BackupBuddy Settings Explained, Part 1: General Options, Email Notifications & Local Archive Storage Limits

BackupBuddy's Settings page may seem overwhelming at first, but don't worry. BackupBuddy's Settings page allows you to configure a number of options to customize your backups, email notifications, directory exclusions and more. While some of the settings options BackupBuddy provides are for more advanced uses, we've built in default settings that should work fine for the average BackupBuddy user.

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SolidWP Editorial Team
BackupBuddy‘s Settings page may seem overwhelming at first, but don’t worry. BackupBuddy’s Settings page allows you to configure a number of options to customize your backups, email notifications, directory exclusions and more. While some of the settings options BackupBuddy provides are for more advanced uses, we’ve built in default settings that should work fine for the average BackupBuddy user. So, if in doubt, you’re fine to leave the default BackupBuddy settings as-is. To locate the BackupBuddy Settings page, visit the WordPress dashboard. Expand the BackupBuddy menu and visit Settings.

General Options

The General Options area of the BackupBuddy Settings page allows you to configure your ImportBuddy and RepairBuddy passwords, make a Logging/Debug level selection and enable backup reminders.

Here’s a brief explanation of each setting option:
  • ImportBuddy password: This is the required password for running the ImportBuddy import/migration script. This password prevents unauthorized users from being able to view your backup archive listing on the destination server (during Step 1 of the import process) or from proceeding with an unauthorized import, so it’s important to set this password immediately after installing BackupBuddy (See The First Four Critical Steps After Installing BackupBuddy)
  • RepairBuddy password: This is the required password for running the RepairBuddy troubleshooting/repair script. This also prevents unauthorized access when using this tool, so again, it’s important to set this password immediately after installing BackupBuddy. (Again, see The First Four Critical Steps After Installing BackupBuddy)
  • Logging/Debug level: This option controls how much activity is logged for records or debugging. Your options here include None; Errors only (default); Errors & Warnings; Everything (debug mode). When in debug mode, error emails will contain encrypted debugging data for support. Hover over the button on this option to see the specific location of the log file on the database.
  • Enable Backup reminders: When enabled (by default), links will be displayed on posts or page edits and during WordPress upgrades as a reminder to backup. These are also convenient for rapidly backing up after modifications have been made or before upgrading to a new version of WordPress.
  • Add time in backup file name: When enabled, your backup file name will display the time the backup was created in addition to the default date. This is useful if you’re making multiple backups in a one day period.

Email Notifications

The Email Notification Recipients area of the BackupBuddy Settings page allows you to assign email notification recipients for scheduled backup starts, scheduled backup completions and error notifications. From here, you can also customize the email sent for each notification.

Here’s a brief explanation of each option:
  • Scheduled backup completion recipients – This setting allows you to assign the email address(es) for notifications to be sent when a scheduled backup has started.
  • Manual backup completion recipients – This setting allows you to set email addresses for notifications to be sent to when a manual backup is completed.
  • Backup failure/error recipients – This setting allows you to set email addresses for notifications to be sent when a backup fails or runs into issues.

Local Archive Storage Limits

The Local Archive Storage Limits area of the BackupBuddy Settings page allows you to assign limits on the number and size of backups stored locally. Local backups will be stored on your own server, not sent to a remote, off-site destination (remote archive limits are configured per destination on their respective settings pages). Any new backups created after these limits are met will result in your oldest backup(s) being deleted to make room for the newer ones. Changes to this setting will take place once a new backup is made.
  • Maximum number of local backups to keep – This is the number of maximum backups of local archived backups to store.
  • Maximum size of all local backups combined – This setting allows you to set the maximum size (in MB) to allow your total archives to reach.
Stay tuned for BackupBuddy Settings Explained, Part2. We’ll be covering BackupBuddy’s settings for database backups, file & directory exclusions and troubleshooting and compatibility.

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