TL;DR
- Usually, yes, if there’s a backup. Without one, there’s nothing to restore from.
- WordPress also keeps older versions of your pages, called revisions.
- Data in other software is a separate problem. It may need that company’s help, or fixing by hand.
- Broke something while editing? Tell us. No blame, and it’s usually a quick fix.
What Can Be Restored?
- Your whole site, from a backup. On our support plans, backups run daily, and “Multiple months are kept in case a hack happens but goes undetected for a week or two.” See How Should I Back Up My WordPress Website?
- A single page. When one client’s page suddenly went blank, it was back about 15 minutes after they reported it. As Beth told them, “I restored it to the last known version.”
- Edits you’d like to undo. WordPress revisions store “a record of each saved draft or published update.” You can pick an older one and restore it. See WordPress’s guide to revisions.
What Can’t Be Restored?
- Anything with no backup. On one site we took over, no backups had ever been set up. Without any backups, there was nothing to restore.
- Anything added after the last backup. Orders, form entries, and edits made since then won’t be in it.
- Damage from connected software, with no backup. On that same site, a sync between the online store and its customer database overwrote customer names. We asked the software company for help, fixed the records by hand, and then set up regular backups.
What If I Break Something While Editing My Website?
Tell us right away. It happens, and these fixes are usually quick. When one client worried about getting yelled at, Beth answered, “No, I would never do that. I will be stern if you do something you know you shouldn’t do… but that’s very different. 😉” See Should I Edit My Website Myself or Have My Webmaster Do It?
How We Find Out What Went Wrong
An activity log (a record of who changed what, and when) plugin helps trace the cause. After the blank-page scare on a site without this plugin happened, Beth added it and noted to the client: “Pages don’t just change themselves. So, this is a bit bizarre. I won’t know this time what happened. But it’s installed in case it happens again.”
What Webmaster For Hire Recommends
- Keep daily backups, stored for months.
- Remember revisions. WordPress saves them automatically, so small editing mistakes can often be undone.
- Ask your other software providers how they back up your data and how to request a restore.
:: Common Questions ::
How Fast Can You Restore My Site?
If a site on our support plans is hacked, we repair and restore it within 24 hours of being notified. Smaller fixes are often faster. See Is Hacked Website or Email Cleanup Included in My Plan?
Will I Lose Recent Changes If You Restore a Backup?
Anything added after that backup will be missing. Tell us about recent orders, form entries, or edits before we restore, so they can be saved first.
Want Backups You Can Count On?
See our WordPress Support Services, or request a consultation.
