BD Backup now sends copies off-site to FTP and S3-compatible storage, checks disk space before it runs, and lets you restore just the database or just the files. This guide covers each feature and how to set it up.
Send backups off-site
A backup that lives only on the same server disappears with the server. Off-site storage keeps a copy somewhere safe. Open BD Backup → Settings → Storage and add a destination:
- FTP / FTPS — any standard FTP host. Use FTPS for an encrypted transfer.
- S3-compatible — AWS S3, Backblaze B2, Wasabi, and DigitalOcean Spaces.
Enter your credentials and click Test connection to confirm the destination works before you rely on it. Off-site storage is off by default, so local backups behave exactly as before until you add a destination.
Disk-space preflight
Before a backup runs, BD Backup checks that there is enough free disk space to build the archive. If space is short, it stops and tells you, rather than failing partway through and leaving a broken file.
Selective restore
You do not always need to restore everything. Choose what to bring back:
- Full — database and files together.
- Database only — recover content and settings without touching files.
- Files only — recover themes, plugins, and uploads without overwriting the database.
Database-only and files-only restores are useful when you know exactly what went wrong and want to avoid disturbing the rest of the site.
Labels and integrity verify
Keep your backup list organized and trustworthy:
- Add a label and notes to each backup so you remember why you made it — “before plugin update”, for example.
- Each archive is verified with a SHA-256 checksum, so you can confirm a file is intact before you restore from it.
Email reports
Backup reports now include more detail — what was backed up, the size, the destination, and the result. Send a test report from Settings to confirm your email is configured correctly.
A note on encryption
Archive encryption is not part of this release. If you send backups off-site, use a destination and transfer you trust — FTPS or an S3 bucket with access controls — and keep your storage credentials private. Encryption is planned for a later version.
Quick start
- Add an off-site destination and run Test connection.
- Create a backup and give it a label.
- Confirm the email report arrives with the right details.
- When you need to recover, pick the smallest restore that fixes the problem.