Picture yourself enjoying your morning coffee when you receive a notification that a new WordPress update is available. For a moment, you might think about ignoring it, especially since everything seems to be functioning perfectly.
However, here’s a crucial insight: we’ve witnessed websites suffer significant security breaches simply because the owner postponed updating their system.
Remember, each update is not just about fixing bugs or introducing new features. It also safeguards your site from potential threats and ensures you benefit from the latest enhancements.
In this article, we will guide you on how to check your WordPress version and provide a detailed step-by-step process for updating. Let’s ensure your site remains safe, secure, and operates at its best.
Below are the topics we will explore in this article. You can click on the links to navigate directly to the section that interests you the most:
- The Importance of Always Using the Latest Version of WordPress
- A Simple Guide to Checking Your WordPress Version
- How to Check for Available WordPress Updates
- Step-by-Step Instructions for Safely Updating to the Latest Version of WordPress
- How to Enable Automatic Updates for WordPress
- Testing a WordPress Update on a Staging Site
- How to Install the Latest WordPress Nightly Builds
The Importance of Keeping Your WordPress Updated
Using the latest version of WordPress is crucial for enhancing your website’s security. With over 43% of all websites powered by WordPress, it is a frequent target for hackers and cybercriminals.
Whenever a security vulnerability is identified, the WordPress core team promptly releases an update to address the issue. This ensures that the latest version of WordPress is the most secure option available.
New releases of WordPress not only introduce valuable features but also fix bugs in existing functionalities.
Plugin and theme developers often synchronize their updates with major WordPress releases, allowing them to leverage new features and improvements. This typically results in the latest version of WordPress being the most compatible.
Discover more in our comprehensive guide on the importance of using the latest version of WordPress.
How to Easily Verify Your WordPress Version
Start by logging into the WordPress admin dashboard and scrolling to the bottom of the page.
Look for the message, ‘Thanks for creating with WordPress.’ You will find the WordPress version number next to it.
On the Dashboard » HomeYou can find your WordPress version number in the ‘At a Glance’ admin widget on your dashboard. For example, the current version we are using is 6.0.2.
If you need to find out the WordPress version of a website without admin access, there are alternative methods available. Check out our guide on how to easily determine which WordPress version is being used.
How to Check for WordPress Updates
To see if a new version of WordPress is available, visit the Dashboard » Updatessection in your WordPress admin area.
If your WordPress version is current, you will see a message indicating that you have the latest version. For instance, the version displayed below is 6.0.2.
This page will also show the date and time when your WordPress site last checked for updates.
WordPress automatically checks for updates regularly, but you can also click the ‘Check again’ link to manually search for updates.
When a new version of WordPress is available, you will see a notification stating, ‘An updated version of WordPress is available.’
Below this notification, there will be an ‘Update Now’ button. The next section will guide you through the process of installing a WordPress update.
A Comprehensive Guide to Safely Updating Your WordPress Version
Before proceeding with any updates, it is crucial to create a complete backup of your WordPress website. For detailed instructions, refer to our beginner’s guide on backing up your WordPress site.
After completing the backup, navigate back to the Dashboard » Updatessection and click on the ‘Update Now’ button as shown in the screenshot above.
WordPress will automatically activate maintenance mode, download the latest version of the software, and install it for you. You will see the update progress displayed on your screen.
For advanced users, there is also an option to manually update WordPress. You can find instructions in our guide on safely updating WordPress.
Once the WordPress update is successfully installed, visit your website to ensure everything appears correct and functions properly.
If you encounter any problems, you will need to troubleshoot the issues. We recommend checking our list of common WordPress errors and referring to our WordPress troubleshooting guide.
If you cannot resolve the issues, you can restore your website using the backup you created.
How to Activate Automatic Updates for WordPress
To access the Dashboard » UpdatesIn your WordPress admin area, you will find a message stating, ‘This site is automatically kept up to date with maintenance and security releases of WordPress only.’
It’s essential to install security updates promptly to protect your website, and WordPress takes care of this automatically. This means you can trust that your site will remain secure, even when you’re busy or away.
If you want all WordPress updates to be managed in the same manner, just click on the link that says ‘Enable automatic updates for all new versions of WordPress.’
There are additional methods to enable automatic WordPress updates, which you can explore in our comprehensive guide on how to enable automatic updates for major WordPress versions.
While automatic WordPress updates are convenient, they can sometimes cause issues. For instance, an update might inadvertently break your site. If WordPress updates automatically, you may not be available to address the problem or even notice it.
That’s why it’s beneficial to maintain a bit more control over your updates. You can find out how in our guide on effectively managing automatic WordPress updates.
If you choose to disable automatic updates in the future, simply navigate back to the Dashboard » UpdatesVisit the page and click the link that says ‘Enable automatic updates for maintenance and security releases only.’
Now, only security updates will be installed automatically, while major WordPress releases will require manual installation, reducing the risk of conflicts that could disrupt your site.
You may want to check out our guide on disabling automatic updates in WordPress for more options. This article also explains how to disable automatic security updates, although we typically advise against doing so.
How to Test a WordPress Update on a Staging Site
If you’re concerned about an update potentially breaking your site, you can test it for issues before applying it to your live website by using a staging site.
A staging site is a duplicate of your live website and should be set up on the same web hosting server. This way, if the WordPress update functions properly on the staging site, you can be assured it will not cause any issues on the live site.
Many of the top WordPress hosting providers offer one-click staging site setups. If your website is hosted by one of these providers, you can easily create a staging site with minimal effort.
If your hosting provider does not offer staging site services, you can easily create one yourself. This can be done manually or by using a plugin like WP Stagecoach.
Our comprehensive step-by-step guide will teach you how to install and utilize a staging site for your WordPress website.
How to Install the Latest Nightly Builds of WordPress
The latest updates for WordPress are referred to as nightly builds. These should never be installed on a live website, as they are still undergoing testing for bugs.
Nightly builds should be installed on a staging site or locally on your Windows or Mac computer. You can achieve this by using the WordPress Beta Tester plugin, which will automatically update your WordPress installation to the latest nightly builds.
Who Should Install WordPress Nightly Builds?
Developers use nightly builds to ensure their plugins and themes are compatible with upcoming versions of WordPress before they are officially released. If any issues arise, they can either fix their own code or report bugs to the WordPress core development team.
Contributing to the WordPress project is a great opportunity. Users without programming experience can test the nightly builds and report any bugs they encounter. Those who are skilled in programming can submit code patches to resolve these issues.
Comprehensive Guides on Updating WordPress
We hope this guide has helped you understand how to check and update to the latest version of WordPress. You may also find these related articles on WordPress updates helpful:
- The Importance of Using the Latest Version of WordPress
- Beginner’s Guide: Safely Updating WordPress (Infographic)
- How to Easily Determine Your Current WordPress Version
- A Beginner’s Guide to Checking for WordPress Security Updates
- Setting Up Email Notifications for WordPress Updates
- Enabling Automatic Updates for Major WordPress Versions
- Disabling Automatic Updates in WordPress
- Managing Automatic WordPress Updates More Effectively
- What Should You Update First: WordPress or Plugins? (Correct Update Sequence)
If you enjoyed this article, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also connect with us on Twitter and Facebook.
