of your own.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b>Malware and hacks:</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> If hackers manage to break in, they may delete or deface content and infect your site with malware. Besides losing content, purging all files of malware isn’t easy. The best thing to do is restore your site to a pre-attack state.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Total data loss may not be common, but if you run a website for very long at all, you’ll likely encounter at least one of these issues.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Minimise downtime and troubleshooting</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Backups make fixing issues easy. Malware? Accidentally deleted a post? Messed up your theme? Restore a backup and everything will be just as it was.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without backups, fixing your website can take a long time and require a lot of annoying troubleshooting. If the data loss is bad, that means your site will be down for a while. And for businesses, </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/how-to-prevent-downtime-on-your-wordpress-site/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">extended downtime</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can severely impact your profits.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if you have your most important content saved elsewhere, you’d still need to spend days or weeks setting up your entire website again. Try to remember all your site settings and theme customisations off the top of your head. It won’t be any easier if you do actually lose your website.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And even without something that extreme happening, you may make a mistake you want to roll back.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Easier migrations</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you ever want to </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/faqs/how-do-i-migrate-to-a-new-site-location/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">migrate your site</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to a new server,  a </span><a href=\"http://updraftplus.com\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WordPress backup and migration plugin</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can make that much easier. Rather than having to manually save your website files and database, you can just click a button and restore a snapshot on the server you want to move to.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This can also be used for troubleshooting or making a staging site to test things out on before pushing those changes to your live website.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While protecting against data loss is the main reason to back up your website, there are plenty of other reasons. If you haven’t taken a backup of your site yet, there’s no reason not to do it now – except for not knowing the best way to do it.</span></p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is the best way to back up a WordPress site?</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are several ways you can back up WordPress, including doing it manually with various tools or installing a plugin to automate the process. Each has its pros and cons, and we’ll go into detail on how to do these below.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For now, when should you use a particular method?</span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><b></b></span></p>\n<p><b>1. Back up with a plugin:</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Best all-around option for quick and easy backups. It’s the fastest way to take a backup and also has the benefit of letting you automate recurring backups. Also, if you don’t have access to tools like cPanel and FTP, it’s your only option.</span></p>\n<p><b>2. Manual backup with cPanel:</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The quickest way to take a manual backup. Provides a web-based interface that allows you to download your files and database.</span></p>\n<p><b>3. Manual backup with FTP:</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This requires you to install an FTP client and remotely connect to your site. It can be confusing for beginners. Also, this does not capture your database, so you’ll need to combine this with another method.</span></p>\n<p><b>4. Manual backup with phpMyAdmin:</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This allows you to download your database, but not your website files. phpMyAdmin uses a web interface, so backing up your database is quick and convenient, but you’ll need to use cPanel or FTP alongside it.</span></p>\n<p><b>5. Backup through your web host:</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This functions similarly to a backup plugin, allowing you to schedule automatic backups, but you access it through your web host’s dashboard rather than through WordPress. It can be unreliable, however, depending on the host, so it’s a good idea to employ other backup methods alongside it. It also takes away control. You might not know how often backups are made or where they’re being stored. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The important thing to know is that your WordPress website is split into two sections: your website files and the database. Website files include WordPress core, your themes and styling, and your installed plugins. The database includes your posts, pages, users, and other content.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A common mistake people make is only downloading their website files, only to find that all their blog posts are gone when they try to restore their site. To take a full backup, you need both the website files and database.</span></p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">5 ways to back up your WordPress site</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are plenty of ways to back up your WordPress files, but we’ve collected five of the easiest and most straightforward methods. We’ll walk you through each one step by step, and you can decide which one to go with.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Note: While WordPress does have an Export feature (which you can find in </span><b>Tools &gt; Export</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">), this only exports a few things – posts, pages, comments, etc. If you want to take a full backup, you’ll need one of the methods below.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now let’s go into detail on how to back up WordPress.</span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"></span></p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#method-1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Method 1: Back up a WordPress site using a plugin (Recommended)</span></a></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#method-2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Method 2: Manually back up a WordPress site via cPanel</span></a></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#method-3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Method 3: Manually back up a WordPress site via FTP</span></a></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#method-4\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Method 4: Manually back up a database with phpMyAdmin</span></a></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#method-5\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Method 5: Back up your WordPress site through your webhost</span></a></li>\n</ul>\n<h2 id=\"method-1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Method 1: Back up a WordPress site using a plugin (Recommended)</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you&#8217;re looking to back up your WordPress site, finding the right plugin can make the job much easier. The </span><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WordPress Plugin Directory</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a great place to start. But as you browse, make sure to check a few important details:</span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"></span></p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is the plugin tested with the latest version of WordPress?</span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does it have a good number of active installs?</span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Is it well-reviewed? </span></li>\n</ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Be sure to skim through the reviews to see what other users are saying. Once you find a plugin you’d like to use, you can proceed. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In this guide, we&#8217;ll walk you through setting up UpdraftPlus, a plugin that meets all the above criteria. It’s one of the most popular and trusted backup plugins out there – for good reason. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So first, we’ll walk you through backing up your website using the free version of our plugin, </span><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/updraftplus/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Using a backup plugin is quicker than backing up your site manually; it just takes one button to save a snapshot, rather than having to get into your site’s files and download them manually.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Plus, not all web hosts give you cPanel or FTP access, and those unfamiliar with navigating a website’s back end may have trouble with it. If you aren’t able to back up manually, a plugin is your best bet.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 1: Install and activate UpdraftPlus</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first thing you need to do is install the free version of UpdraftPlus. You can find it on the WordPress plugin repository and install it directly through your dashboard.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Navigate to </span><b>Plugins &gt; Add New Plugin</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and search for UpdraftPlus. Click </span><b>Install Now</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and then </span><b>Activate</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.</span></p></div>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_5\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_5  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_32\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1206\" height=\"597\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/install-updraftplus-plugin-1.png\" alt=\"install-updraftplus-plugin\" title=\"Install UpdraftPlus plugin from the plugin directory\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/install-updraftplus-plugin-1.png 1206w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/install-updraftplus-plugin-1-980x485.png 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/install-updraftplus-plugin-1-480x238.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1206px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2213860\" /></span>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_6\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_6  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_91  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have the </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/support/installing-updraftplus-premium-your-add-on/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">premium version of UpdraftPlus</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or installed it manually from the repository, you can also click </span><b>Upload Plugin</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and drop the zip file in there.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 2: Set up remote storage</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, choose where you’d like to back up to. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Storing backups on your website’s server is a bad idea. If your server files get corrupted or infected with malware, the backups will be rendered useless. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Generally speaking, you should employ the 3-2-1 rule for backups, according to Tom Jauncey, CEO at at </span><a href=\"https://nautilusmarketing.co.uk\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nautilus Marketing</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. The 3-2-1 rule, “means that you should retain three copies of your data in other places,” he says, then adds, “[f]or instance, there is the original, one backup on another medium, and another backup offsite.”</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, you could, “keep one locally on your computer and another on an external hard drive; keep another copy in the cloud,” he says. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Open UpdraftPlus by going to </span><b>Settings &gt; UpdraftPlus Backups</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, then click the </span><b>Settings</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tab. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Click the storage you want to export your backups to. Follow the steps to authenticate with the chosen service.</span></p></div>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_7\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_7  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_33\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1042\" height=\"728\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/choose-backup-storage-options.png\" alt=\"choose-backup-storage-options\" title=\"Choose your backup storage options\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/choose-backup-storage-options.png 1042w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/choose-backup-storage-options-980x685.png 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/choose-backup-storage-options-480x335.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1042px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2213861\" /></span>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_8\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_8  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_92  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now when you run manual or automatic backups, they’ll have a place to be stored. </span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 3: Take a manual backup in UpdraftPlus</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to create a backup right now, it’s super easy: just click the blue </span><b>Backup Now</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> button.</span></p>\n<p>&nbsp;</p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_34\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1223\" height=\"648\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/creating-a-backup-in-updraftplus.png\" alt=\"creating-a-backup-in-updraftplus\" title=\"Creating a backup in UpdraftPlus\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/creating-a-backup-in-updraftplus.png 1223w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/creating-a-backup-in-updraftplus-980x519.png 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/creating-a-backup-in-updraftplus-480x254.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1223px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2213862\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_93  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A pop-up will appear allowing you to choose what to back up. Make sure you select both files and database for a full WordPress backup. Then click </span><b>Backup Now</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to start the process.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_35\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"909\" height=\"629\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/starting-the-backup-process.png\" alt=\"starting-the-backup-process\" title=\"Starting the backup process\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/starting-the-backup-process.png 909w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/starting-the-backup-process-480x332.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 909px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2213866\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_94  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After a few minutes, your site will be backed up. You can find your backups and restore from the same tab as before. </span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_36\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1055\" height=\"263\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/you-can-find-your-existing-backups-here.png\" alt=\"you-can-find-your-existing-backups-here\" title=\"Find your existing backups here\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/you-can-find-your-existing-backups-here.png 1055w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/you-can-find-your-existing-backups-here-980x244.png 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/you-can-find-your-existing-backups-here-480x120.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1055px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2213868\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_95  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 3: Schedule backups</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you prefer, you can schedule automatic backups. Click the </span><b>Settings</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tab.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here you can set the </span><b>Files backup schedule</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and </span><b>Database backup schedule</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You can pick from a few options. You can also retain a certain number of backups before automatically deleting older backups</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_37\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"968\" height=\"370\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/schedule-backups-to-run-at-set-times.png\" alt=\"schedule-backups-to-run-at-set-times\" title=\"You can schedule backups to run at set times here\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/schedule-backups-to-run-at-set-times.png 968w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/schedule-backups-to-run-at-set-times-480x183.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 968px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2213872\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_96  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And that’s it! UpdraftPlus will now periodically back up your website and store the files somewhere safe.</span></p>\n<h2 id=\"method-2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Method 2: Manually back up a WordPress site via cPanel</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you’d rather manually save a backup, the easiest way is through cPanel. Most web hosts use cPanel or a reskin of it, and you can usually access it through a web interface. Check your host’s documentation to see if they use it.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 1: Login to cPanel</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, you’ll need to access cPanel. You can usually find it by going to your host’s website and logging in with your hosting account. There may be a link or menu item directing you to cPanel. You can usually find your cPanel login information here as well.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You may also be able to add </span><b>/cpanel</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to your website’s address.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 2: Run the Backup Wizard</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you log in to cPanel, you’ll see the home screen. Look for the </span><b>Files</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> submenu and click </span><b>Backup Wizard</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This will let you back up your website in a few clicks. It contains your database and home directory, which is usually where your WordPress files are located. Just click </span><b>Back Up</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to get started.</span></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_38\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"979\" height=\"491\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/c-panel-backup-wizard-window-for-manual-wordpress-backups.png\" alt=\"c-panel-backup-wizard-window-for-manual-wordpress-backups\" title=\"C-panel backup wizard for manual WordPress backups\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/c-panel-backup-wizard-window-for-manual-wordpress-backups.png 979w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/c-panel-backup-wizard-window-for-manual-wordpress-backups-480x241.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 979px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2213873\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_97  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can either take a </span><b>Full Backup</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or individually download the home directory (website files) and database. The full backup does not allow you to restore through cPanel, so you may want to save a partial backup instead.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_39\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"980\" height=\"467\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/choose-a-full-or-partial-backup.png\" alt=\"choose-a-full-or-partial-backup\" title=\"Choose a full or partial backup\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/choose-a-full-or-partial-backup.png 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/choose-a-full-or-partial-backup-480x229.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 980px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2213874\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_98  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After that, you’ll be prompted to download the files.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Alternatively, you can use the </span><b>Backup</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> menu instead of the Backup Wizard. This is the exact same, just without step-by-step guidance.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_40\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"963\" height=\"671\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/backup-menu-window.png\" alt=\"backup-menu-window\" title=\"Backup menu window\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/backup-menu-window.png 963w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/backup-menu-window-480x334.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 963px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2213875\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_99  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">And that’s all; you’ve now taken a manual backup of your website.</span></p>\n<h2 id=\"method-3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Method 3: Manually back up a WordPress site via FTP</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your host doesn’t use cPanel, then the next best option is to back up your website with FTP, or File Transfer Protocol. This allows you to remotely access your website and download files.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Important note: This method only downloads your website files, not your database. The database is where the bulk of your content (posts, pages, comments, etc.) are located. Don’t forget to take a database backup as well using the next method.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 1: Download an FTP client</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FTP does not use a web interface; you’ll need to download an FTP client. Some common ones include </span><a href=\"https://filezilla-project.org/download.php?show_all=1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">FileZilla</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and </span><a href=\"https://winscp.net/eng/index.php\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WinSCP</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. We’ll use FileZilla for this example.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You’ll also need to get your FTP credentials from your web host. You can often find these somewhere in their dashboard, or you can ask them for the credentials.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 2: Connect with FTP</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you have your FTP credentials (including host URL, username, password, and port), open up FileZilla and enter them in the bar at the top of the screen. Then click </span><b>Quickconnect</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.</span></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_41\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"772\" height=\"184\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/enter-your-ftp-credentials-in-filezilla-here.png\" alt=\"enter-your-ftp-credentials-in-filezilla-here\" title=\"Enter your FTP credentials into FileZilla here\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/enter-your-ftp-credentials-in-filezilla-here.png 772w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/enter-your-ftp-credentials-in-filezilla-here-480x114.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 772px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2213878\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_100  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the panels below, you’ll see your computer files on the left side and your website’s files on the right. Navigate to your WordPress directory if you need to, which may be located in the </span><b>public_html </b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">or </span><b>www </b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">folder.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Step 3: Download website files</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most important files to capture are the ones in the root folder (the folder WordPress is located in) and the wp-content folder. The other folders are mostly the core files that run WordPress, but there’s no harm in downloading everything.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Select all the files and folders in your WordPress site by clicking in the panel and pressing Ctrl+A on your keyboard. Then right click and click </span><b>Download</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_42\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"489\" height=\"306\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/select-the-files-in-your-wordpress-directory-to-backup-1.png\" alt=\"select-the-files-in-your-wordpress-directory-to-backup\" title=\"select-the-files-in-your-wordpress-directory-to-backup\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/select-the-files-in-your-wordpress-directory-to-backup-1.png 489w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/select-the-files-in-your-wordpress-directory-to-backup-1-480x300.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 489px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2213880\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_101  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With that done, you should also follow the next steps to take a database backup, as many important files are located in the database.</span></p>\n<h2 id=\"method-4\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Method 4: Manually back up a database with phpMyAdmin</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your database contains much of your website’s content, like your blog posts, pages, and comments. Many WordPress users make the unfortunate mistake of thinking that these are stored in the files you access through FTP; they’re actually in the database.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can access phpMyAdmin through cPanel, or you may be able to find it in your web hosting dashboard.</span></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_43\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1222\" height=\"400\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/accessing-php-my-admin.png\" alt=\"accessing-php-my-admin\" title=\"Accessing PHP my admin panel\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/accessing-php-my-admin.png 1222w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/accessing-php-my-admin-980x321.png 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/accessing-php-my-admin-480x157.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1222px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2213882\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_102  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once you open phpMyAdmin, click on your WordPress database to open it. Then click the </span><b>Export</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tab at the top.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you just want a quick, full database backup, click </span><b>Export</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> now. You can also set the </span><b>Export Method</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to </span><b>Custom</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> if you want more control over the database entries that are backed up, formatting, and so on.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_44\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"981\" height=\"415\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/exporting-tables-from-the-wordpress-database.png\" alt=\"exporting-tables-from-the-wordpress-database\" title=\"Exporting tables from the WordPress database\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/exporting-tables-from-the-wordpress-database.png 981w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/exporting-tables-from-the-wordpress-database-480x203.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 981px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2213885\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_103  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a really quick way to back up your database, but don’t forget to grab your website files using cPanel or FTP.</span></p>\n<h2 id=\"method-5\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Method 5: Back up your WordPress site through your webhost</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, many web hosts offer their own built-in backup, which you can access through their dashboard. How this looks will vary significantly depending on your hosts – not all even offer this option.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here’s a general guide:</span></p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go to your host’s website and log in with your account credentials.</span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look for a backup option in your hosting dashboard.</span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Check if there’s a way to take a manual backup, set up automatic backups, or both.</span></li>\n</ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consider combining this with other backup methods, like using a backup plugin.</span></p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wrapping up</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many ways to back up your site, including manually (cPanel, FTP, and phpMyAdmin), through your web host, or using a plugin. Each has its advantages. For many people, using a plugin is the easiest and simplest way to schedule regular backups.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus has a free plugin which has all the core features you’ll need like automated scheduling and multiple remote locations to save your backups. Many users rely on UpdraftPlus to manage their backups.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you love the plugin but need a little more, consider upgrading to </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/updraftplus-full-feature-list/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus Premium</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You’ll unlock more storage locations and the ability to send backups to multiple of them, encryption, multisite support, and more fine-tuned scheduling.</span></div>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div>\n				\n				\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_4 home-header et_pb_with_background et_section_regular\" >\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_9 et_pb_equal_columns\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_9  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_104 updraftclone  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_dark\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2 style=\"margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;\"><b>Don&#8217;t want the hassle of managing backups yourself?</b></h2></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_105 updraftclone  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_dark\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus makes it easy! Join over 3+ million users who trust UpdraftPlus to back up and migrate their WordPress sites.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_button_module_wrapper et_pb_button_0_wrapper et_pb_button_alignment_center et_pb_module \">\n				<a class=\"et_pb_button et_pb_button_0 et_pb_button_main et_pb_bg_layout_dark\" href=\"https://updraftplus.com/shop/updraftplus-premium/\" target=\"_blank\">Explore UpdraftPlus Premium</a>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div>\n				\n				\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_5 et_section_regular\" >\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_10\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_10  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_106  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2>FAQS</h2></div>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div>\n				\n				\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_6 et_section_regular\" >\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_11\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_11  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_accordion et_pb_accordion_2\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_11  et_pb_toggle_open\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">How often should I back up my WordPress site?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How often you back up your website depends on how often it’s updated. For sites with frequent changes, such as daily blogs or ecommerce stores, daily backups are recommended. Weekly or even monthly backups may be more appropriate if your site is updated less often.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It’s also important to make a backup of your site before you make any major changes, such as updating WordPress or modifying site files.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_12  et_pb_toggle_close\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">How do I back up my WordPress site for free?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All the methods listed above can be done totally for free. </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/10-best-free-wordpress-backup-plugins-2024/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Free WordPress backup plugins</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are common, often offering an optional premium upgrade. This includes the </span><a href=\"https://wordpress.org/plugins/updraftplus/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">free version of UpdraftPlus</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which you can install from the WordPress repository. Manual backups can be done at no cost to you as well.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_13  et_pb_toggle_close\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">How do I back up my WordPress site to my desktop?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you do a manual backup, the files will automatically be downloaded to your desktop. If you’re using a backup plugin like UpdraftPlus, you can simply download the backup file.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What if you want to </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/faqs/can-make-backup-directly-pcmac/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">back up directly to your PC</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">? You’ll need to connect UpdraftPlus to a third-party service like Dropbox, which can sync files to your computer. There’s no way to simply send the backup directly to your PC.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_14  et_pb_toggle_close\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">How do I back up my WordPress site without plugins?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To back up your site without plugins, you&#8217;ll need to manually download your WordPress files via FTP and export your database using a tool like phpMyAdmin. You can also use cPanel or back up through your web host. See the links below:</span></p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#method-2\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Method 2: Manually back up a WordPress site via cPanel</span></a></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#method-3\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Method 3: Manually back up a WordPress site via FTP</span></a></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#method-4\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Method 4: Manually back up a database with phpMyAdmin</span></a></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"#method-5\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Method 5: Back up your WordPress site through your webhost</span></a></li>\n</ul></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_15  et_pb_toggle_close\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">Does WordPress have a backup option?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WordPress has a very simple Export tool, but this only saves your posts, pages, and some other data. For a full backup of all your site and database files, you’ll need to install a plugin or take a manual backup.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_16  et_pb_toggle_close\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">How do I back up and restore my WordPress site for free?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Along with backing up your site, all the methods we outlined above let you restore for free as well. You can either manually restore files through FTP, phpMyAdmin, and/or cPanel, you can </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/faqs/restore-site-updraftplus/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">restore your site through UpdraftPlus</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or any backup plugin.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Note that some backup plugins are not compatible with each other and can only restore backups made from their own plugin. UpdraftPlus can restore backups from other plugins or manual backups you took yourself.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_17  et_pb_toggle_close\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">How do I automatically back up my WordPress site?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/faqs/how-do-i-schedule-backups-for-my-files-and-databases/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">create a backup schedule</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, manual backup methods are out of the question. Instead, you’ll need to either set it up through your web host or use a backup plugin.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For example, UpdraftPlus allows you to schedule backups whenever you want. You can also turn on </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/automatic-backups-before-wordpress-updates/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">automatic backups before WordPress updates</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in the premium version of the plugin.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_18  et_pb_toggle_close\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">What is a WordPress backup?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A WordPress backup is a copy of all your site’s data, including the database, themes, plugins, and media files. It’s a safeguard against data loss which you can restore in case of server crashes, malware, or accidental deletions. </span></p></div>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div>\n				\n				\n			</div></p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/how-to-backup-wordpress-site/\">How to Back up Your WordPress Site</a> appeared first on <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus</a>. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus - Backup, restore and migration plugin for WordPress.</a></p>\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:4;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:57:\"\n		\n		\n		\n		\n		\n				\n		\n\n					\n										\n					\n		\n		\n			\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:3:{s:0:\"\";a:6:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:68:\"The lucrative business of cybercrime – inside the hacking industry\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:89:\"https://updraftplus.com/the-lucrative-business-of-cybercrime-inside-the-hacking-industry/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 25 Jul 2024 10:28:13 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:8:\"Security\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:34:\"https://updraftplus.com/?p=2187332\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:682:\"<p>Uncover the reality of website hacking: highly organised criminal gangs using sophisticated techniques to breach websites and steal valuable information. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/the-lucrative-business-of-cybercrime-inside-the-hacking-industry/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&#8594;</span></a></p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/the-lucrative-business-of-cybercrime-inside-the-hacking-industry/\">The lucrative business of cybercrime – inside the hacking industry</a> appeared first on <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus</a>. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus - Backup, restore and migration plugin for WordPress.</a></p>\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"Team Updraft\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:40:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/\";a:1:{s:7:\"encoded\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:14776:\"<div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_7 et_section_regular\" >\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_12\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_12  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_107  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hollywood would have you believe that most websites are hacked by hoody-wearing teens from their bedrooms, or by a shady-looking man from a basement. The reality is different from the movies: many websites are breached by highly organised criminal gangs using sophisticated techniques that evolve as quickly as the defences against them.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Worldwide, cybercrime is on a dramatic rise. Its global cost is expected to surge</span><a href=\"https://www.statista.com/chart/28878/expected-cost-of-cybercrime-until-2027/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">from $9.22 trillion in 2024 to $13.82 trillion in 2028</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. And as more people come online there are increasing opportunities for criminals to exploit, destroying data and stealing money, personal information, and intellectual property. One in two businesses</span><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/cyber-security-breaches-survey-2024/cyber-security-breaches-survey-2024\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">reported a cyber breach or attack in the past 12 months</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, according to a UK government survey.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In line with this trend, WordPress websites are an increasingly popular target. The widespread use of the platform – it powers over 40% of websites – makes it an attractive target for malicious actors. It&#8217;s estimated that</span><a href=\"https://colorlib.com/wp/wordpress-hacking-statistics/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a WordPress site is compromised every nine minutes on average</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_108  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The hacking underworld</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What was once a disorganised landscape of individual hackers motivated by everything from financial gain to the pursuit of notoriety has evolved into a fully-fledged marketplace complete with buyers, sellers and middlemen. Today, hacking is</span><a href=\"https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/risk-and-resilience/our-insights/cybersecurity/cybersecurity-trends-looking-over-the-horizon\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a multi-billion dollar business</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, complete with its own R&amp;D budget and corporate structure.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hacking forums and marketplaces have emerged on the dark web – the part of the internet intentionally hidden from standard browsers and search engines – offering everything from hacking tutorials and tools to hacking services for hire and bundles of stolen data from previous breaches.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_109  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The players</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the supply side are the hackers themselves – tech whizzes motivated by everything from financial gain to political causes to the pursuit of notoriety. While some are self-taught freelancers, others operate as part of organised groups leveraging their combined resources and skills.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Individual hackers often work for themselves or on the client side take on freelance jobs for individuals or small businesses. This might include small-scale identity theft, fraud or website defacement. Or sometimes they may be recruited for black hat SEO – using their skills to game search algorithms such as with keyword stuffing or creating networks of websites that link to one another to boost rankings.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With more resources and specialised skills, larger groups often take on more complex projects with bigger targets and potential pay offs. Their clients may include criminal gangs, nation states or large corporations. And their work may include carrying out large scale data breaches of major companies, stealing sensitive data, conducting corporate espionage, or state-sponsored cyber-attacks, for example.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No matter who the client is, they can easily find and hire hackers through the growing number of</span><a href=\"https://socradar.io/top-10-deep-web-and-dark-web-forums/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">dark web forums and marketplaces</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that have cropped up which offer anonymity and enable illicit transactions.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s important to point out that not all hackers’ work is for nefarious purposes though &#8211; some larger companies work with ethical hackers on bug bounty programmes, encouraging them to find, report and fix security flaws before malicious hackers can access them, for example.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_110  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The middlemen</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sitting between the cybercriminals and their clients these days there is often a tier of middlemen who act as intermediaries. Sometimes referred to as ‘initial access brokers’, these cybercriminals play an important role in the modern cybercrime ecosystem. They often specialise in gaining unauthorised access to networks and systems, which they then sell on.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The emergence of these brokers has been significant in the world of cybercrime, representing a</span><a href=\"https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-06/initial-access-brokers-cybercrime-hacking-data-breach/103617306\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">shift towards a more specialised and professional system</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It has also lowered the barriers to access, allowing actors with a narrower range of technical skills to carry out attacks. It also complicates efforts to defend against cyberattacks and investigate cybercrimes.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_111  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The economics</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The</span><a href=\"https://www.comparitech.com/blog/information-security/hiring-hacker-dark-web-report/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pricing models for these hacking services</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> range from flat rates or monthly/annual subscriptions to &#8220;pay-per-hack&#8221; models based on the target&#8217;s size, complexity, and value of the data being sought.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Factors like</span><a href=\"https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hire-online-hacker-costs-benefits-ethical-practices-melissa-campbell-uk5zc/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a website&#8217;s defensive countermeasures</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, integration with cloud services or third-party apps, and overall size and complexity of its infrastructure can drive up the hacking fees.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But it might surprise you how low entry point prices are –</span><a href=\"https://www.polymerhq.io/blog/breach/the-cost-of-pii-on-the-dark-web-in-2022/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">just $15 will buy a hacked credit card with a CVV</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> code. For little over $100 criminals can buy databases of hundreds of emails or compromised online banking details.</span><a href=\"https://www.comparitech.com/blog/information-security/hiring-hacker-dark-web-report/\"> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A website can be hacked for under $400</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on average and custom malware created for just over $300.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are commonly used for payment to preserve anonymity. And money trails can be further obfuscated by middlemen.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_112  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The tactics</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The strategies deployed by hackers can be both brutally simple and incredibly sophisticated. And they are also quick to evolve, with malicious actors caught in a continual game of cat and mouse with the security countermeasures deployed against them.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Social engineering is one common ploy, where deception is used to manipulate people to reveal sensitive information or grant access – think phishing emails claiming you’ve won competitions or owe someone money. Increasingly, AI is being used to write ever-more convincing emails, making the deception harder than ever to discern.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once your information has been stolen it can be sold on the dark web to be used in a number of ways – perhaps your financial information could be used to buy things, transfer funds or open new accounts in your name. Personal information like date of birth and address can be used to create fake identities, or apply for loans. Or perhaps cybercriminals might opt for an entire account takeover of your email, social media or financial services.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These dodgy emails can also be used to distribute malicious malware to infect systems, steal data or gain control.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other methods focus on exploiting vulnerabilities in the infrastructure itself. This includes network attacks, where weaknesses in protocols or configurations in servers, firewalls, computers, routers or any other connected deice can provide a way in for hackers. Software attacks meanwhile see criminals gain access through bugs or flaws in software code.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bots are commonly used across these methods, spamming and phishing accounts, spreading malware, and scraping data, for example. Bots can rapidly try numerous password combinations to gain access through brute force. And they can turn entire systems into zombies under their control – known as botnets – which can then act on mass to carry out large-scale attacks that can overwhelm websites or networks.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bots are also ideal for carrying out non-targeted attacks on whichever victim they can find – scanning for and exploiting known vulnerabilities in sites like WordPress, as well as their third-party plugins.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_113  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Evading justice</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As hacking becomes a more sophisticated industry, hackers are also constantly innovating to find new ways to evade detection, maintain anonymity, and cover their tracks.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Middlemen may be a ‘physical’ barrier but there are plenty of technology tricks they can employ as well. This could include using multiple proxy servers, VPNs and encryption which work to mask identity and location. Meanwhile TOR – or onion – browsing protects hackers against web traffic analysis and network surveillance by encrypting data in multiple layers and routing traffic through a series of nodes each of which only knows the node before and after them and not the entire path.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_114  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The aftermath</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For targeted organisations, being on the receiving end of a successful hack can have devastating consequences. Beyond the immediate financial impact of theft, ransomware demands or legal penalties, there&#8217;s the often irreparable damage to a company&#8217;s reputation, consumer trust, and brand value.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This can be particularly damaging for small and medium businesses, which are often a favoured ‘easy’ target for hackers as they often lack the sophistication and defences of larger organisations.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So, website owners need to stay ahead of evolving cybercrime tactics by rolling out defences on multiple fronts &#8211; shoring up technical vulnerabilities while also guarding against human errors that open the door to crafty social engineering attacks. This includes keeping software updated, controlling access, using secure third-party plugins and applications, and ongoing security awareness training to prevent social engineering attacks that exploit human error.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking </span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">it won&#8217;t happen to me.</span></i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> But as shadowy underground markets grow, no business or individual can afford to ignore the threat. And in this continual arms race, staying vigilant is imperative.  So, instead, next time you log on, pause and consider </span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">who could be watching</span></i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.</span></p></div>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div>\n				\n				\n			</div>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/the-lucrative-business-of-cybercrime-inside-the-hacking-industry/\">The lucrative business of cybercrime – inside the hacking industry</a> appeared first on <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus</a>. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus - Backup, restore and migration plugin for WordPress.</a></p>\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:5;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:57:\"\n		\n		\n		\n		\n		\n				\n		\n\n					\n										\n					\n		\n		\n			\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:3:{s:0:\"\";a:6:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:43:\"Plugin Comparison: UpdraftPlus vs. BackWPup\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:48:\"https://updraftplus.com/updraftplus-vs-backwpup/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Thu, 25 Jul 2024 09:42:45 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:17:\"Plugin comparison\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:34:\"https://updraftplus.com/?p=2187364\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:543:\"<p>UpdraftPlus vs. BackWPup: A comprehensive comparison of two popular WordPress backup plugins. Find the right one for you. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/updraftplus-vs-backwpup/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&#8594;</span></a></p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/updraftplus-vs-backwpup/\">Plugin Comparison: UpdraftPlus vs. BackWPup</a> appeared first on <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus</a>. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus - Backup, restore and migration plugin for WordPress.</a></p>\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:13:\"Brenda Barron\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:40:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/\";a:1:{s:7:\"encoded\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:41814:\"<div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_8 et_section_regular\" >\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_13\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_13  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_115  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The right WordPress backup plugin can make all the difference. You want to choose one that’s secure and reliable, as you’ll be depending on these backups if your site ever goes down.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus – our plugin – and BackWPup are two popular backup plugins worth considering. Each offers a wide range of features, but this can make choosing between them confusing.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether you’re looking for the most feature-rich premium plugin or the one with the most free offerings, this comparison will highlight the major differences between UpdraftPlus vs. BackWPup.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By the end, you’ll have a clearer idea of what sets these two plugins apart and can choose the best one to meet your needs.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_116  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2>UpdraftPlus vs. BackWPup: Key features</h2>\n<table border=\"1\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Feature</b></td>\n<td><b>UpdraftPlus</b></td>\n<td><b>BackWPup</b></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Backup types</b></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus allows you to backup files and databases individually, or to perform a full backup of both.</span></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BackWPup also supports file and database backups. Run them separately or together.</span></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Manual and scheduled backups</b></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Allows scheduling of backups at custom intervals for free, every 2, 4, 8 or 12 hours, daily, weekly, fortnightly or monthly.  UpdraftPlus Premium allows you to configure detailed retention rules.</span></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Allows you to configure WP-Cron to set up a backup schedule.</span></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Backup to remote storage</b></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Supports FTP,  S3 storage, Dropbox, Amazon S3, OpenStack, Rackspace, DreamObjects, Google Drive and email for free. UpdraftPlus Premium supports SFTP, Azure, pCloud, Google Cloud, Backblaze, OneDrive and WebDAV, and allows you to backup to many locations.</span></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Supports email, FTP, Dropbox, S3, Azure, Rackspace and SugarSync for free. BackWPup Pro supports Amazon Glacier, Google Drive, HiDrive and OneDrive. Allows multi-location backup for free, but with fewer options.</span></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Backup restore</b></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One-click restore any backup, from any location, for free. UpdraftPlus Premium allows you to restore backups from other plugins.</span></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can restore for free via file upload. One-click restore and restoring from remote storage requires the Pro version. BackWPup can only restore backups from its own plugin.</span></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Migration and cloning</b></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Supports migration natively for free with more customisation available in UpdraftPlus Premium. You can also use UpdraftClone to create a staging site.</span></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Supports migration to a new domain, but only in the Pro version through their standalone Restore app.</span></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Multisite support</b></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Supports multisite in UpdraftPlus Premium and can restore individual sub-sites. Cannot migrate single sub-sites to a standalone site.</span></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Supports multisite for free, but does not support restoring individual sub-sites.</span></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Incremental backups</b></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Premium version supports incremental backups. and allows detailed customisation of what you save.</span></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pro version supports ‘synchronise file by file to destination’, similar to incremental backups. </span></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Backup/database encryption</b></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All data stored in UpdraftVault is encrypted. UpdraftPlus Premium users can encrypt database files with their own key.</span></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pro version supports encryption of any files and databases.</span></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Centralised backup management</b></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Free, centralised backup management on up to five sites via </span><a href=\"http://updraftcentral.com\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftCentral</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.</span></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No centralised backup management for multiple WordPress websites.  </span></td>\n</tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Advanced reporting</b></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Basic reports sent to admin email in free version. Advanced reporting tools available in UpdraftPlus Premium.</span></td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Basic, free email reports only.</span></td>\n</tr>\n</tbody>\n</table></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_117  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As far as basic backup and restore goes, both UpdraftPlus and BackWPup are fairly similar. But when it comes to certain advanced features, UpdraftPlus stands out here.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Most notably, UpdraftPlus has more free <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/backups-stored/\">remote storage options</a>. BackWPup has fewer and you can’t restore from remote storage without paying. One-click restore is also not included in the free version of BackWPup.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus Premium natively supports advanced reporting, and offers stronger multisite support. You can also <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/updraftcentral/\">manage multiple WordPress sites</a> from one secure browser based dashboard via UpdraftCentral. These features are missing from BackWPup.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To be fair, BackWPup does provide free multisite support while UpdraftPlus does not, however users won’t be able to restore sub-sites (only the network as a whole) whereas you can do this with UpdraftPlus Premium. BackWPup has sophisticated encryption in its Pro version, and lets you backup to multiple locations in its free version.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But overall, both <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/freevspremium/\">UpdraftPlus Premium and free have more and better features</a>.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_118  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2>UpdraftPlus vs. BackWPup: Areas of difference</h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While both UpdraftPlus and BackWPup are powerful backup plugins, key differences set them apart. Let’s go over these in detail so you can decide for yourself which plugin is right for you or your business.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_119  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus vs. BackWPup: Backup options</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The process of taking a backup should be simple and straightforward. How does this compare in UpdraftPlus vs. BackWPup? Let’s look at how to take a backup in the free versions for a fair comparison.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In UpdraftPlus, once you install the plugin, it’s really easy to take a quick backup. You’ll find it in </span><b>Settings &gt; UpdraftPlus Backups</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_45\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1052\" height=\"316\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/UpDraft-BackUp-Now.webp\" alt=\"UpDraft-BackUp-Now\" title=\"UpDraft-BackUp-Now\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/UpDraft-BackUp-Now.webp 1052w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/UpDraft-BackUp-Now-980x294.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/UpDraft-BackUp-Now-480x144.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1052px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2187562\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_120  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure you’re on the </span><b>Backup / Restore</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tab, and click the big </span><b>Backup Now</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> button. You’ll see a pop-up where you can decide whether to include the database or site files (or both). You can also configure what files are saved in this menu.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_46\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"638\" height=\"493\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Take-a-new-backup.webp\" alt=\"Take-a-new-backup\" title=\"Take-a-new-backup\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Take-a-new-backup.webp 638w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Take-a-new-backup-480x371.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 638px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2187563\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_121  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just click </span><b>Backup Now</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and UpdraftPlus will get started.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you need to set up remote storage, just check the </span><b>Settings</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tab and click on your preferred cloud storage provider. You can  schedule file and database backups from the same tab.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_47\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1051\" height=\"648\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/cloud-provider-storage-settings.webp\" alt=\"cloud-provider-storage-settings\" title=\"cloud-provider-storage-settings\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/cloud-provider-storage-settings.webp 1051w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/cloud-provider-storage-settings-980x604.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/cloud-provider-storage-settings-480x296.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1051px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2187564\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_122  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus Premium also has a few more features, such as: </span></p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Configure what database tables are backed up, including external non-WP databases.</span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Access to more remote storage options.</span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Multisite support.</span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">More remote storage destinations.</span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Backup to multiple remote storage destinations.</span></li>\n</ul>\n</li>\n</ul>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BackWPup</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As for BackWPup, it’s a little less straightforward. Once you install it, you’ll see a new BackWPup menu item in your sidebar. You’ll want to head to </span><b>BackWPup &gt; Add new job</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_48\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1031\" height=\"612\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/General-settings.webp\" alt=\"General-settings\" title=\"General-settings\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/General-settings.webp 1031w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/General-settings-980x582.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/General-settings-480x285.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1031px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2187565\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_123  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each of the tabs contain various settings for this single ‘backup job’. You can use this to configure multiple backups with different settings. For example, you can use the </span><b>Schedule</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tab to create a scheduled backup.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Setting up remote storage can be confusing; you need to scroll all the way down to </span><b>Job Destination</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and tick each storage option you want.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_49\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"591\" height=\"326\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Job-destination-dialogue.webp\" alt=\"Job-destination-dialogue\" title=\"Job-destination-dialogue\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Job-destination-dialogue.webp 591w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Job-destination-dialogue-480x265.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 591px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2187566\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_124  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Then you need to scroll back up to the tabs at the top of the page, where you’ll see new tabs for each remote storage option. You’ll have to click each one to configure/authenticate them.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_50\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"735\" height=\"287\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FTP-Server-login-window.webp\" alt=\"FTP-Server-login-window\" title=\"FTP-Server-login-window\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FTP-Server-login-window.webp 735w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/FTP-Server-login-window-480x187.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 735px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2187568\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_125  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once all this is done, you should go to </span><b>BackWPup &gt; Jobs</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, hover over the job you created, and click </span><b>Run now</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_51\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1047\" height=\"500\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/archives-progress.webp\" alt=\"archives-progress\" title=\"archives-progress\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/archives-progress.webp 1047w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/archives-progress-980x468.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/archives-progress-480x229.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1047px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2187567\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_126  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This involves quite a lot of steps.  One-click backup in UpdraftPlus is much more intuitive. It centralises all its functionality into one page, while BackWPup scatters it over many pages that feel cluttered. Adding new remote storage options is not intuitive and terminology like ‘jobs’ can be confusing for new users.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They both get the job done, but UpdraftPlus is definitely easier and quicker to use here.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_127  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus vs. BackWPup: Restoration</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An easy and quick restoration is just as important as the process of taking a backup. How does this look in UpdraftPlus and BackWPup?</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus</span></h3>\n<p><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/faqs/restore-site-updraftplus/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Restoring in UpdraftPlus</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is done in the same central dashboard. In the </span><b>Backup / Restore</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tab, scroll down to the </span><b>Existing Backups</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> section and click </span><b>Restore</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on any backup you’ve taken before. You can also click </span><b>Upload backup files</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> if you want to upload a zip file manually.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_52\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1045\" height=\"294\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/existing-backups-log.webp\" alt=\"existing-backups-log\" title=\"existing-backups-log\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/existing-backups-log.webp 1045w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/existing-backups-log-980x276.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/existing-backups-log-480x135.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1045px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2187554\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_128  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h4><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BackWPup</span></h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In BackWPup, you can restore through the </span><b>BackWPup &gt; Restore</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> menu. This just supports file upload in the free version; only the Pro version has one-click restore.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_53\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1044\" height=\"534\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/backup-upload-window.webp\" alt=\"backup-upload window\" title=\"backup-upload window\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/backup-upload-window.webp 1044w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/backup-upload-window-980x501.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/backup-upload-window-480x246.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1044px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2187553\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_129  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There’s a major limitation here: if you back up to cloud storage, you won’t be able to restore it unless you do it manually.  Another caveat is that only BackWPup backups can be restored here. With UpdraftPlus Premium, you can restore backups from any plugin, including BackWPup.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In short, BackWPup is limited here compared to either version of UpdraftPlus.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_130  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus vs. BackWPup: Migration and cloning</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What if you want to migrate your site to another installation or clone it for testing purposes? Both plugins support this functionality, but in different ways.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A simple migration can be done with the free version of UpdraftPlus. This just involves taking a backup, downloading the zip file, and ‘restoring’ it onto a different website. You can do the same with BackWPup but would have to opt for the premium version. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">But what about advanced features?</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus Premium supports </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/migrator/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">direct site-to-site migration</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. You can also customise exactly what is migrated over.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_54\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1039\" height=\"244\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/migrate.webp\" alt=\"migrate\" title=\"migrate\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/migrate.webp 1039w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/migrate-980x230.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/migrate-480x113.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1039px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2187552\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_131  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There’s also UpdraftClone, which lets you </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">quickly spin up temporary website clones</span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on servers belonging to UpdraftPlus (so you don’t need separate hosting etc.).</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_55\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1040\" height=\"437\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/create-temp-clone.webp\" alt=\"create-temp-clone\" title=\"create-temp-clone\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/create-temp-clone.webp 1040w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/create-temp-clone-980x412.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/create-temp-clone-480x202.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1040px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2187569\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_132  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These are premium services. </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/updraftclone/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftClone</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can be used with the free version, but you’ll need to buy tokens. Direct site-to-site migration is a feature of UpdraftPlus Premium. </span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BackWPup</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BackWPup does not support cloning at all, and its migration features are less straightforward. If you have BackWPup Pro, you can </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">manually install a standalone app</span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and use this to migrate your site. But the steps to do so are lengthy and confusing for inexperienced users.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Migration is a paid feature for BackWPup, but with UpdraftPlus, you’re getting an easier experience and it’s included in the free version.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_133  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus vs. BackWPup: </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Customer support and documentation</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Good support isn’t something to overlook. Technical issues happen, but a friendly and experienced support team can make the difference. How do these two plugins stack up?</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With UpdraftPlus, there are </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/support/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">many support options</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> available. Free version users can post in the WordPress support forums for help. UpdraftPlus support agents tend to stay on top of things there and resolve most problems quickly.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_56\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"411\" height=\"194\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Support-record2.webp\" alt=\"Support-record2\" title=\"Support-record2\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Support-record2.webp 411w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Support-record2-300x142.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 411px) 100vw, 411px\" class=\"wp-image-2187561\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_134  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Premium UpdraftPlus users can submit a support ticket. You’ll usually receive a reply within 24 hours. </span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BackWPup</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BackWPup uses a similar support model; free users can post on the support forum on WordPress.org. Support agents answer questions twice a week for two hours and resolve most issues.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_57\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"436\" height=\"202\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Support-record.webp\" alt=\"Support-record\" title=\"Support-record\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Support-record.webp 436w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Support-record-300x139.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 436px) 100vw, 436px\" class=\"wp-image-2187560\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_135  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paid users receive premium ticket support. </span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_136  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus vs. BackWPup: User reviews and ratings</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Finally, how do users feel about UpdraftPlus vs. BackWPup? It’s a good idea to read the reviews before you spend money on anything.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus maintains a five-star average on WordPress.org from a total of 7,500+ reviews.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_58\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"438\" height=\"280\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Ratings.webp\" alt=\"Ratings\" title=\"Ratings\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Ratings.webp 438w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Ratings-300x192.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 438px) 100vw, 438px\" class=\"wp-image-2187559\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_137  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over 7,000 of these are five-star reviews, which praise its functionality in its free version as well as its ease of use.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_testimonial et_pb_testimonial_0 clearfix  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light et_pb_testimonial_no_image\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div style=\"background-image:url(data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iNTAwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjUwMCIgdmlld0JveD0iMCAwIDUwMCA1MDAiIHhtbG5zPSJodHRwOi8vd3d3LnczLm9yZy8yMDAwL3N2ZyI+CiAgICA8ZyBmaWxsPSJub25lIiBmaWxsLXJ1bGU9ImV2ZW5vZGQiPgogICAgICAgIDxwYXRoIGZpbGw9IiNFQkVCRUIiIGQ9Ik0wIDBoNTAwdjUwMEgweiIvPgogICAgICAgIDxyZWN0IGZpbGwtb3BhY2l0eT0iLjEiIGZpbGw9IiMwMDAiIHg9IjY4IiB5PSIzMDUiIHdpZHRoPSIzNjQiIGhlaWdodD0iNTY4IiByeD0iMTgyIi8+CiAgICAgICAgPGNpcmNsZSBmaWxsLW9wYWNpdHk9Ii4xIiBmaWxsPSIjMDAwIiBjeD0iMjQ5IiBjeT0iMTcyIiByPSIxMDAiLz4KICAgIDwvZz4KPC9zdmc+Cg==)\" class=\"et_pb_testimonial_portrait\"></div>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_testimonial_description\">\n					<div class=\"et_pb_testimonial_description_inner\"><div class=\"et_pb_testimonial_content\"><p>I tried a few backup plugins, but this one was the only one that could do what I needed. </p>\n<p>Thanks a lot!</p></div></div>\n					<span class=\"et_pb_testimonial_author\">everlong44</span>\n					<p class=\"et_pb_testimonial_meta\"></p>\n				</div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_138  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can also read various </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/testimonials/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus testimonials</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or check third-party review websites. On </span><a href=\"https://www.trustpilot.com/review/updraftplus.com\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TrustPilot</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it has a 4.5 star ranking.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BackWPup</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BackWPup is also ranked highly, with a 4.5 star rating from 1,000+ reviews on WordPress.org.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_59\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"424\" height=\"267\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Our-ratings.webp\" alt=\"Our-ratings\" title=\"Our-ratings\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Our-ratings.webp 424w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Our-ratings-300x189.webp 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 424px) 100vw, 424px\" class=\"wp-image-2187557\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_139  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Five-star reviews praise its reliability. One-star reviews touch on the lack of restore functionality in the free version or confusion in configuring remote storage.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overall, UpdraftPlus has more positive reviews and a greater proportion of them. BackWPup is close, but there are some issues causing people to leave one-star reviews.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_140  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus vs. BackWPup: Pricing and plans</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While features are important, your budget is just as much so. How much can you expect to pay for UpdraftPlus vs. BackWPup?</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Both of these plugins use a similar pricing model; you get the same premium features regardless of how many websites you have but the pricing does change according to how many licenses you need. </span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_141  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BackWPup pricing and plans</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For BackWPup, Pro plans currently range from $69-$349/year. Their cheapest Standard plan provides one licence, while their most expensive Agency plan gives 100. You receive all features plus updates and premium support for one year. Also, renewal is cheaper than the initial purchase; for a standard plan, you only pay $39 after the first year.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_60\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1207\" height=\"823\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/pricing.webp\" alt=\"pricing\" title=\"pricing\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/pricing.webp 1207w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/pricing-980x668.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/pricing-480x327.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1207px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2187556\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_142  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus pricing and plans</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As for UpdraftPlus, its plans range from $70-$399/year. Our cheapest plan gives you two licences, while the Enterprise plan gives you unlimited licences. The most expensive Gold plan also gives you unlimited use of UpdraftCentral Cloud.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Overall, UpdraftPlus plans are cheaper and provide much more value. The cheapest BackWPup plan is similarly priced but provides only one licence. UpdraftPlus gives you two, as well as a token for UpdraftClone and 1GB of </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/updraftvault/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftVault</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> storage.  </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While you can get 35 licences with UpdraftPlus’ Agency plan for $145/year, with BackWPup, you receive only 25 licences for $279/year. For $195/year with UpdraftPlus, you can have unlimited licences; this isn’t an option with BackWPup, which charges $349/year for only 100 licences.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_cta_0 et_pb_promo  et_pb_text_align_center et_pb_bg_layout_dark\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_promo_description\"><h2 class=\"et_pb_module_header\">The worlds most trusted backup plugin</h2><div><p><span>Join over 3 million WordPress sites that trust UpdraftPlus for reliable, secure backups.</span></p></div></div>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_button_wrapper\"><a class=\"et_pb_button et_pb_promo_button\" href=\"https://updraftplus.com/shop/updraftplus-premium/\">Explore UpdraftPlus Premium</a></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_143  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conclusions and recommendations</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Which backup plugin you go with is no small choice. Whether you’re running a large business or blogging as an individual, losing your hard work would be disastrous. You need to pick the backup plugin that works best.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus and BackWPup are both solid backup solutions, but UpdraftPlus stands out due to its extensive features. More remote storage options, a more straightforward interface, intuitive migration options and better handling of multisite are some of the major differences.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to see for yourself, </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/shop/updraftplus-premium/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">give UpdraftPlus Premium a try</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> today. If you need an advanced backup plugin with an array of features, you won’t be disappointed.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_144  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2>FAQs</h2></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_accordion et_pb_accordion_3\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_19  et_pb_toggle_open\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">What is the difference between UpdraftPlus and BackWPup?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus offers more features. This includes one-click restore, a wider variety of cloud storage integrations, more intuitive site migration and deeper multisite support. BackWPup, though a reliable backup solution, lacks many advanced features like this.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_20  et_pb_toggle_close\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">Which backup plugin is best for WordPress?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus is generally considered to be the better option for WordPress due to having more comprehensive features. Its intuitive interface and ease of use is another plus. It backs up, migrates and restores and supports a wide variety of cloud storage options.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_21  et_pb_toggle_close\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">Can I use UpdraftPlus to migrate my WordPress site?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yes, the free version of UpdraftPlus supports basic site migration (download backups or upload to remote storage, connect to the same location in the destination site then restore backups). The premium version allows for direct site-to-site migration and gives you more control of what you migrate. It also works in multisite environments.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_toggle et_pb_module et_pb_accordion_item et_pb_accordion_item_22  et_pb_toggle_close\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h5 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">Does BackWPup support incremental backups?</h5>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BackWPup has a ‘synchronise file by file to destination’, a very similar feature to incremental backups. UpdraftPlus also </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/how-to-use-incremental-backups/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">supports incremental backups</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with the added advantage that you can customise exactly what you back up. </span></p></div>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div>\n				\n				\n			</div>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/updraftplus-vs-backwpup/\">Plugin Comparison: UpdraftPlus vs. BackWPup</a> appeared first on <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus</a>. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus - Backup, restore and migration plugin for WordPress.</a></p>\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:6;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:57:\"\n		\n		\n		\n		\n		\n				\n		\n\n					\n										\n					\n		\n		\n			\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:3:{s:0:\"\";a:6:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:52:\"IP unblock guide: Understanding &amp; resolving bans\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:43:\"https://updraftplus.com/unblock-ip-address/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Mon, 15 Jul 2024 09:50:49 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:15:\"Tips and tricks\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:34:\"https://updraftplus.com/?p=2119115\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:562:\"<p>Decode IP bans with our comprehensive IP Unblock guide. This guide will help you understand, troubleshoot, and lift restrictions like a pro. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/unblock-ip-address/\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&#8594;</span></a></p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/unblock-ip-address/\">IP unblock guide: Understanding &#038; resolving bans</a> appeared first on <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus</a>. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus - Backup, restore and migration plugin for WordPress.</a></p>\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:11:\"Emman Zahid\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:40:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/\";a:1:{s:7:\"encoded\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31367:\"<p><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_9 et_section_regular\" >\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_14\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_14  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_145  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Have you visited a website and encountered an unwelcome &#8220;your IP has been temporarily blocked&#8221; error? This is where the IP unblock search comes in.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">IP blocking often occurs as a security measure to protect the website from threats like spam or hacking. If a network server blocks your IP address, your device won&#8217;t be able to access a particular website.</span></p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"#understanding-ip-addresses\">Understanding IP Addresses</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"#why-are-ips-blocked\">Why are IPs Blocked?</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"#identifying-ip-blocked\">Identifying if Your IP is Blocked</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"#common-types-ip-blocks\">Common Types of IP Blocks</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"#steps-unblock-ip\">Steps to Unblock Your IP Address</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"#prevent-future-ip-blocks\">How to Prevent Future IP Blocks?</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"#advanced-topics\">Advanced Topics</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"#conclusion\">Conclusion</a></li>\n<li><a href=\"#faqs\">FAQs</a></li>\n</ul>\n<p>For starters, let&#8217;s first understand what an IP address is.</p>\n<h2 id=\"understanding-ip-addresses\">Understandng IP addresses</span></h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/illustration-of-a-laptop-with-an-ip-address-on-the-screen-e1714655775902-1024x362.png\" width=\"1024\" height=\"362\" alt=\"illustration-of-a-laptop-with-an-ip-address-on-the-screen\" class=\"wp-image-2119178 alignnone size-large\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/illustration-of-a-laptop-with-an-ip-address-on-the-screen-e1714655775902-980x551.png 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/illustration-of-a-laptop-with-an-ip-address-on-the-screen-e1714655775902-480x270.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" /></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An IP (Internet Protocol) address is a unique combination of numbers and dots, such as 192.168.0.1. It acts as an identifier assigned to every device connected to the internet. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This identity is then used to access data and information available on the internet. When a client device sends a request to the server, the IP address is transmitted through routers, hubs, and other network nodes.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s important to note that IP addresses are not random. Instead, they are generated mathematically and distributed by the </span><a href=\"https://iana.org/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA)</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Types of IP addresses (Static vs. Dynamic)</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are two common types of IP addresses:</span></p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Static IP address</span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dynamic IP address</span></li>\n</ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A </span><b>static</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> IP address is a fixed and unchanging identifier assigned to a device on a network. This enables consistent and predictable communication.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Static IPs are often used for activities that require a stable connection, such as hosting a website or running a server.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the other hand, a </span><b>dynamic</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> IP address changes constantly. It&#8217;s active for a certain duration and then expires. This not only </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/updraftplus-guide-wordpress-security/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">enhances security</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> but also provides flexibility in managing available addresses.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dynamic IPs are commonly used in residential networks where a stable, unchanging address is not always required.</span></p>\n<h2 id=\"why-are-ips-blocked\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why are IPs blocked?</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you get an IP address block error while attempting to access a website, it means the site has decided to ban your device&#8217;s IP address. There could be various reasons for this action. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let’s take a look at a few of them.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Malicious activities</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If your IP address is associated with any malicious activity, a website may block your IP to protect itself and its users. This is a common security measure to prevent potential harm and unauthorised access.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">One notable example of malicious activities is </span><a href=\"https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/ddos/what-is-a-ddos-attack/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. These attacks overwhelm a website with a flood of traffic to disrupt its normal operation. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In addition to DDoS, other malicious activities may include </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/6-reasons-why-your-wordpress-website-can-be-vulnerable-to-hackers/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">hacking attempts</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or spamming. These threats can compromise your WordPress site and lead to data loss or downtime. This is why regularly backing up your site is crucial; it ensures that you can quickly restore your site to its previous state in case of any malicious attacks, minimising damage and downtime.</span></div>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div>\n				\n				\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_10 home-header et_pb_with_background et_section_regular\" >\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_15 et_pb_equal_columns\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_15  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_61\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"55\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/new_email_logo-300x55.png\" alt=\"\" title=\"new_email_logo\" class=\"wp-image-2039865\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_146 updraftclone  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_dark\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2 style=\"margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;\">The worlds most trusted backup plugin</h2></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_147 updraftclone  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_dark\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p style=\"text-align: center;\">Join over 3 million WordPress sites that trust UpdraftPlus for reliable, secure backups.</p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_button_module_wrapper et_pb_button_1_wrapper et_pb_button_alignment_center et_pb_module \">\n				<a class=\"et_pb_button et_pb_button_1 et_pb_button_main et_pb_bg_layout_dark\" href=\"https://updraftplus.com/shop/updraftplus-premium/\" target=\"_blank\">Explore UpdraftPlus Premium</a>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div>\n				\n				\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_11 et_section_regular\" >\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_16\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_16  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_148  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Multiple failed login attempts</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another common reason for getting an IP blocked is trying to log in to a website too many times at once or using incorrect credentials. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This behaviour often indicates an attacker attempting to guess user credentials or employing </span><a href=\"https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/bots/brute-force-attack/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">brute force</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. That&#8217;s why most websites have a time limit for the number of login attempts. Exceeding that limit may result in an IP block for a certain amount of time.</span></p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><b>Expert tip:</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> If you repeatedly face issues with entering the correct username and password, it&#8217;s advisable to reset your password rather than risk getting blocked.</span></p>\n</blockquote>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Geolocation restrictions</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some websites also restrict access based on your geographical location. This can be due to legal, licensing, or content distribution reasons. If your IP address falls outside the designated region, the website will block your access to comply with copyright and licensing agreements.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ISP or government interventions</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ISPs (Internet Service Providers) or governmental entities may intervene and block specific IP addresses for various reasons. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Governments might enforce censorship or restrict access to certain websites for legal, political, or regulatory reasons. In contrast, ISPs may block IP addresses to comply with legal mandates or if they detect malicious activities originating from those addresses.</span></p>\n<h2 id=\"identifying-ip-blocked\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Identifying if your IP is blocked</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, how do you know if your IP address is blocked?</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look out for specific error messages, such as &#8220;</span><b>Your IP has been blocked</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8221; or &#8220;</span><b>Access Denied</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.&#8221; </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/example-message-showing-that-an-ip-address-has-been-banned-1024x465.png\" width=\"1024\" height=\"465\" alt=\"example-message-showing-that-an-ip-address-has-been-banned\" class=\"wp-image-2119179 alignnone size-large\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/example-message-showing-that-an-ip-address-has-been-banned-980x445.png 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/example-message-showing-that-an-ip-address-has-been-banned-480x218.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" /></span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These types of messages are clear indicators of a potential blockage. Moreover, persistent difficulties in connecting to a particular website or service may also suggest an IP block.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To make things easier, several tools like </span><a href=\"https://whatismyipaddress.com/blacklist-check\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">WhatIsMyIPAddress</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and </span><a href=\"https://mxtoolbox.com/blacklists.aspx\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">MXToolbox</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can help you check if your IP is blacklisted. They offer a comprehensive Blacklist Check tool that scans multiple databases to see if your IP is flagged.</span></p>\n<h2 id=\"common-types-ip-blocks\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Common types of IP blocks</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Typically, there are two main types of IP blocks.</span></p>\n<ol>\n<li><b> Server-side blocks</b></li>\n</ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Server-side blocks are implemented by individual websites or services. They can block specific IP addresses or ranges of addresses for various reasons like security threats or policy violations.</span></p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><b>Example:</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> An online forum may impose an IP block on accounts repeatedly violating community guidelines.</span></p>\n</blockquote>\n<ol start=\"2\">\n<li><b> Network-level blocks</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"></span></li>\n</ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Network-level blocks are implemented by ISPs or even countries. These blocks can restrict access to entire websites or services for all users within their jurisdiction. This measure is taken for reasons like censorship, copyright protection, or national security. </span></p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><b>Example:</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> A country might block access to a social media platform for regulatory or political reasons.</span></p>\n</blockquote>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Temporary vs. Permanent blocks</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s important to know that IP blocks can be either temporary or permanent. And understanding the difference between them is crucial for resolving access issues.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Temporary blocks, as the name suggests, are short-term and are often lifted automatically after a specified period. They may result from a temporary security concern, such as multiple failed login attempts or temporary server issues.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meanwhile, permanent blocks persist until manual intervention by the network administrator or the entity imposing the block. They result from serious policy violations or continuous malicious activities.</span></p>\n<h2 id=\"steps-unblock-ip\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Steps to unblock your IP address</span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"></span></h2>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/illustration-of-an-ip-address-being-unblocked-1024x614.png\" width=\"1024\" height=\"614\" alt=\"illustration-of-an-ip-address-being-unblocked\" class=\"wp-image-2119180 alignnone size-large\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/illustration-of-an-ip-address-being-unblocked-980x588.png 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/illustration-of-an-ip-address-being-unblocked-480x288.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" /></span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In case you might be asking yourself, &#8220;Can I unlock my IP?&#8221; &#8211; there are indeed a few ways you can. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An IP unblock is possible, whether it&#8217;s a temporary inconvenience or a seemingly permanent barrier. Here&#8217;s what you can do to unblock your IP address.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Restart your router</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have a dynamic IP address, a simple yet effective initial step is to restart your router. For this:</span></p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Power off your router by unplugging it from the power source or using the power button.</span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wait for at least 10-15 seconds.</span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Turn on the router by plugging it back in or using the power button.</span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wait for the router to fully restart (1-2 minutes).</span></li>\n</ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This process can reset your connection, and you might get a new, unbanned IP address that’s not blocked by the website.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Connect to a different network</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Another quick option is to connect to a different Wi-Fi network. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Connecting to some other Wi-Fi network will generate a new IP address. This might help you regain access to the website that has restricted your access.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use a VPN or proxy server</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Using a VPN is one of the most reliable and effective IP unblockers.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a service that provides a secure and encrypted connection to the internet. When you connect to a VPN, your internet traffic is directed through a server located in a different geographical location. Thus, it changes your IP every time &#8211; making it appear like you&#8217;re browsing from a different location.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many free VPNs available, but choosing a paid VPN is more likely to conceal your IP address effectively.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you don&#8217;t prefer the VPN, you can also use a free proxy server as an alternative. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A proxy server acts as an intermediary between your device and the site you&#8217;re attempting to visit. It masks your IP address to provide you with more freedom and privacy. However, it&#8217;s important to keep in mind that some websites and services recognize proxy servers and may restrict their IP addresses.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Contact the support</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the block is website or service-specific, reaching out to the support team is crucial. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Provide them with essential details such as error messages, activities leading to the block, and any other relevant information. The webmaster will probably guide you on the appropriate steps to unblock your IP and regain access to the website.</span></p>\n<blockquote>\n<p><b>Note:</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Don&#8217;t forget to engage in honest and courteous communication with the support team and provide accurate information. Attempting to bypass blocks through unauthorised means may violate terms of service and legal regulations, leading to further consequences.</span></p>\n</blockquote>\n<h2 id=\"prevent-future-ip-blocks\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to prevent future IP blocks?</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It&#8217;s equally important to take proactive measures if you want a smooth online experience and avoid potential IP blocks. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By adopting the practices mentioned below, you can safeguard your IP from potential blocks and contribute to a more secure online experience.</span></p>\n<p><b>Practise safe browsing </b></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Develop safe browsing habits by navigating the internet with caution. Be careful not to click any suspicious links, and watch out for unsecured websites. Don&#8217;t engage in automated requests, spamming, or trying to access unauthorised data. And, of course, use strong and unique passwords.</span></p>\n<p><b>Regularly update security software</b></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maintain robust digital defences by consistently updating your security software. Antivirus programs, firewalls, and other protective tools play a crucial role in detecting and preventing serious threats before they cause trouble. Stay up-to-date with the latest security patches to ensure your system is well-equipped to handle any new risks that come your way.</span></p>\n<p><b>Avoid violation of terms of service</b></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Strictly comply with the terms of service established by websites, services, and online platforms. Familiarise yourself with the rules governing the platforms you use. And make sure your online activities align with their guidelines to prevent unexpected hiccups in your access.</span></p>\n<h2 id=\"advanced-topics\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Advanced topics</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you&#8217;re an advanced person seeking deeper insights, let&#8217;s dive into the technical mechanisms behind this process and explore how to bypass these restrictions.</span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How IP blocks are implemented</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The implementation of IP blocks involves the utilisation of tools such as Iptables and firewalls, particularly in Linux-based systems. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Iptables is a powerful tool for configuring and managing the rules that govern network traffic. By specifying criteria for either permitting or blocking traffic, administrators can effectively implement IP blocks. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here&#8217;s a basic example of how IP blocking might be implemented using iptables on Linux:</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"></span></p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"># Block incoming traffic from a specific IP address</span></i></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">iptables -A INPUT -s 192.168.1.2 -j DROP</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> </span></p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"># Block incoming traffic on a specific port</span></i></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">iptables -A INPUT -p tcp &#8211;dport 80 -j DROP</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"></span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In these examples, incoming traffic from the IP address </span><b>192.168.1.2</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is blocked, and incoming traffic on port </span><b>80</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (HTTP) is blocked. These rules can be customised based on specific requirements.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Firewalls, whether hardware or software-based, act as critical barriers between your device and the internet. They can be configured to block or allow certain types of traffic based on predefined rules. </span></p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The role of DNS in circumventing blocks</span></h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">DNS (Domain Name System) translates human-readable domain names into IP addresses, serving as the internet&#8217;s address book. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When it comes to circumventing blocks, you can strategically leverage alternative DNS services or manipulate DNS resolutions. It’ll help you access blocked content by bypassing standard DNS procedures and directly connecting to websites via your IP address. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are a few DNS-related techniques you can leverage to access blocked content when access to specific IP addresses is restricted:</span></p>\n<p><b>Alternative DNS resolutions: </b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resolve blocked website domain names to alternative IP addresses using public DNS servers. Services like </span><a href=\"https://developers.google.com/speed/public-dns\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Google Public DNS</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> or </span><a href=\"https://www.opendns.com/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">OpenDNS</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provide alternative DNS resolutions, allowing you to bypass local network constraints.</span></p>\n<p><b>DNS tunnelling: </b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Utilise DNS protocol to encapsulate non-DNS traffic within DNS packets. Tools like </span><a href=\"https://www.kali.org/tools/dns2tcp/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dns2tcp</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and </span><a href=\"https://www.kali.org/tools/dnscat2/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">dnscat2</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> enable you to create covert channels through DNS. This will facilitate access to restricted content by masking data within DNS queries and responses.</span></p>\n<p><b>VPNs and DNS resolution: </b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Combine Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) with DNS resolution to navigate around local restrictions. VPNs establish encrypted tunnels between devices and remote servers, with DNS requests typically resolved by the VPN server.</span></p>\n<p><b>Changing DNS servers: </b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Modify DNS server settings to use alternative DNS services to enable access to restricted websites.</span></p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On Windows, go to </span><b>Network Connections</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, select your connection, and change the DNS server address.</span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For macOS, navigate to </span><b>Network</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in </span><b>System Preferences</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, choose your connection, and click </span><b>Advanced</b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to change DNS settings. </span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On mobile devices, access network or Wi-Fi settings to change DNS configurations &#8211; typically found in advanced or network settings.</span></li>\n</ol>\n<h2 id=\"conclusion\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Conclusion</span></h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting your IP address blocked can be frustrating, but it&#8217;s not a dead end. By following the methods outlined in this IP unblock guide, you can successfully unblock your IP address and regain access to the desired website. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remember to follow legal and ethical guidelines in your online activities. This ensures a secure online presence and contributes to a healthy and ethical online environment for everyone.</span></p></div>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div>\n				\n				\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_12 home-header et_pb_with_background et_section_regular\" >\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_17 et_pb_equal_columns\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_17  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_149 updraftclone  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_dark\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2 style=\"margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;\">Unlock the full potential of UpdraftPlus</h2></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_150 updraftclone  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_dark\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p style=\"text-align: center;\">Get WordPress&#8217;s t<span>op backup &amp; restore plugin</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_button_module_wrapper et_pb_button_2_wrapper et_pb_button_alignment_center et_pb_module \">\n				<a class=\"et_pb_button et_pb_button_2 et_pb_button_main et_pb_bg_layout_dark\" href=\"https://updraftplus.com/shop/updraftplus-premium/\" target=\"_blank\">Install UpdraftPlus Premium</a>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div>\n				\n				\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_13 et_section_regular\" >\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_18\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_18  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_151  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2 id=\"faqs\">FAQs</h2></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_toggle et_pb_toggle_0 et_pb_toggle_item  et_pb_toggle_open\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h6 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">Why is my IP blacklisted?</h6>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p>Your IP address may be blacklisted for various reasons, such as suspicious activity, spamming, or being associated with malicious behaviour.</p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_toggle et_pb_toggle_1 et_pb_toggle_item  et_pb_toggle_open\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h6 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">What should I do if UpdraftPlus has blocked my IP address?</h6>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p>If you are experiencing issues accessing UpdraftPlus&#8217;s services and suspect your IP is blocked, use our <a href=\"http://updraftplus.com/support/updraftplus-ip-unblock-how-to-regain-access-if-your-ip-is-blocked\">IP unblock tool</a> to regain access.</p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_toggle et_pb_toggle_2 et_pb_toggle_item  et_pb_toggle_open\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h6 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">How can I unblock my IP address?</h6>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p>To unblock your IP, contact the entity responsible for the blacklist (your internet service provider or the blacklist provider) and resolve the issue that led to the blacklisting.</p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_toggle et_pb_toggle_3 et_pb_toggle_item  et_pb_toggle_open\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h6 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">How long does a temporary IP ban last?</h6>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p>The typical timeframe of a temporary IP block is 24 hours. However, the duration depends on the policies of the entity imposing the ban. It can range from a few minutes to several days.</p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_toggle et_pb_toggle_4 et_pb_toggle_item  et_pb_toggle_open\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<h6 class=\"et_pb_toggle_title\">How do I check my IP address?</h6>\n				<div class=\"et_pb_toggle_content clearfix\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can check your IP address using IP address lookup tools like </span><a href=\"https://whatismyipaddress.com/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What is my IP</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Alternatively, on most devices, you can find your IP in network settings or by using the command prompt/terminal and typing &#8220;ipconfig&#8221; (Windows) or &#8220;ifconfig&#8221; (Linux/macOS).</span></p></div>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div>\n				\n				\n			</div></p>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/unblock-ip-address/\">IP unblock guide: Understanding &#038; resolving bans</a> appeared first on <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus</a>. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus - Backup, restore and migration plugin for WordPress.</a></p>\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}}}i:7;a:6:{s:4:\"data\";s:57:\"\n		\n		\n		\n		\n		\n				\n		\n\n					\n										\n					\n		\n		\n			\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";s:5:\"child\";a:3:{s:0:\"\";a:6:{s:5:\"title\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:40:\"How to back up your WooCommerce Database\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"link\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:65:\"https://updraftplus.com/how-to-back-up-your-woocommerce-database/\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:7:\"pubDate\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:31:\"Wed, 15 May 2024 09:44:10 +0000\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:8:\"category\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:15:\"Tips and tricks\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:4:\"guid\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:34:\"https://updraftplus.com/?p=2130400\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:1:{s:0:\"\";a:1:{s:11:\"isPermaLink\";s:5:\"false\";}}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}s:11:\"description\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:310:\"<p>The post <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/how-to-back-up-your-woocommerce-database/\">How to back up your WooCommerce Database</a> appeared first on <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus</a>. <a href=\"https://updraftplus.com\">UpdraftPlus - Backup, restore and migration plugin for WordPress.</a></p>\n\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:32:\"http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/\";a:1:{s:7:\"creator\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:12:\"Davis Porter\";s:7:\"attribs\";a:0:{}s:8:\"xml_base\";s:0:\"\";s:17:\"xml_base_explicit\";b:0;s:8:\"xml_lang\";s:0:\"\";}}}s:40:\"http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/\";a:1:{s:7:\"encoded\";a:1:{i:0;a:5:{s:4:\"data\";s:35987:\"<p><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_14 et_section_regular\" >\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_19\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_19  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_152  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By backing up your WooCommerce database, you are safeguarding critical store data. This includes product specifics, order details, customer information, and store configurations. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Think of those backups as recovery points in case of any breach or system failure. They’ll help you restore your operations and maintain business continuity. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That said, there are two approaches to backing up a WooCommerce database. You could either export the data manually or automate the entire procedure. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Manual backups involve hands-on file management using tools like phpMyAdmin. You get to visualise your database structure and decide which components to save.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automatic backups, on the other hand, are non-technical and consistent. You could set them up through a WordPress plugin or managed hosting service. Once you’re done, the backups proceed to run by themselves at regular intervals. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This guide covers both manual and automatic backups in detail. It breaks down all their methods, requirements, pros and cons. So, read on to learn what, where, when, and how to back up your WooCommerce database.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_153  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3>Table of contents</h3>\n<p><a href=\"#how-to-manually-backup-woocommerce-database\">How to manually back up your WooCommerce database</a><br /><a href=\"#requirements-manual-woocommerce-backups\">Requirements for manual WooCommerce backups</a><br /><a href=\"#steps-manual-backup-woocommerce-database\">Steps to manually back up your WooCommerce database</a><br /><a href=\"#how-to-create-automatic-woocommerce-database-backups\">How to create automatic WooCommerce database backups</a><br /><a href=\"#requirements-automating-woocommerce-database-backups\">Requirements for automating WooCommerce database backups</a><br /><a href=\"#steps-automatic-backup-woocommerce-database\">Steps to automatically back up your WooCommerce database</a><br /><a href=\"#using-backup-plugin\">Using a backup plugin</a><br /><a href=\"#using-managed-hosting-service\">Using a managed hosting service</a><br /><a href=\"#conclusion\">Conclusion</a><br /><a href=\"#faqs\">FAQs</a></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_154  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2 id=\"how-to-manually-backup-woocommerce-database\">How to manually back up your WooCommerce database</h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The manual backup process happens in web hosting control panels like cPanel or Plesk. You just need to access their database management tools and then use them to export the data. They allow for the targeted preservation of database tables.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep in mind that manual WooCommerce backups don&#8217;t depend on plugins. So, you won&#8217;t have to worry about installing or paying for them. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the flip side, however, manual database backups are both tedious and time-consuming. They must be done regularly, and each instance requires significant physical effort. Any missed instance could result in data inconsistencies.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These complexities extend even to the restoration process. Recovering manual backups is slower and more labour intensive compared to automatic backups. That, of course, makes them less reliable for business continuity. </span></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_155  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3 id=\"requirements-manual-woocommerce-backups\">Requirements for manual WooCommerce backups</h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To back up your WooCommerce database manually, you’ll need the following:</span></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_156  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><ul style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.2;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A server management platform such as cPanel or Plesk.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<ul style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.2;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Access credentials including the database name, username, and password. These are </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">located in the WordPress configuration file, &#8216;wp-config.php&#8217;</span></li>\n</ul>\n<ul style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.2;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A database management tool like phpMyAdmin.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<ul style=\"margin-bottom: 5px;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.2;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sufficient storage space on your computer. For added security and redundancy, consider copying to cloud storage solutions.</span></li>\n</ul></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_157  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3 id=\"steps-manual-backup-woocommerce-database\">Steps to manually back up your WooCommerce database</h3>\n<h4>Step 1: Access phpMyAdmin</h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Log into your hosting provider’s admin area and open their control panel. Most of them prefer to use the cPanel.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Within the cPanel, proceed to the &#8216;Databases&#8217; section. You might find it under &#8216;Database Tools&#8217; or a similar category.</span></li>\n</ul></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_62\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1435\" height=\"738\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/screenshot-of-the-php-my-admin-panel.png\" alt=\"screenshot-of-the-php-my-admin-panel\" title=\"screenshot-of-the-php-my-admin-panel\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/screenshot-of-the-php-my-admin-panel.png 1435w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/screenshot-of-the-php-my-admin-panel-1280x658.png 1280w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/screenshot-of-the-php-my-admin-panel-980x504.png 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/screenshot-of-the-php-my-admin-panel-480x247.png 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) and (max-width: 1280px) 1280px, (min-width: 1281px) 1435px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2131007\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_158  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Look for the &#8216;phpMyAdmin&#8217; icon and click on it. The system will open the phpMyAdmin interface in a new tab or window. </span></li>\n</ul>\n<h4>Step 2: Select your WooCommerce database</h4>\n<p><b></b></p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the phpMyAdmin interface, you&#8217;ll see a list of databases on the left side of the screen.</span></li>\n</ul></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_63\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1129\" height=\"886\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/screenshot-of-a-woocommerce-database-1.webp\" alt=\"screenshot-of-a-woocommerce-database\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/screenshot-of-a-woocommerce-database-1.webp 1129w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/screenshot-of-a-woocommerce-database-1-980x769.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/screenshot-of-a-woocommerce-database-1-480x377.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1129px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2131093\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_159  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you have one database for your website, it will probably be named after your domain or username. </span></li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This formula doesn’t apply to everyone, though. If your database was set up using your host&#8217;s WordPress installer, it might have a custom prefix other than &#8216;wp_&#8217;. They sometimes randomise names for security purposes. </span></li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you’re unsure about which database to choose, consult your hosting documentation or ask your WordPress host for help.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<h4>Step 3: Select the tables</h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Click on your chosen database to display its tables. They contain different segments of your WooCommerce data.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For instance, product information is in the ‘wp_posts’ and ‘wp_postmeta’ tables of your WordPress database. ‘wp_posts’ tables hold product titles, descriptions and publication statuses. Then ‘wp_postmeta’ stores your product metadata.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<h4>Step 4: Configure your export method</h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go to the &#8216;Export&#8217; tab in phpMyAdmin.</span></li>\n</ul></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_64\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"536\" height=\"551\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Export-tab-in-phpMyAdmin.webp\" alt=\"Export-tab-in-phpMyAdmin\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Export-tab-in-phpMyAdmin.webp 536w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Export-tab-in-phpMyAdmin-480x493.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) 536px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2131101\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_160  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By default, all tables in the selected database are highlighted for export. So, for a complete backup, you might want to keep the option unchanged. </span></li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you understand your entire database structure, you can unselect the &#8216;Select all&#8217; default option. The system will then leave you to confirm your selections. </span></li>\n</ul>\n<h4>Step 5: Choose the database export format</h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Under the same &#8216;Export&#8217; tab, proceed to the ‘Format’ and &#8216;Output&#8217; sections. They provide options for defining your WooCommerce database backup format.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You can pick &#8216;SQL&#8217; to get a text-based file compatible with future database restorations.</span></li>\n</ul></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_65\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"221\" height=\"341\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/a-list-of-database-export-formats.webp\" alt=\"a-list-of-database-export-formats\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/a-list-of-database-export-formats.webp 221w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/a-list-of-database-export-formats-194x300.webp 194w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 221px) 100vw, 221px\" class=\"wp-image-2131102\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_161  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h4>Step 6: Initiate export of your WooCommerce database</h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Click the &#8216;Go&#8217; button at the bottom of the export setup.</span></li>\n</ul></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_66\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1079\" height=\"850\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/screenshot-showing-the-export-of-a-WooCommerce-database.webp\" alt=\"screenshot-showing-the-export-of-a-WooCommerce-database\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/screenshot-showing-the-export-of-a-WooCommerce-database.webp 1079w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/screenshot-showing-the-export-of-a-WooCommerce-database-980x772.webp 980w, https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/screenshot-showing-the-export-of-a-WooCommerce-database-480x378.webp 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1079px, 100vw\" class=\"wp-image-2131103\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_162  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\">&nbsp;</p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">phpMyAdmin will start creating the database backup file. This might take some time depending on the size of your database.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<h4>Step 7: Download the backup file</h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once phpMyAdmin completes the export, a download prompt will appear. </span></li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go ahead and save the &#8216;.sql&#8217; file to your computer.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<h4>Step 8: Set the backup destination for your WooCommerce database</h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Save the downloaded backup file in a safe location on your computer. For added security, consider storing a copy on a separate external drive or cloud storage service.</span></li>\n</ul></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_163  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2 id=\"how-to-create-automatic-woocommerce-database-backups\">How to create automatic WooCommerce database backups</h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automatic WooCommere backups provide convenience and consistency without the need for manual intervention. They are ideal for stores with frequent transactions, regular updates, or large databases. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unlike manual backups, automated systems can capture database changes accurately and in real time. You can schedule the backups to run weekly, daily, or hourly based on your disaster recovery plan.</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The storage process itself is often incremental, meaning it only captures changes made since the last backup. This allows for more efficient usage of space and bandwidth. </span></div>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div>\n				\n				\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_15 home-header et_pb_with_background et_section_regular\" >\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_20 et_pb_equal_columns\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_20  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_164 updraftclone  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_dark\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Back up incremental changes made since the last full backup, and schedule backups to run every 2, 4, 8 or 12 hours, daily, weekly, fortnightly or monthly.</span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_button_module_wrapper et_pb_button_3_wrapper et_pb_button_alignment_center et_pb_module \">\n				<a class=\"et_pb_button et_pb_button_3 et_pb_button_main et_pb_bg_layout_dark\" href=\"https://updraftplus.com/shop/updraftplus-premium/\" target=\"_blank\">Explore UpdraftPlus Premium</a>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div>\n				\n				\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_16 et_section_regular\" >\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_21\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_21  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_165  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Automated backups are also known to scale seamlessly as your business grows. You can, for instance, bump up your bandwidth according to changes in demand. Some providers offer additional features to enhance your backup strategy. Examples include </span><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/shop/moredatabase/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">data encryption</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> tools and integration with cloud storage services, etc. </span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_166  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3 id=\"requirements-automating-woocommerce-database-backups\">Requirements for automating WooCommerce database backups</h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When choosing a plugin, make sure it is compatible with your WordPress and WooCommerce versions to prevent conflicts. Also, check for these storage options for your database backups in the plugin: </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"></span></p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https://updraftplus.com/backups-stored/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cloud storage services</span></a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> &#8211; like Google Drive, Dropbox, or Amazon S3 &#8211; are the most popular because of their reliability and scalability. They however come at an extra cost based on the size and frequency of your backups. </span></li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You could otherwise build yourself a self-managed remote server. It offers more control over your backups but requires advanced technical knowledge. </span></li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some WordPress plugins additionally allow you to store backups on the same server as your website. This practice is not recommended, though – due to the risk it poses if the server fails. </span></li>\n</ul></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_167  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To find the best provider for your WooCommerce database backups, you should evaluate your options based on the following:</span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"></span></p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The frequency of automatic backups. </span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data storage locations. </span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The number of backed-up copies. </span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The backup retention period. </span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The level of technical support provided.</span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The backup management features</span></li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Security audit history. </span></li>\n</ul></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_168  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3 id=\"steps-automatic-backup-woocommerce-database\">Steps to automatically back up your WooCommerce database</h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately, there is no standard procedure for configuring automatic WooCommerce database backups. Each service provider has its own control panel and backup management system. </span></p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nevertheless, here are general guidelines for setting up both plugin-based and managed backups:</span></p>\n<h3 id=\"using-backup-plugin\">Using a backup plugin</h3>\n<h4>Step 1: Register with a third-party storage service</h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For starters, determine where your WooCommerce database backups will be stored. If opting for a cloud storage service, register an account and purchase sufficient space for your backup copies. </span></p>\n<h4>Step 2: Plugin installation and activation</h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Go to the &#8216;Plugins&#8217; section in your WordPress admin panel.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"></span></p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Click &#8216;Add New&#8217;. </span></li>\n</ul></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_image et_pb_image_67\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<span class=\"et_pb_image_wrap \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"162\" height=\"130\" src=\"https://updraftplus.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/adding-a-new-plugin-in-wordpress.webp\" alt=\"adding-a-new-plugin-in-wordpress\" title=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2131111\" /></span>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_169  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Search for a WordPress backup plugin</span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"></span></li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Install the plugin and activate it.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<h4> Step 3: Access the backup settings</h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Access the plugin’s Settings page within your WordPress dashboard. Most plugins have embedded the option into their main menu. </span></li>\n</ul>\n<h4>Step 4: Schedule backup</h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Decide how frequently the plugin should perform WooCommerce database backups. Daily backups are ideal for growing stores, but you may adjust the frequency based on your site’s transaction volume. </span></li>\n</ul>\n<h4>Step 5: Select backup components</h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Define which elements of your site to back up. Most plugins allow you to choose specific databases and files. So, make sure that you include your WooCommerce database in the backup.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<h4>Step 6: Connect to the backup storage destination</h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Link the plugin to your selected backup destination. You can do so by providing the necessary credentials or authorisation tokens.</span></li>\n</ul>\n<h4>Step 7: Set retention policies</h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose the number of backup copies to keep and for how long. Going overboard might increase your storage costs, while capping it too low could leave you without a recent restore point.</span></li>\n</ul></div>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div>\n				\n				\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_17 home-header et_pb_with_background et_section_regular\" >\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_22 et_pb_equal_columns\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_22  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_170 updraftclone  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_dark\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h2 style=\"margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;\">The world’s preferred WordPress and WooCommerce backup plugin</h2></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_171 updraftclone  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_dark\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose which files and databases to back up with </span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">UpdraftPlus Premium</span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Back up to remote storage locations like Google Drive and Microsoft OneDrive, and set advanced retention rules. </span></p></div>\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_button_module_wrapper et_pb_button_4_wrapper et_pb_button_alignment_center et_pb_module \">\n				<a class=\"et_pb_button et_pb_button_4 et_pb_button_main et_pb_bg_layout_dark\" href=\"https://updraftplus.com/shop/updraftplus-premium/\" target=\"_blank\">Explore UpdraftPlus Premium</a>\n			</div>\n			</div>\n				\n				\n				\n				\n			</div>\n				\n				\n			</div><div class=\"et_pb_section et_pb_section_18 et_section_regular\" >\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_row et_pb_row_23\">\n				<div class=\"et_pb_column et_pb_column_4_4 et_pb_column_23  et_pb_css_mix_blend_mode_passthrough et-last-child\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_module et_pb_text et_pb_text_172  et_pb_text_align_left et_pb_bg_layout_light\">\n				\n				\n				\n				\n				<div class=\"et_pb_text_inner\"><h3 id=\"using-managed-hosting-service\">Using a managed hosting service</h3>\n<h4>Step 1: Open the web hosting dashboard</h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Log into your hosting control panel, where you get all the tools and features for managing your WordPress site and server.</li>\n</ul>\n<h4>Step 2: Launch site backup settings</h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Proceed to the backup settings area of the control panel.</li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">The location of the backup settings varies by hosting provider. But, it’s typically under sections labeled &#8216;Site Management&#8217;, &#8216;Backups&#8217;, or &#8216;Server Management&#8217;.</li>\n</ul>\n<h4>Step 3: Verify the state of your automatic backups</h4>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Check the settings to confirm the hosting service is actively backing up your WooCommerce database. Some providers run automatic backups by default. Others may need manual activation.</li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">You should also seek information on the site components included in the backups. Your managed WordPress hosting provider may choose to back up the entire WooCommerce store.</li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Remember to review even the backup storage location. You wouldn’t want your database copies held on a local server. They should, instead, go to a secure offsite data center. It might also help to distribute copies across different locations for redundancy.</li>\n</ul>\n<h4>Step 4: Configure automatic backup settings</h4>\n<p>If your hosting plan allows customization of backup settings, consider:</p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Adjusting the backup schedule based on your site’s transaction volume and frequency. You can set them to run daily, weekly, or monthly.</li>\n</ul>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\">Defining the backup retention period and the number of copies.</li>\n</ul>\n<h4>Step 4: Test the restoration process</h4>\n<p>Don’t wait until disaster strikes to confirm the reli