How To Do PrestaShop Backup Properly: A Quick Tutorial in 2026

If you are planning to migrate from PrestaShop to another eCommerce platform, sure thing, doing PrestaShop backup should be at the top of your to-do list. With that being said, we still advise those who don’t plan for the store migration to do the backup periodically.

Why so, and how to perform PrestaShop backup anyway? Don’t worry! In this quick tutorial, we will show you all you need to know about backup PrestaShop, including:

• How to back up your PrestaShop
• How to run a PrestaShop backup for the database
• How to restore your database after a PrestaShop backup
• What should you pay attention to when backing up PrestaShop?
• When should you back up your PrestaShop store?

Let’s explore!

Why Should You Run PrestaShop Backup

Running a regular PrestaShop backup isn't just a technical best practice; it's a fundamental part of running a responsible, resilient online business. Here's why it should be non-negotiable for every store owner, regardless of store size.

1. Protection against hacking and malware

PrestaShop stores are a target for cyberattacks, from code injections to ransomware. If your store gets compromised, a clean backup lets you wipe the infected version and restore a known-good state within minutes, rather than spending days trying to manually clean infected files.

2. Safely migrate data from PrestaShop to another platform

Thinking about moving your store from PrestaShop to a platform like Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce? A full PrestaShop backup is your safety net throughout the entire process, ensuring all your products, customer records, and order history are intact and ready to transfer.

And if you want to transfer data to another platform, LitExtension is the trusted partner for thousands of merchants worldwide. As a leading eCommerce migration expert, LitExtension helps you move your store data accurately, securely, and with zero downtime, so you can switch platforms with complete confidence, knowing nothing gets left behind.

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3. Data loss prevention

Accidental deletions happen, a bulk product import gone wrong, a misconfigured setting that wipes data, or a database corruption caused by a server fault. Regular backups mean the worst-case scenario is losing a few hours of data, not everything.

How to Perform PrestaShop Backup for Files

Before diving into the database side of things, you need to back up your PrestaShop files, and this step is just as critical. Your files include everything that makes your store look and function the way it does: the source code, modules, themes, uploaded images, configuration files, and your .htaccess file. Without them, even a perfect database restore would leave you with a broken store.

There are two main ways to back up your files, depending on what tools your hosting gives you access to.

Method 1. Via FTP Client (e.g., FileZilla)

This is the most universally accessible method for PrestaShop backup and works on virtually any hosting plan.

1. Open your FTP client (FileZilla is a popular free option) and connect to your server using your FTP/SFTP credentials from your hosting provider.
2. In the Remote Site panel, navigate to your PrestaShop root directory (typically /public_html/, /www/, or /var/www/html/).
3. Select all files and folders (Ctrl+A), right-click, and choose “Download”.
4. Choose a destination folder on your local computer and wait for the transfer to complete.

Once all files are downloaded, your file-level PrestaShop backup is complete. For extra security, consider copying the downloaded folder to an external drive or cloud storage (Google Drive, Dropbox).

Method 2. Via cPanel File Manager

If your hosting uses cPanel, you have a quicker alternative:

1. Log in to your hosting control panel and navigate to “Backup” or “Backup Wizard”.
2. Go to “File Manager”, navigate to your PrestaShop root folder, select all files, and click “Compress” to create a .zip archive.
3. Download the .zip file to your local machine.

Method 3. Via SSH

If you have SSH access and your store has grown to hundreds of megabytes or more, compressing files server-side before downloading is significantly faster.

1. Connect to your server via SSH.

2. Navigate to your web root directory and run the following command to create a compressed archive:

tar -czf prestashop_backup.tar.gz /var/www/html

3. Once the archive is ready, copy it to your local machine using scp:

scp user@host:/var/www/prestashop_backup.tar.gz /local_backup_path/

Or use rsync for a more robust transfer:

rsync -avz user@host:/var/www/prestashop_folder_path /local_path_for_backup/

With your files safely backed up, the next step is to protect your database, which stores all your orders, customer data, and product configurations. Let's walk through every method available to do that.

How to Run PrestaShop Backup for Database

Besides your files, you would need to back up the database of your PrestaShop as well. A good PrestaShop database backup should ideally give you a SQL file including both the structure and the content of each table in the database.

There are indeed tons of ways to back up your PrestaShop database. Below, we'll walk through all four methods to run PrestaShop backup for the database so you can pick the one that best fits your technical comfort level and store size.

Method 1. Using the Built-in DB Backup Tool

The easiest way to run a PrestaShop backup for your database is through the native tool built right into your admin panel, no technical knowledge required.

1. Log in to your PrestaShop back office and go to Advanced Parameters → DB Backup.
2. Read the disclaimer on the page, then click Add a new backup to generate a fresh .sql dump.
3. Once the backup is generated, it will appear in the list below. Click the Download icon to save it to your local machine.
4. Store the downloaded file somewhere safe, ideally off-server (cloud storage or an external drive).

A quick heads up: The built-in tool is convenient, but it has real limitations. It doesn't support scheduled backups, it doesn't back up your files, and it can time out or fail on large databases. For small stores or quick pre-update snapshots, it works perfectly fine, but don't rely on it as your only backup method.

Method 2. Using MySQL in the Command Line

For developers or store owners with SSH access, using mysqldump directly from the command line is the most straightforward and reliable way to run a PrestaShop backup for your database. It handles large backups without timing out and can be scripted for automation.

1. Connect to your server via SSH.
2. Run the following command to export your database:

mysqldump -u [db_username] -p [database_name] > prestashop_backup.sql

3. To reduce file size, compress the dump immediately to make the file lighter and easier to store or transfer:

gzip prestashop_backup.sql

4. Move the backup off the server using scp:

scp [email protected]:/path/to/prestashop_backup.sql.gz /local/backup/folder/

Method 3. Using phpMyAdmin

phpMyAdmin is a web-based database management interface available through most hosting control panels. It's a solid middle-ground option, more powerful than the built-in tool, but without requiring command-line access.

• 1. Log in to your hosting control panel and open phpMyAdmin.
• 2. In the left sidebar, click on the database associated with your PrestaShop store.
• 3. Click the “Export” tab in the top navigation.
• 4. For most stores, the Quick export method with SQL format is sufficient. Click “Go” to download the .sql file directly to your browser.
• 5. For larger databases, switch to the Custom export method. This lets you disable foreign key checks, split the export into smaller chunks, and select specific tables, which helps prevent timeouts.

Method 4. Automate PrestaShop backup with the Update Assistant module

If running manual backups sounds like something you'll forget to do, the PrestaShop Update Assistant module offers a built-in backup feature that handles both files and database in one go. Here's how to use it for PrestaShop backup purposes:

1. From your back office, go to “Modules” → “Module Manager” and search for Update Assistant. Install it if you haven't already.
2. Open the module and navigate to the “Backup” section.
3. Choose your backup scope. You can select Full backup (files + database), Partial backup (files + database, excluding images), or Database only.
4. Click Backup my store to generate the backup package.
5. Once complete, download the backup archive from the list and store it off-server.

How to Restore PrestaShop Database?

Before you begin any restoration, make sure you have both your .sql database dump and your file backup ready. Also, note down your database credentials from /config/settings.inc.php. You'll need them if you're restoring to a new or different server.

Restore the database via phpMyAdmin

This is the most accessible restoration method for store owners who don't use the command line.

• 1. Log in to your hosting control panel and open phpMyAdmin.
• 2. In the left sidebar, select the target database where you want to restore your PrestaShop data. If you're starting fresh, create a new empty database first from your hosting panel.
• 3. Click the Import tab in the top navigation.

• 4. Under File to import, click Browse and select your .sql backup file from your local machine.

• 5. Leave the format set to SQL and click Go to begin the import.
• 6. Wait for the process to complete. phpMyAdmin will display a success message once all tables have been imported.

Restore the database via Command Line

For large databases or server-to-server migrations, the command line is the fastest and most reliable restoration method.

1. Connect to your server via SSH.

2. If your backup is compressed, decompress it first:

gunzip prestashop_backup.sql.gz

3. Run the following command to import the database:

mysql -u [db_username] -p [database_name] < prestashop_backup.sql

Replace [db_username] and [database_name] with your actual credentials. You'll be prompted for your password.

4. Once the import completes with no errors, verify the restoration by logging into phpMyAdmin and checking that all tables are present.

Restore your files

With your database restored, the final step is to bring your store's files back. This step re-establishes all your themes, modules, images, and configuration files.

1. Connect to your server via FTP/SFTP using your FTP client (e.g., FileZilla).

2. Navigate to your PrestaShop root directory (e.g., /public_html/ or /var/www/html/).

3. Upload your backed-up files from your local machine, overwriting the existing files on the server. If you're restoring to a fresh server, simply upload everything to the root directory.

4. After the upload is complete, check your file and folder permissions:

• Folders: 755
• Files: 644
• /config/settings.inc.php: 444 (read-only for security)

5. Finally, clear your PrestaShop cache by deleting the contents of the /var/cache/ folder, or go to “Advanced Parameters” → “Performance” in your back office and click Clear cache.

What should you pay attention to when backing up PrestaShop?

From our experience, here are some best practices you should keep in mind to perform a proper PrestaShop backup:

• Backup your entire store: When backing up your PrestaShop store, remember to export your store's full database (using phpMyAdmin or MySQL command line) and copy all files, including themes, modules, and media.
• Automate your backup: If you have a large database and don’t want to spend too much time on manual backup, consider using an automatic backup module to set up daily automated backups for your store.
• Secure your backup: Don't forget to store your backups in multiple locations, including off-site or cloud storage. If you have sensitive data, consider using encryption tools like 7-Zip, VeraCrypt, or GPG (GNU Privacy Guard) to encrypt your PrestaShop backup files before storing them.
• Verify and test: Regularly check backup integrity by performing test restorations in a staging environment. Keep detailed documentation of your backup process for quick recovery if needed.

When should you back up your PrestaShop store?

Performing a PrestaShop backup is a crucial task in many circumstances. Below is a few cases when backing up your PrestaShop store is a must, not a plus:

1. Before you migrate to another platform: A complete backup would allow you to transfer all your data, including products, customer information, order history, and customizations, without risking data loss or corruption during the migration process.
2. Prior to performing a PrestaShop upgrade: Having a backup before updating PrestaShop allows you to easily revert to the previous working version if issues arise. This minimizes downtime and protects your store from potential data loss during the update process.
3. As part of your regular security routine: Regular backups ensure you're prepared for unforeseen events like server crashes, hardware failures, or natural disasters. With a recent copy of your entire PrestaShop store, you can quickly recover and minimize the impact on your business operations.
4. When planning to test new features or designs: Before experimenting with new features, modules, or design changes, remember to create a backup to set up a safe testing environment without risking your live store.

PrestaShop Backup – FAQs

Conclusion

All in all, if you are a PrestaShop store owner, executing proper PrestaShop backup is a task you shouldn’t overlook. Whether you want to migrate from another platform to PrestaShop or vice versa, backing up your files and database could help safeguard your business against potential disasters.

If you think of PrestaShop migration, we highly recommend checking out our PrestaShop migration services for a risk-free and error-free migration experience.

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