WP-Content Uploads: How to Backup and Upload Files in WordPress
WP-Content Uploads: This is very important in WordPress.
In this article, you will learn how to access the wp-content folder for downloading and uploading. We will use two methods to do all operations: hosting cPanel and FTP client.
The first method involves using hosting cPanel, and the second involves using an FTP client.
The WordPress CMS is made up of folders and files. WP-Content is an important folder that contains all the folders and files that are used in designing your website.
Importance of WP-Content Folder
Your WordPress theme folders, plugin folders, and media files are contained in WP-Content.
The theme is the structure and design of your website, and it uses media files like images, logos, and videos to make it appealing. The purpose of plugins is to add additional applications to your WordPress website.
Why Backup WP Content Folder.
Our website can be damaged by any attack on the WP-content folder. It is essential to back up this folder.
You can use this backup to restore your website in case of viruses, any hacking activity, or the accidental deletion of files.
It’s essential to understand that you shouldn’t make any modifications or deletions to WP content without technical knowledge of WordPress.
If you make a mistake with the WP-content folder, your website could be broken.
Before any changes, it’s important to make a backup of the WP-content folder as a precaution.
Apart from that, whenever we have to change hosting, this folder also needs to be moved to another hosting.
So it is important to learn how to download the WP-Content folder on our local computer.
Where to Find wp-content/uploads in WordPress
To learn where to find wp-content/uploads, we will discuss the WordPress directory structure in brief.
It helps you to do download and upload operations on wp-content.
Directory Structure of WordPress
You can see your hosting root directory is public_html, in public_html you will see the wp folder. This is the installation directory of the WordPress.
The wp directory further contains three directories wp-admin, wp-content, and wp-includes.
wp-admin: Files and folders associated with the WordPress dashboard panel are found in the wp-admin folder.
wp-content: wp-content contains your website uploads, upgrades, themes, and plugins. This folder is responsible for your website design and structure which is depicted by theme, plugins, and pictures.
wp-includes: wp-includes contains core WordPress files used to structure WordPress as a CMS. The purpose of this is to coordinate all core WordPress functions.
Now we will explain about wp-content sub-folders.
Uploads: This folder contains media files, such as images, videos, etc. Its path is: public_html/wp-content/uploads
Themes: Themes folder contains all theme files, that design your WordPress website.
Plugins: This folder contains plugins that are used to add ready-made functionalities to WordPress.
Upgrades: Upgrades folder contains files and data about upgrades.
How to Access WP-Content Folder Using cPanel
The WP-content content can be accessed through hosting cPanel’s file manager or using an FTP client.
Here we will access the WP-Content folder through cPanel using File Manager. cPanle is a facility provided by your hosting to interact with your website’s backed files.
In this article, you will learn how to manage the WP-content directory.
First log in to your hosting account.
Now you can see the cPanel dashboard.
In cPanel, find the Files section and click File Manager
On the left sidebar find public_html, It is the root directory, Double-click your public_html folder
After clicking the public_html directory, You can see all containing files in the public_html folder. There is a wp folder, it is the installation directory of WordPress.
Click the wp directory.
In the wp directory, you can see the wp-content folder, there are also other folders like the wp-admin and wp-includes folder.
But the wp-content folder contains all files and folders which are only specific to our website.
In the wp-content folder, you can see the themes folder, plugins folder, and other folders.
We can upload plugins and themes to this folder from our local computer’s hard drive.
Download the WP Content Folder For Backup
It is important to backup the wp-content folder on your local computer. All your website settings, design, themes, and plugins are contained in this folder.
The WP-content content can be backed up through hosting cPanel or using an FTP client.
How to Download WP Content Folder on Local Computer
You can backup it by downloading it on your local computer and saving it for future use.
Right-click the wp-content folder and click Compress.
You will see it will create a zip folder of wp-content named wp-content.zip
Now right-click it and click Download.
When you click Download, It will save copy of wp-content.zip file on your local computer.
How to Upload the WP-Content Folder Using cPanel
Cpanel or FPT are both options for uploading a file to the WP-content folder.
Here we will use cPanel
First, go to the wp main WordPress installation folder.
Click Upload in the top bar.
You will see a pop-up, as shown in the below picture.
Drop file wp-content.zip in it or click Select File
Now you can upload the wp-content.zip file by clicking the file.
You can see wp-content.zip file is uploaded in wp folder.
Now right-click the wp-content.zip file and click Extract.
This action will unzip your wp-content.zip file.
This will restore your website.
How to Access WP-Content folder Using FTP
Now we use an FTP client to download and upload WP-Content.
First download and install a FTP client.
1 Establish a connection to your WordPress using an FTP.
2 After establishing the connection, you can see the left side display your local file system. The right side displays your hosting file system.
3 Find or Navigate to the public_html root directory of your hosting file system. Search for WordPress installation. WordPress may be installed in the WP directory or directly to your website folder.
4 Now click the wp folder to navigate to the WP-content directory. The path will be wp/wp-content. After clicking you can see we can see wp-incluce, wp-content folder, wp-admin folder.
How To Download the WP-Content folder Using FTP Client
To download the WP-Content folder follow the steps below
5 Right-click the wp-content folder.
6 Click the Download option.
Where to Find wp-content/uploads in WordPress
If you don’t want to download the full wp-content folder you can download sub folders individually.
If you want to create a local copy of WordPress you can download only wp-content/upload. This folder contains a picture of your blog or website. And replace it with your local WordPress wp-content/upload folder.
7 Now double-click the wp-content folder.
8 You can see the wp-content folder is opened and all sub folders are listed.
These folders are wp-content/plugins, wp-content/themes, and wp-content/upgrade, wp-content/upgrade-temp-backup, and wp-content/uploads.
Now you can download the wp-content/uploads folder.
9 Right-click the upload folder.
10 Click the download option in the menu.
Save the folder on your local computer.
How to use FTP to Upload WP-Content
Login FTP, Navigate to public_html/yourwebsite.com/wp-installation.
1 Find the wp-content folder on your local computer, and Right-click the folder.
2 A menu will appear, click Upload.
Secure WP-Content Directory
We can hide the WP-Content folder by modifying the .htaccess file.
Open cPanel
Navigate to the wp-content/uploads folder.
Create an index.php file you don’t need to add any code.
When anyone tries to open the upload folder it will display an empty screen.
Conclusion
The main files responsible for your website’s appearance reside in the WP-Content directory.
We can avoid any type of risk by saving it on a local computer.
In this article, you have learned how to backup and restore it.
We hope this article will help you to learn about your WordPress important directory that directly impacts your website design.