How to back up a Softaculous-installed application to Dropbox

This article describes how to configure Softaculous to store site backups on Dropbox, a third-party file hosting service. By configuring Dropbox backups, you ensure that you have off-site backups of your Softaculous application data.

Step 1: Add the Dropbox backup location

Before you can configure a Dropbox backup, you must add the Dropbox backup location in Softaculous. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Log in to cPanel.
   If you do not know how to log in to your cPanel account, please see this article.
2. Open Softaculous:
   • If you are using the Jupiter theme, on the Tools page, in the Softaculous Apps Installer section, click Softaculous Apps Installer (or any of the icons under Scripts or Categories).
   • If you are using the Paper Lantern theme, in the SOFTACULOUS APPS INSTALLER section of the cPanel home screen, click Softaculous Apps Installer (or any of the icons under Scripts or Categories).
3. In the icon list at the top right, click the  icon (Edit Settings icon).
4. On the User Settings page, click Add Backup Location:

   

5. On the Add Backup Location page, in the Location Name text box, type a descriptive name for the Dropbox backup location:
   

   

   The name can be anything you want, though we recommend including the word “Dropbox” so you can determine the destination at a glance.
6. In the Protocol list box, select Dropbox.
7. Click Authorize. The Dropbox login page opens in a separate window.
8. On the Dropbox login page, type your Dropbox username and password, and then click Sign in.

9. At the Softaculous Auto Installer would like access to its own folder prompt, click Allow:
   

   

10. Copy the code that appears in the text box.
11. In Softaculous, in the Auth Code text box, paste the code that you copied in step 10.

12. In the Backup Location (Optional) text box, you can optionally specify a destination directory for the backup in Dropbox.
    

    By default, Softaculous places backups in the Apps/Softaculous Auto Installer folder on Dropbox. If you want to store backups in a specific folder inside the Apps/Softaculous Auto Installer folder, type the name in this text box. For example, you could store WordPress backups in the /wordpress folder. Make sure you include the leading forward slash (/) in the folder name.
13. Click Add Backup Location. After a few seconds, you should receive the Backup Location added successfully message. You are now ready to configure backups.

Step 2: Configure the backup

You can configure automatic backups that occur at specific intervals, or you can do a one-time, manual backup to Dropbox.

Configuring automatic backups

To configure automatic backups, follow these steps:

1. Log in to cPanel.
   If you do not know how to log in to your cPanel account, please see this article.
2. Open Softaculous:
   • If you are using the Jupiter theme, on the Tools page, in the Softaculous Apps Installer section, click Softaculous Apps Installer (or any of the icons under Scripts or Categories).
   • If you are using the Paper Lantern theme, in the SOFTACULOUS APPS INSTALLER section of the cPanel home screen, click Softaculous Apps Installer (or any of the icons under Scripts or Categories).
3. In the icon list at the top right, click the icon (All Installations icon). The list of installed applications appears.
4. Locate the application that you want to back up, and then click the  icon (Edit Details icon).
5. On the Edit Installation Details page, in the Backup Location list box, select the Dropbox location name.
6. In the Automated backups list box, select the backup frequency that you want.
   If your web site's content changes frequently, then you probably want to do more frequent backups as well. Alternatively, if your web site content does not change often, you can decrease the backup frequency.
7. In the Backup Rotation list box, select how many backups you want to store.
   For example, if you select 2, after two days the oldest backup is automatically deleted.
8. Click Save Installation Details. Softaculous configures the automatic backup.

Doing a one-time backup

To do a one-time backup, follow these steps:

1. Log in to cPanel.
   If you do not know how to log in to your cPanel account, please see this article.
2. Open Softaculous:
   • If you are using the Jupiter theme, on the Tools page, in the Softaculous Apps Installer section, click Softaculous Apps Installer (or any of the icons under Scripts or Categories).
   • If you are using the Paper Lantern theme, in the SOFTACULOUS APPS INSTALLER section of the cPanel home screen, click Softaculous Apps Installer (or any of the icons under Scripts or Categories).
3. In the icon list at the top right, click the icon (All Installations icon). The list of installed applications appears.
4. Locate the application that you want to back up, and then click the  icon (Backup icon).
5. To back up your site's files, select the Backup Directory check box.
6. To back up your site's database, select the Backup Database check box.
   If your application does not use a database, this option is not available.
7. In the Backup Note text box, you can type an optional descriptive note for the backup.
8. In the Backup Location list box, select the Dropbox location name.
9. Click Backup Installation. Softaculous completes the backup to Dropbox.

More Information

For more information about Dropbox, please visit https://www.dropbox.com.