Imagine discovering the ideal WordPress plugin that adds an exciting feature to your website. However, there’s a downside: it hasn’t been updated in a while.
You might be questioning its safety or whether it could potentially disrupt your site. This is a frequent concern among WordPress users, particularly those who are new to the platform.
At CanadaCreate, we offer insights from our experience as a site that utilizes numerous plugins and as developers of several well-known plugins. While outdated plugins can indeed present security and performance challenges, we can guide you in evaluating these risks so you can make informed choices.
This article will help you determine if it’s safe to install an outdated WordPress plugin. We will explore the possible risks and provide steps to assess a plugin’s reliability, enabling you to protect your website and make smart decisions.
What Causes WordPress Plugins to Become Outdated?
A WordPress plugin may become outdated if it hasn’t been updated for an extended period or if the plugin author hasn’t tested it for compatibility with the latest three major WordPress releases.
We always advise our readers to keep their WordPress plugins updated. These updates ensure compatibility with changes in the WordPress core, introduce new features, fix bugs, and resolve security issues.
What should you do if a plugin you are currently using or considering hasn’t been updated in a while? Is it still secure to use if it hasn’t been tested with the latest version of WordPress?
The simple answer is: it varies depending on the plugin.
In some cases, outdated plugins may not function properly with the latest versions of WordPress. Additionally, the developer may have abandoned the plugin, meaning no new features will be introduced.
The primary concern with outdated plugins is the potential for security vulnerabilities. If a plugin is not regularly maintained or updated, it could become an easy target for hackers.
However, an outdated plugin is not necessarily unsafe. Some may still be perfectly secure to use. We advise you to conduct thorough testing of the plugin before deploying it on your live website.
Now, let’s explore how to determine if a WordPress plugin is outdated and how to assess its safety for installation.
How to Check if a Plugin Is Outdated
The WordPress Plugin Directory provides valuable information about each plugin, including the date of the last update and the most recent version of WordPress it has been tested with.
If a plugin hasn’t been tested with multiple recent versions of WordPress, a warning message will appear at the top of the plugin page, similar to this:
This plugin has not been tested with the latest three major releases of WordPress. It may not be actively maintained or supported, and could face compatibility issues with newer versions of WordPress.
How does WordPress obtain this information? Plugin developers must include it in a readme file when they submit their plugins to the WordPress plugin directory.
Unfortunately, busy developers may forget to update the readme file when a new version of WordPress is released. Sometimes, a plugin may have been tested more recently than what is indicated on its plugin page.
Now that you understand how to identify if a WordPress plugin is outdated, let’s explore how to determine if it is safe to install.
Evaluating the Safety of an Outdated Plugin Before Installation
Just because a plugin hasn’t been updated or tested in a while doesn’t necessarily mean it won’t function properly. How can you assess whether the plugin is safe for your WordPress site?
Review User Ratings and Feedback
Visit the ‘Reviews’ section on the WordPress Plugin Directory to read user feedback and concerns regarding the plugin. If there are compatibility issues with the latest version of WordPress, other users are likely to have reported them here.
Check the user ratings as well. If the reviews are recent and the plugin has a five-star rating, you can confidently use it on your website.
Review the Plugin Support Page
By clicking the ‘Support’ tab, you will access the support forum for the plugin, where you can find any problems users have experienced.
You’ll also be able to see how responsive the plugin’s developer is and whether they effectively resolve issues in a timely manner.
If you choose to install the plugin, this is the place to visit for support. For more information, check out our guide on how to effectively request WordPress support.
Explore the Plugin Development Page
Another method to determine if it’s safe to install the plugin is by visiting the plugin development page, which indicates how active the developer is.
Simply navigate to the WordPress plugin page and select the ‘Development’ tab.
Specifically, review the ‘Changelog’ section to find out how frequently the plugin is updated and what recent modifications and enhancements have been implemented.
If the developer is consistently updating the plugin, it typically indicates that the plugin is of high quality and safe for use on your WordPress site.
Conversely, if a plugin hasn’t received updates in over two years, it may suggest that the plugin has been abandoned. In such cases, it’s best to avoid installing the plugin since the developer is not actively maintaining it.
Explore CanadaCreate Tutorials on the Plugin
You can also verify the safety of the plugin for installation by visiting the CanadaCreate blog. Look for tutorials on the plugin by going to the Blog » WordPress Plugins page or by utilizing the search function.
If we have recently published a tutorial on a plugin, it indicates that the plugin was compatible with the latest version of WordPress at the time of our testing.
Testing the Plugin on a Staging Site or Local WordPress Setup
Assuming you have followed the previous steps and determined that an outdated plugin appears safe to install, what should be your next course of action?
Before installing a new plugin on your live WordPress site, consider testing it first on a staging site or a local WordPress setup.
A WordPress staging site serves as a safe environment where you can test a plugin for any issues before deploying it to your live site.
Since the staging site is hosted on your web server, you can be assured that if the plugin functions correctly there, it should work without issues on your live site.
Top WordPress hosting providers like Bluehost, SiteGround, and WP Engine offer one-click options to create staging sites. Alternatively, you can set up a staging site manually or by using a plugin.
For detailed instructions, check out our guide on how to easily create a staging site for WordPress.
Another option is to install WordPress on your computer to test the plugin locally. You can refer to our guides on how to install WordPress on Mac or Windows, or use XAMPP for this purpose.
If the plugin functions well on your test site, it is safe to proceed with the installation on your live website.
Conclusion
While using outdated plugins is generally discouraged, sometimes the plugin you need may be the only available option. In such cases, it’s essential to conduct thorough research, as outlined in our guide.
Consider checking the reputation of the plugin’s author. If the author is well-known, you can reach out to them via email to inquire about their plans for updating the plugin.
Some plugins are so straightforward that they do not require updates, which is why the author may not release new versions, knowing that the current version still functions properly. A prime example is the widely-used Page Links To plugin.
This plugin is developed by Mark Jaquith, a contributor to the WordPress core, and it has been available for a long time. It performs a specific task exceptionally well, so it doesn’t require ongoing development. Even though it may show as outdated on WordPress.org, this plugin can be safely installed.
However, if you were looking for more advanced redirection capabilities, this plugin may not meet your needs. This is why many users opt for the All in One SEO plugin, which offers this feature along with a variety of other robust SEO tools.
Comprehensive Guides on Utilizing WordPress Plugins
We trust that this tutorial has clarified whether using outdated plugins with WordPress is safe. You may also find these additional guides helpful for selecting and using WordPress plugins:
- What Are WordPress Plugins and How Do They Function?
- Beginner’s Guide: Choosing the Best WordPress Plugin for Your Needs
- Is It Safe to Install Plugins Not Tested with Your WordPress Version?
- When Is It Justifiable to Purchase Premium WordPress Plugins? (A Detailed Explanation)
- How Many WordPress Plugins Are Too Many? Finding the Right Balance
- Do Inactive Plugins Affect WordPress Performance? Should You Remove Them?
- What Should You Update First: WordPress or Plugins? (The Correct Update Sequence)
- Step-by-Step Guide: Creating a WordPress Plugin Using an Existing Plugin (Quick & Easy)
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.
