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Backup & Restore

Backup & Restore lets you export all of your SyteSlyders settings as a JSON file and import that file later to restore them. This is useful for migrating to a new site, recovering from a reset, or saving a snapshot before making major changes.

Accessing the Backup Tab​

Navigate to SyteSlyders > Backup in your WordPress admin menu. The Backup tab is always available and does not need to be enabled in Settings.

Exporting Settings​

  1. Open the Backup tab.
  2. Choose which sections to include using the export scope checkboxes (all are checked by default):
    • Schedules -- sales schedule definitions
    • Banners -- banner configurations and styling
    • Custom slides -- supplemental custom slides
    • Fallback slide -- the fallback slide configuration
    • Media files -- bundles slide images as base64 data inside the JSON so they can be re-imported into the target site's Media Library
  3. Click Download Backup.
  4. A JSON file will download to your computer.

The export always includes these core settings regardless of scope toggles:

  • Shortcode defaults
  • Hero layout settings
  • Hero view overrides
  • Hero text master configuration
  • Hero random lines
  • Tab gates (feature flags)
  • No-slides alert contacts
  • Custom Slyders
  • Custom CSS (global, glow, desktop, tablet, mobile)
  • Selected theme and ecommerce provider
  • Featured order (filtered on import to match available slides)

What Is NOT Included​

The export does not include product-level meta such as:

  • Featured product status
  • Hero images or videos assigned to individual products
  • Per-product hero text overrides stored in product meta

These values are tied directly to individual products and are managed through the product editor or the Slyders tab.

Importing Settings​

  1. Open the Backup tab.
  2. Click Choose File and select a previously exported JSON file.
  3. Click Restore Settings.
  4. Your current SyteSlyders settings will be overwritten with the values from the imported file.

What happens during import​

  • All imported values pass through the same sanitizers used by admin forms.
  • Media re-import: If the backup includes bundled media, each image is uploaded into the target site's Media Library and assigned a new attachment ID. All slide references are remapped automatically.
  • Custom slides only: Only custom-type supplemental slides are imported. Page and category slide bindings are dropped because the target site may not have the same pages or categories.
  • Featured order filtering: Product, page, and category keys are removed from the featured order. Only custom slide and fallback references that exist in the imported data are kept.
  • Sales schedules: Imported schedules are converted to non-sale schedules -- sale flags are cleared, product pricing data is removed, and product/page/category slide links are dropped. Schedule windows (start/end) and custom/fallback slide associations are preserved.
  • Banners: Imported as-is through the standard banner sanitizer. LiteSpeed cache is automatically purged.
  • Tab gates: Merged with the existing tab gates on the target site rather than replacing them.

Common Use Cases​

  • Migrating to a new site: Export from the old site (with media bundling enabled), install SyteSlyders on the new site, then import the JSON file to carry over all settings and slide images.
  • Restoring after a reset: If you reset your settings or reinstall the plugin, import a backup to get back to your previous configuration.
  • Pre-change safety net: Before making significant configuration changes, export a backup so you can easily roll back if needed.

Slide Field Fidelity​

Backups include the full set of per-slide fields:

  • Device-specific hero text (desktop, tablet, mobile overrides for text areas and CTA)
  • Video letterbox mode (inherit, cover, or letterbox)
  • CTA target blank (whether the CTA button opens in a new tab)
  • Slide interval (per-slide duration override)

All fields are sanitized on import through the same validation rules used by the admin form.

Media Export Warnings​

If a slide references an image that is no longer in the Media Library or whose file cannot be read, the export will include a warning in the backup metadata identifying the affected attachment. The slide is still exported, and on import it is preserved with an empty media reference so you can re-assign an image via the admin UI.

Check that all slide images are accessible in the Media Library before exporting to ensure a complete backup.

Safety Notes​

  • Importing a file replaces your current settings entirely. There is no merge -- the imported values take over (except tab gates, which are merged).
  • Keep your exported JSON files in a safe location. They contain your full plugin configuration.
  • If you are unsure about an import, export your current settings first so you have a rollback point.
  • Large backups with many bundled media files may take longer to import depending on your server's PHP memory and upload limits.