How to Restore a Joomla Website from a Backup

Your guide to quickly and effectively restoring your Joomla website from a backup.

The Easy Way vs. The Hard Way

When restoring a Joomla site, your approach depends on how your backup was created. If you used an extension like Akeeba Backup, the process is relatively straightforward. If your backup was done manually, it will require more effort. This guide walks you through both methods to ensure the best outcome.

Backup Restoral with Akeeba Backup

Akeeba Backup is one of the top Joomla extensions for creating and restoring backups. Here's how to restore your site using this tool.

Step 1: Restore Files and Directories

  1. Navigate to Components > Akeeba Backup in your Joomla admin panel.
  2. Select Manage Backups to view your list of saved backups.
  3. Choose the backup file you'd like to restore and click Restore.
  4. Click Start Restoration to begin extracting the backup archive.
  5. Once the extraction process is complete, move on to restoring your database.

Step 2: Restore the Database

  1. When prompted, click Run the restoration script.
  2. Enter your database details (these might auto-populate if Joomla recognizes your existing setup):
    • Database type: MySQLi
    • Database server host name: localhost
    • User name: (your database username)
    • Password: (your database password)
    • Database name: (your database name)
    • Database table prefix: (leave this as is)
  3. Click Next, and the database restoration process will begin.
  4. Once successfully completed, go to the Site Setup tab. Review the pre-filled settings, but there's typically no need for intervention here. Click Next.
  5. Finally, remove the installation directory by clicking Remove the installation directory, and then finalize the restoration by clicking Finish Restoration.

Your site is now restored and ready to go!

Restoring a Manual Joomla Backup

If your backup was done manually, follow these steps to restore your site:

Step 1: Restore Your Joomla Files

  1. Use an FTP client to access your server. (If you're unfamiliar with FTP, check out our article on setting up FTP access.)
  2. Backup and delete all current files and folders from your server.
  3. Upload all the backup Joomla files from your local computer to your server.

Step 2: Restore Your Database

  1. Access your database using phpMyAdmin or another database management tool provided by your hosting provider.
  2. Locate your database and drop all existing tables (essentially clearing it out).
  3. Select Import and upload the SQL backup file from your computer.
  4. Click Go to import the data into your database.
  5. Once complete, reconnect your restored database to your uploaded Joomla files, and your site should be back online.

Requesting Backup Restoral from Your Host

If the methods above feel overwhelming or unsuccessful, your hosting provider may offer backup restoration services. Most hosting providers routinely create server-level backups. Contact your host's support team to verify if a backup is available and request a restoration. Keep in mind that this often restores all files on your server—so it’s best used as a last resort.

Should You Upgrade to Joomla 4 or 5?

Restoring your site is a great opportunity to assess whether it’s time to update your platform. Joomla updates often include security enhancements, new features, and improved performance. Alternatively, you may want to consider migrating to a different CMS if Joomla no longer meets your needs.

Not sure which path to take? Contact us for a free consultation, and we’ll help you decide whether to upgrade or migrate.

Need Assistance?

If you encounter any issues or have questions along the way, our team is here to help. We specialize in restoring Joomla sites, resolving technical problems, and even updating older software versions. Reach out to us at [email protected] or visit our website to learn more.

Your Joomla site can be back up and running smoothly in no time—just follow the steps above or get in touch for expert support.