---
title: "How to Generate a cPanel Backup and Send it to FTP"
description: "Generate a full cPanel account backup and send it straight to a remote FTP or SCP server, with fixes for failed transfers and login errors."
url: "https://docs.noiz.ie/cpanel/how-to-generate-a-cpanel-backup-and-send-it-to-ftp/"
section: "cPanel"
categories:
  - "Control Panels > cPanel > Backup & Restore"
last_reviewed: "27 July 2026, against the cPanel **Jupiter** interface"
---

# How to Generate a cPanel Backup and Send it to FTP

A full cPanel backup packages everything in your hosting account (your home directory and website files, databases, email accounts, forwarders and filters, and account settings) into a single downloadable archive. Sending that archive straight to a remote FTP or SCP server keeps a copy off the hosting server, which is exactly what you want for disaster recovery or for moving to a new server. This guide shows you how to generate a full backup in cPanel and have it delivered to a remote FTP destination.

**Last reviewed:** 27 July 2026, against the cPanel **Jupiter** interface. This guide is written for Noiz hosting and is kept current against cPanel. It complements, and does not replace, the official cPanel documentation linked below.

### Official Documentation Reference

- [Backup for cPanel](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/files/backup-for-cpanel/) (the interface used in this guide)
- [Backup Wizard](https://docs.cpanel.net/cpanel/files/backup-wizard/) (guided partial backups and self-service restores)

## Prerequisites

- Access to your cPanel account.
- The remote FTP or SCP server's hostname or IP address, a username and password, the port number, and a writable target directory that already exists on the remote server.

## Generate a Full Backup and Send it to FTP

### 1. Open the Backup interface

Log in to your cPanel account. In the **Files** section, click **Backup**.

![The Backup icon in the Files section of cPanel](/img/backup-icon.gif)

### 2. Start a full account backup

Under **Full Backup**, click **Download a Full Account Backup**.

![The Download a Full Account Backup button under the Full Backup heading in cPanel](/img/download-button-full-backup.gif)

### 3. Choose the remote FTP destination

On the **Generate a Full Backup** page, complete the fields:

- **Backup Destination:** select **Remote FTP Server**. If the connection stalls or the transfer fails, choose **Remote FTP Server (passive mode transfer)** instead, which works better through firewalls. For an encrypted transfer, choose **Secure Copy (SCP)** where the remote server supports it.
- **Email Address:** enter the address where cPanel should send a notification once the backup finishes. To skip the notification, tick **Do not send email notification of backup completion**.
- **Remote Server:** the FTP host, for example `ftp.yourdomain.com` (an example to replace with your own) or its IP address.
- **Remote User:** your FTP username.
- **Remote Password:** your FTP password.
- **Port:** `21` for standard FTP, or `22` for SCP. Use whichever port your remote server listens on.
- **Remote Dir:** the target folder on the remote server, for example `/home/username/backupfolder/`. The directory must already exist and be writable.

### 4. Generate the backup

Click **Generate Backup**. cPanel builds the archive in the background and uploads it to the remote server. Large accounts can take a while, so you do not need to keep the page open. If you left the email notification enabled, you will be told when it has finished.

![The Generate a Full Backup form in cPanel configured for a Remote FTP Server destination](/img/generate-remote-backup-config.gif)

## Good to Know

- **A full backup is for migration and safekeeping, not one-click restores.** You cannot restore a full account backup through the cPanel interface yourself; restoring one requires server-level (root) access. To restore individual files, folders, or databases on your own, use the **Backup Wizard** or the **File and Directory Restoration** tool instead.
- **Standard FTP is not encrypted.** Your username, password, and files travel in plain text over FTP. Prefer **Secure Copy (SCP)** where the remote server supports it.
- **Check the remote free space.** The archive contains your entire account, so make sure the remote server has enough space to receive it.
- **Back up regularly.** A backup is only useful if it is recent. Keep to a routine and hold at least one copy off the hosting server.

## Troubleshooting

- **The transfer fails or times out:** switch the Backup Destination to **Remote FTP Server (passive mode transfer)**. Active-mode FTP is often blocked by firewalls and NAT.
- **Login or permission errors:** confirm the username, password, and port, and make sure the **Remote Dir** exists and is writable by that account.
- **No confirmation email:** check the address you entered and your spam folder, or confirm you did not tick the do-not-notify option.

## Need a Hand?

If your Noiz plan includes cPanel and you would like help configuring a remote backup destination, or you need a full backup restored, open a support ticket from your Noiz client area and the team will assist.

---
Source: https://docs.noiz.ie/cpanel/how-to-generate-a-cpanel-backup-and-send-it-to-ftp/