Overview
WP Umbrella offers two types of backups to keep your WordPress websites safe: automatic backups and manual backups. Each serves a different purpose, and knowing when to use them can make a big difference in how efficiently you manage your sites.
In this guide, we’ll explain what each backup type does, their limitations, and best practices.
Estimated Time to Complete: 3 minutes
Prerequisites:
Active WP Umbrella account with backup feature enabled
WP Umbrella plugin installed and configured on your WordPress site
What Is a Manual Backup? 
A manual backup is a complete snapshot of your website, including:
All files
Entire database
Manual backups are resource-intensive — they take time and use a lot of storage space.
When Should You Use a Manual Backup?
Before major updates, like a WooCommerce update or a big theme/plugin change.
Before launching a new version of your site.
Manual Backup Limitations
Maximum of 3 manual backups per site.
Stored for 50 days.
Limits exist because full backups use significant resources and storage.
What Is an Automatic Backup? 
An automatic backup is incremental—meaning only the changes made since the last backup are saved. This makes them much lighter, faster, and more efficient.
Benefits of Automatic Backups
Up to 60 backups per month per site.
Stored for 50 days—giving you plenty of time for recovery if needed.
Less strain on server resources.
Automatic Backup Frequency Options
Hourly (Recommended for WooCommerce or frequently updated sites)
Daily (Recommended for WooCommerce or frequently updated sites)
Weekly (Good for blogs or low-traffic sites)
Monthly (For static websites with rare updates
Automatic Backups vs. Manual Backups: Overview 
Feature | Manual Backup | Automatic Backup |
Type | Also incremental, on-demand | Incremental backup (changes only) |
Resource Usage | Low | Low |
Frequency | On-demand | Scheduled (Daily, Weekly, Monthly) |
Storage Duration | 50 days | 50 days |
Monthly Limit | 3 backups per site | 60 backups per site |
Best Use Case | Before major updates | Regular ongoing protection |
Common Issues & Troubleshooting 
1. Why am I limited to only 3 manual backups per month?
Manual backups require a lot of resources and storage. To ensure performance and avoid overload, we limit them to 3 per month per site.
2. Can I increase the number of manual backups allowed?
Currently, this is not possible due to performance reasons. For frequent backups, use automatic backups instead.
3. How long are automatic backups stored?
Automatic backups are stored for 50 days, so you have plenty of time to restore data if something goes wrong.
4. Can I rely only on manual backups?
We don’t recommend relying only on manual backups because of their limitations. Automatic backups provide continuous, lightweight protection.
5. What's the best backup frequency for WooCommerce sites?
For WooCommerce or any high-traffic, frequently updated sites, we recommend daily automatic backups to avoid data loss.
Final Thoughts 
Whether you need a quick, one-time full backup or ongoing protection, WP Umbrella has you covered with manual and automatic backups. Use manual backups before major updates, and automatic backups for regular peace of mind.
If you’re unsure which backup type is best for you — or have questions about setting them up — reach out to our support team anytime. We’re here to help you protect your websites! 
