BackWPup Integration

Set up BackWPup backup jobs once for all your child sites, then run, download or delete backups in one place.

Get this Add-On Free with MainWP Essentials

One BackWPup job for all your sites, with per-site overrides

The BackWPup Integration is a free MainWP add-on that lets you create, schedule and run BackWPup backup jobs for every child site from your MainWP Dashboard. Set up a job once for all your sites, run backups on demand, and download or delete backup files from one screen.

Backup jobs that live on each site

BackWPup keeps each site’s jobs and settings on that site, so setting up a job, changing a schedule, starting a backup or finding a backup file means logging in to every site. The BackWPup Integration lets you create a global job once in MainWP and syncs it to your child sites. Sites that need something different get their own jobs and settings from your Dashboard.

Features

The BackWPup Integration covers jobs, schedules, settings and backup files for all the child sites that run BackWPup.

Feature	What it means for you
BackWPup Dashboard	See every child site that has BackWPup installed in one list. A row turns yellow when a plugin update is available and red when the plugin is deactivated. From the row’s menu you can run Backup Now, update or activate the plugin, hide or unhide it on the child site, or open the site’s BackWPup page.
Global backup jobs	Create a job once and the add-on syncs it to every child site that has Override General Settings turned off. When you start a global job on demand, a site added after the job was created gets the job set up first, then the backup starts.
Per-site backup jobs	Give one site its own job from that site’s BackWPup page in MainWP.
Job contents, destinations and schedules	Choose whether a job backs up the database, the files, or both, where the backups go, and when the job runs. After you create a job, choose which files to back up or exclude. On per-site jobs, you can also choose which database tables to include.
Existing backups	Pick a child site on the Existing Backups page to download or delete its backup files.
Global settings with per-site overrides	Set BackWPup settings once for all sites, then turn on Override General Settings for any site that needs its own.
BackWPup Pro settings	If your child sites run the paid version of BackWPup, turn on Use premium version to manage the License and Encryption tabs.
Database health check	On MainWP Dashboard 6.2 or later, the add-on’s tables show up in the Database section of Info > Server, so you can confirm its tables and columns are in place.

Requirements

The BackWPup Integration is installed on your MainWP Dashboard site, and the BackWPup plugin on each child site you back up.

Item	Requirement
License	Free, included in MainWP Essentials and MainWP Pro
MainWP Dashboard	The BackWPup Integration installed on your Dashboard site
PHP	8.1 or higher for BackWPup Integration 5.2. MainWP Dashboard 6.4 needs PHP 8.3 or higher on your Dashboard server.
Child sites	The BackWPup plugin installed and activated on each child site you want to back up. The plugin goes on child sites, and your Dashboard site gets the add-on.
Database health check (optional)	MainWP Dashboard 6.2 or later

Setup: install BackWPup and create a job

The BackWPup Integration takes an install on each side, then one global job for all sites or a separate job for a single site.

Install the add-on and the BackWPup plugin

Install the BackWPup Integration on your MainWP Dashboard, the same way as any other MainWP add-on.

In MainWP, go to Sites > Plugins > Install Plugins, search for BackWPup, and select Install this Plugin.

Select your child sites, keep Activate after installation selected, and click Complete Installation.

Sync your sites so your Dashboard detects the plugin.

Create a backup job for all sites

Go to Sites > Backups > BackWPup > Add New Job.

Enter a Job Name and choose the Job Tasks: Database, Files, or both.

Select the job destinations, then use the sidebar on the left to set the schedule and configure remote storage.

Click Save Changes. The job syncs to every child site that has Override General Settings turned off.

Set up one site on its own

Go to Sites > Manage Sites and click the site’s name.

Click BackWPup in the sidebar on the left.

Use the Add New Job tab to create a job for that site, or open the Settings tab and turn on Override General Settings to give it its own settings.

Full instructions for jobs, backup files and settings: BackWPup Integration documentation.

Where the backups run

The BackWPup Integration runs on your MainWP Dashboard and controls the BackWPup plugin on each child site, which holds the jobs and runs the backups. As of version 5.2, the add-on sends backup requests to the sites that have a valid backup job, and it runs alongside the standalone BackWPup plugin when that plugin is active on your Dashboard site. While the add-on is active on your Dashboard, Pro Reports client reports can include a Backups section.

BackWPup FAQ

Should you use the BackWPup Integration or MainWP Built-In Backups?

Use the BackWPup Integration if your sites already run BackWPup and you’d like to keep using it. For a new setup, MainWP Built-In Backups back up and restore every site from your MainWP Dashboard with no backup plugin on your child sites, and they’re part of the free MainWP Core. Choose your primary backup system in Backup Settings.

Can one site use different backup settings from the rest?

Yes, one site can use its own BackWPup settings: open the site from Sites > Manage Sites, click BackWPup in the sidebar on the left, and turn on Override General Settings on the Settings tab. You can also create jobs for that site alone from its Add New Job tab.

Does the integration work with BackWPup Pro?

Yes, the BackWPup Integration manages the paid version of BackWPup too: turn on Use premium version under Sites > Backups > BackWPup > Settings to manage its License and Encryption tabs.

How do I get a child site into the BackWPup Dashboard?

Sync your sites, and the BackWPup Dashboard lists each child site where BackWPup is installed and activated. Your MainWP Dashboard learns about the plugin when that site syncs.