How can I download or restore a MySQL database backup?

Procédure

Before restoring your MySQL database, consult the Backup policy for your shared web hosting to check what is backed up according to your plan.

Objective

This documentation explains how to download or restore a backup of your MySQL database from the LWS Panel.
This operation can be useful if you want to recover an older version of your site after an error, content deletion, a mistaken action, or a recently occurring malfunction.

This documentation applies to

This procedure is intended for customers with LWS Linux shared hosting, managed from the LWS Panel.

The hosting must allow MySQL database management, which excludes domain-only plans.

Before you begin

Make sure you have the following:

• a clear idea of the date from which you want to recover your database;
• the certainty that you want to replace the current state of the database with an older version.

It is also important to understand that a MySQL database can contain essential elements of your site, such as content, settings, user accounts, orders, or forms depending on the tool used. Restoring this database may therefore significantly change the site's behavior.

What you need to know before restoring a backup

Restoring a database does not always put a complete site back into the expected state by itself.
Indeed, a website often relies on two separate elements:

• its website files;
• its MySQL database.

If you restore only the database, but the site files remain newer, you may end up with a partially inconsistent site. You should also remember to restore the website files to the same date.

Check that MySQL restoration is available on your plan

The LWS Panel offers a one-click restoration feature for different services, including web data, MySQL, and mail. The retention period depends on the plan: some offers allow access to backups from the last 30 days, others from the last 90 days.

Before going any further, make sure that your hosting plan includes the backup level you need.

Accessing MySQL backups in the LWS Panel

Step 1 : Start by logging in to your LWS account with your usual credentials.

Step 2 : Once logged in, access the shared hosting where the database you want to view, download, or restore is located.

Step 3 : In the LWS Panel, find the Files section, then click Backups / Restorations.

Step 4 : On the backup page, click the MySQL Backups tab.

You will then see the list of backups available for your hosting plan.

Download a MySQL database backup

Downloading a backup is recommended if you want to keep a copy before making a sensitive change, or simply retrieve a database file from a given date.

Step 1 : In the MySQL Backups tab, find the backup date that interests you.

Step 2 : On the line corresponding to the chosen backup, click the action button located on the right (1).

Step 3 : In the actions offered, click Download database (2).

Step 4 : The download starts automatically through your web browser.
The file will be saved in the download folder usually used by your browser.

Expected result

At the end of this operation, you have a local copy of your MySQL backup on your computer.
You can keep it as a safeguard or use it as part of a technical intervention.

Restore a MySQL database backup

Restoration allows you to return your database to its previous state on the chosen date.

Warning before continuing

Restoration replaces the data currently present in the database with the data contained in the selected backup.
In other words, changes saved after that date may be lost.

Before confirming the restoration, take a few seconds to make sure you have chosen the correct date.

Step 1 : In the MySQL Backups tab, find the backup corresponding to the desired date.

Step 2 : Click the button on the right (1) of the relevant backup to display the available actions.

Step 3 : Click Restore database (2).

Step 4 : A confirmation window opens.

Read the displayed message carefully, then confirm only if you are certain you want to start the restoration.

Step 5 : After confirming, open the History tab to track the progress of the operation.

This section lets you view the progress and check the restoration status.

You can refresh the page regularly to see whether the status changes.

Step 6 : The restoration may take several minutes.

The delay mainly depends on the size of the database to be restored.

Check that the restoration worked properly

Once the restoration status is complete in the History tab, carry out the following checks:

First, make sure the operation no longer appears as in progress.

Then, open your website or the relevant tool in your browser, as you usually do.

It is recommended to clear the cache or refresh the page if the expected result does not appear right away.

Then check the specific element that was causing the problem. For example:

• a page that had disappeared;
• content that was changed by mistake;
• settings that have changed;
• part of the site that was no longer working correctly.

Expected result

If the restoration went well, your database has been returned to the state it was in on the selected date.

Important point

If the site remains inconsistent after restoration, this may mean that only the database contents were restored, not the site files. In this case, it may be necessary to also restore the website files to the same date to recover a consistent state of the site.

Common problems and solutions

What should I do if the desired backup does not appear?

If the backup you are looking for is not visible in the list, several cases are possible.

Case 1: the date you are looking for is beyond the period included in your plan: you may have access to backups for 30 days or 90 days. If the date you are looking for is older than the period included in your plan, it will not be displayed.

Case 2: your plan does not provide access to a sufficient retention period: subscribing to the Business support option gives you access to backups for up to 90 days instead of 30 days.

Case 3: you need a specific search or intervention: If the hosting has undergone a plan change since the backup date, a backup search service, carried out by a technician, is required to retrieve the backup.

Case 4: the date is too old: beyond 90 days, backups are deleted. In that case, they can no longer be restored.

I can't find the correct backup date

Start by checking whether your plan provides access to 30 days or 90 days of retention.
If the desired date is older than the included duration, it cannot be displayed.

The backups offered correspond to the last 7 daily backups and then one weekly backup over a maximum period of 3 months.

The restoration seems long

That can be normal. The operation may take several minutes depending on the volume of data. Check the History tab and refresh the page before concluding that there is a malfunction.

My site does not seem to have changed after restoration

Clear your browser cache, then reload the page.
Then check a specific element of the site.
If the site remains inconsistent, also consider restoring the website files to the same date as the database.

An error appears during or after restoration

In the event of an error, you should contact technical support so that a technician can analyze the problem and intervene if the action is possible.

When contacting support, prepare the following information if possible:

• the name of the site or hosting concerned;
• the selected backup date;
• the time when the error appeared;
• a screenshot of the displayed message.

Conclusion

You now know how to:

• access MySQL backups from the LWS Panel;
• download a database backup;
• restore a database to an earlier date;
• track the progress of the restoration from the History tab;