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How to Exclude Files from Backups

Alex Jankowiak
  • Updated

When backing up large accounts, it can be desirable to skip certain large directories or exclude files for security reasons. Whatever the reason, cPanel offers two methods for excluding files from the standard backup process.

 

Warnings

  • If you initiate a Home Directory backup in cPanel’s Backup interface (cPanel >> Home >> Files >> Backup), the global and local exclude files do not affect the contents of the backup file.

  • If you perform a backup with the /scripts/pkgacct script, the global and local exclude files do not affect the contents of the backup file.

  • The backup-exclude.conf files only apply to files or directories in a user’s home directory. They do not apply to files or directories outside of a user’s home directory.

 

Procedure

For all cPanel users

Edit the /etc/cpbackup-exclude.conf file and add the files and folders you'd like excluded from all users' backups.

 

# nano /etc/cpbackup-exclude.conf
*/.wysiwygPro_*
*/core.[0-9]
.MirrorSearch
.cpan
.cpanel/caches
.cpanel/datastore
.cpcpan
.sqmailattach
access-logs
public_ftp/.ftpquota
# add new entries here
example/
dir/example.php

 

For one cPanel user

Users or administrators can modify the user-level exclude file. /home/username/cpbackup-exclude.conf excludes files from a specific user's home directory.

 

$ nano /home/username/cpbackup-exclude.conf
# add new entries here
example/
dir/example.php

 

Resources

How to Exclude Files from Backups (cPanel Docs)

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