--- title: Troubleshoot Akeeba Backup description: Troubleshoot common Akeeba Backup problems in Watchful, including failed backups, JSON API errors, secret word issues, server permissions, and remote storage failures. url: "https://watchful.net/docs/troubleshoot-akeeba-backup/" updated: "2026-10-30" category: Troubleshooting / Backup problems tags: - backups - "Joomla!" - WordPress --- # Troubleshoot Akeeba Backup Watchful integrates with [Akeeba Backup Professional](https://watchful.net/docs/site-backups-with-akeeba/) to schedule and manage backups for WordPress and Joomla! websites. If Akeeba backups fail or cannot be started from Watchful, use the troubleshooting steps below to identify and resolve the problem. ## Common Akeeba Backup errors You may encounter one of the following errors when starting or monitoring a backup in Watchful: - `Cannot step backup` - `Backup has failed` - `Cannot add backup to backup queue` - `Invalid JSON data` - `Invalid Body data` - `Access Denied` These errors can be caused by incorrect configuration, communication problems, server restrictions, or issues with Akeeba Backup itself. ## 1. Verify that Akeeba Backup works on your website Before troubleshooting Watchful, confirm that Akeeba Backup Professional can complete a backup directly from your website. 1. Log in to your WordPress or Joomla! administration area. 2. Open Akeeba Backup Professional. 3. Select the same backup profile configured in Watchful. 4. Run a manual backup. 5. Confirm that the backup completes successfully. If the backup fails directly on your website, review the Akeeba backup log to identify the problem before attempting another backup from Watchful. ## 2. Check your Akeeba Backup version Ensure that you are using a supported version of Akeeba Backup Professional that is compatible with your CMS and PHP version. Refer to the [Akeeba documentation](https://www.akeeba.com/documentation.html) for compatibility requirements and upgrade instructions. If you recently upgraded Akeeba Backup between major versions, make sure you completed any required migration steps. ## 3. Verify the JSON API configuration Watchful communicates with Akeeba Backup through its JSON API. If the API is disabled or incorrectly configured, remote backup requests may fail. 1. Open Akeeba Backup Professional on your website. 2. Navigate to the configuration settings. 3. Confirm that `Enable JSON API (remote backup)` is enabled. 4. Save your changes. For instructions on configuring Akeeba and connecting it to Watchful, see [Site backups with Akeeba](https://watchful.net/docs/site-backups-with-akeeba/). ## 4. Verify the Akeeba secret word Watchful uses the Akeeba secret word to authenticate remote backup requests. If the secret word does not match, you may receive an `Access Denied` error or another authentication-related error. 1. Open the Akeeba Backup configuration on your website. 2. Locate the `Secret word` setting. 3. Confirm that the same secret word is entered in the backup profile in Watchful. 4. Save any changes and try starting another backup. For security, use a randomly generated secret word containing at least 16 mixed-case alphanumeric characters. Avoid dictionary words, predictable sequences, or special characters that could cause compatibility issues. The Akeeba secret word is separate from the Watchful Secret Key used to connect your website. ## 5. Check your site's connection to Watchful A disconnected website may prevent Watchful from triggering remote backups. Open the `Sites Dashboard` and check the site's connection status. If the site is disconnected, resolve the connection problem before attempting another backup. Also verify the website URLs: 1. Select the website to open its `site drawer`. 2. Open `Site Details` to access the `Edit Site modal`. 3. Confirm that the website URL is correct, including `http://` or `https://`. 4. Verify that the `Admin URL` points to the correct administration area. 5. Disable `Htpasswd protection`, if currently enabled. 6. Select `Save` if you make any changes. ## 6. Check available disk space Insufficient disk space is a common cause of failed backups, particularly for large websites. Akeeba requires temporary storage while creating backup archives, and additional space may be needed for post-processing or transferring archives to remote storage. Check your hosting account or server to confirm that sufficient free space is available. As a general guideline, aim for at least twice the estimated backup archive size in available disk space, although some configurations may require more. If disk space is limited, consider excluding unnecessary files from the backup profile or moving completed backups to remote storage. ## 7. Check the backup output directory Akeeba Backup writes backup archives and temporary files to an output directory defined in its configuration. If this directory is missing or not writable, backups may fail. 1. Open Akeeba Backup Professional. 2. Select the backup profile used by Watchful. 3. Locate the configured output directory. 4. Confirm that the directory exists and is writable by the web server. Directory permissions such as `0755` are commonly used, but the correct permissions depend on your hosting environment and file ownership. Avoid setting permissions to `0777`, as this can introduce security risks. ## 8. Check firewall and security restrictions Firewalls, web application firewalls, and security plugins can block the remote requests used by Watchful to communicate with Akeeba Backup. If backups work directly from your website but fail when started through Watchful, review your firewall and security logs for blocked requests. Make sure that Watchful's current IP addresses are [allowed to communicate with your website](https://watchful.net/docs/allowlist-watchful/). If you use a security service such as Cloudflare, verify that its firewall or bot protection rules are not blocking legitimate Watchful requests. ## 9. Check for interrupted remote backups Akeeba Backup uses temporary files to manage remote backup operations. In some older Akeeba versions, an interrupted backup can leave behind a file named `akeeba_json`, preventing subsequent remote backups from starting. If you are using an affected version, check the following directories: - WordPress: - `wp-content/plugins/akeebabackupwp/app/backups/` - Joomla!: - `administrator/components/com_akeeba/backup/` If an `akeeba_json` file remains after a failed backup, first confirm that no backup process is running. You can then remove the stale file and attempt another backup. Only remove this file when you are certain that no active backup depends on it. File locations and remote backup mechanisms may differ in newer Akeeba versions. ## 10. Optimize the backup profile Akeeba Backup Professional includes a Configuration Wizard that can adjust backup settings to suit your hosting environment. If backups continue to fail: 1. Open Akeeba Backup Professional. 2. Select the backup profile used by Watchful. 3. Run the `Configuration Wizard`. 4. Save the optimized configuration. 5. Test the backup again. The wizard can help identify suitable settings for archive creation, database processing, and other server-dependent operations. ## 11. Troubleshoot remote storage uploads If backups complete successfully on your server but fail when uploading to remote storage, the problem may be related to archive size, network timeouts, or storage-provider limitations. Akeeba supports splitting backup archives into smaller parts to make remote transfers more reliable. To troubleshoot: 1. Open the affected Akeeba backup profile. 2. Review the remote storage or post-processing configuration. 3. Enable archive splitting if it is supported by your storage destination. 4. Reduce the archive part size. 5. Run another test backup. If the upload continues to fail, try reducing the part size by half and testing again. Also verify the credentials, available storage capacity, and connection settings for your remote storage provider. ## 12. Advanced troubleshooting If the previous steps do not resolve the problem, consider the following options. ### Disable archive integrity checking temporarily Some backup failures may occur during archive integrity checking. If your version of Akeeba provides an `Archive Integrity Check` setting, temporarily disable it and repeat the backup. If the backup succeeds, investigate the cause of the integrity-check failure before relying on that backup. Re-enable the check when possible and verify that your backup archives can be restored. ### Use database storage for temporary data Some hosting environments handle database-based temporary storage more reliably than filesystem-based storage. If your version of Akeeba provides the `Use database for temporary data storage` option, try enabling it and running another backup. This setting may help when filesystem restrictions or temporary-file operations interfere with backups. ### Joomla! sites: Check Offline Mode For Joomla! websites, verify that the website is not in Offline Mode. Open the Joomla! `Global Configuration` and confirm that `Site Offline` is disabled. Offline Mode may interfere with remote backup requests, depending on your Joomla! and Akeeba configuration. ### Check URL rewriting and redirects Some URL rewriting rules or security extensions can alter or block JSON requests. If your website uses custom redirects, SEO URL rewriting, or security rules, verify that these do not interfere with Akeeba's remote backup endpoint. Review the server's access and error logs for additional information. ## Still having problems? If Akeeba backups continue to fail, collect the following information before contacting support: - The exact error message displayed in Watchful. - Your CMS and PHP versions. - The installed Akeeba Backup Professional version. - Whether the backup succeeds when run directly from your website. - The backup log generated by Akeeba. - Any relevant firewall or server errors. This information can help identify whether the problem originates in Watchful, Akeeba Backup, or your hosting environment.