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Remote destination

Configure Google Drive for WordPress backups.

Google Drive is a practical destination for site owners who want off-site backups without managing object storage. Use it for small and medium WordPress sites, client sites, content sites and manual restore points.

What you need

  • A Google account with enough Drive storage for your backup retention plan.
  • Access to Google Cloud Console for the same Google account.
  • Admin access to the WordPress site.
  • StifLi Backup Tools installed and activated.
  • The Google Drive redirect URL shown by StifLi Backup Tools in the destination settings.
  • A backup folder name, for example stifli-backups.

1. Create a Google Cloud Project

  1. Sign in to the Google account that will own the backup connection.
  2. Open Google Cloud Console.
  3. Create a new project, for example StifLi Backup Tools - example.com.
  4. Select the new project from the project selector before continuing.
Tip: use one project per site or per client if you manage many WordPress installations. It makes credentials easier to audit and revoke later.

2. Enable the Google Drive API

  1. In Google Cloud Console, open APIs & Services > Library.
  2. Search for Google Drive API.
  3. Open the Google Drive API result.
  4. Click Enable.

This allows the OAuth client you create next to request access to Google Drive for backup uploads.

3. Configure the OAuth Consent Screen

  1. Open APIs & Services > Credentials.
  2. If Google asks you to configure the consent screen, click Configure Consent Screen.
  3. Choose External unless the site belongs to a Google Workspace organization and you intentionally want internal-only access.
  4. Enter an app name, for example StifLi Backup Tools.
  5. Enter the user support email and developer contact email.
  6. Complete the required consent screen steps and save.
  7. If Google keeps the app in testing mode, add the Google account that will authorize Drive as a test user.

For personal or single-site backup use, testing mode is usually enough as long as the authorizing Google account is added as a test user. If the connection must be used broadly by many Google users, publish the app and complete any Google verification Google requires.

4. Create OAuth Client Credentials

  1. Go back to APIs & Services > Credentials.
  2. Click Create Credentials.
  3. Select OAuth client ID.
  4. Choose Web application as the application type.
  5. Enter a recognizable name, for example StifLi Backup Tools example.com.
  6. Leave Authorized JavaScript origins empty unless StifLi Backup Tools explicitly asks for it.
  7. In WordPress, open StifLi Backup Tools > Remote Destinations > Google Drive.
  8. Copy the redirect URL shown by the plugin.
  9. Paste that exact URL into Authorized redirect URIs in Google Cloud Console.
  10. Click Create.
  11. Copy the generated Client ID and Client Secret.
Important: Google may only show or allow downloading the client secret at creation time. Store it securely before closing the dialog.

5. Connect StifLi Backup Tools to Google Drive

  1. Return to the Google Drive destination settings in WordPress.
  2. Paste the Client ID and Client Secret.
  3. Save the settings.
  4. Click the authorization or login button in StifLi Backup Tools.
  5. Sign in with the Google account that should store the backups.
  6. Review the consent screen and allow access.
  7. After Google redirects back to WordPress, confirm that the destination shows as connected.

6. Configure Folder, Retention and Test Backup

  1. Set the Google Drive folder where backup archives should be stored.
  2. Set the maximum number of remote backups to keep.
  3. Choose whether scheduled backups should upload to Google Drive automatically.
  4. Save the destination.
  5. Run Test connection if available.
  6. Create a manual backup using Google Drive as the destination.
  7. Open Google Drive and confirm the backup archive appears in the configured folder.

Recommended Settings

SettingRecommended value
FolderUse a clear folder per site, such as /StifLi Backups/example.com.
RetentionKeep 7 to 14 remote backups for normal business sites, more for active stores.
ScheduleWeekly full backups plus more frequent database backups for changing sites.
VerificationRun one manual backup and confirm the archive appears in Google Drive.

Troubleshooting

ProblemWhat to check
Redirect URI mismatchThe URL in Google Cloud must exactly match the redirect URL shown by StifLi Backup Tools, including protocol, domain, path and trailing slash if present.
Access blocked or app not verifiedAdd your Google account as a test user or publish/verify the OAuth app if required for your use case.
Drive API not enabledConfirm the Google Drive API is enabled inside the same Google Cloud project that owns the OAuth client.
Upload succeeds once but scheduled backups failReconnect the destination, check token expiration, and confirm the WordPress scheduler is running.
Backups fill Drive storageLower retention, delete old archives, or move backups to a larger Drive/Workspace account.

Security Notes

Use the narrowest permissions the plugin offers, avoid connecting a personal Drive account with unrelated sensitive files, and periodically remove old backups. Backup archives can contain private site data, so treat the Drive folder as production data.

Best practice: create a dedicated Google account or workspace folder for backups so access can be audited and revoked cleanly.