How to Import and Export Databases via phpMyAdmin (Quick Guide for Backups & Migrations)
Whether you’re migrating a website, backing it up, or restoring from a saved version, phpMyAdmin gives you powerful tools to import and export databases directly from your browser — no command line required.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to export a database for backup and import a database into phpMyAdmin for restoration or migration.
✅ Why You Might Need to Import/Export Databases
- 📦 Backup your website database before updates or changes
- 🚀 Migrate a site from one host to another
- 🛠️ Restore from a saved copy
- 🧪 Move staging data to a live site or vice versa
phpMyAdmin makes these tasks easy, even for beginners.
📤 How to Export a Database via phpMyAdmin
Step 1: Log in to cPanel
Access your cPanel dashboard (yourdomain.com:2083) and click on phpMyAdmin under the Databases section.
Step 2: Select Your Database
In the left sidebar, click the database name you want to export. You’ll see a list of its tables in the main window.
Step 3: Click the Export Tab
- Choose Quick for a simple export with default settings.
- Choose Custom if you want to select specific tables, formats, or compression options.
Step 4: Click Go
A .sql file will download to your computer — this is your backup file.
💡 Save this file in a secure location for future restoration.
📥 How to Import a Database via phpMyAdmin
Step 1: Log in and Open phpMyAdmin
From cPanel, go to phpMyAdmin.
Step 2: Create a New Empty Database
You must create the destination database first (via MySQL Databases in cPanel).
Make note of the database name (e.g., user_wpdb).
Step 3: Select the Empty Database
In phpMyAdmin, click the newly created database from the left panel. Make sure no tables exist inside it before proceeding.
Step 4: Click the Import Tab
- Click Choose File and select your
.sqlfile - Leave format as SQL
- Click Go
phpMyAdmin will now import the database and show a success message when finished.
⚠️ Common Issues & Fixes
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| File too large | Split the SQL file or ask your host to increase upload size |
| Collation mismatch | Set the correct collation when creating the database |
| Tables already exist | Drop existing tables before import or import into a clean DB |
| Access denied | Ensure your cPanel database user has the correct permissions |
🛡️ Pro Tips
- Always export before making major changes to your website
- Compress large SQL files into
.zipbefore import if allowed - Use Custom Export to exclude tables like logs or cache
- Match prefixes if importing into WordPress (e.g.,
wp_)
Importing and exporting MySQL databases with phpMyAdmin is a quick, reliable way to back up and transfer your site data. With just a few clicks, you can ensure your website is safe, portable, and recoverable whenever needed.
Have trouble importing or exporting your database? Let our expert support team assist you — click here to contact us.