Accidentally deleted content? Made a bad edit? WordPress offers two main ways to undo changes:
- WordPress Revision Rollback (built-in version history)
- Restoring a Full Backup via UpdraftPlus
But when should you use each? Let’s break it down.
When to Use WordPress Revisions (Rollback)
✅ Best For:
- Recovering small content edits (text, images in posts/pages)
- Fixing recent mistakes (e.g., accidentally deleted a paragraph)
- Comparing versions before restoring
🔧 How It Works:
- Open the edited post/page in the WordPress editor.
- Click “Revisions” in the sidebar (or under “Document” settings).
- Select a previous version and “Restore This Revision”.
⚠️ Limitations:
- Only works for posts/pages (not themes, plugins, or settings).
- No auto-saves forever – Old revisions get deleted over time.
- No full-site recovery – Can’t fix crashes or hacked sites.
When to Use UpdraftPlus Backup Restore
✅ Best For:
- Major site crashes (white screen of death, plugin conflicts)
- Hacked or malware-infected sites
- Restoring deleted plugins/themes
- Full database rollbacks (e.g., after a bad WooCommerce update)
🔧 How It Works:
- Go to UpdraftPlus → Backup/Restore.
- Choose a backup date and click “Restore”.
- Select what to recover (database, plugins, uploads, etc.).
- Confirm and wait for the restore to complete.
⚠️ Limitations:
- Not granular – Restores entire components (can’t undo one paragraph).
- Requires pre-existing backups – No help if you never set them up!
Comparison Table: Revisions vs. UpdraftPlus
| Feature | WordPress Revisions | UpdraftPlus Restore |
|---|---|---|
| Recover deleted text | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
| Fix broken plugins | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Undo today’s edits | ✅ Yes | ✅ (If backup ran today) |
| Restore pre-hack site | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Automatic version history | ✅ (But purges old ones) | ✅ (Keeps all backups) |
Real-World Examples
🛠 Case 1: Edited a Product Description & Made a Mistake
- Use: WordPress Revisions
- Why: Quick fix without touching the database.
💥 Case 2: Site Crashes After Plugin Update
- Use: UpdraftPlus
- Why: Reverts the entire plugin to a working state.
🚨 Case 3: Hacked Site
- Use: UpdraftPlus
- Why: Only a full backup can remove malware reliably.
Pro Tips
🔹 Combine both methods – Use revisions for content, UpdraftPlus for disasters.
🔹 Set UpdraftPlus to auto-backup daily – Critical for worst-case scenarios.
🔹 Don’t rely only on revisions – They won’t save you from server failures.
Need Help With Backups?
At Red Jet Hosting, we:
✔ Pre-install UpdraftPlus on all WordPress plans
✔ Automate backups to remote cloud storage
✔ Offer 1-click disaster recovery
🚀 Get Bulletproof WordPress Hosting
Final Verdict
- WordPress Revisions = “Undo” button for content.
- UpdraftPlus = Time machine for your entire site.
Always run backups – you’ll thank yourself later!
Need backup setup help? Our experts are here! 🔄
