2026 update: WordPress backups should include both your database and site files, and a backup should be made before major changes such as core, plugin, theme, or configuration updates. WordPress recommends keeping backup copies in more than one location. UpdraftPlus remains a current option for sending WordPress backups to Google Drive and other remote storage. Backing up the site ensures the safety of the design and contents of your site.
Configuring backup is one of the must-have initial setups required after installation of WordPress. If something goes wrong while making major changes, you can simply restore the old one.
It is easy to back up WordPress site on Google Drive or any storage you want. The simplest method to backup a plugin is simply by downloading the WordPress files and the database from the server (cPanel). But it can still be a hard thing for non-tech users and those who do not have access to the files and database.
It is not always possible to take a manual backup of your WordPress site, therefore you may want to make it happen automatically on your cloud storage. Therefore, here we have prepared a step-by-step guide on how to back up WordPress site on Google Drive.
Yes, you can back up a WordPress site on Google Drive easily using WordPress plugins. Many plugins offer backup to remote storage.
Some backup plugins differ in storage support, scheduling, restoration features, and pricing. UpdraftPlus is a current option with a free version that supports Google Drive and scheduled backups.
Step by Step Guide on How to Back up WordPress Site on Google Drive
Plugins have made it easier to back up WordPress sites easily anywhere you want. UpdraftPlus is one established backup option; its current WordPress.org listing shows more than 4 million active installations and support for backup, restore, migration, Google Drive, and scheduled backups.
As of September 2026, UpdraftPlus has more than 4 million active installations on WordPress.org. Its current plugin listing also confirms Google Drive backup support and scheduled backups. With UpdraftPlus, you can back up the WordPress site, including its database, to Google Drive and schedule backups. The exact scheduling choices depend on the current plugin version and plan.
Install and Activate the UpdraftPlus WordPress Plugin
The plugin we are going to use is UpdraftPlus which can be installed easily from the WordPress repository. To install this plugin, go to Dashboard >> Plugins >> Add New and search for UpdraftPlus. You will find the plugin named UpdraftPlus WordPress Backup Plugin in the search result.
Plugin Needed:
Click on the Install Now button and wait until the plugin gets downloaded on your server. When it gets downloaded, you will see the Activate button. Click on the activate button to activate the plugin.
Open the UpdraftPlus Setting Page
The next step is running the plugin for the initial one-time setup. When you click on the activate button, UpdrafrPlus will redirect to the plugin page and plugin setup page through its popup initial wizard messages.
If you missed this or skipped the message, you can simply go to the installed plugins section find the UpdraftPlus plugin, and open the setup page by clicking on the setting.
This will direct you to the plugins dashboard where you will find various options to back up the WordPress site.
Configure Schedule to Back up WordPress Site on Google Drive
After reaching the plugins dashboard, you will again find the settings tab. Click on the settings tab and configure the schedule for files and database.
UpdraftPlus currently supports manual backups and scheduled intervals including every 2, 4, 8, or 12 hours, as well as daily, weekly, monthly, and fortnightly schedules. Choose the interval according to how frequently the site changes and how much server load the backup process can handle.
However, it depends on how dynamic the site is and the capacity of your server. If the site is a business website that is not required to change frequently, you may schedule a backup for one day or more.
If the size of your site is high and you are on a shared plan, it will not be suitable to back it up every hour as the backup process consumes the resources of the server which causes the site to load very slowly.
Set the number of retained backup sets according to your site’s recovery needs and available storage. Keeping multiple restore points is safer than relying on a single backup, but the exact retention count should match the site’s update frequency and storage capacity. That means if you schedule daily backup, at least 2 backup sets are recommended and if you set the same for every 8 hours, then at least 6 rotations is recommended.
Choose the Remote Storage
You can select Google Drive as a remote storage destination. UpdraftPlus currently supports Google Drive in its free plugin, along with other remote-storage options; premium adds additional integrations and features.
Other storage destinations and features may be available in the free or Premium versions depending on the integration. Check the current UpdraftPlus plugin listing and pricing before choosing a storage provider.
These options are useful when the size of the WordPress site is very large. Google Drive storage limits are determined by the Google account/storage plan, not by a fixed 15 GB limit that should be assumed for every user. Make sure the available Drive storage is sufficient for your retained backup sets.
Decide the Files You Want to Backup WordPress Site on Google Drive
You can choose whether you want to back up a WordPress site with plugins, themes, and uploads and exclude any particular files from them.
By default, the exclusion rule excludes all the backup files created on your server storage by any plugins.
If you are using another backup plugin, you may need to exclude that path so that the server will be able to back up the WordPress site with low server resources.
After doing these, you can enable a basic email report whenever the backup completes or fails to upload on Google Drive. Then save the settings.
Connecting and Authorizing Google Account
When you save the settings, a popup will appear with a message to connect with the Google account.
If you are not sure about it, again go to the settings tab (UpdraftPlus Dashboard) and find the Google Drive option as shown in the following image.
When you save the settings, a popup will appear with a message to connect with the Google account.
If you are not sure about it, again go to the settings tab (UpdraftPlus Dashboard) and find the Google Drive option as shown in the following image.
Click on the authorization link and it will redirect you to your Google Accounts page. Select or login to the Google account you are willing to back up the WordPress site on Google Drive.
Give authorization and allow required access to the drive. The backup setup process is now completed.
Backup WordPress site on Google Drive For the First Time
After completion of the Installation, the backup process should automatically start. If it is not started already, you can do it by clicking on the Backup Now button.
The backup process takes some time depending upon the size of the site and the type of hosting server.
Conclusion – Backup WordPress Site on Google Drive
It is possible to back up a WordPress site to Google Drive using UpdraftPlus without paying for the basic Google Drive workflow. The important part is to verify that backups actually complete, appear in remote storage, and can be restored before relying on them for disaster recovery.
If you have any questions regarding backing up the WordPress site on Google Drive, please let us know in the comments section below.
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