Managing backups is an essential part of running a reliable website. Whether you are preparing for a major update, recovering from an unexpected issue, or validating a previous version of your site, you need a restore process that is fast, clear, and under your control.
Previously, to download a backup, you had to reach out to our support team, do it manually, or use a third-party plugin. While we love chatting with you, speeding up your workflow is our top priority. We know many of you will be utilizing this new feature.
We’ve been listening closely. If you’ve been following the Servebolt Roadmap, you know that a comprehensive, self-service restore solution has been one of our most highly requested features. Today, we are thrilled to announce that Backup Restores are now officially available directly within the Servebolt Admin Panel!
This gives Servebolt customers a self-service way to restore site files and databases from available backups, without needing to contact support for standard restore requests or rely on third-party plugins.
For existing customers, this means faster workflows and more control over day-to-day site management. For new customers, it adds another layer of confidence when choosing Servebolt as a high-performance hosting platform built for serious websites, agencies, developers, and businesses that depend on uptime and reliability.
A More Direct Way to Restore Your Site
This new feature connects directly to your site’s automated snapshots, which are safely stored in two independent, highly secure vaults in Europe. You will have access to site-level backups spanning a retention period of up to 30 days.
Here is what makes our new Restore feature incredibly powerful:
Granular Control Over Your Restores
You aren’t locked into an “all-or-nothing” approach. Whether a plugin update corrupted your files, or a rogue query messed up your database, you have complete control. You can choose to restore:
- Site Files only
- Databases only
- Both Site Files and Databases together
Flexible Restore Modes
When executing a restore, you have two distinct modes to choose from to fit your workflow:
- Overwrite Existing Data: Perfect for fast rollbacks. This will instantly replace your current website files and databases with the selected backup. Please note that to prevent data loss or conflicting operations (like new customer orders being placed during the rollback), your site will temporarily be placed into maintenance mode while the restoration is in progress.
- Export as a Copy: Need to inspect a backup without touching your live site? This option securely exports the backup data to an isolated directory on your account without affecting your current production environment. To ensure this does not consume your server storage limit, these exports are moved to a non-quota directory. They are subject to an automated 7-day deletion policy to keep your workspace tidy. From there, you can safely download the files to your local machine using your preferred SSH or SFTP client.
API-Ready for Developers
For teams looking to automate their workflows, this feature is fully integrated with the Servebolt API. You can easily use the API to fetch a list of all available backups for a site and programmatically trigger a restore whenever you need to. Power users can even create scripts or cron jobs to automatically export files to external remote servers.
How to Use Backup Restores in the Admin Panel
Using the new feature is incredibly straightforward:
- Log into your Servebolt Admin Panel.
- Navigate to your specific site and click on the new Backups & Restore tab.
- Browse the calendar to view available automated backups and select your desired date and time.
- Choose your content (Files, Databases, or both).
- Select your Restore Mode and click Start Restore.
Depending on how large your site is, this may take a couple of minutes. While the restoration is in progress, you will still be able to manage your site in the Admin Panel. You’ll be able to track the progress right from the dashboard, and you’ll receive an email notification the moment your restore is complete.
More Control, Less Waiting
We get that your business is your passion, your livelihood, and we understand the opportunities a functional, secure and robust site can provide. This feature was built as a direct result of your feedback, and we can’t wait to hear how it improves your day-to-day development workflow.
Log in to the Admin Panel and check out the new Backups & Restore feature today! As always, keep the feedback coming!
