To export a complete WordPress database, save an SQL dump from phpMyAdmin, WP-CLI, or the MySQL/MariaDB command line. The SQL file contains database records such as posts, pages, comments, users, and settings, but it does not contain themes, plugins, uploads, or wp-config.php. Back up those files separately and keep both parts together.
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For most site owners, phpMyAdmin is the simplest one-time method. WP-CLI or mysqldump is more dependable for large databases and easier to repeat. The steps below show each method, explain the difference between a database dump and a WordPress content export, and cover what the file can—and cannot—restore.
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What a WordPress database export contains
A WordPress database export is a SQL dump of the database used by the site. It preserves database-held information, including:
- Posts and pages
- Comments
- Users and user metadata
- Categories, tags, and other taxonomy terms
- Site settings and plugin settings that are stored in the database
- Attachment records and references to media files
The export is not a complete copy of the WordPress installation. It excludes the files that make up the site itself:
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- Theme files
- Plugin files
- Uploaded images, videos, documents, and other media
wp-config.php- Other files in the WordPress directory
Those files need a separate file backup. A usable disaster-recovery set therefore contains the SQL dump plus a copy of the WordPress files. The WordPress Advanced Administration Handbook strongly recommends backing up the database regularly and before an upgrade.
“It is strongly recommended that you backup your database at regular intervals and before an upgrade.”
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Choose the right export method
The best method depends on the access you have and the size of the database. The following comparison uses the four workflows relevant to WordPress backups.
| Method | Access required | Best use | Output | Repeatability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| phpMyAdmin | Web hosting control panel or server access | Convenient manual exports | SQL database dump | Manual download |
| WP-CLI | SSH or another shell with the WordPress installation available | Large sites and repeatable exports | SQL database dump | Scriptable command |
mysqldump |
Shell access and MySQL or MariaDB credentials | Large databases when phpMyAdmin is impractical | SQL database dump, optionally gzip-compressed | Scriptable command |
wp export |
WP-CLI | Moving selected WordPress content | WXR content file | Scriptable command |
| WordPress.com backup download | Access to the site’s available backup tools | Advanced WordPress.com administration | Database copy when provided by the site’s backups | Depends on the available backup feature |
Use phpMyAdmin when you want a visual, one-off download and the database is a manageable size. Use WP-CLI or mysqldump when the database is large, phpMyAdmin cannot complete the export, or you need a command you can run repeatedly. Use wp export only when you need a content-transfer file rather than a full database backup.
Prepare before exporting
1. Confirm which database belongs to the site
Open the site’s wp-config.php file and find the value assigned to DB_NAME. That is the database you must select in phpMyAdmin or pass to mysqldump. A hosting account can contain several databases, so do not select one by guesswork.
2. Confirm where the export will be saved
Choose a private location on your computer or server with enough free space for the dump. After a command-line export, note the exact path and filename. Never leave a database dump in a publicly served web directory: anyone who can download it may obtain site content and configuration data.
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3. Decide whether you need a full SQL dump
A full SQL dump is the normal choice for backup and restoration. A selective export is appropriate only when you deliberately want particular tables or a content-only transfer. If your goal is to rebuild the whole site, do not substitute a WXR file for the SQL backup.
4. Choose a method that matches the database size
phpMyAdmin is convenient, but browser-based exports can be difficult for very large databases. The handbook recommends direct MySQL or MariaDB commands when phpMyAdmin cannot handle the database. WP-CLI and mysqldump keep the work in the shell and can be repeated without navigating a web interface.
Method 1: Export with phpMyAdmin
phpMyAdmin provides the simplest visual workflow when it is available through your hosting panel or server.
- Sign in to phpMyAdmin. Open it from your hosting control panel or server administration interface.
- Select the WordPress database. In the left-hand pane, choose the database whose name matches
DB_NAMEinwp-config.php. - Open the Export tab. With the database selected, click Export in the main pane.
- Keep Quick selected for a normal full export. The Quick option uses the default settings to export the selected database.
- Start the export. Click Go.
- Save the downloaded SQL file. Store it outside the public website directory and use a filename that identifies the site and date.
The resulting file is the database dump. Keep it with the corresponding copy of the WordPress files so the two can be restored as one backup set.
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Select Custom instead of Quick when you need to change the export behavior. Custom export lets you alter the table selection, compression, and other export settings. It is useful when:
- You need only specific tables.
- You want to omit selected tables.
- You need compressed output to reduce the download size.
- You must adjust export options for a particular restoration environment.
For an ordinary full backup, Quick is less error-prone because it includes the selected database without requiring you to make table-by-table decisions. Custom is powerful, but verify every table choice before starting the download.
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phpMyAdmin problems and fixes
- The expected database is not listed: check the hosting account and compare every database name with
DB_NAMEinwp-config.php. If the account does not grant access, ask the host to provide database access. - The browser times out or the download stops: treat the database as too large for a reliable browser export and use WP-CLI or
mysqldumpthrough shell access instead. - The wrong content appears after restoration: recheck the selected database against
DB_NAME. Exporting a different database creates a valid SQL file that belongs to another site or installation.
Method 2: Export with WP-CLI
WP-CLI reads the database credentials from wp-config.php and uses mysqldump to create the dump. Run the command from the WordPress installation directory:
wp db export backup.sql- Open a shell session with access to the server and the WordPress files.
- Change to the WordPress installation directory. This is the directory containing
wp-config.php. - Run the export command:
wp db export backup.sql. - Confirm the file was created. Inspect the file and record its location before moving it off the server. A shell listing such as
ls -lh backup.sqlshows whether the file exists and its size. - Move the dump to protected storage. Do not keep it in a web-served directory.
wp db dump backup.sql is an alias for the same export operation. Both commands create an SQL database dump using the credentials that WP-CLI loads from wp-config.php.
Export only selected tables
WP-CLI accepts valid mysqldump flags. To restrict the export to named tables, use:
wp db export backup.sql --tables=table1,table2To omit selected tables, use:
wp db export backup.sql --exclude_tables=table1,table2Replace the example table names with the actual tables you intend to include or exclude. Selective exports are not interchangeable with a complete backup: omitting a table can leave the restored site without data that a plugin or WordPress core expects.
Why WP-CLI is useful for repeatable backups
The command has a fixed filename, uses the site’s existing database configuration, and runs without a browser session. That makes it practical for a documented backup procedure or a script that an administrator runs at regular intervals. You still need to copy the resulting file away from the server and protect it like any other database backup.
WP-CLI failure checks
- Database connection errors: verify that the command is running in the correct WordPress directory and that
wp-config.phpcontains the current database host, name, user, and password values. - Permission errors while writing: choose an output path where the shell user can create files, then move the completed dump to secure storage.
- A surprisingly small file: inspect the filename and size, and confirm that you exported the intended database rather than a selective table set.
Method 3: Export with mysqldump or MariaDB
Direct command-line export is useful when you have shell access and phpMyAdmin cannot handle the database. The handbook gives this pattern:
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mysqldump --add-drop-table -h DB_HOST -u DB_USER -p DB_NAME > wordpress-backup.sql- Replace
DB_HOSTwith the database host. - Replace
DB_USERwith the database username. - Replace
DB_NAMEwith the database name shown byDB_NAMEinwp-config.php. - Run the command and enter the database password when prompted.
- Check that
wordpress-backup.sqlexists, note its path, and move it to protected storage.
The --add-drop-table option places drop-table statements in the dump. That can help replace existing tables during an import, but the import process must still be planned carefully because dropping tables removes the current contents before the replacement data is loaded.
Compress a large dump while exporting
For a large database, pipe the SQL output through gzip:
mysqldump --add-drop-table -h DB_HOST -u DB_USER -p DB_NAME | gzip > wordpress-backup.sql.gzEnter the password when prompted. The result is a gzip-compressed SQL dump. Keep the .gz extension so you know it must be decompressed before using an import process that expects plain SQL.
When direct mysqldump is preferable
- The database is large enough that a browser request is unreliable.
- You already have SSH access and database credentials.
- You want a command that can be documented or repeated.
- You need compression during export.
Do not confuse a database dump with a WXR export
WP-CLI has two commands that sound similar but produce different kinds of files:
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|---|---|---|---|---|
wp db export |
SQL | Database tables and the data stored in them | WordPress files such as themes, plugins, uploads, and wp-config.php |
Database backup and database restoration |
wp export |
WXR | Authors, terms, posts, comments, and attachment references | Site configuration and the attachment files themselves | Content transfer between WordPress installations |
A WXR file is useful for moving content into another WordPress site, but it is not a complete database backup. It does not preserve the site’s full configuration, and its attachment references do not carry the image or document files. Choose wp db export when you need a restorable SQL copy of the database.
Verify and protect the exported file
Confirm the file and its location
After any export, verify that the expected filename exists and record the path. For command-line exports, inspect the file size with a shell listing. For phpMyAdmin, confirm that the browser saved the download where you intended. A missing file is not a backup, even if the export process appeared to finish.
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Keep the database and files together
Store the SQL dump with the matching WordPress file backup. The database contains references to uploads and the settings that make the installation work; the files contain the themes, plugins, media, and configuration file that the SQL dump cannot provide. Label both parts with the same site and backup date so they are not accidentally mixed with another installation.
Prevent public exposure
Never leave an SQL or compressed SQL dump in a publicly served web directory. Download it to private storage or move it outside the document root immediately after creating it. Treat the dump as sensitive site data.
What restoration requires
Restoring a database export means importing the SQL into MySQL or MariaDB and pairing it with the corresponding WordPress files. The SQL file alone cannot restore themes, plugins, uploads, or wp-config.php. If those files are missing, the database may contain the posts and settings while the site remains incomplete or unusable.
Before replacing a live database, preserve the current database and files as another backup. Confirm that the SQL dump belongs to the site you are restoring, identify whether it is plain SQL or gzip-compressed SQL, and make sure the destination uses compatible MySQL or MariaDB access. A WXR file follows a content-import workflow instead; it is not a substitute for importing the SQL dump when the objective is full database restoration.
WordPress.com considerations
On WordPress.com, database access is treated as an advanced task. WordPress.com documents phpMyAdmin and WP-CLI access for eligible sites and notes that a database copy may be downloadable from the site’s available backups. The exact options depend on the site’s plan and the backup tools shown in its administration area. Use the database-copy download when it is provided, and keep it with the site’s separate file backup if you are preparing a complete recovery set.
Quick Recap
A practical decision checklist
- Need a quick, visual export? Select the database in phpMyAdmin, open Export, leave Quick selected, click Go, and save the SQL file.
- Have SSH and want a repeatable command? Run
wp db export backup.sqlfrom the WordPress directory. - Have a very large database or a phpMyAdmin timeout? Use the
mysqldumpcommand, optionally piping the output throughgzip. - Need only posts and related content for a move? Use
wp export, remembering that WXR omits configuration and the actual attachment files. - Need a complete backup? Keep the SQL dump and a separate copy of themes, plugins, uploads,
wp-config.php, and the remaining WordPress files together.
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