How to Back Up and Restore Client Accounts in WHM

Regular backups are essential for protecting your clients' data. As a reseller, you have several options for backing up and restoring client accounts through WHM.

Backup Options for Resellers

1. Client-Initiated Backups via cPanel — Full or partial backups from the client's cPanel
2. WHM Backup Management — Manage backups for all accounts centrally
3. JetBackup — Advanced scheduled backups with granular restore (if available on server)

Creating a Full Backup for a Client

From WHM

1. Go to Account Functions > List Accounts
2. Click the cPanel icon next to the client's account
3. In cPanel, go to Files > Backup or Backup Wizard
4. Click Download a Full Account Backup
5. Choose destination: Home Directory or Remote FTP/SCP Server
6. Click Generate Backup

Restoring a Client Account

Full Account Restore

1. Log in to WHM
2. Go to Transfers > Restore a Full Backup/cpmove File
3. Upload or specify the path to the backup .tar.gz file
4. Click Restore

Partial Restores

• Files: cPanel > Files > Backup > Restore > upload home directory backup
• Database: cPanel > Files > Backup > Restore a MySQL Database > upload .sql.gz
• Email: cPanel > Files > Backup > upload email configuration backup

Using JetBackup (If Available)

JetBackup in WHM provides:

• Browse backups by date and account
• Restore individual files without full account restore
• Restore specific databases or email accounts
• Download backups for offline storage
• Queue restores for off-peak hours

Your clients can also self-service restore via JetBackup in their cPanel.

Backup Best Practices

• Daily for active websites, weekly for occasional sites, before major changes always
• Do not rely solely on server backups — download to external storage
• Periodically test restoring a backup to verify integrity
• Communicate your backup policy to clients and include in TOS

Common Issues

Backup File Too Large

Use SSH/SCP for direct transfer or increase PHP upload limits.

Restore Fails

Ensure the backup is not corrupted, verify disk space, and contact {{COMPANY_NAME}} support for complex restores.

Related Articles

• Setting Up Automatic Backups for Reseller Accounts
• How to Manage and Suspend Client Accounts

Need help? Contact our support team at {{SUPPORT_URL}}/client/support.