---
url: /zoho-payments-whmcs/backup-and-restore.md
description: >-
  How to back up and restore Zoho Payments for WHMCS — the gateway has no
  built-in backup, so use standard WHMCS database and file backups before every
  update.
---

# Backup and restore

Zoho Payments is a WHMCS payment gateway with **no built-in backup system** — no automatic
pre-update snapshot and no one-click restore. You protect it with **standard WHMCS practice**: back
up your database, and copy the gateway files before you change anything.

## Back up before every update

Because a [manual update](/zoho-payments-whmcs/updating) overwrites files directly, always take a
backup first. Capture:

* **A WHMCS database backup** — this holds your gateway configuration (credentials, Data Center,
  Webhook Secret, License Key) along with your invoice and transaction records. Use your normal WHMCS
  or host backup routine.
* **The gateway files you're about to overwrite:**
  * `modules/gateways/zohopayments.php`
  * `modules/gateways/zohopayments/` (the whole directory, including the webhook file)

::: tip Keep a copy off the server
Use your host's or WHMCS's scheduled database backups for day-to-day safety, and take a manual backup
right before any update as an extra checkpoint — kept somewhere other than the WHMCS server itself.
:::

## Where backups are stored

There is no backup folder created by the gateway. Your database backup lives wherever your WHMCS or
host backup process puts it (for example your host's backup panel or an off-server destination), and
your file copies live wherever you save them. Keep at least one copy **off the server**.

## Rolling back

To return to a previous working state after a bad update or a settings change:

1. **Restore the module files** — delete the current gateway files and copy your saved
   `zohopayments.php` and `zohopayments/` directory back into `modules/gateways/`.
2. **Restore the WHMCS database backup** only if your settings or records were affected.
3. Open **Setup → Payment Gateways → Zoho Payments**, confirm your settings, and place a test order
   in **Test Mode**.

Because your credentials and license key are stored in the WHMCS database, restoring files alone
usually brings the gateway straight back with the same configuration.

## Related pages

* [Updating](/zoho-payments-whmcs/updating) — always back up first
* [Uninstalling](/zoho-payments-whmcs/uninstalling) — removing the gateway cleanly
* [Troubleshooting](/zoho-payments-whmcs/troubleshooting) — fixes before you roll back