Perplexing Ways to Upgrade Your WordPress Website

Do you have a self-hosted WordPress website or blog? If so, upgrading it to the latest version is of utmost importance to make sure that your website is impregnable, user-friendly, and free from performance-related issues.

Don’t worry if upgrading WordPress seems like a herculean task because it isn’t. In this article, we will guide you through the process of upgrading your WordPress website to the latest version. But why upgrade WordPress, you may ask? Let’s briefly discuss why it’s crucial to upgrade your WordPress website before diving into the baffling process.

Why Upgrade WordPress?

WordPress is an open-source content management system (CMS) frequently updated to enhance website security and performance while creating new features. Regular updates are launched to address security flaws, bugs, and performance issues. Outdated websites are vulnerable to security exploits and hacking attempts, making it crucial to keep your site up-to-date.

Moreover, upgrading your WordPress website unlocks new features and functionality, speeds up page load, and optimizes your site for mobile devices. By updating your WordPress plugins and themes, you make sure they are compatible with the newest WordPress version and don’t slow down your website.

With that said, let’s dive into the perplexing and befuddling steps involved in upgrading WordPress.

Step 1: Backup your Website

Initiate the process of upgrading your WordPress website by creating a backup of your current site. A backup is vital to restore your website in case an error occurs, or something goes wrong during the upgrade. It lets you revert to the earlier version if something goes awry. There are several plugins to create complete website backups seamlessly, such as UpdraftPlus, BackupBuddy, and WPvivid Backup. After creating a backup, store the files in a secure location for easy access if needed.

Step 2: Check Plugin and Theme Compatibility

Before upgrading your WordPress website, ensure that all your installed plugins and themes are compatible with the latest WordPress version. Incompatible plugins and themes can result in website crashes, invalid data entry, and broken functionality, causing a poor user experience. You can verify whether your plugins and themes are compatible with the latest WordPress version by visiting their WordPress repository pages. Compatible themes and plugins will display a “Tested up to” tag on the page.

Step 3: Update Plugins and Themes

After checking the compatibility of your installed plugins and themes with the latest WordPress version, it’s time to update them. Outdated plugins and themes can cause performance issues, security exploits, and compatibility problems. Updating your plugins and themes ensures they are secure, fully functional, and compatible with the latest WordPress version. You can update your plugins and themes by navigating to the WordPress dashboard, clicking on the “Updates” tab, selecting the plugins and themes you want to update, and clicking the update button. Alternatively, you can manually update them by downloading the latest version and replacing the existing files manually.

Step 4: Select the Latest WordPress Version to Upgrade To

To upgrade WordPress, you need to navigate to Dashboard → Updates, which displays the available upgrades. You will see a message if there’s a new version of WordPress available. Click the “Update WordPress” button, and your website will upgrade to the latest version in no time.

Step 5: Test Your Website After Upgrade

After upgrading WordPress, it’s imperative to test your website and guarantee that everything operates correctly. Analyze different pages, forms, plugins, and widgets, ensuring that everything runs seamlessly. If everything is working correctly, congratulations! Your WordPress upgrade is complete! In case something went wrong during the upgrade process, restore your website using the backup you created earlier.

Conclusion

Upgrading WordPress might seem intimidating, but it’s essential to keep your website secure and running seamlessly. By following the perplexing steps outlined in this article, you can upgrade your WordPress site to the latest version effortlessly. Remember, backup your website before upgrading, check plugin and theme compatibility, update plugins and themes, select the newest WordPress version to upgrade to, and test your website after upgrading. With these steps, you can effortlessly upgrade your WordPress website and provide visitors with a remarkable user experience.