Download and keep a website before removing it from your hosting

If you are going to retire a website but want to be able to recover it later, keep an independent backup before removing it. Hostsuar's automatic backups rotate and do not replace a file you need to keep indefinitely.

What you need to keep

Write down the domain, the application folder, its database, PHP version and any external tasks or services. Check whether it uses files outside its folder or remote storage: they may not be included in the installer's backup.

If the website receives orders or changes, plan a shutdown or a final backup to include them. Decide separately what will happen to the domain and to email; retiring the website does not mean you have to remove them.

Create and download with Softaculous

1. Open cPanel > Softaculous Apps Installer and find the installation by its URL.
2. Request a backup that includes files and database, if the application uses both.
3. Wait for it to finish and check that the backup appears in the list of backups.
4. Download the file and keep a second copy in another separate location.

See Softaculous backup options. These backups can take up space in your account, usually inside softaculous_backups; do not confuse them with the external storage of the automatic backups.

Check recovery before deleting

Check that the download is complete and that you can read its contents. Then test restoring it in a separate environment with compatible versions. Make sure that copy does not run payments, emails or tasks connected to production.

Check pages, images, database and access. Document what you need to get it running: a downloaded file does not guarantee the application will work years later or on another PHP version.

If the domain, directory or account changes, you may need to adapt metadata and configuration. Do not assume that uploading the package to another hosting is enough; plan an application migration or ask support.

Remove the website from the hosting

Only after verifying the backups, open the installation's remove action. Check directory, database and database user separately. Do not delete resources shared with other websites.

Also remove or adapt cron jobs, integrations and links that still point to that application. Check that the other websites and email are still working. If you only want to remove the installation from the Softaculous list, use the detach action; it is not the same as deleting its content.

Keep the backups outside the public folder, with restricted access, together with their recovery instructions. Check from time to time that they are still accessible and that you know how to open them.