Update WordPress or Plugins

Updating your WordPress site can be daunting, especially if you’re unsure whether to update the core, plugins, or themes first.

Many beginners avoid updates due to the fear of breaking their site, but neglecting updates can lead to security risks and performance issues.

Why Keep WordPress Up to Date?

It’s important to always use the latest version of WordPress.

This will make sure your website has the latest security patches, the newest features, and the best speed and performance.

Unfortunately, on rare occasions, updating WordPress or a plugin can break your website.

This can happen if there’s a bug in the code or if the update introduces some kind of conflict with a theme or plugin.

Create a complete WordPress backup before performing any updates.

You can also create a staging site where you can test the updates and catch any errors without risking your live website.

It’s also helpful to use the proper WordPress update order.

Update WordPress core or your plugins first?

First, update the WordPress core.
Then, update your plugins.
Finally, update your theme last.

Before You Start, Make a Complete WordPress Backup

Before you update anything, it’s important to perform a full backup of your WordPress website.

You should store the backup on your computer or in cloud storage, not just on your hosting server.

That’s because there is always some risk that an update may break your site, no matter how careful you are or in which order you perform the updates.

A complete WordPress backup includes everything:

Your WordPress database
All your images and media uploads
Your WordPress plugins and themes
Core WordPress files

Duplicator is the best WordPress backup plugin.

You can use it to create a complete backup of your WordPress site and store it on the cloud or download it to your computer.

First, Update the WordPress Core

If a new version of WordPress core is available, then you should update that first.

This follows the update order as it is listed on the Dashboard » Updates page and helps minimize the risk to your site.

Because plugin and theme updates are tested to work with the latest WordPress version, you are less likely to have conflicts by updating your plugins and themes after the latest version of WordPress is installed.

The simplest way to update WordPress core is to navigate to the Dashboard » Updates page and then click the ‘Update Now’ button.

When you press ‘Update Now,’ WordPress will automatically put your site in maintenance mode, then fetch the latest version of the software and install it for you.

You will see the update progress on your screen.

Troubleshooting a WordPress Core Update

Before you move on to update your plugins, you should first make sure that there are no problems with your website now that it is running the latest version of WordPress.

Simply visit your website in a new browser window to see if anything isn’t working or looks out of place.

You should also review the settings in your WordPress admin area.

If you come across any issues, then take a look at our list of common WordPress errors and how to fix them.

Once you have upgraded WordPress on your website, then you can update your plugins.

An easy way to do that is to scroll further down the Dashboard » Updates page to the ‘Plugins’ section.

Simply select the specific plugins you wish to update and click the ‘Update Plugins’ button.

You can select all of the plugins listed by checking the ‘Select All’ box at the top of the list.

You may also notice a red number beside Plugins in the admin dashboard.

Clicking inside will show you a yellow notice under each plugin that needs to be updated.

Then, all you have to do is click the ‘Update now’ link under any plugin you want to update without having to leave the page.

Troubleshooting a Plugin Update

As you did after updating WordPress core, you should visit your website in a new browser window to see if you encounter any error messages or other problems.

You may sometimes discover that one of your plugins is not compatible with the latest WordPress version.

Reach out to the developer and see if they plan to release an update.

If the plugin is from the WordPress Plugin Directory, then you can contact the developer using the site’s support forum.

Otherwise, check the official website for support information.

How to get WordPress support in the official support forums

If no further development is planned, then you will need to look for a different plugin that performs the same task.

If you’re not ready to move on to a different plugin, or if there are other issues with the update that you can’t resolve, then you may need to restore your WordPress site from the backup you made before you began the update process.

Alternatively, you can roll back WordPress to the previous version.

Finally, Update Your Theme

After you have updated WordPress core and your plugins and you have checked that your website is working, you can update your theme if an update is available.

However, when you update a theme, you will overwrite the existing theme files with new ones and lose any changes you made.

Once you are ready to update your theme, you can simply scroll to the ‘Themes’ section at the bottom of the Dashboard » Updates page.

Once there, you can select the themes you want to update, then click the ‘Update Themes’ button.

The ‘Select All’ checkbox will automatically select all available theme updates.

Updating Themes From the Dashboard » Updates Page

Alternatively, you can navigate to Appearance » Themes in your admin area.

If any updates are available, then you will notice a red number next to ‘Themes’ in the admin sidebar.

Updating Themes From the Appearance » Themes Page

Simply click the ‘Update now’ link above any theme you wish to update.

Troubleshooting Your Theme Update

Troubleshooting a theme update is similar to troubleshooting a plugin update.

You should start by visiting your website in a new browser window to see if there are error messages or other problems.

If the theme is from the WordPress Theme Directory, then you can contact the developer using the support forum for that theme.

Otherwise, check the official website for support information.

Always make sure your website is working properly before moving on to the next step.

Of course, if there is no update for WordPress core, then you can update your plugins or theme whenever new versions become available.