Quick Fix: How to Rollback Your WordPress Update in Just 5 Minutes!

You update WordPress hoping for improved performance, but instead, your website appears to be malfunctioning. You might notice layout changes, non-functional plugins, or unexpected error messages.

This can be frustrating, but it’s a common issue. Many WordPress problems look more severe than they are and can typically be resolved in just a few minutes. You don’t need to be a developer to restore your site.

In this guide, I will provide you with a reliable strategy to quickly bring your site back online.

I will begin with the crucial aspect: a straightforward prevention plan to avert issues before they arise. Then, I will outline the rollback steps you can take in just five minutes if an update has already caused problems.

Here’s a brief overview of the topics I will discuss in this article:

• 🛡️ The Pre-Update Prevention Strategy
  • Always Back Up Your Website Before Updating
  • Review the Changelog & Update Plugins Individually
  • Utilize a Staging Site for Significant Updates
  • Activate a Maintenance Mode Page
  • Enable WordPress Debugging
• 🚨 Oops! Your Site is Down After the Update?
• 🛠️ Quick 5-Minute Rollback and Recovery Guide
  • Step 1: Restore a Functional Backup (The Quickest Solution)
  • Step 2: Revert the Problematic Plugin or Theme
  • Step 3: Utilize Recovery Mode for ‘Critical Error’ Issues
  • Step 4: Disable Plugins Manually via FTP (Final Option)
  • Step 5: Confirm and Rebuild with Assurance
• 🛠️ Bonus: Your Essential WordPress Toolkit
• 📌 Conclusion: Transitioning from Panic to Preparedness
• 🙋‍♀️ Common Questions About WordPress Updates and Errors
• Extra Resources for Troubleshooting WordPress

🛡️ The Pre-Update Prevention Strategy

Before we jump into emergency solutions, let’s discuss the most effective strategy: prevention. Spending a few minutes preparing before updating WordPress can save you hours of stress later.

Here’s my usual approachprior toany significant WordPress update to avoid issues from arising. You can find detailed instructions in my guide on how to safely update WordPress plugins.

Always Create a Backup of Your Site First

The most crucial step is to create a complete backup of your site before updating anything—whether it’s a plugin, theme, or the WordPress core. A backup serves as your ultimate safety net.

I highly recommend using Duplicator, as it enables you to schedule automatic backups, store them in cloud services like Amazon S3, Google Drive, Dropbox, and more, and restore backups with just one click.

For additional options, check out our selection of the best WordPress backup plugins.

Review the Changelog and Update Plugins Individually

Before updating a plugin, navigate to yourDashboard » Updatespage and click on the ‘View version details’ link for the plugin. This will display the changelog.

If you notice the phrase ‘security fix’, make sure to update immediately. For standard updates, this will inform you about new features or changes to anticipate.

While it may be tempting to select all pending updates and use the bulk ‘Update’ feature, doing so can complicate troubleshooting if any issues arise.

Update one plugin at a time and check your website after each update to ensure everything is functioning correctly. This way, if an issue arises, you’ll know which plugin is responsible.

Utilize a Staging Site for Significant Updates

For substantial plugins such as WooCommerce or major WordPress core updates, it’s advisable to first test them on a staging site. A staging site is a private duplicate of your live website, allowing you to safely test changes without impacting your visitors.

Many WordPress hosting providers offer the ability to create staging sites as part of their hosting packages.

Alternatively, WP Stagecoach is a premium service that enables you to create a private copy of your site for testing with just one click. This method helps you identify compatibility issues before they disrupt your live site.

Activate a Maintenance Page

While performing updates and verifying your site, it’s advisable to enable maintenance mode. This presents visitors with a professional and user-friendly notice instead of a potentially broken page.

Using a plugin like SeedProd, you can easily create an attractive maintenance page within minutes, without any coding required.

For more information, refer to our guide on how to put a WordPress website into maintenance mode.

Activate WordPress Debug Mode

Enabling WordPress debug mode allows you to identify the root causes of issues on your site. It records PHP errors and warnings, helping you determine if a plugin, theme, or custom code is responsible for the problem.

For instance, the error logs may display messages regarding missing files, deprecated functions, or conflicts between plugins, which can directly indicate the source of the issue.

Fortunately, setting up debug mode is straightforward and can save you significant time when troubleshooting. You can follow our detailed guide to learn how to enable WordPress debug mode.

Be sure to disable debug mode once you’ve resolved the issue or completed your updates. Keeping it active can slow down your website and potentially expose sensitive information.

🧯 Oops! Your Site is Down After an Update?

When an update fails, your website may display one of several common warning signs. While these can be concerning, encountering one of these messages is actually the first step in diagnosing and fixing the problem.

Here are the most frequent issues you may face following a failed update:

• White screen of death (a completely blank page)
• A message stating, ‘There has been a critical error’
• Inability to access the WordPress admin dashboard
• Distorted layouts or missing images and styles
• Features of your plugins or themes are no longer functioning

Fortunately, these WordPress issues typically indicate a straightforward conflict between plugins or themes, and your content remains secure.

Now that you’ve recognized the issue, let’s go through the steps to recover your site.

🧩 5-Minute Rollback and Recovery Guide

When your website is down, the priority is to bring it back online as quickly as possible.

You can follow these steps sequentially, starting with the quickest solution, to minimize downtime and restore your website.

Step 1: Restore a Functional Backup (The Quickest Solution)

The most efficient and dependable way to resolve a malfunctioning site is to revert to a backup made just before the update.

If you have a backup plugin like Duplicator Pro, you can be back online in just a few clicks.

But if you haven’t set up a backup plugin, don’t panic; you might still have a backup available.

Many reputable WordPress hosting providers automatically create daily backups of your site. Log into your hosting account dashboard and search for a ‘Backups’ or ‘Site Restore’ feature.

If you can’t locate it, reach out to their support team immediately. They can often restore your site within minutes.

For a comprehensive guide on both methods, check out our detailed tutorial on restoring a WordPress backup.

Step 2: Revert the Problematic Plugin or Theme

If you lack a recent backup or have made significant changes that you want to keep (like publishing a new blog post), reverting the specific plugin or theme is an easier option.

This is an ideal choice if you can still access your WordPress admin dashboard and identify which update caused the issue.

The free WP Rollback plugin simplifies this process for any plugin or theme obtained from the official WordPress.org directory. After reverting, it’s advisable to reach out to the plugin or theme developer to inform them of the issue so they can address it.

For detailed guidance, refer to our comprehensive tutorial on rolling back plugins and themes to a previous version.

For premium plugins or themes, you usually need to log into the developer’s website, download the previous version from your account page, and then manually upload it to your site.

Step 3: Activate Recovery Mode for the ‘Critical Error’

If you find yourself locked out and see the message ‘There has been a critical error on your website,’ don’t worry.

WordPress includes a built-in recovery feature specifically for this scenario.

Check the inbox for the admin email associated with your website. Look for an email titled ‘Your Site is Experiencing a Technical Issue.’

This email is crucial as it contains a special link for ‘recovery mode’ and usually specifies which plugin or theme caused the issue.

By clicking the link, you can securely log in to your dashboard and deactivate the problematic plugin or theme.

For detailed instructions on this process, refer to our tutorial on resolving critical errors in WordPress.

Step 4: Manually Disable Plugins via FTP (Last Resort)

If restoring a backup isn’t possible and you are completely locked out of the WordPress admin without a recovery mode link, you will need to access your site’s files directly. This will allow you to manually deactivate the plugin or theme that is causing the issue.

You can achieve this using your web host’s File Manager tool or an FTP client. Although it may sound technical, it simply involves renaming a folder.

Our guide on deactivating all plugins when you can’t access wp-admin will provide you with a step-by-step walkthrough of the entire process.

Step 5: Verify and Rebuild with Confidence

Once your website is operational again, remember to clear your browser cache before reviewing your pages. Occasionally, your browser may retain an outdated, non-functional version of the site even after resolving the issue.

Next, take a moment to ensure that everything is functioning correctly. Review your essential pages, forms, and the checkout process.

You can now cautiously re-update the problematic plugin or theme (after creating a new backup) or consider finding an alternative if it’s incompatible with your site.

After confirming that your key pages are operational, it’s wise to check your analytics. Using a tool like MonsterInsights, you can quickly determine if your traffic has rebounded following the fix.

This allows you to verify that not only is the sitefunctioning, but that both visitors and search engines can access it properly once again.

🛠️ Bonus: Your Essential WordPress Toolkit

The most effective way to address a broken site is to prevent it from occurring in the first place. By utilizing the right tools, you can establish a safety net that makes updates hassle-free.

Here is the toolkit I recommend for every WordPress site owner:

• Duplicator ProThe ultimate safety solution for your website. It offers dependable, automatic backups and a simple one-click restore option, enabling you to bring your site back online within minutes.
• SeedProdThis tool allows you to quickly set up a professional maintenance page. It displays a user-friendly message to visitors instead of a broken site while you carry out updates.
• WP Mail SMTPThis plugin ensures you never miss an important notification. It resolves WordPress email issues, so you consistently receive crucial alerts, including the ‘recovery mode’ link.
• WPCodeThe safest method to incorporate custom code without risking your website’s functionality. It assists you in troubleshooting problems without the danger of altering core files directly.
• WP StagecoachThis tool allows you to test updates on a private clone of your website. It helps you identify any issues before they impact your live audience.

By integrating these tools, you can turn website maintenance from a daunting chore into a smooth, manageable process. It represents a professional strategy for overseeing a WordPress site, empowering you to update and expand your site without the anxiety of potential breakdowns.

For additional suggestions, check out the ultimate WordPress toolkit for professionals.

📌 Final Thoughts: Transitioning from Panic to Proactive Management

Experiencing a broken website is a nightmare for any site owner, but as you’ve discovered, it is usually a temporary issue that can be resolved.

The goal is not to dread updates, but to have a well-thought-out strategy in place:

1. First, establish a proactive prevention plan based on simple habits: consistently back up your site, update plugins individually, and utilize a staging site for significant changes.
2. Second, implement a calm and logical recovery plan that begins with the quickest solution (restoring a backup) and guides you through additional options step-by-step, reserving technical fixes as a last resort.

By embracing this strategy and utilizing the right tools, you can turn update days from a source of anxiety into a seamless part of managing a thriving website. You are now prepared to keep your site not only operational but also dependable and poised for expansion.

🙋‍♀️ Common Questions About WordPress Updates and Errors

Here are responses to some of the most common questions regarding WordPress updates.

How can I reverse a WordPress update that caused issues on my site?

The quickest method is to restore a recent backup using a plugin like Duplicator Pro. If you don’t have a backup, you can use the WP Rollback plugin to revert a specific theme or plugin to an earlier version, or manually deactivate it via FTP.

How can I resolve the ‘briefly unavailable for scheduled maintenance’ error?

This indicates that your site is currently in maintenance mode. To resolve this issue, access your hosting file manager or use FTP to connect to your site and remove the file named .maintenance from the root directory of your website.

Should I update everything at once or one by one?

It’s best to update each component individually to simplify troubleshooting. The recommended and safest sequence is: 1. Update WordPress Core first, 2. Then update Plugins, and finally 3. Update your Theme.

This sequence is important because plugin and theme developers test their updates against the latest version of WordPress. By updating the core first, you create a stable foundation that minimizes the risk of conflicts.

Be sure to review your site’s key pages after each update to quickly identify any issues.

Is it safe to enable automatic updates in WordPress?

Automatic updates are safe for minor security releases, which WordPress manages by default. However, I suggest disabling automatic updates for major plugins, themes, and WordPress versions so that you can test them on a staging site first, following the prevention checklist.

For instance, upgrading from WordPress version 6.4 to 6.5 is considered a major update, whereas moving from version 6.4.1 to 6.4.2 is a minor security update.

Additional Resources for Troubleshooting WordPress Issues

I hope this guide has assisted you in restoring your website. With the right knowledge and tools, issues arising from WordPress updates can be addressed effectively. The key lies in preparation, prevention, and understanding the necessary steps to take when problems occur.

Explore more guides from CanadaCreate to help you troubleshoot and manage your WordPress site:

• Beginner’s Guide to Troubleshooting WordPress Errors (Step-by-Step)
• Essential WordPress Maintenance Tasks to Perform Regularly
• Beginner’s Guide: How to Safely Update WordPress (Infographic)
• Should I Update WordPress or Plugins First? (Correct Update Sequence)
• How to Enable Maintenance Mode on Your WordPress Site
• Step-by-Step Guide to Easily Create a Staging Site for WordPress

If you found this article helpful, please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also connect with us on Twitter and Facebook.