Backing Up Your phpBB Database

Make a backup copy of your database in case of emergency

What if the unthinkable happened? Your web host lost all your information... or you got hacked... or you accidentally deleted important tables in your database?

Although phpBB is extremely popular online, and many sites use it for their forums, most webmasters don't think to backup their forum data. If their information would be lost, so would months or even years worth of user registrations, and user posts that they could never get back.

Fortunately phpBB makes it very easy to backup. This is how to do it:

1. Login to phpBB with your admin account


2. Click on "Go to Administration Panel" at the bottom of the page


3. On the right hand panel find the heading "General Admin"


4. Click the link reading "Backup Database"


5. Choose "Full backup" and click the "Start Backup" button


6. The screen will read "Your download will start shortly; please wait until it begins." and your database will be saved to your computer. Be sure you remember where it is saving!!

If you ever need to restore your data, the "Restore Database" link is also listed under "General Admin" in your admin panel. Clicking it will allow you to upload the file you have just created.

Remember to backup often. This helps ensure your backup file is fairly current so you can reduce the data lost in the event a restore is needed.