How to Export a Database From phpMyAdmin
To export a database from phpMyAdmin, log in to cPanel, click the phpMyAdmin icon, select the database, open the Export tab, leave Quick selected with SQL as the format, and click Go. The browser downloads a .sql file you can import on the new host.
For site owners exporting a MySQL database before migration or recovery, with scope checks, safe handling and a tested import path.
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- 8
- Updated
- 14 Nov 2026
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- WebJi® team
Last editorial update: 14 November 2026.
Log in to cPanel, click the phpMyAdmin icon, and select the database. Open Export on the top menu bar, leave Quick selected, choose SQL when a format menu is shown, and click Go. The browser downloads a .sql file you can import on the new host.
Where is phpMyAdmin in cPanel?
phpMyAdmin on a hosting account opens from cPanel. Sign in with the cPanel username and password, then click the phpMyAdmin icon. The host guide that shows the panel puts that icon in the Databases section.
On Plesk, use Website & Domains in the left-hand menu, then Databases, then phpMyAdmin under that database. The Export tab after that is the same control. WebJi® cPanel hosting uses this panel.
The phpMyAdmin import/export documentation explains supported formats and scope. A SQL dump covers database content, not uploads, configuration files or mailboxes; keep those recovery components separately.
How do you export a whole database from phpMyAdmin?
A whole-database export starts only after that database is selected. Quick is the method that saves the .sql file without extra options. SQL is the usual format. Go starts the download.
- Log in to cPanel with the cPanel username and password.
- Click the phpMyAdmin icon. In the Databases section, that icon is labeled phpMyAdmin.
- Select the intended database in phpMyAdmin navigation, then confirm that database is the active selection.
- On the top menu bar, click Export.
- Leave Quick selected. Where a format menu is shown, choose SQL.
- Click Go and save the .sql file.
You know it worked when a .sql file saves and the file is not empty. A large database can take longer. Wait for that download to finish before you start another one.
What does a phpMyAdmin SQL export contain?
The download is a .sql file of the database you selected, or of one table if you opened that table first. It is not a copy of the account files or the mailboxes.
- Whole database: the .sql file covers the database you clicked.
- One table: click that table first, then Export, and the file is only that table.
- Format: choose SQL when the export screen shows a format menu.
How do you export one table from phpMyAdmin?
To export one table, click the database, then click the table name under it. One guide places that table on the left, under the database name. Open Export, choose Quick or Custom, choose SQL if a format menu is shown, and click Go.
What is the difference between Quick and Custom export?
Quick downloads the .sql file right away. On the host export screen, the Quick radio is already selected, and Go is the button that saves the file.
Custom is the method with more control over the data. Use it only when you already know how SQL tables are managed. Stay on Quick when you only need the .sql file.
Available export options depend on the installed phpMyAdmin version, configuration and database privileges. Ordinary exports do not require a server root login. Select the scope and SQL output deliberately instead of inferring permissions from an account name.
How do you import the exported database in phpMyAdmin?
Import the .sql file into a database that already exists. cPanel's article says to create that database before the import. Create it with MySQL Databases in cPanel, not inside phpMyAdmin. The clicks are in how to create a MySQL database in cPanel.
Open the new database in phpMyAdmin and click Import on the top menu bar. That is the import control the cPanel article documents. A large .sql file is limited by the upload size, which is covered in import a large SQL file in phpMyAdmin.
MySQL database and table-name case behaviour depends on the platform and lower_case_table_names setting. Column names are not case-sensitive on any platform. Use consistent spelling and case when migrating, and test queries against the destination configuration.
Free migration onto WebJi® is subject to terms and approval. It is not instant, and it is not unconditional. Any other move is quoted by email before payment.
What if the phpMyAdmin export download stalls?
If the browser download stalls, stop clicking Go. In cPanel open the Files section, click the Backup icon, find Download a MySQL Database Backup, and click the database name. That backup downloads to your computer without the Export tab.
You can also export one table at a time. Click the table, then Export, so each .sql file is smaller than the full database.
If the saved file is empty, click the database name again and repeat Export, Quick, and Go. The cPanel steps start only after that database is selected. Check that the saved name ends in .sql and that the file is not an empty download.
Frequently asked questions
How do I export a database from phpMyAdmin?
Select the database before Export so the dump has the intended scope. Quick with SQL is the usual starting point; save the download securely because it may contain customer data. Validate restoration on a test database rather than relying only on the filename.
Where is the phpMyAdmin icon in cPanel?
Find phpMyAdmin through the hosting panel’s database tools; the exact icon position varies with the theme and panel version. Confirm you selected the intended database once it opens. Hosting-panel credentials and application database credentials are different accounts.
What is the difference between Quick and Custom export?
Quick uses default export options, while Custom permits choices such as selected tables, compression and output settings where supported. You do not need a root account merely to use Custom. Review the choices so an export does not omit required structure or data.
How do I export only one table from phpMyAdmin?
Select the table within its database before opening Export and check the chosen scope. A single-table dump is not a complete application backup. Related tables and the website files may also be required to restore a working application.
How do I import the exported database in phpMyAdmin?
Create the destination database through the hosting panel, then select it in phpMyAdmin and open Import. Use a test or deliberately prepared database; SQL dumps may replace existing tables. Back up current data and check upload and runtime limits first.
What if the phpMyAdmin export download stalls?
Avoid repeatedly starting downloads. Check the current export and try the hosting panel’s database backup facility if available, or ask for an appropriate server-side export. Verify the resulting dump and protect its contents rather than treating an empty download as success.
Last editorial update: 14 November 2026.
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