# Uploading and restoring a cPanel backup

> Restore your files, databases or email settings from a backup file, including a backup made on another cPanel account or host.

Source: https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/cpanel/files/uploading-and-restoring-a-cpanel-backup/

If you have a backup file from cPanel, you can restore it to your Ruachost hosting account. This works for backups made on another Ruachost account and on other cPanel hosts.

## Which backup do you have?

cPanel makes two kinds of backup:

| Backup | What it looks like | Who can restore it |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Partial backup** | A home directory file (`backup-example.com-….tar.gz`), a database file (`.sql.gz`), or email forwarders and filters | You, in cPanel |
| **Full backup** | One large file named like `backup-10.14.2026_09-30-00_username.tar.gz` | Our support team |

## Restore a partial backup yourself

1. Log in to cPanel and open **Backup** under **Files**.
2. Scroll to the restore section you need:
   - **Restore a Home Directory Backup** for your website files
   - **Restore a MySQL Database** for a database
   - **Restore Email Forwarders** or **Restore Email Filters**
3. Click **Choose File**, select the backup file on your computer, and click **Upload**.
4. Wait for the confirmation message. Large files can take several minutes.

> **Caution:**
Restoring overwrites files and databases with the same name. If you're not sure, back up what's on your account now before you restore.

## Restore a full backup

You can't restore a full backup from inside cPanel, but our support team can restore it for you:

1. Upload the full backup file to your home directory, outside `public_html`. Use FTP for large files; it's more reliable than uploading in the browser.
2. [Open a support ticket](https://dashboard.ruachost.com/submitticket.php) with the file name and tell us which account to restore it to.

If the backup is from another host, we can also [move your website for you](https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/getting-started/guides/migrating-an-account-from-another-web-host-to-ruachost/), free of charge.

## Restore from Ruachost's own backups

Lost something recently? You may not need a backup file at all. Your account's automatic backups let you restore individual files, databases and email accounts. See [Restoring files, email, and databases using JetBackup](https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/cpanel/files/restoring-files-email-and-databases-using-jetbackup/).

## Related articles

- [Managing backups in cPanel](https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/cpanel/files/managing-backups-in-cpanel/)
- [Uploading and downloading files using cPanel's File Manager](https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/cpanel/files/uploading-and-downloading-files-using-cpanels-file-manager/)
- [Importing and exporting a MySQL database](https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/developers/databases/importing-and-exporting-a-mysql-database/)