Title: SQL database in plain text
Last modified: April 21, 2020

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# SQL database in plain text

 *  Resolved [Matheron](https://wordpress.org/support/users/matheron/)
 * (@matheron)
 * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sql-database-in-plain-text/)
 * I am trying out Updraftplus.
 * In the official Updraftplus FAQ, you explicitly state that “_The database is 
   backed up into an ordinary SQL (text) file_“. Source:
    [https://updraftplus.com/faqs/what-format-are-backups-made-in-is-it-nasty-and-proprietary/](https://updraftplus.com/faqs/what-format-are-backups-made-in-is-it-nasty-and-proprietary/)
 * However, when I run an Updraftplus backup of my WordPress SQL database and download
   this backup locally, it seems always to have been **compressed** into a .gz format.
 * The fact that I could decompress the file with e.g. 7-zip nothwithstanding, your
   current FAQ appears to be misleading, wrong, or both. I have looked through the
   Updraftplus settings, but cannot find anything regulating database backup compression.
 * Would you please inform me how to use Updraftplus to backup the WordPress database
   directly into an uncompressed “ordinary SQL (text) file”?
 * If this is not possible, would you please change your current FAQ?
 * Thank you for a useful product.

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

 *  Plugin Contributor [bcrodua](https://wordpress.org/support/users/bcrodua/)
 * (@bcrodua)
 * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sql-database-in-plain-text/#post-12709244)
 * Hi,
 * Just rename the file from …db.gz to …db.sql.gz. It’s already an SQL file; all
   that needs doing is changing the name to fit one of the conventions that phpMyAdmin
   accepts.
 * Regards,
    Bryle
 *  Thread Starter [Matheron](https://wordpress.org/support/users/matheron/)
 * (@matheron)
 * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sql-database-in-plain-text/#post-12709436)
 * Thank you.
 * However, changing the file suffix to of the database backup file should not work
   and does not work. Unsurprisingly, the file content will remain compressed, independently
   of the current file suffix.
 * I simply want the Updraft database backup contents to be **human-readable**, 
   i.e. stored in plain text. Sorry if I have been needlessly unclear.
 * To view the file contents as a human-readable “_ordinary SQL (text) file_“, one
   first needs to decompress the file with e.g. a third-party solution like 7-zip.
   This solves the problem. However, it appears to be needlessly clumsy, as it forces
   a majority of users to rely on third-party solutions, just to see the backed-
   up contents.
 * I would like to be able to open the backed-up database file with a text editor
   and directly **see its contents** in a human-readable, plain-text format. This
   is what I took your FAQ to say would be possible. But it is not.
 * If Updraft would support optionally making database backups in plain-text format,
   that would facilitate for end users. If you insist on forcing compression, the
   next best thing could be to enable wrapping the entire backup in one single .
   zip (so that the complete wordpress installation may be unzipped in one single
   click), and the third best thing could be to compress the database separately,
   but in the more ubiquituous .zip format. Any of these options should increase
   compatibility and transparency.
 * All this is said from the perspective of human-readability. Would this suggestion
   break something else? Would you consider implementing it?
 * Thank you for a useful product.
 *  Plugin Contributor [DNutbourne](https://wordpress.org/support/users/dnutbourne/)
 * (@dnutbourne)
 * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sql-database-in-plain-text/#post-12715505)
 * Hi,
 * UpdraftPlus stores the database backup in a .gz file to compress the size of 
   the database backup, and aid in upload/download to remote storage. Packing the
   sql file is also more secure, as it prevents the sql from being run.
 * .gz is used as it is more efficient than a zip file, and is a standard for database
   management tools such as phpMyAdmin.
 * However, the file inside the .gz is plaintext sql, and can be opened using any
   word editor.
 * .gz is supported by most zipping utilities, including the standard Windows and
   Mac utilities.
 * UpdraftPlus does not currently include the option to not compress the database
   backup. I will make a note for our admins to look into improving the wording 
   of the FAQ to make this more clear.
 *  Thread Starter [Matheron](https://wordpress.org/support/users/matheron/)
 * (@matheron)
 * [6 years, 1 month ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sql-database-in-plain-text/#post-12715677)
 * Thank you, that is clear. The benefits of compressing as such are fair enough.
 * It still might be helpful for your users if the backed-up database could optionally
   be not compressed, or, if it need be compressed, to be compressed into the ubiquitous**\*.
   zip** format.
 * Tools for decompressing *.gz files may be “standard” for a few users. But the
   certainly are for the average user. The by far largest user platform, Microsoft
   Windows, never shipped with a native *.gz decompressing utility. Whereas it does
   ships with **native** *.zip decompression.
 * Thank you once more. Please feel free to mark the thread as closed.
 *  [Ate Up With Motor](https://wordpress.org/support/users/ate-up-with-motor/)
 * (@ate-up-with-motor)
 * [6 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sql-database-in-plain-text/#post-12754077)
 * [@matheron](https://wordpress.org/support/users/matheron/) — If you only occasionally
   need to produce an uncompressed database backup (for instance, if you’re troubleshooting
   and want to be able to go through your database offline), you can export your
   site database via PHPMyAdmin, which should be offered through your web host’s
   control panel. This isn’t a scheduled backup, of course, but it’s simple enough
   to do, requiring little specialized technical knowledge. (You do obviously need
   your database login information.)
 * If you need to uncompress existing backup files, 7-Zip (a free and open-source
   compression utility) can handle gzip as well as various other compression types.
 *  Thread Starter [Matheron](https://wordpress.org/support/users/matheron/)
 * (@matheron)
 * [6 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sql-database-in-plain-text/#post-12757320)
 * Thank you.
 * I can solve this problem. I just use 7-zip. My request was not about the technical
   possibility per se, but about **end-user convenience**.
 * Every needless workflow step saved will count toward a smoother user experience.
 * Some web hosts, like my previous, do not provide Phpmyadmin.
 * Backupping Mysql database files in plain-text format is doable, since other free
   WP plugins, such as e.g. WP Vivid Backup, provide it out of the box.
 * Tois is no dealbreaker, but still useful.

Viewing 6 replies - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

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## Tags

 * [database](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/database/)
 * [gz](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/gz/)
 * [sql](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/sql/)

 * 6 replies
 * 4 participants
 * Last reply from: [Matheron](https://wordpress.org/support/users/matheron/)
 * Last activity: [6 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/sql-database-in-plain-text/#post-12757320)
 * Status: resolved