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Troubleshooting Common UpdraftPlus Backup Failures

29 threads Oct 1, 2025 Plugin → Updraftplus: wp backup & migration plugin

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If you're seeing errors like 'The backup attempt has finished, apparently unsuccessfully' or 'The backup is being aborted for a repeated failure to progress,' you're not alone. These are common issues reported by users of the 'UpdraftPlus: WP Backup & Migration Plugin.' This guide will walk you through the most frequent causes and their solutions, based on community troubleshooting patterns.

Why Do Backups Fail?

Backup failures can stem from various sources, including server resource limitations, problems with remote storage authentication, or conflicts with specific files. The first step in diagnosing any issue is always to check the backup log file, which provides detailed information about where the process stopped.

Common Solutions to Try

1. Re-authenticate Your Remote Storage

One of the most common fixes for failed backups is to refresh the connection to your remote storage provider (like Dropbox or Google Drive). If the log shows errors like 'invalid_request' or 'Have not yet obtained an access token,' this is likely the solution.

  • Go to the UpdraftPlus Settings tab.
  • Navigate to the specific remote storage section (e.g., Dropbox, Google Drive).
  • De-authenticate or unlink the current connection.
  • Re-authenticate by following the setup process again. You may need to log into your storage account in a browser first.

2. Reduce the Archive Split Size

If your backup process is being killed by the server for taking too long or using too many resources, splitting the backup into smaller files can help.

  • In the UpdraftPlus Settings tab, open the 'Expert settings' section.
  • Find the 'Split backups every' option.
  • Reduce the size to a smaller value, such as 25MB or 50MB.
  • Save your changes and run a new backup.

3. Enable the PHP Zip Module on Your Server

A slow backup that fails to progress can sometimes be caused by a missing PHP extension. If your log file states 'Zip engine: ZipArchive (a.k.a. php-zip) is not available,' you need to enable it.

  • Contact your web hosting provider.
  • Request that they enable the PHP 'zip' module on your hosting account.
  • This will significantly speed up the backup process and prevent many timeout-related failures.

4. Check for Problematic Files or Low Disk Space

Sometimes, a single large or corrupted file can halt the entire backup process. The log file will often name the specific file causing the issue.

  • Check your backup log for warnings about specific files (e.g., 'error_log' or 'advanced-cache.php').
  • In the UpdraftPlus Settings tab, you can add these files to the exclusion list to skip them during the backup.
  • Also, verify that your server has enough free disk space to complete the backup process. Running out of space will cause a failure.

5. Investigate Plugin or Security Conflicts

In some cases, other plugins, especially security plugins with aggressive firewall rules (like the 6G blocklist), can interfere with UpdraftPlus's operations.

  • Temporarily deactivate your other plugins.
  • Switch to a default WordPress theme (like Twenty Twenty-Four).
  • Run a manual backup. If it succeeds, reactivate your plugins one by one to identify the conflict.

Final Checklist

  1. Always check the log file first. It's your best source of information.
  2. Ensure your backup directory is writable (permissions should be 755).
  3. Confirm you have sufficient server resources (disk space and memory).
  4. If a solution doesn't work, try the next one on the list. Often, a combination of adjustments is needed.

By methodically working through these common issues, you can usually get your UpdraftPlus backups running smoothly again.

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