How to Update WordPress, Plugins and Themes

From time to time, themes, plugins & WordPress will require updating. Updates typically happen when developers release security patches or add extra functionality.

It’s good practice to keep your themes, plugins & WordPress version updated to the latest versions. The top two reasons for sites being hacked are insecure passwords & outdated (vulnerable) software.

Automatic Updates

- WordPress has introduced automatic background updates in an effort to promote better security and to streamline the update experience. By default, only minor WordPress releases are enabled (e.g. v4.5.2, v4.6.1). These minor releases are usually for maintenance and security purposes or translation file updates. Only core WordPress files will be auto-updated. Your themes or plugins won’t be automatically updated.

- Once your site is auto-updated your site administrator will be notified by email. If your WordPress installation can’t update itself automatically for one reason or another, your site administrator will be notified of this as well.

How to Update WordPress Installation

To update your WordPress version manually or to update your themes and plugins, hover your cursor over the Dashboard menu option in the left-hand navigation menu and in the fly-out menu, click the Updates link. Alternatively, click the Dashboard menu option and then click the Updates link underneath.

The Updates page is divided into three sections

1. If your version of WordPress requires updating, this will be displayed at the top of the page. Updating your WordPress version is as simple as clicking the Update Now button. WordPress will download the necessary files, perform a validation of those files and then automatically update your site.

2. Next you’ll be notified of any plugin updates, you can easily update all plugins.

3. Next are theme updates, again you can easily update your theme here.

Note: If there are Plugins or Themes that you are not using please be sure to remove these as they may cause issues at some point.