Are You Confused About WordPress Updates?

WordPress is the most well-known content management system. It’s used worldwide to make websites, blogs, and online stores. Because WordPress is open source software, regular updates, maintenance, and security are crucial.

What Are the Advantages of Updating WordPress?

Upgrading your WordPress website to the latest version has many advantages, including enhanced security, bug fixes, better performance, and additional functionality.

How to Update WordPress?

Updating WordPress is an easy process, and this article will guide you step-by-step on how to update to the latest version.

However, before you start, it’s important to note that the update process could cause problems. Third-party conflicts, server issues, or mismatches between the WordPress core and your website structure could cause issues. Therefore, it’s essential to back up your website, including your website files, WordPress database, and valuable data.

Step-by-Step Guide on Updating WordPress

Step 1: Check Your Current WordPress Version

To find out whether your website runs on the latest version, check the installed WordPress version on your site’s dashboard’s homepage. If you need assistance, follow these steps:

• Log in to your WordPress dashboard
• Click on the ‘Dashboard’ on the left-hand menu
• On the top of the dashboard, you will find a notification if updates are available.

Step 2: Backup Your Website

To avoid data loss or accidents that might occur during the update process, backup your website using automatic backup plugins like UpdraftPlus, Duplicator, and BackupBuddy. Here is how to back up your website using the UpdraftPlus plugin:

• Log in to your WordPress dashboard
• Go to Plugins > Add New
• Type ‘UpdraftPlus’ in the search bar and install the plugin
• Activate the plugin
• Click on UpdraftPlus Backups on the left-hand menu
• Choose the files and restore points you want to backup and click the ‘Backup Now’ button

Step 3: Update WordPress Manually (Automatic Update)

WordPress has a great automatic update feature, but major updates need to be manual to avoid significant glitches. Follow these steps:

• Log in to your WordPress dashboard
• Click on ‘Updates’ on the left-hand menu
• If you don’t have the latest version, you will see a message that says “A new version of WordPress is available.”
• Click on the ‘Update Now’ button to start the update
• Your website will now update automatically to the latest version, which may take a few minutes, depending on your website’s structure complexity

Step 4: Update WordPress Manually (Manual Update)

If the automatic update doesn’t work or you need to update your website to a major release, follow these manual update steps:

• Log in to your WordPress dashboard
• Click on ‘Updates’ on the left-hand menu
• Download the latest version of WordPress
• Extract and open the downloaded file
• Delete the ‘wp-content’ folder and ‘wp-config-sample.php’ file from the extracted folder
• Connect to your website using an FTP client like FileZilla
• Delete the ‘wp-admin’ and the ‘wp-includes’ folders in your current WordPress directory
• Upload the extracted WordPress files to your website using your FTP client, except the ‘wp-content’ and ‘wp-config.php’ files
• Check if the files were uploaded correctly
• Visit your website and update your WordPress database

Step 5: Update Your Themes and Plugins

Updating your website theme and plugins is crucial for bug fixes and security patches, enhancing your website’s functionality. Follow these steps:

• Log in to your WordPress dashboard
• Click on ‘Updates’ on the left-hand menu
• Check for plugin or theme updates and click on the ‘Update Now’ button
• Wait for the update process to complete
• Test your website to ensure that all functionalities are intact

Step 6: Check for Broken Links and Bugs

Ensure to check for any broken links or bugs that might have popped up during the update process. Here are some useful tools:

• Google’s Search Console helps to identify broken links to your website
• Google Analytics can help identify if your website has any bugs or unusual traffic patterns
• Pingdom is an online tool for checking website speed

The Conclusion

In conclusion, updating WordPress is vital for maintaining a secure and functional website. Before updating, prepare by backing up your website, deactivating any plugins, and switching to the default WordPress theme. The update process happens either automatically or manually. Updating your themes and plugins are crucial steps to ensure your website is secure and optimized. Finally, check for any broken links or bugs after completing the update process. By following these steps, your website will be up-to-date, secure, and optimized for your users.