Get ready for a wild ride: upgrading WordPress version manually

Hold on to your hats, folks! WordPress is the bees knees, the cat’s meow, the top of the tops when it comes to content management systems (CMS). It basically runs the world, with nearly 40% of the internet being powered by it. It’s just so easy to use and flexible, it’s like the Swiss Army Knife of website creation! You can create and manage your website without breaking a sweat, just a few clicks and voila!

But wait, there’s more! Manual upgrade process to spice things up

Now, if you’re feeling a little wild, a little bit crazy today, why not try upgrading your WordPress installation manually? Don’t worry, we’ve got a checklist for you.

Step 1: Download the Latest WordPress Version

First things first, you gotta have the latest version of WordPress. You may download it from the official website. Here’s the URL to get started: https://wordpress.org/latest.zip

Step 2: Deactivate Plugins

The next step is trickier than a trapeze! You have to deactivate all the plugins on your website before beginning the upgrade process to avoid any problems. You can do that by navigating to Plugins > Installed Plugins and clicking the Deactivate link below every plugin.

Step 3: Backup website

You need to take a backup of your website before starting the upgrade process. In case something goes wrong, you can easily restore your website using the backup. Different web hosts have various backup solutions, and you might also use plugins like UpdraftPlus to take a backup and store it on cloud services like Google Drive or Dropbox.

Step 4: Unzip WordPress Latest Version

It’s time to unzip that folder you downloaded in step 1. You may use any file compression software like WinZip, 7-Zip, or WinRAR to extract the files.

Step 5: Upload the Files

All aboard the FTP train! Connect to your website’s server using FTP, navigate to the root directory, upload the extracted files, and folders. Simples!

Step 6: Overwrite Files

You will face a crucial decision while uploading the files: to overwrite files with the same name or not? Heed our advice and click “Yes to all” to overwrite all files.

Step 7: Upgrade WordPress Database

Now that you’ve uploaded the latest version of WordPress, it’s time to upgrade the WordPress database. Head to your website’s homepage with /wp-admin added at the end of the URL. For example, if your website’s URL is https://example.com, the admin URL will be https://example.com/wp-admin. Log in to your website using your admin credentials. You’ll be welcomed with a message that says “WordPress database update required.” Just click on the “Please Update Now” button to start the database upgrade process.

Step 8: Reactivate Plugins

You have successfully upgraded the database! So, you can now reactivate all the plugins you had deactivated earlier.

Step 9: Check Your Website

Last but not least, check your website to make sure it’s still your baby, your precious, and it’s running smoothly after the upgrade. Visit your website’s homepage and look for any functional or visual problems. Check everything – pages, posts, widgets, menus – just to make sure.

Conclusion

Wow, what a journey! You did it, you brave soul! You conquered the manual upgrade process of WordPress. It may seem daunting, but with the steps we’ve outlined in this article, it’s child’s play. Remember to take a backup before starting the upgrade process, deactivate all your plugins, and, most importantly, have fun! If you encounter any issues during the upgrade process, you can always restore your website using the backup.