How to create and download a full account backup

Create the backup

1. Open System Info & Files › then Create/Restore Backups.
2. Choose to create a backup.
3. Select what to include — for a full backup, tick everything: domains and files, databases, email accounts and data, and settings.
4. Start the backup.

It runs on the server and can take from a minute to much longer for large accounts. DirectAdmin notifies you when it’s finished.

Download it

1. Open System Info & Files › then File Manager and go to the backups folder in your home directory.
2. Download the newest archive (a .tar.gz or .tar.zst file).

Large archives download more reliably over SFTP. Connecting with FileZilla (FTP and SFTP)

Check it

• The file size should be roughly in line with your disk usage.
• Open the archive on your computer (7-Zip on Windows; Mac and Linux handle .tar.gz natively) and check it contains your domain files and database files.

Delete it from the server

A backup left in your account counts towards your 3GB and disappears with the account. Delete it once it’s safely downloaded.

If the backup fails

• Not enough space. The archive needs room alongside your data. Free space first. What’s using my disk space? How to free it up
• Very large mailboxes make backups slow. Back up files and databases separately, and email through an app. How to back up your email