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.
cPanel's support article, updated 28 May 2026, says to click the database in the right-hand sidebar. A host help page for the same export lists the databases after you expand the account username on the top left. Click the database name in the list your screen shows.
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.
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.
- Click the database name. cPanel's article places that list in the right-hand sidebar. A host guide shows it on the left after you expand the username.
- 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.
Some export options stay disabled when the login is not the server root user. The privileges on that user decide which controls appear. On Plesk the master database user is named admin, not root.
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.
On Linux, database names, table names, and column names are case-sensitive. On Windows they are not. Keep the same capitals when the new server is Linux, or the application will not find the tables.
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?
Log in to cPanel, click the phpMyAdmin icon, click the database, open Export, leave Quick selected with SQL as the format, and click Go. Save the .sql file.
Where is the phpMyAdmin icon in cPanel?
After you sign in with the cPanel username and password, click the phpMyAdmin icon. One host layout puts that icon in the Databases section.
What is the difference between Quick and Custom export?
Quick downloads the .sql file with the default options. Custom shows more controls, and it is for people who already know SQL tables. Choose SQL when a format menu is shown.
How do I export only one table from phpMyAdmin?
Click the database, then the table name under it, then Export. Use Quick or Custom, choose SQL if a format menu is shown, and click Go.
How do I import the exported database in phpMyAdmin?
Create the database in cPanel first. Open it in phpMyAdmin and click Import on the top menu bar. A large file is limited by the upload size.
What if the phpMyAdmin export download stalls?
In cPanel open Files, click Backup, then click the database name under Download a MySQL Database Backup. That download does not use the phpMyAdmin Export tab.