How to Back Up Your Squarespace Website (Just in Case)

How to Back Up Your Squarespace Website (Because Things Happen)

Your website should work for you, not against you. Squarespace is low-maintenance by design, but it doesn’t come with a one-click “backup” option. So, if you ever decide to make big changes or something unexpected happens, having a backup plan in place keeps your content and design safe.

Squarespace makes it easy to maintain a modern, user-friendly site that doesn’t require constant oversight from a developer. And while the platform is built for stability, the truth is, sometimes things just go wrong—or you just want a way to keep your site protected while you experiment with updates. Here’s how to create your own simple backup plan.

1. Duplicate Your Entire Site

One of the easiest ways to back up your site is by duplicating it. This creates a full copy that you can go back to if you’re in the middle of a big update or redesign.

• How to Duplicate: In your Squarespace dashboard, find your site, click the three dots, and select Duplicate Site.

Note: Duplicates come with a two-week trial (or six months if you’re a Squarespace Circle Member). When the trial expires, you can duplicate again or contact support to extend it.

2. Take Full-Page Screenshots

Visual backups are an easy way to capture your site’s layout and content. Think of this as a quick, snapshot-level backup—great for remembering how things looked before making design changes.

• How to Do It: Use the free Chrome extension GoFullPage to capture each page of your site.

3. Back Up Custom Code and CSS

If you’ve added custom code or CSS, back it up in a separate document. This gives you a quick restore option in case anything gets deleted or overwritten during updates.

• How to Back Up Code:

  • Code Injections: Go to Settings > Advanced > Code Injection. Copy both Header and Footer code sections, then paste them into a text document with labels for each.

  • CSS: Head to Design > Custom CSS and copy all the added styles. Save this in the same document so everything’s in one place.

4. Back Up Individual Pages

If you’re only updating certain pages, duplicating just those pages can be quicker than duplicating your whole site. This way, you can experiment with changes without needing to worry about affecting the original version.

• How to Duplicate a Page: Go to Pages, hover over the page you want to back up, click the Settings icon, and select Duplicate Page.

• Hide from SEO: To keep backup pages out of search engines, go to Page Settings > SEO tab > Hide Page from Search Results.

5. Store Important Files in a Folder

Squarespace doesn’t automatically include files (like PDFs or images) in duplicated sites. To prevent broken links, create a dedicated folder for these files. This makes it easy to re-upload any missing files if needed.

Design without Fear

With just a little preparation, you can confidently try out new designs, make updates, or launch campaigns without worrying about losing your hard work. Your site should be a tool that grows with you—not something you feel hesitant to touch.

By taking these few extra steps to back things up, you’re setting yourself up for success and giving your nonprofit the flexibility it needs to thrive. So go ahead, make those changes, try new ideas, and keep telling your story—knowing you’re fully prepared for whatever comes next.