Setting up a BackWPup cron job: start backups on time

Setup

Step by step

1. Update BackWPup

   According to the changelog, starting via link has been available since version 5.6.0. Check under Plugins whether your version is up to date.

2. Set the frequency to “Triggered by link”

   Create a backup job or open an existing one. Under Frequency, choose Triggered by link. BackWPup then shows a link with a copy button. It stays the same even if you change the frequency later and switch back.

3. Copy the link

   The link starts with your site address and wp-cron.php, followed by a secret key and the job number. Anyone who knows the link can start the backup. So treat it like a password.

   https://your-site.com/wp-cron.php?_nonce=…&backwpup_run=runext&jobid=1

4. Create an account at Cronjob.de

   Signing up is free and needs no payment details. New accounts get all features for 14 days, after that the account simply continues on the free plan.

   Start for free 14 days of Unlimited included, no payment details

5. Create a cron job with the link

   Paste the link as the address and leave the method on GET. Choose the time for the backup, ideally at night and away from the full hour. If you have several backup jobs, for example for the database and the files, each gets its own cron job with its own time. That way they do not run at the same time.

   5 3 * * *

   You can enter this expression at Cronjob.de exactly as it is – the schedule field understands crontab notation. But you do not have to know it: simply click the schedule together instead.

6. Switch on error notifications

   Enter an email address under Notifications. Failure notifications by email are included from the Plus plan, and free during the first 14 days.

What the five fields of an expression like */5 * * * * mean is explained in the crontab reference – with examples and the most common pitfalls. You can build the expression in the crontab generator. Whether you need an outside service at all is shown in the comparison of the three ways.

Verification

Is it actually running?

Start the cron job once by hand. The Cronjob.de call log shows the status code and runtime, and from Plus the response as well. Status 200 only means WordPress accepted the call, though, not that the backup ran. So after the first run, check in BackWPup and at the storage destination, for example the FTP folder or the cloud, whether the backup is there.

FAQ

Common questions about BackWPup

Is starting via link available in the free version of BackWPup?

Yes. In its comparison of Free and Pro, BackWPup lists “Trigger backups via URL / secure link” for both versions (as of November 2026).

Should I use the link or have wp-cron.php called instead?

Both work. If you call wp-cron.php regularly, the schedule stays in BackWPup and all other WordPress tasks run on time as well. With the link you set the time per backup job at Cronjob.de and see every start separately in the log.

How long does the call take?

That depends on the server. On many servers WordPress finishes the response right away and keeps working afterwards; then the call is done quickly. Otherwise the connection stays open while the backup is working. We wait 45 seconds on the free plan and 60 seconds on the paid ones, then we hang up. Whether PHP keeps working after that depends on your server settings.

The link does not start the backup. What now?

First check whether the job is still set to Triggered by link. For jobs activated another way, the BackWPup documentation names a filter that lets links start them anyway: add_filter( 'backwpup_allow_job_start_with_links', '__return_true' );. If an error status such as 403 comes back, the host or a security plugin may be blocking wp-cron.php. BackWPup names this cause in its help as well.

The call asks for a username and password. What now?

Then a directory protection (.htaccess) sits in front of the site. Enter the credentials in the two credentials fields of the cron job form, and the call authenticates itself.