Softaculous is a great tool in cPanel that allows installing different scripts like Wordpress, Joomla, Magento, etc. in a click of a button.
However, Softaculous is not just a script installer, it has a number of features, which can make managing your website much easier! So, taking a few minutes to look through this article will definitely show you how to manage your websites in a more efficient way.
First of all, you need to open the Softaculous menu in cPanel. It is located under the Software and Services section of cPanel. You can use a search bar to locate it faster:
Then you can start managing your scripts through Softaculous using this guidance. It will teach you how to:
1. Install software
2. Import an installation
3. Set up auto-backups and auto-upgrades
4. Backup software
5. Restore backups
6. Upgrade software
7. Clone an installation
8. Remove an installation
1. Install a software
You can install different software on your site in several clicks using the Softaculous auto-installer following this article.
2. Import an installation
If you are using one of CMS scripts available in Softaculous, but the initial installation was performed in a different way, you can import the installation to Softaculous. You need to know the name of the installed script, and then you are ready to proceed with these steps to import it:
1. Find a script you would like to import using Search or Categories in Softaculous: 
2. After you click on the name of the script you wish to import, you will see the main page of that script in Softaculous. Navigate to the Import tab:
3. Select a domain name from the drop-down menu and type in a directory where the installation is currently located. In our example we have the Wordpress installation in the root folder of nctest.info, so we will keep the In Directory field empty. If you have an installation in the subdirectory of your domain, like in nctest.info/wordpress, you will need to type 'wordpress': 
3. Click on the Import button. You will see the Congratulations page if everything’s done properly.
3. Set up auto-backups and auto-upgrades
It is possible to set up auto-backups and auto-upgrades of your script on the installation stage. However, if you forgot to do it, you can enable these options at any other moment. In order to do it, follow the steps:
1. Open the All Installations page of Softaculous: 
2. Locate the required installation and click on the Edit icon: 
3. There, you need to put checkmarks in a few checkboxes (as shown in the screenshot below) in order to manage auto-backups and auto-upgrades of your website installation:
4. Click on Save Installation Details at the bottom of the page.
NOTE 1: Auto-upgrades may fail or break your website, but Softaculous always makes a backup of your installation right before performing an auto-upgrade, so you will be able to return back to a working version of your website by restoring that backup.
NOTE 2: It is not recommended to set Backup Rotation to more than 4 in order not to violate Ekhteear Acceptable Use Policy, which states: 'NO more than 5 GB of a shared hosting account can be allocated to any archive files'.
4. Backup software
Creating a current backup of your website installation is a very simple process with Softaculous. It is enough to do the following:
1. Click on the All Installations icon: 
2. Locate the required installation and click on the Backup icon: 
3. Choose whether you would like to back up the entire installation, database or directory with files. Also, you can add a note to your backup and will see some general info about your installation: 
4. Click on Backup Installation to start generating the backup:
5. Restore backups
If something went wrong and your website got corrupted, you can stay calm if you have a backup. Backup restoration allows returning the website to its previous state, and you can do it following these steps:
1. Navigate to the Backups and Restore section in Softaculous: 
2. There, you can find all available backups of all your websites’ installations. You can choose any of those backups to restore, download or remove using appropriate icons. Also, you will be able to check notes left at the moment of the backup creation. For this, you need to mouse over the notepad icon to see them: 
3. After you click on the Restore icon, you may choose whether you would like to restore a database or directory with files or both: 
4. Once you are ready, click Restore Installation.
Several minutes after your installation is returned to its previous state!
6. Upgrade software
Softaculous allows upgrading software with just one click when you need it. If auto-upgrade is not set up for your installation, you can follow these simple steps to perform an upgrade:
1. Open the All Installations page in Softaculous: 
2. If a new version of your software is available, you will see a small Upgrade icon under the Versionsection. Click on it: 
3. On the next page, it is necessary to check the box Create Backup. It is critical since such automatic upgrades may break your website. Moreover, before performing an upgrade it is recommended to create another backup of your installation or of the whole account following these instructions:
4. Then click Upgrade to start the process.
It can take a few minutes to complete the process and then you'll get the Congratulations message. It is recommended to check the installation of your website to make sure the upgrade has not broken your website.
If it has broken your website, you will need to restore the backup following the instructions from the Restore backups section of this article.
7. Clone an installation
If you would like to move/copy the current installation to another directory or even domain, the Cloneoption is exactly what you need.
NOTE 1: The Clone option is available for a few scripts only at the moment.
NOTE 2: It may be necessary to update some links/paths in the database of your installation after cloning. Not all of them may be re-assigned to the new domain/directory automatically
Let’s say you have mistakenly installed Wordpress to the /wp subfolder instead of the root folder of your domain. In this case, you will need to do the following:
1. Open the All Installations page of Softaculous: 
2. Click on the Clone button:
3. On the next screen, you will see information about the current installation you are cloning. Also, you will need to specify a domain name where you are trying to clone your installation, choose the In Directoryfield and set some other options: 
NOTE: The In Directory field should be empty if you would like to clone the installation to the root directory of your domain.
4. Click on Clone Installation when you are ready.
8. Remove an installation
Deleting an installation is an easy process as well thanks to Softaculous:
1. Open the All Installations page to see your current website installations: 
2. Find the installation you would like to remove and click on the red cross: 
3. On the next screen, you will see general information about the installation you are removing and will be able to choose whether all data of this installation should be removed or not: 
4. Click on the Remove Installation button.
That's it!
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