Updating your WordPress site can be challenging, especially when deciding whether to prioritize core updates, plugins, or themes. Many newcomers hesitate to perform updates due to concerns about potentially disrupting their site, but ignoring updates can result in security vulnerabilities and decreased performance.
Our experience indicates that updating your site in the right sequence helps avoid common mistakes and simplifies troubleshooting. By adopting a methodical approach, you can ensure your site remains secure and operates efficiently without unnecessary interruptions.
In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide on the correct order for updating the WordPress core, plugins, and themes. By adhering to these best practices, you will facilitate a smooth update process and maintain the stability of your site.
Why Is It Essential to Keep WordPress Updated?
Always using the latest version of WordPress is crucial. This ensures your website benefits from the most recent security updates, new features, and optimal speed and performance.
Occasionally, updating WordPress or a plugin may cause issues with your website. This can occur due to bugs in the code or conflicts arising from the update with existing themes or plugins.
We strongly advise creating a complete backup of your WordPress site before initiating any updates. Additionally, consider setting up a staging site to test updates and identify any potential issues without affecting your live website.
Using the correct update sequence for WordPress is essential. You might be curious whether to update the WordPress core or your plugins first.
Our expert team suggests the following order for updating WordPress:
- Start by updating the WordPress core.
- Next, update your plugins.
- Lastly, update your theme.
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Let’s explore the optimal sequence for updating your WordPress website.
Before You Begin, Ensure a Complete WordPress Backup
Prior to making any updates, it’s crucial to perform a full backup of your WordPress site. Store this backup on your computer or in cloud storage, rather than solely on your hosting server.
There is always a risk that an update could disrupt your site, regardless of how cautious you are or the sequence in which you carry out the updates.
A comprehensive WordPress backup encompasses all elements:
- Your WordPress database
- All your images and media files
- Your WordPress plugins and themes
- Core WordPress files
Duplicator is the top-rated WordPress backup plugin, utilized by over 1.5 million websites. It allows you to create a full backup of your WordPress site, which can be stored in the cloud or downloaded directly to your computer.
You can discover the best practices for using Duplicator to back up your website by following our step-by-step guide on how to back up your WordPress site.
Start by Updating the WordPress Core
If a new version of the WordPress core is available, prioritize updating that first. This aligns with the recommended update sequence found on theDashboard » Updatespage and helps reduce the risk to your site.
Since plugin and theme updates are designed to be compatible with the latest WordPress version, updating your plugins and themes after installing the latest WordPress version minimizes the chances of conflicts.
The easiest way to update the WordPress core is to go to theDashboard » UpdatesNavigate to the updates page and click the ‘Update Now’ button.
When you click ‘Update Now,’ WordPress will automatically place your site in maintenance mode, download the latest version of the software, and install it for you. You will see the update progress displayed on your screen.
Experienced users can manually update WordPress by downloading the latest version from the WordPress download page, logging into their WordPress hosting account, and using FTP to upload the new WordPress files.
For detailed instructions on updating WordPress core using either method, refer to our beginner’s guide and infographic on safely updating WordPress.
Resolving Issues with a WordPress Core Update
Before updating your plugins, ensure that your website is functioning properly with the latest version of WordPress.
Simply open your website in a new browser window to check for any issues or discrepancies. Additionally, review the settings in your WordPress admin area.
If you encounter any problems, consult our list of common WordPress errors and their solutions.
If your issue is not listed, please refer to our WordPress troubleshooting guide to identify the problem and find a solution.
Next, Update Your Plugins
After successfully upgrading WordPress on your site, you can proceed to update your plugins.
A simple method to do this is by scrolling down the Dashboard » Updates page to the ‘Plugins’ section.
Select the plugins you want to update and click the ‘Update Plugins’ button. You can also check the ‘Select All’ box at the top to update all listed plugins at once.
You might also see a red notification number next to Plugins in the admin dashboard. Clicking on it will display a yellow alert under each plugin that requires an update.
Simply click the ‘Update now’ link under any plugin you wish to update without leaving the page.
For more comprehensive guidance, check out our step-by-step tutorial on how to properly update WordPress plugins.
Resolving Issues with Plugin Updates
Just like after updating the WordPress core, open your website in a new browser window to check for any error messages or issues.
You may occasionally find that one of your plugins is incompatible with the latest version of WordPress.
In such cases, refer to our WordPress troubleshooting guide to explore potential solutions to the issue.
If you are unable to resolve the issue, contact the plugin developer to inquire about any planned updates. For plugins from the WordPress Plugin Directory, you can reach out via the support forum on the site. For others, visit the official website for support details.
If no updates are forthcoming, you will need to search for an alternative plugin that offers similar functionality. Consider checking out our beginner’s guide on selecting the best WordPress plugin.
If you’re not ready to switch to a different plugin or if there are other unresolved issues with the update, you may need to restore your WordPress site from the backup created before starting the update process.
Alternatively, you can revert WordPress to its previous version.
Lastly, Update Your Theme
Once you have updated the WordPress core and your plugins, and confirmed that your website is functioning properly, you can proceed to update your theme if an update is available.
Updating a theme will replace the current theme files with new ones, which means any custom changes you’ve made will be lost. If you’ve added custom code to your theme, please refer to our guide on how to update a WordPress theme without losing your customizations.
To update your theme, scroll down to the ‘Themes’ section located at the bottom of theDashboard » Updatespage.
Here, you can choose the themes you wish to update and click the ‘Update Themes’ button. The ‘Select All’ checkbox will automatically select all available theme updates.
Alternatively, you can go toAppearance » Themesin your admin panel.
If updates are available, a red notification will appear next to ‘Themes’ in the admin sidebar.
Click the ‘Update now’ link above any theme you want to update.
Resolving Issues with Your Theme Update
Troubleshooting a theme update is similar to troubleshooting a plugin update. Start by opening your website in a new browser window to check for error messages or other issues.
If you encounter any problems, you can consult our WordPress troubleshooting guide for solutions or contact the developer for assistance.
If your theme is from the WordPress Theme Directory, you can reach out to the developer through the support forum for that theme. If not, visit the official website for support details.
What Is the Correct Order for Updating WordPress?
In summary, here is the recommended sequence for updating your WordPress website:
- Start by backing up your website.
- Next, update the core WordPress files.
- After that, update your plugins.
- Lastly, update your theme.
Always ensure that your website functions correctly before proceeding to the next step.
If there are no updates available for the WordPress core, you can update your plugins or theme whenever new versions are released.
Expert Resources on WordPress Updates
Now that you understand the correct update order, you might want to explore additional guides related to WordPress updates.
- How to Verify and Update to the Latest Version of WordPress
- Beginner’s Guide: Safely Updating WordPress (Infographic)
- How to Check for WordPress Security Updates (Beginner’s Guide)
- The Importance of Using the Latest Version of WordPress
- Step-by-Step Guide to Properly Updating WordPress Plugins
- How to Update a WordPress Theme Without Losing Customizations
- A Complete Guide to Enabling Automatic Updates for WordPress Plugins and Themes
- Step-by-Step Instructions for Updating Your PHP Version in WordPress
- How to Upgrade jQuery to the Latest Version in Your WordPress Site
We hope this tutorial has clarified the best order for updating WordPress core and plugins. You may also find our guide on properly installing Google Analytics in WordPress helpful, along with our expert recommendations for essential WordPress plugins to enhance your website.
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