Perplexity and Burstiness in Disabling Automatic Updates in WordPress

WordPress is undoubtedly one of the most popular Content Management Systems (CMS) worldwide, and it’s loved by millions of website owners. However, with all its fantastic features, automatic updates can sometimes be a source of concern for several users.

The Downsides of Automatic Updates in WordPress

Automatic updates in WordPress are applied to new versions, including security patches and bug fixes, to improve performance and increase security. Though commendable, it may lead to plugin conflicts, break pages, and functionality issues, making it essential to control updates manually to avoid these problems.

Steps to Disable Automatic Updates in WordPress

Disabling automatic updates in WordPress is simple and can be done using any of the following steps:

Step 1: Disable Automatic Updates by Modifying ‘wp-config.php’

WordPress’s primary configuration file, ‘wp-config.php,’ can be found in the root directory of your website. By adding the following code at the bottom of the file, automatic updates can be disabled:

define( 'WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE', false );

Note that plugins and themes may still be updated with this method.

Step 2: Use a Plugin to Disable Automatic Updates

You can also use a plugin like ‘Disable All WordPress Updates’ to disable all automatic updates on your website, including plugins and themes. This is an easy way to disable automatic updates in WordPress if you’re not tech-savvy.

Step 3: Disable Automatic Plugin and Theme Updates

If you’re looking to disable automatic updates for themes and plugins only, the following steps can be used:

To disable auto-updates on all plugins:

add_filter( 'auto_update_plugin', '__return_false' );

To prohibit automatic updates on specific plugins:

add_filter( 'auto_update_plugin', 'my_disable_autoupdate_plugin_filter' );
function my_disable_autoupdate_plugin_filter( $update, $item ) {
if ( 'plugin-name' == $item->slug ) {
return false;
} else {
return $update;
} 
}

To disable auto-updates on all themes:

add_filter( 'auto_update_theme', '__return_false' );

To stop automatic updates for specific themes:

add_filter( 'auto_update_theme', 'my_disable_autoupdate_theme_filter', 10, 2 );
function my_disable_autoupdate_theme_filter( $update, $item ) {
if ( 'theme-name' == $item->slug ) {
        return false;
    } else {
        return $update;
    }
}

It’s recommended to disable automatic updates on specific themes and plugins rather than all of them, as updating them regularly boosts website security and performance.

Step 4: WordPress Development Mode

WordPress development mode is useful during the development phase, and to activate it and shut off automatic updates, add the following code to the ‘wp-config.php’ file:

define( 'WP_AUTO_UPDATE_CORE', false );
define( 'WP_DEBUG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_LOG', true );
define( 'WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false );
@ini_set( 'display_errors', 0 );

After doing this, you’ll no longer receive any WordPress core updates automatically.

Conclusion

While it’s easy to disable automatic updates in WordPress using any of the methods above, it’s important to note that doing so may limit the security upgrades and performance improvements WordPress provides, leaving your website vulnerable to security breaches and performance issues. Therefore, it’s essential to keep your website updated regularly but with caution.

If you’re not comfortable with handling security updates or writing code, it’s best to hire a website developer or a WordPress maintenance service to ensure your website stays up-to-date and secure.