Blogger does not fare well with blog backups. Blogger is a very stable blogging software tool, to be sure, but I am a fiend when it comes to back ups, and Blogger doesn’t give the user any ability to back up your posts. However, you can back up your Blogger template.
Your template is in an “xml” file, a file that, when viewed, makes little sense to a human reader, but makes lots of sense to computers and blogging software. Blogger allows you to back up your xml template file to your own computer, for safe keeping. I recommend that you always back up your xml file if you are tinkering with the coding, or if you have a custom-built template, or if you make major modifications to your blog.
Log in to your Blogger account and choose “Layout” and then “Edit HTML.” This will display your xml template and ways to manage it.
In the very first section, titled “Backup / Restore Template” you see a link: “Download Full Template.” Clicking this link will download your xml template. Save the file to a safe place on your computer.
Now, should anything ever happen to your blog’s template or should you ever want to revert back to its original setting, you can restore your xml file. Just click the “Browse” button to tell Blogger where your xml template is on your computer. Click “Upload” and Blogger will install the xml file. (This is also how you install custom templates for your blog).
You will be given a chance to preview the new or restored template before it actually goes live. You can preview the changes by clicking the blue “Preview” button below the xml file window. When you are ready for publishing, click “Save Template” and Blogger will activate your changes.
In Summary:
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To download your xml template file:
- Log in to Blogger. Go to “Layout” and “Edit HTML.”
- Click the link “Download Full Template.” Choose to download the file to a safe place in your computer.
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To upload your xml template file:
- Log in to Blogger. Go to “Layout” and “Edit HTML.”
- Click the “Browse” button. Direct Blogger to your saved xml template file that you have stored in your computer.
- Click “Upload” to upload the file.
- Click “Preview” to preview your file before saving any changes.
- Click “Save Template” when you want to permanently save your changes and publish them.
February 11th, 2010 at 10:42 am
Thanks so much for starting this blog. I’ve been following it since inception and have enjoyed reading each post.
February 11th, 2010 at 10:58 am
Chuck, you greatly encourage me.
God bless you!!!!
February 21st, 2010 at 11:46 am
I love your way of writing your articles, made me start blogging too. Thanks for that! =D
March 4th, 2010 at 2:23 pm
But you can export your blog and store it on your hard drive, and that has the same effect as backing it up, doesn’t it?
March 6th, 2010 at 9:11 pm
Hi Sheila. Unfortunately, Blogger gives you no way to back up your posts. The XML file that you can download is only for your template.
You could always create a WordPress blog (for free) at WordPress.com, and export your Blogger posts. WordPress allows you to download all your posts and comments in an XML file. But for every new post at Blogger that you’d write, you’d have to go back and re-export the posts all over again, and uncheck the old ones you’d already re-exported. It’s a laborious process, to be sure.
When people who are serious about blogging ask me if they should start a blog on Blogger or on their own self-hosted with WordPress, I always recommend WordPress. There’s much more you can do, but you can also manage your OWN blog and your own content.
March 14th, 2010 at 5:43 pm
I stand corrected– Blogger has implemented a way to back up your blog! This is terrific! When did they finally decide to do this?! I am pleased. I’ve written a tutorial about it.