Along with the API Backups as the MainWP Dashboard Core feature, the MainWP plugin integrates with a couple of the most popular backup solutions and allows you to choose your favorite backup system.

API Backups enables you to make backups directly on your hosting provider, a Cloud Manager, or through a VPS.

The feature currently supports

The links and detailed steps for each Cloud Manager and VPS provider are directly in the API Backups itself.

However, the steps required for all providers are very similar and require you to grab the API key from their website, and simply enter it in the settings.

This step is necessary for all providers except for Cloudways and GridPane.

4. Click the Save Settings button at the bottom of the page

For all providers except for Cloudways and Gridpane, you will be able enter hosting information for that specific site.

Allowing you to configure multiple accounts of the same hosting provider for your child sites.

New cPanel installations have Backups disabled by default, so we’d recommend contacting your hosting support and have them enable the Backups.

If you are comfortable enabling them yourself and also have access to WHM, please follow these instructions:

cPanel Automatic Backups run on a CRON & may need to be manually run via $Terminal the first time if there are no current Automatic Backups available.

How do you know if you need to run the commands?

The system disables cPanel’s File and Directory Restoration interface (cPanel » Home » Files » File and Directory Restoration) and WHM’s File and Directory Restoration interface (WHM » Home » Backups » File and Directory Restoration). The interfaces display a RED NOTIFICATION that explains why the feature is unavailable on these pages.

Technical Resources Meta Data Script is talked about in more detail here.

Due to the way cPanel restores files, for cPanel Accounts with more than one WordPress site installed, it’s recommended that all sites be installed in their own folder.

Site Paths ARE CASE SENSITIVE

Example Multi-site environment:

URL: https://{your-site-url.com}/Child-1/

Site Path..: /public_html/Child-1/
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​URL: https://child-2.{your-site-url.com}/

Site Path..: /public_html/child-2/

Example Single-site environment:

URL: https://{your-site-url.com}

Site Path..: /public_html/

Account Email

The email address used to log into Kinsta ( usually the main account )

Kinsta API Key

Environment ID / Company ID

Once you have these credentials you will need to navigate to Sites > Backups > API Backups > Manage API Settings > Kinsta (tab) once there you will need to Enable the API feature by turning ON Enable Kinsta API & entering your API Key in the provided field then clicking Save.
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Lastly, you will need to navigate to each Child Site Edit page that is using this backup service & scroll to the bottom of the page. Once there you will want to use the drop down to select Kinsta from the list. You will then need to enter in your Account Email, Company ID & Environment ID that you recorded in the previous steps & click Save. If this Child Site uses a different Kinsta Account you will OPT-in by turning ON the Overwrite Global Settings option & entering in its API Key along with the correct Data above.
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Once this has been done you may navigate to the API Backups tab & you should see the currently available backups for the selected account. If you don’t you either need to click “Refresh Available Backups” button and or the “Backup Now” button & then the “Refresh Available Backups” button.
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NOTE: The process can take some time to complete, depending on the size of the site and the speed of the host.

NOTE: The process can take some time to complete, depending on the size of the site and the speed of the host.

NOTE: The process can take some time to complete, depending on the size of the site and the speed of the host.

The MainWP API Backups feature does not control backup storage settings. The API Backups uses API requests provided by supported companies to trigger the backup process. Once the process is triggered, your hosting handles the rest. That includes backup storage.

Backups created from our feature will be stored in the location that your host/cloud manager has set and uses for storing backups.

MainWP API Backups feature does not use any custom location!

Note for cPanel DB Backups – Manual cPanel DB Backups are created via the MySQLdump command on the Child Site Server & then placed inside the /wp-content/uploads/mainwp/api_db_backups/ folder.

For more information about the location of backups, please visit the respective help documentation:

MainWP is actively moving away from further development of the native backups feature, as noted in this blog post, so that the best long-term solution would be one of the Backup Extensions.