How to Restore a MySQL Database Using phpMyAdmin

If you have a .sql backup file, you can use phpMyAdmin to restore your MySQL database directly from cPanel. This is useful when recovering from a broken WordPress site or restoring a database from a manual backup.

Before You Begin

Make sure the database you're restoring into already exists in your cPanel account. If it was deleted, recreate it first under cPanel > Databases > MySQL Databases and reassign the database user.

Steps to Import a Database

1. Log in to cPanel and go to Databases > phpMyAdmin.
2. In the left panel, click the name of the database you want to restore into.
3. Click the Import tab at the top of the page.
4. Under File to import, click Choose File and select your .sql backup file.
5. Leave the format set to SQL and the character set as utf8 unless you have a specific reason to change them.
6. Click Import at the bottom of the page.

phpMyAdmin will process the file and display a confirmation message when the import is complete.

Troubleshooting

• File too large: phpMyAdmin has a file size limit. For large databases, consider using JetBackup to restore, or ask our team to assist.
• Errors during import: If you see SQL errors, your backup file may have been exported with settings incompatible with the current database version. Contact our support team for help.

Once the import is done, test your website to confirm it's loading correctly with the restored data.